Caboolture Hawker Resurgence
At Caboolture airfield, Queensland, two
Hawker aircraft of very different eras have
recently arrived for restoration. The first
is Jack McDonald’s long dormant ex-RAAF
Hawker Demon. Only one complete RAAF
Demon currently exists – A1-8 in the
RAAF Museum. Jack was closely involved
in this restoration and was restoring his
own aircraft to airworthy standard at the
same time. Work progressed well but as is
often the case, other projects and work
pressures meant that the aircraft was put
aside until recently.
Jack has enlisted the support of veteran re-
storer Ron Lee, with an additional group of
volunteers assisting in the process. The De-
mon is coming together at Caboolture in Jack’s
hanger alongside the Bristol Beaufort A8-
airworthy restoration. It is anticipated that the
Demon will be completed to full and authentic
static condition within two years.
A new and much anticipated aircraft ar-
rival at Caboolture airfield on 2 September
was Hawker Hunter FR74B, G-BABM, Singa-
pore “526”. This aircraft is the last of 21 ex-
Singapore Air Force Hunters that Geoff
Moesker acquired in 1995 and is still owned
by him. Geoff has placed the aircraft at Ca-
boolture for display, also in the Beaufort
hangar. It is intended to restore the aircraft
to non-flying but operational status with a
working engine and systems. The aircraft is
particularly historic and significant in that
it was at one time Hawker Siddeley’s own
demonstrator registered G-BABM which
toured the world and was featured in many
magazines in the seventies, culminating in a
spectacular display at the Farnborough Air-
show UK in 1976. Geoff is intending to com-
pletely restore the aircraft in its demonstra-
tor colors of sand and brown upper surfaces
and azure blue lower surfaces. The aircraft
is very complete and essentially untouched,
with its engine still fitted. An additional
Rolls Royce Avon 207C engine will be dis-
played alongside the aircraft, along with
other equipment. John Parker
ABOVE RIGHT: Ross
Ebzery commences work
on the restoration of the
Hawker Demon cockpit at
Caboolture. [John Parker]ABOVE LE F T: Jack
McDonald’s Hawker
Demon begins its restora-
tion to authentic, static
RAAF configuration.
[John Parker]Ron Lee and Noel Spalding inspect the Hunter after it has been installed in the Hangar at
Caboolture – a very complete aircraft including its original engine. [John Parker]The Hunter in its former manufacturer’s scheme – which it is intended to be repainted
into. [Hawker Siddley]
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