Warbirds
DECEMBER 2017 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION 79registration VH-TMD, while nearby
is a Cessna 152 under rebuild,
VH-UZB.
Behind the security wire on
the airport tarmac is VH-WJW,
a Dassault Falcon 10 marked as
a Cairns Aviation Skills Centre
machine. Built in 1978 this machine
has carried some five registrations
before being retired in 2008. It seems
so strange to see executive jets being
retired and parted out or broken
up, but that is what is happening
around the world including Cairns
and to more expensive aircraft than
single-engine Piper and Cessna
aircraft.
In the Cairns suburb of Edge
Hill the RFDS previously had a
visitor centre with Beech Queenair
VH-FDS on display. The centre is
now closed and the Queenair is now
in Longreach. Built in 1977 the big
piston twin was retired from the
RFDS when replaced by a King Air.
The machine was initially retired to
Mareeba airport then over the road
to the Beck War Museum. In 2014
it was moved again to Longreach
where it is now suspended from the
ceiling of the Stockman’s Outback
Hall of Fame museum.
Back in Mareeba and the now
closed Beck War Museum is still
home to a number of aircraft
including a C-47, a Canberra, a
Bristol Sycamore, a DH Venom
and the only complete Bell P-39
Airacobra in Australia. Sid Beck
passed away in 2013 and now his
son Norman is drawing down the
collection. As Norman explained
during a recent visit, it is not a fire
sale and he has a price on all the
exhibits.
In addition to the aircraft there
are numerous military vehicles, a
large collection of aero engines and
all manner of wartime memorabilia.
The collection is housed under a
huge wartime wooden hangar.
The Queensland Museum at
Brisbane is also worth a visit.
Located on the south side of the
river, the entrance foyer has Bert
Hinkler’s Avro Avian, G-EBOV,
on display. It is suspended from the
ceiling. It is the only aviation exhibit
on display in the museum at present.
Hinkler was born in Bundaberg
in 1892 and died in the crash of a
DH.80 in 1933 in the Italian alps.
The Avian was flown by Hinkler
from the UK to Darwin in 1928. It
took 15 days and 18,000km and 128
hours in the air.
The aircraft was donated to the
Queensland government in 1929.
Looking up at the Avian one can
only think that it is a far cry from
flying from the UK to Australia
today in an A380 Airbus!Register news
A 1977-built Westland 341B Gazelle
has taken on the marks VH-OIZ,
with c/n 1682 (WA1682). Previously
G-CHZF and XZ338, it was
registered to Westland Helicopters
of Mile End, South Australia on
October 4 (more details in Register
Review this issue – Ed).
Aero L-39C VH-KEE has had
a registration change to VH-ZPM
with Melbourne Jets of South
Melbourne.The constructor’s
number is given as 834408, and
the change of ownership date is
recorded as October 6.
American Champion 7AC
VH-STU was struck off the register
on October 19. This aircraft was
ex N83590 and was last owned
by Harvey McBain of Nelson,
Victoria. The aircraft has c/n 2266.
As previously noted, CAC
CA-25 Winjeel VH- WMD, ex
A85-413, changed owner to Paul
Lostroh of The Bluff, Queensland,
but we now have a changeover date
being October 27. DH.82 Tiger
Moth VH-WEM gained a new
owner on October 20 to Nicholas
Heiniger of Foster, NSW. Folland
Gnat T Mk.1 VH-XSO, c/n FL595,
was struck off the register on
October 31. It is reported to be
going to China for a museum.
De Havilland DH.60X VH-JGS,c/n 604, was struck off the register
on November 7. The last owner
is recorded as Lionel Betts of
Geelong. The aircraft was under
a long-term rebuild when it got
involved in a hangar fire at Geelong
on April 12 2006. An Auster and
another aircraft were also destroyed
in the fire.
Auster J5P VH-BTE, c/n 3200,
moved to new owner Conrad Hamel
of Tyabb, Victoria on October 3;
elderly Piper PA-20 Pacer VH-TPH,
c/n 1103, moved to new owner
Johan Luies of Aubin Grove, WA
on October 4; and DH.82a VH-RIN,
ex A17-588, obtained a new owner
on October 4 in Leonard Creek of
Nhill, Victoria.Rathmines Catalina fly-in
The event, held on Sunday 29
October, was to raise funds for the
rebuild to static display standard of
the Catalina being worked on by the
Rathmines Catalina Memorial Park
Association. Each year the event
seems to grow bigger and this year
was no exception.
The Roulettes did their magic
with six PC-9 aircraft, and on
the water some nine seaplanes or
amphibians turned up to show what
water flying is all about. Warbirds
intheformofCACWirraway
VH-WWY carried out a display as
did Grumman Avenger VH-MML.
A pair of Yak-52 trainers gave a
touch of trainers to the day. The
cockpit of Mirage A3-97 was
brought to the Rathmines location
from the Fighter World museum for
the day. The main display aircraft
was the rebuild Catalina that issteadily moving towards completed
display standard.
The HARS Catalina, VH-PBZ,
arrived to put on a display but
developed an engine issue and
diverted to nearby Maitland where
it landed and then had problems
vacating the runway. The aircraft
required maintenance before it
could fly back to home base at
Albion Park.In brief
» The Australian Vintage Aviation
Society (TAVAS) Great War
Flying Display 2018 will be
conducted at Caboolture,
Queensland over April 21 and
22 next year. The event will not
only have replica WW1 aircraft
flying but also aircraft from
WW2, Korea and Vietnam plus
assets from the modern day
ADF. The 21st of April is also
the centenary of the shooting
down of the Fokker Triplane of
the famed Red Baron. A Fokker
will be in the air and on display
at the gathering.
» A correction to our story in
Warbirds in the November issue
regarding the Reevers Warbirds
B-26 (“B-26 on the move”).
Reevers Warbirds advises that
Peter Smythe did not purchase
the aircraft, as stated in the story,
but instead it was purchased by
Reevers Pastoral. Peter’s role
for Reevers Warbirds is as a
research director. We apologise
for the error.Contact Dave by email:
[email protected]Ex British Army Westland Gazelle VH-OIZ was recently added to the
Australian register. It is pictured here at Parafield.ROD BROWN