120 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION
MUSTANGS TAKE FLIGHT
The first and the last time, maybe.
Wednesday December 6 saw
Mustangs VH-JUC and VH-URZ/
A68-199 make a formation flight.
The Judy Pay/Dick Hourigan-
owned CAC Mustang A68-105/
VH-JUC was being flown by
Nick Caldwell, while Peter Gills’s
VH-URZ was being flown by
Bernie Heuser with passenger
Cassie Gill in the rear seat.
Peter’s aircraft is due to run out
of its current C of A and is up for
sale so there is a chance that the
pair may not get to fly in formation
again. For those lucky enough to
witness it, the sound of not one but
two Merlin engines at Tyabb was
something to behold.
FIRST FLIGHTS
First flights are always exciting and
this issue we can report on not one
but three. From New Zealand the
recently rebuilt historic Comper
Swift, VH-UVC, took to the air at
Omaka on Monday November 20.
It was reported to be a trouble-free
flight. Owned by Sydney pilot Roy
Fox, the aircraft will be coming
back to Australia in due course.
At Latrobe Valley Jeff
Trappett took to the air on Friday
November 24 in his Ryan STM-1
VH-RYS following an extensive
rebuild. Jeff has had several Ryans
over the years.
Now the big one. Scottish
Aviation Twin Pioneer Srs. 3
VH-SYS took to the skies again
on Friday November 24 after a
six-year period of no flying. Built
in 1962 with c/n 763, it was
originally VH-EVB and owned
by aviation enthusiast Sy Allsep.
Sy passed away in recent times
and a group of his friends elected
to rebuild the aircraft and get it
back in the air. It took time but
they succeeded and got the big
twin-engined taildragger airborneout of Wedderburn airstrip, NSW.
Along the way they changed the
registration to VH-SYS as a mark
of respect to Sy and his unique
aircraft.
Now to show it to the world.HOSKINGS HANGAR TOUR
In early December the Aviation
Historical Society of Australia
conducted a tour of Graham
Hosking’s hangar at Tyabb.
Graham was the all-knowing tour
guide and he gave forth a wealth of
information regarding his fantastic
collection of aircraft.
Graham’s Corsair is under
rebuild following a gear-up landing
at Maitland, NSW earlier this year.
It is a big single-engine aircraft
and even bigger with the wings
unfolded.
The 1930s Curtiss Robin high-
wing monoplane that Graham
has in partnership with Peninsula
Aero Club President Jack Veversis currently having some engine
work carried out, while alongside
it is the Ryan STM that is painted
up in the markings it carried in
the East Indies during WW2 with
the Dutch. Hanging from the
roof is Ryan STM-1 VH-SQD in
which Graham made a successful
forced landing in 2017 following
an engine issue. The machine has
been assembled complete with
bent wings and fuselage. It is
rebuildable but will take time and
a dedicated Ryan enthusiast.
Other aircraft of interest
include a CAC Winjeel, a flying
wing kit aircraft, a Republic
Seabee, a Bleriot replica and a
great collection of antique aero
engines.NHILL AIR MUSEUM
Nhill airport in western Victoria
is advancing on its project to have
a great air museum and tourist
attraction. ‘The Hill’ air base wasWarbirds
Warbirds, classic aircraft,
museum and airshow news
Double Mustang trouble! PR.22 A68-199 (VH-URZ) and Mk.21 A68-105 (in No 3 Squadron
RAAF markings representing SQNLDR Murray Nash’s P-51K Mustang KH677 in the Italian
Theatre during WW2) in flight over Westernport Bay near Tyabb.MATT SAVAGEWRITER: DAVE PROSSOR