Flightpath - May 2018

FLIGHTPATH|83

V

ictoria’sYarramAirfieldholdsthere-
markable distinction of conducting
the first operational military flights
in Australia. These flights were car-
riedoutbyanF.E.2bsearchingforaGer-
manraidershipinBassStraitin1918.Yar-
ramAeroClubcommemoratedthis
centenaryon17Marchwithaperfectblue
Autumn backdrop. The airshow, supported
bylocalcommunitygroupsandvolunteers,
attractedsome2,500people.Theshowwas
organisedbyYarramAeroClubinconjunc-
tion with Paul Bennet Airshows which
showcased its stable of aerobatic displays
alongwithitsCACWirraway,Grumman
AvengerandT-28Trojan.LocalLatrobeVal-
ley-basedJeffTrappettcametotheparty
withhisrarelyseenAvonSabreandanother
ofhisrides,a1944C-47paintedinaViet-
nam era ‘Spooky’ gunship scheme. From
nearbyRAAFEastSalecameadebutforma-
tion display with their recently acquired Pi-

latus PC-21 trainers. Other aircraft included

JudyPay’sCACMustang,TigerMothA17-

673,Yak52,homebuiltWittmanTailwind,

8KCABDecathlon,Extra330SC,PittsMod-

el12,WolfPittsPro,PittsS1-S,Cessna152A

andaRobinsonR22.There’sjustsomething

specialabouteventsliketheYarramAir-

show. With heavy promotion on social media

andthoroughorganisationwithstrongcom-

munity backing, it promoted a family-

friendly day, allowing interaction with pilots

and their machines not normally possible at

larger air shows.Duncan Fenn

Yarram Centenary of Flight

ABOVE:Paul

Bennet’s US

Army-painted

T-28 Tr ojan.

LEFT:Alan

Adamsinthe

de Havilland

Tiger Moth.

MAIN: Jef Trappett’s C-47 Dakota is presented as a ‘Spooky’ gunship.

[All Duncan Fenn]

ABOVE LEFT:JefTrappettandhisCACSabreweretheshow’scentrepiece.

ABOVE:Paul Bennet on take-of in his Grumman Avenger.

LEFT:Ben Lappin was busy in Paul Bennet’s Wirraway.