April 2018 FLYPAST 9http://www.fl ypast.com
Lockheed L-1649A Starliner
N8083J is to be converted into an
eye-catching lounge adjacent to
a hotel at John F Kennedy (JFK)
International Airport in New York.
It will seat around 44 guests in a
fully restored interior. The aircraft
is to be preserved in as close tooriginal condition as possible, with no
additional or enlarged entrance doors
created. Prior to its installation it will
receive restoration work at Auburn-
Lewiston Airport in Auburn, Maine,
where former TWA Starliner N7316C is
being returned to fl ying condition by
Lufthansa.Spares from N8083J will be used to
assist the second project, which will
eventually be fi tted with a modern
glass cockpit. The Starliner destined
for JFK is expected to be transported
by road to New York at the end of
this year.
Two other Starliners are extant –ZS-DVJ, which was recently moved
from O.R. Tambo International
Airport in Johannesburg, South
Africa to Rand Airport, and N974R
which is part of Kermit Weeks’
Fantasy of Flight museum in Polk
City, Florida.
ROGER SOUPARTStarliner to be opened as hotel lounge
Starliner N8083J is to be preserved at JFK
International Airport. LUFTHANSA TECHNIK VIA
ROGER SOUPART‘Black Cat’ Catalina among projects at Australian museum
Staff at the Australian National Aviation
Museum in Moorabbin, Victoria, are
progressing with restoration of the
attraction’s Consolidated PBY-5A
Catalina and Douglas DC-3.
Catalina A24-88 is the only surviving
‘Black Cat’, the nickname given to those
that served as nocturnal mine-layers
with the RAAF’s 42 Squadron. Post-war,
it was among at least six Catalinas tobe converted into houseboats for use
along Victoria’s Murray River.
Major work on the amphibian – which
was acquired by the museum in 2004 –
is currently focusing on the aft blister
area of the tail. Parts have been sourced
from across Australia and overseas to
restore this historic machine, one of
only four of the type preserved in the
country.DC-3 VH-ANH was originally built for
American Airlines in 1941. It was soon
pressed into military service, fi rstly
with the USAAF and then the RAAF
from 1943. Converted back into an
airliner, it was purchased by Australian
National Airways in 1946 and remained
in service with Ansett-ANA until
retirement in 1970.
Corrosion was recently discoveredin the cockpit area – the aircraft will
soon move off site and under cover
so extensive metalwork tasks can be
carried out. Many of the airframes in
the collection have been on outdoor
display for years. The museum
is currently in negotiations with
Moorabbin Airport to allow it to move
to an indoor location nearby.http://www.aarg.com.au (^) NOEL FORSYTH
Catalina A24-88 at the Australian National Aviation Museum. BOTH NOEL FORSYTH DC-3 VH-ANH is another resident at Moorabbin.
Colorado’s Spirit of Flight Center has acquired
the Art Chester Swee’ Pea racer. The 1947-built
craft, later named Sky Baby, had been in
storage for 62 years in California. The museum
plans to restore the unique monoplane to
its former glory. Art Chester designed and
built just fi ve aircraft, all named after Popeye
cartoon characters. http://www.spiritoffl ight.com
A new set of lights has illuminated a
McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom displayed in
tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Capt Lance
Sijan. Painted to represent the aircraft fl own
by Lance, it was installed last May outside
Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International
Airport. The project was masterminded by the
late pilot’s sister, Janine. TONY SACKETOS