http://www.fl ypast.com
February 2018 FLYPAST 7Avenger is delivered to
new home in Hawaii
The Pacifi c Aviation Museum at Pearl
Harbor in Hawaii has taken ownership
of Grumman TBM-3E Avenger C-FBQT.
The aircraft’s fi nal operator was Ag
Air Inc, but it has been kept in open
storage for several years in British
Columbia, Canada. Built as 91171 in
1945, the former torpedo bomber
was converted into a crop-sprayer in
or around 1957 after completing its
military service. Most of the Avengers
that survive today were used in civilian
hands for either agricultural work or
fi re-bombing.
Avenger C-FBQT was last fl own in
2004, before being retired to Fort St
John. The aircraft was prepared for
its long voyage to Hawaii in November
2017, engineers persisting in their
endeavours despite heavy snowfall. It
arrived at its (considerably warmer)
new home on December 2.
http://www.pacifi caviationmuseum.org
ROGER SOUPARTGrumman TBM-3E Avenger C-FBQT in British Columbia prior to its arrival in Hawaii.
PACIFIC AVIATION MUSEUM VIA ROGER SOUPART
Rare Australian Mustangs brought together at Tyabb
The two Commonwealth Aircraft
Corporation (CAC) CA-18 Mustangs
based at Tyabb in Victoria, Australia,
were brought together for the fi rst
time on November 26.
The two fi ghters, both among the
200 built by CAC in Melbourne, were
positioned together at an open day to
promote the venue’s War & Peace Air
Show on March 11. Mustang A68-105,
painted in a camoufl age livery, and
the silver-schemed A68-199, both
served with the RAAF. The latter is
believed to be the world’s ‘youngest’
fl ying Mustang – it was delivered to
the air force on July 12, 1951.
Flying in post-war civilian hands as
VH-BOZ in Australia, the aircraft wasused as a target tug until 1979 when it
was withdrawn from service and put
up for sale. An attempt to bring it to
the UK did not come to fruition, and
it was eventually loaned to Fighter
World at Williamtown, arriving at the
New South Wales base in 1992.
The fi ghter was later stored at the
RAAF Museum in Point Cook, nearMelbourne, until November 2002
when it was delivered to Graham
Hosking’s hangar at Tyabb. It was
subsequently sold to Peter Gill
who, with the assistance of Peter
Robinson, has restored it to airworthy
condition.
http://www.tyabbairshow.com
WITH THANKS TO IAN JOHNSONCAC Mustang A68-105 (left) with A68-199 at
Tyabb in November. COURTESY IAN JOHNSONThe Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre
in Scotland is shortly to receive its second
aircraft, Avro Anson C19 TX226.
Built at Yeadon, West Yorkshire,
between January and August 1946, it is
currently disassembled and stored near
Coventry airport, but should arrive at
its new home early this year where it
will be rebuilt to static display standard.
A new workshop has been constructed
specifi cally for aircraft restoration – the
team is currently working on a Sopwith
Camel replica.
Ansons of Coastal Command were
based at Montrose throughout World
War Two. On February 23, 1940, a 269Squadron machine fl own by F/Sgt Tony
Reen successfully attacked and sank an
enemy submarine off northern Scotland’s
Cape Wrath.
Chairman Ron Morris said: “The arrival
of the Anson will make a signifi cant
contribution to our endeavour to show
the aircraft that once fl ew from Montrose,
highlighting Scotland’s contribution to
the RAF, and our efforts to preserve the
past for future generations.”
In March 2017, the centre took delivery
of its fi rst aircraft exhibit, a Miles M.2H
Hawk Major, one of only two examples of
the type in Britain.
http://www.rafmontrose.org.ukAnson to be rebuilt for
display in Scotland
An archive image of Avro Anson TX226 at White Waltham, Berkshire, in 1962. ROBIN A WALKER VIA MASHC