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Post by corsair67 on Jul 1, 2009 19:39:09 GMT 12
From an e-mail I received today - The RAAF Sabre is one step closer to going flying after completing high speed taxi trials on Monday afternoon. The Museum’s engineering team spent the day working through final inspections and preparing the aircraft for the runs. The main focus was to check aircraft handling at speed and to bed in the newly overhauled brakes.
Former RAAF Sabre pilot Group Captain Mike Nixon was at the controls and later commented, "the ground handling was a treat and all onboard systems functioned as well as new, at least as seen from the cockpit. Everything works as it should and all the numbers are in the zone.”
Mike was the last pilot to fly this aircraft 16 years ago, and when asked if he was tempted to go flying he said, “it took a great effort on my part to pull the throttle back and pop the speedbrakes at the end of the high-speed run, as the Sabre seemed eager to leap into the air. I'm sure the new pilots are going to fall in love with this magnificent old lady of the skies."
Museum aircraft engineer Ben Muller has been involved with the Sabre project over the last three years and said, “watching it scream down the runway for the first time was a combination of excitement and nervousness. I can’t wait to see it go flying.”
Stay tuned as we keep you updated as the Sabre progresses towards its first flight.
Three video clips of the RAAF Sabre’s taxi trials have been uploaded onto our website, check them out by visiting the link below: www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/PhotoGalleryVideoClips.cfm |
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Post by yak2 on Jul 1, 2009 20:24:58 GMT 12
Great news. In my humble opinion, the Sabre is the best looking jet fighter of the 50's, and the CA27 was the finest version. Are you excited Craig?  |
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 2, 2009 11:49:20 GMT 12
I'm always excited!  Will be great to see her in the air - after having missed seeing her at all during her first life in the RAAF Historic Flight. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 2, 2009 13:13:46 GMT 12
Which museum? Temora?
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Post by FlyNavy on Jul 2, 2009 13:35:13 GMT 12
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Post by FlyNavy on Jul 16, 2009 21:17:49 GMT 12
16 Jul ´09 | RAAF SABRE FLYS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT TEMORA AVIATION MUSEUM www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/News.cfmOne of the Royal Australia Air Force’s (RAAF) most significant fighter jets, the CA-27 Sabre, made its first flight in 16 years today at the Temora Aviation Museum in regional NSW, after a period of more than three years’ restoration and servicing. The aircraft was loaned to the Museum by the RAAF under an agreement made in 2005 by the Chief of Air Force in an effort to preserve historical military aircraft. The Sabre jet has been restored to flying condition by the Temora Aviation Museum Engineering team and will become a feature of the Museum’s regular Flying Weekends, which are open to the public, as well as select Australian Defence Force Airshows. Sabre A94-983 is owned by the RAAF Museum, loaned to the Temora Aviation Museum and operated by the Temora Historic Flight Club. Museum Founder and President David Lowy AM said “This is an historic day and I’m extremely proud the Temora Aviation Museum has been able to partner with the RAAF in returning their Sabre to the skies.” Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin AM said “This first flight of the Sabre aircraft marks a great day for Air Force by vividly reminding us where we have come from. It is a fantastic result for all involved and I would like to acknowledge the work of the entire team, including the strong partnership between Air Force and the Temora Aviation Museum, in achieving this milestone.” David Gardner OAM, Director RAAF Museum said, “It was tremendous to see the Sabre take to the sky again. Temora Aviation Museum is to be congratulated on the huge professional effort they put into returning the aircraft to airworthiness status. This event is great for Australian Aviation Heritage and the RAAF.” Temora Aviation Museum Engineering, Chief Engineer, Peter Pring-Shambler says “Our engineering team has done a great job over the past three years and I am very proud of what we have achieved today.” The pilot of today’s post maintenance check flight was Darren Crabb. As an ex RAAF Qualified Flight Instructor, Darren flew F/A-18 Hornets and Macchi jets. He is a current corporate jet pilot and is type rated on 14 jet aircraft types. His flying experience includes the Cessna Dragonfly, Vampire, Meteor and Canberra vintage jet aircraft and he has a total of 5200 hours of flying time in jet aircraft. After the flight Darren Crabb said ”It was fantastic! The aircraft performed flawlessly and it was both a pleasure and a privilege for me to return the Sabre to the Australian skies.” The Australian public will have its first chance to see the Sabre at the Temora Aviation Museum Flying Weekend on September 5th & 6th, 2009. For photos and video of today’s flight, click on the link below: www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/RAAFSabreFlys.cfmwww.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/PhotoGalleryVideoClips.cfm
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 17, 2009 7:22:45 GMT 12
Superb video of the first flight from the ground. And there's a terrific air-to-air shot at the Key Publishing forum.
Congrats to the engineering team on a job well done! Definitely need to get to Temora.
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 17, 2009 11:12:17 GMT 12
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Post by yak2 on Jul 19, 2009 11:19:15 GMT 12
Cool I'm excited |
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Post by corsair67 on Aug 7, 2009 17:40:25 GMT 12
E-mail fresh off the computer from the Temora Aviation Museum -
The newly restored RAAF Sabre will take to the air for Museum visitors at the September 5th & 6th Flying Weekend; make sure you don’t miss this historic event! The RAAF’s Sabre A94-983, which was originally built in Australia in 1957, has been undergoing an extensive restoration over the past three years at the Temora Aviation Museum. The restoration for this aircraft began a short time after an Agreement was signed between the Royal Australian Air Force and the Temora Aviation Museum on 26 November 2005. The Agreement enabled the aircraft to be loaned to the Museum, so that it could be restored back to its former glory, to regularly take part in Museum Flying Days and selected Defence Force airshows.
In recent weeks the restoration process has finally been completed, with the first check flight of the RAAF Sabre having taken place on 16 July 2009 with Darren “Buster” Crabb in the cockpit. The public has not heard the Sabre’s magnificent roar in 16 years and we have a very special weekend planned, so mark your calendars for the Museum’s September 5th & 6th Flying Weekend. Keep watching our website for exciting Flying Weekend updates.
Sabres were one of the most successful fighter aircraft ever built. Worldwide nearly 10,000 were produced, including the Australian variant the CA-27, built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in the late 1950s. Today there are less than ten airworthy Sabres remaining around the world, with Temora home to the only Australian built, Rolls Royce Avon powered Sabre.
Temora Historic Flight Club Director of Flying Operations Darren Crabb, remarks on his first Sabre experience, “It was an exciting honour for me to be the first to fly the Sabre, returning her to Australian skies. She’s a fantastic aircraft that performed flawlessly, which is a testament to the thorough effort that the Temora Aviation Museum Engineering Staff put into her restoration. It was a wonderful feeling to raise the landing gear and flaps after lift off and feel the acceleration of the Avon engine. The hydraulically assisted flight controls were light to the touch, making the Sabre very agile through all phases of flight. Squadron Leader Paul Simmons and I are looking forward to demonstrating this beautiful and historically significant aircraft to the public, commencing September 2009.”
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Post by Andy Wright on Sept 3, 2009 15:35:41 GMT 12
Looking forward to seeing her fly on Saturday. Saw her in the hangar last week - just magic standing next to that 'potential'.
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 3, 2009 16:04:20 GMT 12
I wonder if they'll put her up in formation with one of the two Hornets that'll be at Temora over the weekend?
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Post by Andy Wright on Sept 3, 2009 18:08:03 GMT 12
Bloody well hope so. One of the Hornets is going to be in 75 Sqn colours apparently so...
...and a formation with the Meteor and Vampire...dribble.
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Post by beagle on Sept 3, 2009 21:23:09 GMT 12
So when are they going to get a Mirage airworthy.............
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Post by mcmaster on Sept 4, 2009 0:05:14 GMT 12
Bloody well hope so. One of the Hornets is going to be in 75 Sqn colours apparently so...  These days the squadron colours seem to have little relevance to where they are allocated. This photo (defence official) from a RAAF/ Thai ex recently. For me I prefer a flightline with one marking down the line!  never happened like that in the Mirage days ;D |
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Post by Andy Wright on Sept 4, 2009 10:16:12 GMT 12
LOL, yes, that is a bit of a mess, isn't it?
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 4, 2009 18:34:20 GMT 12
From today's The Australian - www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26022254-23349,00.html From an old Sabre rattling to one restored: take-of Steve Creedy | September 04, 2009 Article from: The Australian. IT has taken three years of hard labour but Australia's only operational Sabre fighter will make its public debut this weekend after 16 years of inactivity. The aircraft, A94-983, was first delivered from the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in 1957 and flew with both the RAAF and Royal Malaysian Air Force. It was a locally modified version of the US-made F-86 -- named the Avon Sabre, or CA-27 -- which gained fame for its dogfights with Soviet-built MiGs in Korea. Australia was one of two countries that decided to improve the original design with a bigger engine, wider air intake and heavier armament. After active service, A94-983 was stationed at Sydney's Richmond until 1992, when it was relocated to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook in Victoria. In 2005, it was loaned to the Temora Aviation Museum in NSW under an agreement with the RAAF, and the museum's engineering team spent three years painstakingly returning it to operational status, according to the original service schedule, manuals and data. This included setting up an engine test rig and running the engine for 10 hours before installing it in the plane. "I think 93 was the last flight and it's been in storage since then," Temora chief executive Kenny Love said. "Obviously, its condition deteriorated somewhat, even though it was stored in a good environment indoors. So basically every part and piece had to be taken off." Mr Love said the Sabre was the definitive jet that switched from manual powered flying controls into full hydraulics, and every actuator, valve and relief valve had to be taken out and overhauled. "So it went back to bare bones and was rebuilt again," he said, adding that the plane also underwent extensive testing before it flew. There are several static Sabres still around and engineers cannibalised some of those planes for parts. Other parts came from RAAF stores and still others, such as fuel system seals and brake components, were manufactured in the US. "There were some odd things, like we had to buy a pitot head," he said. "I guess they were burned out or souvenired but there were no pitot heads left." The jet, wearing the markings of No 75 Squadron, RAAF, will become a feature of the museum's regular flying weekends and also make appearances at select airshows. It will be operated by the Temora Historic Flight Club, which is separate from the museum and has the expertise to operate historic warbirds such as Sabre. A bonus for people attending this weekend's debut will be the presence of two RAAF F/A-18 Hornets, which will show off formation flying and give a low-level aerobatic display. |
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Post by Andy Wright on Sept 6, 2009 17:16:51 GMT 12
She was superb ... even if I am more of a prophead!  |
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Post by ZacYates on Sept 6, 2009 20:05:58 GMT 12
Great to see her out and about at last! Fantastic! Now, what are the chances of her being at Wanaka...
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 7, 2009 10:30:24 GMT 12
I'm a prophead too, but there is something about the sound of those military jet engines which is excusable.
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never happened like that in the Mirage days ;D 