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Post by Bruce on May 11, 2011 20:30:41 GMT 12
Gidday mates, I'm taking a short break to Aussie in early June, and intending to visit a number of Aviation sites (My Holidays always seem to become museum crawls!) and was wondering whether I'll be passing near to any of the Aussie forum blokes. Over the period of 9 days it turns out I'll be in 4 states, so I'll be getting around!
I arrive Melbourne 10th June and want to visit the RAAF museum at Pt Cook. Following that I'll be heading inland to visit a flying friend in Benalla, and will probably take a flight with her to Temora at some stage. If I can arrange it, I also would like to see Precision Aeropspace at Wangaratta. I'll be back in Melbourne on Tuesday 14th, and might visit the B24 project at Werribee, then fly out later that night to Darwin.
I will be in Darwin on Wednesday 15th, With the Darwin Air museum and the Gun emplacement museum on the list. Thurs 16th I'm flying to Gove in Arnhem land to spend a few days with another mate who is a missions Pilot, and have a look at their operation up there I'll be returning to Auckland on 22 June, staging through Cairns for a few hours. If anyone is from these parts and wants to catch up, please drop me a PM.
Will obviously post lots of pics when I get back!
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Post by baz62 on May 11, 2011 22:02:50 GMT 12
Ah another trip tale and it aint one of mine! I await tales and photos with interest Bruce! ;D
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Post by Andy Wright on May 11, 2011 23:48:29 GMT 12
I'm near Temora, Bruce, but am away during the time you're planning to be there.
Precision at Wangaratta aren't open to visitors but if you've got an 'in' there, more power to your elbow!
If you can get in touch with Aerotec in Darwin, I have heard they are friendly plus the Corsair is well-advanced. Arnhem Land will be a highlight.
Not sure how long you are in Cairns but it sounds like you might not be there long enough to get out to Mareeba to see Syd Beck's collection.
Sounds like you're in for a good trip.
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Post by strikemaster on May 12, 2011 1:13:38 GMT 12
Point Cook is very close to the B-24, might be worth doing both on the same day. If you are really keen there is Moorabbin and Tyabb as well. Morrabbin has some interesting stuff, but nothing flying. Last I was there they had acquired a Lincoln Bomber fuselage. Pretty neat IMHO, but not in great shape. Haven't been there in a while and its right round the corner from the in-laws. So close in fact they had a plane land in their back yard, badly. That's another story tho.
Darwin is worth it for the B-52 alone. Love it up there but the heat is a killer. ;D
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Post by Bruce on May 12, 2011 8:26:08 GMT 12
I would have been keen to do Pt Cook and Werribee the same day, but the B24 isnt open on Fridays, but will be open Tuesdays, I just dont have time to do both that day....
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Post by strikemaster on May 12, 2011 16:20:16 GMT 12
Bugger. Ah well, both are worth the visit. While you are in Darwin have a try of the food at the local markets, absolutely incredible. Lots of great Indonesian and SE Asian dishes.
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Post by Bruce on Jun 30, 2011 22:02:19 GMT 12
Some photos from the Moorabbin air Museum: A good little museum but suffering somewhat from lack of under cover display space. The aircraft inside are in excellent condition and well displayed, but those outside are definitely having problems - corrosion issues are very evident... the volunteers are good blokes, and much aeroplane was spoken! Auster and Proctor One of only two complete Beaufighters on dispaly anywhere in the world Substantial chunks of Beaufort Another Bristol thing Ceres rare DC-2 undergoing a (fairly rough) cosmetic refurbishment Wright - engined DC-3 Fairey Firefly in extremely good condition Fairey Gannet outside has presence - Ugly and corroding, but very impressive. Wing panel from an RAAF Martin Mariner flying boat - traces of the red - bordered USN Star and Bar are visible Meteor T7 Aussie - Built Mirage in an experimental paint scheme to trial colours for the FA18 DH60 Moth RAN Bristol Sycamore The Sea Venom is getting some attention The Viscount is missing its tail, and also has corrosion issues CAC Avon Sabre A line up of rare types outside More pics to come from other stops during the visit....
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 30, 2011 23:13:28 GMT 12
Great photos Bruce.
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Post by strikemaster on Jul 1, 2011 2:29:50 GMT 12
Cool, the DC-2 is coming along nicely.
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Post by yak2 on Jul 1, 2011 16:15:19 GMT 12
Your observations are spot on Bruce. Typical of a lot of museums that struggle for funds and rely on the efforts of some dedicated people. Lots of memories there......I remember the day the Ansett DC3 flew in. The DC2 languished at Tyabb for many years after being partially restored. Bloody shame the state it is now in. From memory the TAA Viscount was once Castro's aircraft. Being a Viscount, corrosion is a real issue. Like the DC3, the Firefly was also flown into MB. The museum used to run it up regularly during the 1970's. Pity they don't have the funds to stick every exhibit under cover.
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Post by Bruce on Jul 1, 2011 21:48:53 GMT 12
On the way up into central Victoria I visited the Royal Australian Armoured corps museum at Puckapunyal, near Seymour. Unfortunatley my camera batteries were running out, so i didnt get very many pictures, but there were over 85 armoured vehicles on display, including many rare variants of more modern types such as the M113 and Chieftain. Its on an active army base, so you check in at he guardhouse and get a security pass, but it is worth the visit as it is an amazing collection. This 1891 railway horse wagon was used to transport the Australian light horse division to the docks for thier first overseas deployment, to the Boer war. its actually a very moving memorial to the first RAAC soldiers. One of Australias first 4 tanks - a 1927 Vickers Mark II Special: Churchill Crocodile flame thrower tank, with fuel and propellant gas stored in an armoured trailer Cromwell The Sentinel was an indigenous Australian tank, powered by 3x Caddillac V8 engines. A unique feature was the hull was cast in one piece rather than being welded or rivetted. The Lee has a very high profile hull and unusual weapons layout, which rapidly made it obsolete. Stuart light tank and no less than 5 variants of the slow but useful Matilda Infantry tank. I did a bit of exploring around Victoria, including heading up into the mountains, its a nice place. From there I flew with a friend by Piper Tomahawk up to Temora in New South Wales, to visit the Temora Aviation Collection: maintenance Hangar: Main display hangar - everything is airworthy.... Wirraway Former Kiwi Spitfire: Hudson Tiger Moth Trojan Ryan Vampire Trainer Canberra General view of the Hangar Cessna O-2 ummm I dont think this one flies... but it does work! (Not sure what it is camouflaged against though!) Hudson Cessna A37 From Temora I returned to Victoria, and was going to Visit the RAAF Museum at Point Cook and the Werribee B24 project before I flew out of Melbourne and on to Darwin. With Melbourne being closed off and on due to Volcanic ash, I elected to continue on from Northern Victoria up to Sydney to catch a flight from there, as delays would really screw up the schedule for the Northern territory leg. As a result I missed those two sites, and had a really boring drive up the Hume Highway, but safely made it to Darwin - Photos of this coming in the next few days.....
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Post by strikemaster on Jul 1, 2011 22:08:21 GMT 12
Fwoooorrr, nice pics mate.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 1, 2011 23:59:37 GMT 12
Great stuff Bruce. It is interesting to see the tanks in that museum, that is a big collection. Your comment about the Sentinel being unique in having a cast hull, weren't the early model Shermans also cast like that?
The Lee must be rare, I think most of them were destroyed by the Germans. The British version, the Grant, was a bit more successful I think.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 2, 2011 1:50:21 GMT 12
Bruce wrote: "One of only two complete Beaufighters on dispaly anywhere in the world."
Hmm, along with the one at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon and the other one at the National Museaum of the United States Air Force, both of which are displayed in complete condition.
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Post by Bruce on Jul 2, 2011 9:19:03 GMT 12
Bruce wrote: "One of only two complete Beaufighters on dispaly anywhere in the world." Hmm, along with the one at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon and the other one at the National Museaum of the United States Air Force, both of which are displayed in complete condition. Just going by what the sign said...
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Post by yak2 on Jul 2, 2011 11:23:19 GMT 12
Bruce wrote: "One of only two complete Beaufighters on dispaly anywhere in the world." Hmm, along with the one at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon and the other one at the National Museaum of the United States Air Force, both of which are displayed in complete condition. You are being picky Dave. I think the quote is for DAP Beaufighters, as the two UK ones at Hendon and Duxford are hybrid airframes. Could be wrong but.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 2, 2011 12:59:11 GMT 12
Well no I'm not being picky because the letters DAP were not in the quote.
There are two other complete Beaufighters on display in the world, one which has been on display for years and one that has recently completed restoration. They need to change their signage.
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Post by strikemaster on Jul 2, 2011 13:58:09 GMT 12
They are a volunteer organisation and probably busy doing other things, like restoring the DC-2. Everything at Moorabbin takes a long time, tis the nature of things.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 2, 2011 14:16:35 GMT 12
But saying "Oh they only meant DAP Beaufighters" is like saying Crowded House is an Aussie band if you don't count the three kiwis and the Yank!
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Post by strikemaster on Jul 2, 2011 14:43:11 GMT 12
yes, maybe so, but again, its a volunteer organisation. Mostly older folk with little desire to trawl the net for recent rebuilds and the like, I guess. I'm just glad they do what they do. I can overlook the misinformation, which may have been correct when it was completed.
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