Volume 23 Number 2

ilii VOLUME 23 ■ill NUMBER 2 /AVIATIX lllli HERlTAfiE ■I I ■III Ilii: THE JOURNAL OF THE iiiil AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA On this page we invite readers to ask questions for vital answers you may have been seeking for years to complete research on a particular subject. The answers may have eluded you but another reader may have it at home collecting dust. If you don’t INFORMATION ask, he doesn’t know you require it. Each issue we intend publishing the replies so that all readers benefit along with the one who ECHO first asked the question. NEW QUESTIONS ANSWERS TO EARLIER Although no photos taken in England are known to exist of Grabow’s aircraft, it does appear to have Question 30 QUESTIONS been the example used as the basis for a three view drawing which appeared in “The Aeroplane Can anyone supply details of the markings of the Spotter” of 9 October 1941. By this date however, Avro Anson C. 19 used by the Governor General’s Question 15(a) the aircraft was well and truly in Australia having MORUYA AIRFIELD Flight post war. Photos would be welcome. been presented to the Lord Mayor of Melbourne M.J. Ritchie, (Sir Frank Beaurepaire) by the British Govern Hamilton, Qld. Moruya was used by Beaufighters during the later ment for display. Similarly, other examples of shot war years, squadron unknown, but possibly by down Bf 109E’s went to New Zealand, South detached flights from the O.T.U. at Canberra for Africa and North America. Question 31 either training, or maritime seach duties. Keith Meggs, Upon arrival in Australia (in April or May 1941?) Can anyone supply information, data, photos, Melbourne, Vic. the aircraft was despatched to No. 1 Aircraft slides, drawings for loan only to assist in forth Depot, Laverton, where R.A.A.F. groundstaff coming Journal article on K.S.A.S. KS-3 Question 15(b) “patched it up for exhibition purposes” (“Air Cropmaster (converted Wackett Trainer), used on Force News” 7 June 1941) and soon after it was agricultural operations. VH-AJH, FBD, FBE and AIR CEYLON DC-4 on display in the Melbourne Town Hall where the FBF operated by Air Culture and Airwork in post card photo you mentioned was probably W.A. later fifties - early sixties. I believe I can add to your answer to the above taken. Ben Dannecker, question - Melbourne, Vic. I was seconded to Air Ceylon from A.N.A. as a After Melbourne, the Messerschmitt took to the navigation officer and operated with the airline for open road on a R.A.A.F. trailer on a tour that Question 32 some years based variously in Colombo, Cairo, lasted for about six months for recruiting and fund Nicosia (Cyprus) and Tel Aviv (Israel). I featured raising purposes. R.A.A.F. personnel who accom Could anyone supply details of the colourings of in the photograph to which you refer - it was the panied the aircraft are believed to have been Fli^t inaugural fli^t on February 7th 1949 as you state the aircraft used by Trans Oceanic Airways Pty. Lieutenant Murchison (officer in charge). Flying Ltd. and also the “Sandringhams” ofBarrier Reef earlier and the Captain was Len Taylor, the Officer Wilkinson and Corporals “Jock” Spears, Airways in the early 1950’s. aircraft was VP-CBE “Ratmalana” according to Brian Hall, Wally Locklyer and Arch Paterson. David E. Jones, my log book and not VH-INY as you state. I’m not Geebung, Qld. sure whether the aircraft were originally leased or “Air Force News” of 1 November 1941 bought by A.N.A. when they came on the reported: Australian register but there was a logical reason “To date about 250,000 people have inspected the Question 33 for this. Only one aircraft was required normally to German Messerschmitt 109 during its display on operate the weekly service ex Colombo — the the mainland of Australia. Of this number, Mrs. Keith Miller was the first passenger, man or airline had entry rights into Australia only once 140,000 attended displays in the capital cities and woman to be flown from England to Australia. monthly. As the monthly aircraft entered Australia 108,000 inspected it when it was exhibited at That was with Capt. W.N. Lancaster in Avro the second aircraft left - this left one aircraft in country centres. Avian “Red Rose” in 1927-28. Does anyone Australia for the entire month unable to be used “The aircraft has now been shipped to Tasmania know her maiden name? Her first name was due to its non-Australian registration. With the where it is being displayed to stimulate R.A.A.F. Jessica and in the U.S.A. where she was quite well t % aircraft both on the Australian register by leasing recruiting and secure funds for welfare purposes.” known for her flying exploits she was known as T ^ or by purchase they became available for use “Chubbie Miller”. ' within Australia by A.N.A. on their internal Just over a month later Australia was at war with E.M. Hood, * “ routes. Japan and, faced with more pressing problems, Wamberal, N.S.W. E. Eneberg, official interest in the German fighter seems to Gymea Bay, N.S.W. have waned and further references to the Bf 109E Question 34 iiil become increasingly difficult to locate. No doubt Question 26 soon after its return from Tasmania the aircraft Does anyone have any knowledge of Basil FATE OF MESSERSCHMITT 109E was consigned to some forgotten comer of Laverton Watson’s employment by Sopwith in England, or Werribee pending a decision as to its fate. supposedly ending in a test flying crash in an un Nevertheless, as a Battle of Britain curiosity the named Sunbeam-engined aircraft? He subsequently The fate of Australia’s one and only Bf 109E ‘109’ fulfilled a useful purpose and netted con (Bf 109E-4 WNr 0750) has been - to me at least - returned to Elstemwick to build his Sopwith siderable money for various funds. The Lord type aircraft. somewhat of a mystery, until cleared up by the Mayor’s Patriotic and War Fund of New South most interesting photo that Neil Follett provided in Keith Meggs, Wales alone recorded revenue for “Messerschmitt Melbourne, Vic. the last issue of “Aviation Heritage”. Here at last Exhibition” as £1206/15/2 (i.e. $2413.51, the was proof that the aircraft was obviously broken equivalent of which in 1982 figures is more than $27,800) and it is not unreasonable to think that a Question 35 similar figure was also derived from its exhibition There is still much that is not known about this in Victoria and Tasmania. Information required in detail of any Australian machine but, in the hope that further details may be home-built aircraft known to members built before forthcoming, the following may be of interest. The At the time the Bf 109E was broken up there was of or during W.W.II, or any material on the Australian aircraft was indeed yellow ‘7’ of 3./JG 3 as course an almost complete G model in the country, aircraft industry up to the 60s. Photo^aphs and believed. On its last flight it was flown by but that is another story. drawings also needed for copying (negs. ft possible). Unterofflzier Heinz Grabow. He was shot down Please send direct to by Pilot Officer Robert Doe of No. 234 Squadron Acknowledgements Keith Meggs, on 5 September 1940 and, after crash landing at My thanks to Ian Primmer who, in 1970, was the 30 Taylor St, Wichling (Wychling?) eight miles south south west first to provide me with details of the aircraft, to Parkdale, Vic. of Faversham Kent, was taken prisoner uninjured. Keith Isaacs for the “Air Force News” references (For those who remember, my book is well On the same day and in the same county at around and to Arch Paterson for the interesting snaps he underway again, after a long hiatus. Any material the same time another Luftwaffe fighter pilot took on tour with the Messerschmitt in 1941. made available would be very welcome, and if any prisoner was taken; Oberleutnant Franz von David Vincent, has been loaned previously and is still held by me, Werra whose story was later told so well in book Highbury, S.A. please let me know; the long spell has possibly and film form as “The One That Got Away”. made me overlook a few.) CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 26 Aviation Heritage Vol. 23 No. 2 ■■I ■ ■ii'iil■i ■ avFatTonHistorical society OF AUSTRALIA i It ■•m 1111 ■ Aviation hemtage a* I ■I -JrIII Ktm VOLUME 23, NUMBER 2 ill III* :WH i 1 ahsa and editorial address Hill ■II P.O. Box 117, Ashburton, Vic. 3147 contents iii ■ III IB' ■ II III Siilll III isl 28 HANDLEY PAGE HAMPSTEAD liB illlili *11 Ben I>annecker descfibes tins historically interesting aeroplane and its application in ■ editorial committee Australia and New Guinea. ■Iiiii David Anderson i: ill ill Bob Fripp 30 NUMBER 22 SQUADRON - RAAF If III11 Tony Self •I iiii Frank Smith tells the story of No. 22 Squadron operations with Douglas A-20 Bostons ill Bob Veitch iBIl illiiii during World War II. IIH Joe Vella :f|Il 11 ElllllMlllllpt proofreading 35 RAAFBAC-111 ■liillf Bob Tripp iii Our centre page drawing by Joe Vella, with text by Tony Self, details the RAAF VIP liiii BAC-111 aircraft. III FEDERAL TREASURER ■■■ Bert Cookson 39 QUEEN AIR FROM THE COCKPIT Ben Dannecker describes the Beechcraft Queen Air from a pilot’s viewpoint.

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