Aviation Historical Society of Australia
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Aviation Historical Society OF Australia j September — October, 1970 liii A H.S.A. Journal Sept0mber'=Oe'tobe3r 19?0 ■ J THE FIRST AUSTRALIA! OVERSEAS FLIGOT : vi l.Mo Parnell Today it is not unu^sual to encounter Australian military aircraft in various parts of the worldo The RoAoA.F. is the most active service with Oriorv^Ieptune aircraft exercising in New Zealand, the Phillipiries and Hawaiij Canberra/Caribou/Hercules aircraft in South-East Asia, and Mirages/Sabres in Malaysia and Thailand„ The present day mobility is a far cry from the time when the first R.A.AoFc flight from Australia was planned. In 1926 the Australian Goverrunent decided that a service aircraft should visit the British possessions in the PacifiCo The flight would enable experience to be gained in tropical conditions, conduct a brief aerial survey along the route, as well as **showing the flag". The route for this ambitious flight was via Papua, New Guinea, Solomon Islands New Hebrides, New Caledonia Fiji and Sain.oa. Events quickly demonstrated that the , aircraft was unable to match the ambition of the planners and ultimately only part of the route was flown. This flight was a logical extension of two earlier flights - the 1922 Curtiss Seagull's flight from Sydney to Launceston (AHSA Journal VoloIX, NooE/s) and the 1924 Fairey HID around Australia flight (AHSA Journal Vol.VI, No,IE). The aircraft selected for the flight was the new De Havliland DH-50A, AS-l, which had been accepted in England on May 4th, 19E6. Lack of landing grounds en route and the long over-water distances made the conversion to floatplane configuration essential. Following Ministerial approval in August 1926 it was assembled at No, 1 Flying Training School (F.T.S.), Point Cooke and test flown as a landplane. On September 9th the 1 aircraft, in seaplane configuration, was test flown by Group Capt, Ro Williams, who ^ would lead the flight. On returning to the slipway a wind gust swung the aircraft •L' against the wharf causing damage to the starboard wing and float. While repairs were being .made, the Secretary of the Air Board (Major P, Coleman) announced that Fit, Lt, loE, McIntyre would acco.mpany "ffiliiams as oo-pilot (replacing -/- the radio operator and thus permitting the removal of 120 lbs of radio equipment), The third member of the party was Fit. Sgt. F„So Trist, Attempts to take-off on September 24th failed and McIntyre abandoned their ij'departure for the day. At 5,50 am on Sunday the 26th, he successfuly took off and flew to'Paynesville (on the Gippsland Lakes, Vic ) , After r0,fuelling they departed for Sydney direct and passed over Bondi at SoSO pm before landing at Rose Bay, Strong headwinds ' - were encountered for most of the flight and at times, the ground speed was only 60 m,p.h. The aircraft was beached to replace a broken landing wire and to change the engine which had developed -a leak in the water jacket. The replacement engine wag obtained from the ■ Air Force's Experimental Depot at Randwick, and wag one of those supplied in 1920 with the Imperial Gift aircraft. They departed from loss Bay at 10,00 am on the E9th after McIntyre harl taxied around for half an hour to stir up the smooth wrater surface, About 5,00 pm, when near their destination of Southport, a split-pin broke in the engine controls and a landing was made in the open sea to effect repairs, Although the repair was readily effected. the seas, te.n to twelve feet, prevented a take-off and they taxied to Southport, The entrance to the harbour was missed in the failing light and the aircraft was beached through a high-running surf. A party of fifty men dragged the aircraft across the sand dunes to a lagoon, where, after minor repairs, it was taxied into calmer water in front of the Grand Hotel, Ne.xt morning the propellor wa-s found damaged and enquiries to Biehmond aerodrome indicated the only one' available was being built. The continuing series of incidents caused the acting Minister for Defence, Mr, Marr) and Air Board members to question the advisability o,f t-,h6 fli.ghtj partioul&r-ly when there was no urgency for it to be attem-pted this year. The coming monsoon season alcso supported these doubts. The ,replaoe.ment propeller vms received on October 4tb., and the flight was resumed at 6„10 am the next morning,. The aircraft was refuelled at Ma.ryboroagh. before continuing to Gladstone where it arrived at IdS pm. Again headwinds slowed the rate ©f progress. A.H^S.A* Journal -84- September-Octobor 1970 Next day they left for Bowen, where they were met by one of the two Supermarine Seagull Ill’s from Noo 101 (Fleet Co-operation) Squadron, which were assisting in the survey of the Great Barrier Reef, (for photo of Seagulls see AHSA Journal Sept. 1964). Permission to proceed was received from Melbourne on the 7th, and the next day saw them arrive at Cooktown. The weekend wub spent at Thursday Island. The next stage to Daru took ninety minutes, and a further delay was experienced ther ?fhen the propeller struck an object in the watero On the next day, the 12th, they departe for Port Moresby, but the south-east trade winds forced a refuelling stop at Kiaruku (Yule Island). They arrived at Port Morseby at 6.00 pm that night and were the guests of the Administrator, Mr. Staniforth Smith. Samarai was reached the next day after an uneventful flight lasting six hours and and fifteen rninutesi The mooring laid down for their use was unsuitable due to its expose position and a six knot current, so the aircraft was beached opposite the wireless station Their arrival was an event of some consequence as this was the first aircraft to visit Samarai, and a ball was held that evening in their honour. Unsuitable weather next morning delayed their departure until the followrlng day. To pass the time, they visited the Kvy’ato Mission School on the mainland. Considering the almost daily flying and the never-lending round of social engagements, the stamina and ©ndurance of the party must have been very high. At each port of call, their arrival was always welcome/ for visitors were few and far between. The next day’s flying was to Morobe, with a refuelling stop at Banira (120 miles north-west of Samarai). labile crossing Milne Bay, a storm front was encountered and the rain viras so intense that water sucked into the air intakes caused the engine to run rough and seriously lose power. Initially they turned back, but as the engine picked up they continued on a north-west course which kept them ahead of the fronto At Morobe, many natives witnessed the arrival in mid-afternoon, and a large portion vanished into the bush as the aircraft landed. Although it was intended to carry on that day, a heavy swell delayed their departure for another tv?o days. On the 18th they continued to Rabaul via Lindenhafen, and favourable weather conditions enabled an average speed of 80 mph to be attained. While flying along the north coast of New Britain, they sighted tv/elve large rivers which were not recorded on their' charts'. Arriving at Rabaul, they were met by Dr. Cilento (Director of Quarantine) and Commander Webb( of the Sailing Yacht ^Fratiklin^*) and after completion of formal customs/quarantine arrangements, the party was officially welcomed at Government House. The airmen were regarded with considerable awe by the local natives, as if they were from another world. ' During a two day stop-over at Rabaul, the engine was given a top overhaul (after 54 hours running) as a precaution, and the airframe was checked. A further delay of three days was caused by having to wait for Air Board permission to continue. On the 27th, McIntyre made a brief flight to study the weather conditions, and after landing, the rudder fouled the bowsprit of the launch, moS.^^Lorengau’’ causing a further two days delay. While the rudder was being repaired, a four bladed propellor, designed for the Widgeon and having a finer pitch, was fitted but due to an unbalanced condition, was not flown. On October 29th, they departed from Rabaul for Nissan, via Namtanai and the Feni Islands. The weather was stormy and heavy tropical rain started soon after their arrival at Nissan. The next morning, in good weather, they continued to Kieta (Bougainville), via Buka where their arrival evoked little action from the silently watching natives. On the following day heavy rain delayed them at the Shortland Islands for two days. The engine sump was found cracked here, but this was not considered serious, and they continued to Gizo. When attempting to depart- from Gizo, the engine vibrated and missed badly, and this was thought to be vYater in No. 5 cylinder, which had begun leaking on the previous sector. Inspection showed that another leak, this time in No. 6 cylinder was present, but after draining the water and changing the plug they were able to take-off again for Tulagi, via Manutoo Lagoon, where they arrived two days later, on November 6th. They had flo\m some ■.X A.HoSoA. Journal „85- September-October 1970 5s340 miles from Point Cooke in conditions Ffhich had seen very little aerial aotivityo Communications with Sydney were more regular than with Rabauls and they requested spare parts f-rr the Puma engine^ but the Air Board decided to send the original engine which had now been repaired by the Randwiok depot.