Mk..8 A77-867 on the fire dump at Point Cook. Never burned, but badly damaged, it was saved by the Moorabbin Air Museum. It is now displayed at the Ashburton Aviation Museum in New Zealand. For more on the fire dump offerings see this editions feature article, “Where There’s Smoke”.

Contents: Presidents Message

Where There’s Smoke

Heard at the Hangar Door From the Editorial Desk

There are those in society who truly believe that the computer is a creation of the devil. Our Committee Seemingly, this is confirmed daily in the media by lurid stories of computer fraud, Dave Prossor President grooming and bullying all of which can have dire results and it’s all true. Neil Follett Vice President

What you never hear is the good a Allan Trower Secretary computer can do. Computers have revolutionized the world in ways that would Robert Van Woerkom Treasurer have been unthinkable when the AHSA began 60 years ago. For all the mystery David Knight Membership that surrounds a computer, one would do Secretary well to remember that it’s just a machine: an incredibly stupid machine, It can only do Roland Jahne Committee what you tell it to: a computer does not Member think, it cannot create, it never lies and it never, ever, ever makes a mistake: those are human traits.

A computer is a tool and like any tool it can Australian Aviation Historical Society Inc. be turned into a weapon and that is all P.O. Box 461 many people want to see. A computer is Lilydale, Victoria, 3140 also an eye on the world; giving its user A.B.N. 60 092 671 773 instant access to the accumulated knowledge of mankind. Not only can one Website: www.ahsa.org.au avail oneself of this knowledge, one can Email: [email protected] add to it, share information with like minds Editorial email: [email protected] and receive answers to questions that have bothered you for years. Computers have revolutionized many businesses and industry. Within our own organisation it has changed, dramatically, the way Aviation Heritage is produced. I can remember the thousand screaming agonies of cut and paste masters with screened photographs The views expressed in this publication are and the tedious routine of laying it out. Now those of the authors and do not, necessarily, it’s all done digitally and I, for one, would represent the views of the Aviation Historical not go back to the old ways for all the tea in Society of Australia Inc. China. What should be remembered about computers is contained in a piece of advise I received many years ago. Any fool can turn a machine on; it takes its master to turn it off.

Keith Gaff Dip. Mktg; Dip. Bus. Mgt; Dip. eComm; Cert 4 TAE 40110 EDITOR

Dave Prossor

It has been an interesting few months since the last Outlook newsletter. We have advanced markedly in the digitisation of the journal and have now got to the stage where we have in our hands a memory stick that has all the journals back to 1959. Now to get the bugs out so that we can put all in the website. Part of the digitisation will allow one to search for a name of a person or aircraft type or event and have that brought to the fore. I look forward to seeing the digitisation at a stage where we can use it as a tool to assist in research and viewing aviation history as recorded by the AHSA over all those years. I think that viewers will be surprised to see what we, the members, have recorded over the years. That brings me to the subject of members contributing to the journal for future articles. Each and every member with an interest in our aviation history will most likely like to see their research into some part of Australiana’s aviation history, military or civil, recorded for posterity, and for others to read. If not for the journal then for the Newsletter, Outlook. Some would say that there are too many of the great photos that our editor, Keith Gaff, puts in Outlook. If that is your opinion then contribute yourself. I am intrigued by some of the historic photos that Keith presents. I can even relate to a number of the photos that Keith puts up.

On other matters. We had a great speaker in Roger McKay for the May monthly meeting. Roger gave us a great talk on his flying history, his aviation background and the ins and out of flying a business jet. I had to chuckle when Roger said that he had his ready-to-go bag in the back of his car ready for the phone call that asks if he is available to go on short notice to some far flung corner of the globe. How jet aircraft have shrunk the world. For Roger the other side of the world is his back yard. Roger mentioned a little about the RAAF of which he is a reservist. All in all it was a great talk. If you missed it you missed a really good evening.

For the June meeting it was a members meeting. We had contributions from a half dozen members including a good slide presentation re Essendon airport from Roger Meyer of the CAHS and how Essendon became the place that it is today. We had Dave Anderson give us a presentation on of all aircraft, the Douglas DC3/C47, including a turbine machine that came to grief in the Antarctic and how it was rebuilt to fly again. Interesting.

For the July meeting we have Mike falls Snr. Mike has been in the aviation business for a long time. He of course is Short Stop Jet Charter at Essendon airport. Mike flies jets as well as the SSJC DC-3 on charter. He will no doubt also be a great speaker to hear. Make sure that you attend.

The July Model Expo at Sandown racecourse was a good event for the AHSA. We had a stand amongst all the models manned by Keith and his son Brad. Thank you again guys. Derek Buckmaster also presided at the stand. We sold most all of the member donated books and the end result was over $1K into funds. Looking around at the models on display one has to wonder at how much time is spent assembling and painting up models to represent a particular aircraft or theatre of war. A lot of work to get the his standard that was displayed. And there was even a coffee shop/snack bar. A good place to have a chat. A few of the display stand holders came from interstate; such is the interest in the annual Sandown expo.

Our Aviation Heritage journal editor has reminded me that the award for the ‘Bob Wills Plaque’ this year was awarded to none other than Geoff Goodall. Geoff is a veritable writing dynamo with his contributions to the journal not to forget his own Geoff Goodall’s internet columns. I have to ask how Geoff get’s the time but he is probably too busy tapping his keyboard to respond.

The annual elections come up in August. I again remind members that our Secretary of the last eight years, Al Trower, has advised that he will not be seeking re-election for the committee and instead will just become a rank and file member. Al has done good for the committee and the AHSA at large over the last few years and I again thank him for his work. That brings us to the subject of his replacement. We need a new secretary. No secretary means no AHSA. It is that simple. It is no good thinking, ‘Oh well the AHSA will continue and I can just continue to enjoy the meetings, the journal and the newsletters’ Sorry, but these all come via the committee and to keep these going we need a new secretary. Do not just think about it. Put your hand up and become the new secretary.

OTHER MATTERS The Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia will be holding the 2020 annual fly-in at Wangaratta. It has been at Echuca for a number of years but a new venue was needed after some change of direction and interest from the Echuca council. If nothing else a change will give added interest with the new venue. The fly-in is scheduled for March. If you have an interest in old aeroplanes, Australian aeroplanes at that, then Wang in 2020 should be the venue for you to attend. Wang is also an interesting town and surroundings for your better half to explore and enjoy.

With the RAAF’s 100th anniversary coming up in 2021 there is a keen and growing interest in the history of the RAAF. July 10-12 will see the Air Force History and Heritage Branch 2019 RAAF History and heritage Publishing Symposium take place in the ADFA Lecture Theatre 10, lecture Theatre North, UNSW Canberra. Those interested in air force history were invited to attend. No fee. The RAAF has effectively taken over the and the museum aircraft will without any doubt be feature items in the 2021 anniversary celebrations. We will all look forward to seeing both the old and the new in the 2021 flying events around the country.

Earlier this year your President travelled to Sydney where the presidents of Victoria, NSW and Queensland AHSA held a three way get together. Matters discussed included websites, members and their numbers, the journal, getting and holding members, monthly meetings and a number of other items. It was a productive meeting and one that will be repeated in the future to assist in our basic goal of recording Australia’s aviation history. Keith Gaff

In today’s world of environmental awareness burning anything in the open is frowned upon. Burning something as volatile as an aircraft would be unthinkable; but, in times past, many aircraft were burned for fire fighting practice or just to dispose of them. What follows is a photo essay of aeroplanes going up in smoke.

Why this was being burned is not recorded. What is certain, is that when the flames hit the centre fuselage fuel tank there would have been an almighty KABOOM. While burning a metal aircraft takes time; burning a wooden one takes no time at all. During the 1950’s DeHavilland Mosquitoes weren’t cut up for scrap: they were just burned and the ashes raked over for whatever metal was left. This photo shows one of the last Mosquitoes being burned at Tocumwal around 1963.

In the years following World War 2 surplus military aircraft were sent to various airports around Australia as fire fighting airframes. This Liberator was burnt to cinders at Essendon Airport. Photo: Maurice Austin. These are the mortal remains of GAF Lincoln A73-27 on the fire dump at Mascot in January 1977. By this time the nose had been removed for display at the Camden Museum of Aviation where it remains today. The Lincoln was burned to a crisp. Photo: Nigel Pittaway

By modern standards; a veritable kings ransom going up in smoke. These Hawker Sea Furies are being burned for fire fighting practice at H.M.A.S. Albatros at Nowra. This photo was probably taken in the late 1959’s when these aircraft were worth thrupence a pound as scrap.. CAC Sabre A94-989 on the fire dump at Point Cook sometime in the 1970’s. Never burned it was acquired by Pearce Dunn of Warbirds Museum and spent a number of years at Mildura before it was acquired by the Moorabbin Air Museum in 1982. With the recent acquisition of Sabre A94-910 this Sabre became surplus to museum requirements and has been sold.

Another common resident of the nations fire dumps was the Gloster Meteor. On retirement from the RAAF these aircraft went straight to the scrap yard or fire dump and very few escaped the fate that awaited them.. Sometimes aircraft are burned for no other reason than they are there to be burned. At the conclusion of the Karinga bomb trials at Woomera the Canberras that had survived there duty as targets were filled with fuel and hit with live ordnance. I believe the burned out wrecks are still in the desert.

An aeroplane fondly remembered by member Roland Jahne who once played in this aircraft as a child. This CAC Mustang was on the fire dump at Essendon Airport, in less than pristine condition. It was probably burned. Photo: Maurice Austin This will upset Geoff Goodall. Avro Ansons had limited scrap value with their wooden wings, fabric covering and steel tube frames: but they burned like torches. I have no idea how many Ansons met their end in this way, but I’m guessing it was more than a few.

Fairey Gannet T.2 XA517 entered service in 1956 with the RAN Fleet Air Arm as a training aircraft and served until 1967. On retirement it was allocated to the fire dump at HMAS Albatross and burned for fire fighting practice. Looking like some prehistoric beast; GAF Lincoln A73-65 on the fire dump at Darwin. The aircraft had been used by No.10 Squadron for maritime patrol duties before it was retired and burnt to the ground.

Lockheed P2V4 Neptune, A89-301 served with No.11 Squadron RAAF. When it was retired, around 1972, the aircraft was allocated to the fire dump at RAAF Base, Laverton. Your humble Editor saw this aircraft in 1974 much in the condition shown here. It had its undercarriage blown out by an Army demolition team. The Neptune was eventually burned to a crisp. Let’s add a little internation flavor to the mix. This ex B.O.A.C. Canadair Argonaut was located on the fire dump at London Heathrow in the 1970’s. It was beginning to show signs of burning. When I saw it in 1974 it was a lot worse. The taxiway to the international terminal at Heathrow passed right by the fire dump: possibly not the best, first impression to make on international travellers.

I took this photo of a lonely looking PAN AM on the ramp at Tullamarine in October 1972 and you may ask what that has to do with fire dump aircraft: well look in the background. The airport fire service was burning something. What I am not sure. I thought I was being frightfully clever with this one, but a lot of people got it. It’s an NAMC YS-11: the Japanese equivalent of a Hawker Siddeley HS. 748 and oh will I be burned in effigy for that comparison.

Something for all you World War 1 afficionados . If you think you know what this is email me at [email protected]

There are extra brownie points if you can tell me where I took this photo. This was not only odd; it was downright dangerous. In the late 1960’s Canadian Bob Diemert purchased an ex RAN Fairey Firefly and extensively modified it to carry 4 passengers in tandem. He also took out the Rolls Royce Griffon and replaced it with a Merlin engine. It was underpowered and a catastrophe looking for somewhere to happen. Diemert, the Dennis the Menace of vintage aviation went on to create other abominations. At last report the Firefly was in America being rebuilt to standard.

In the last edition of Outlook this photo of an anonymous Convair CV880 appeared. I had no idea what it was doing in Australia. My old friend Nigel Pittaway came to the rescue. The aircraft was owned by General Dynamics and was transporting a company delegation to Australia to convince the RAAF to adopt the F16 as a Mirage replacement. They failed. Model Expo 2019 has been run and won. Seen above is our sales team of (from left) Derek Buckmaster, Keith Gaff and Brad Gaff ready to flog stuff. It was a looooooong weekend with lots of selling and horse trading. We sold, virtually, everything and made a tidy chunk of change for the society.

As readers know the AHSA sponsors two categories at Model Expo; Best Australian Military Aircraft and Best Australian Civil Aircraft. The winner of Best Australian Military Aircraft was Dick Hourigan for his very nice prototype Winjeel in 1:72 scale.

Best Australian Civil Aircraft was won by Ray Seppala for his 1:72 scale Consolidated Catalina in QANTAS markings. An interesting aircraft in a very unusual colour scheme and for any modeler reading this; we like unusual.