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Road to Cancon 2013 - Temora Aviation Museum

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As I made good time on Day 1 of the Brisbane to Canberra trip I had time for a detour to the small town of Temora on Day 2. Temora is the home of the Temora Aviation Museum, home to the No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School (10 EFTS) set up by the RAAF in May 1941 under the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) during the Second World War. Their website is here: http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/

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It is a flying museum, with all of their aircraft maintained in airworthy status. The museum has a great little gift shop with some interesting book titles, shirts, caps, mock flying helmets (I almost bought one for WGS games!) and a stack of other items. I spent half an hour going through their historical displays with many photographs of aircraft, pilots, engineers, and the Australian aircraft manufacturing industry. They have a cinema room where you can watch a 30 minute movie about the museum and the aircraft it maintains.

I then visited the display hanger, which housed several WW2 aircraft - a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI, a CAC Boomerang, a Wirraway, Tiger Moth, and Ryan trainer. Postwar RAAF aircraft were also represented including a CAC Sabre, De Havilland Vampire an English Electric Canberra bomber and a Cessna Dragonfly. I took quite a few photos of the aircraft - paying attention to style and location of markings - and I have included some here.

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This Supermarine Mk XVI Spitfire is an ex-wartime example, built at Vickers Armstrong's Castle Bromwich "shadow factory", near Birmingham, in late 1944. The aircraft’s first action was on 24 March (wearing squadron code FU-P) when, laden with two 250lb bombs and a long range belly tank, the aircraft headed a flight of four Spitfires for an armed reconnaissance; briefed to bomb rail targets in the Utrecht/Hague/Leiden area. TB863's cannons were fired in anger for the first time during a strafing attack on a large railway coach, claimed as probably destroyed, before returning to altitude. The aircraft continued with these sorties flying twelve missions during its six weeks on operations; 23 hours 55 minutes in total.

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On 17 July 1951 TB863 suffered a take off mishap and was struck off charge as scrap. The aircraft was subsequently purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a stage prop for their film on wartime pilot Douglas Bader, filmed in 1955 as "Reach for the Sky". It is thought that the aircraft was used for cockpit shots at MGM's studios where, on completion of the filming, the Spitfire was placed, minus an engine, in the props room for possible future use.

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In 1967 TB863 emerged to be dusted down for a further film role in the "Battle of Britain". The aircraft was utilized as a spares supplier for those aircraft actually flying in the film.

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Delivered from Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in November 1957, Avon Sabre was delivered to No 78 Wing at Williamtown. It was subsequently allotted to No 3 Squadron at Butterworth in October 1958 and wears that squadron's colours today. After service with No 76 Squadron, No 2 (Fighter) Operational Conversion Unit and No 5 Operational Training Unit, in November 1971 the aircraft was ferried to Base Squadron Butterworth, for transfer to the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Transferred to No 11 Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Air Force in December 1971 as serial no FMI983, the aircraft flew until 1976, when grounded awaiting disposal. The Sabre was 'rescued' by No 75 Squadron and shipped back to Australia, where it was restored by No 2 Aircraft Depot.

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CAC Boomerang A46-122 was received by 83 Squadron RAAF on 3/9/43 and coded MH-R, the third such aircraft with that code in the Squadron. On 28/3/45 it was received at 6 AD from 83 Sqn for storage.

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After being struck off charge in 1948 it was initially brought back to static condition by Matt Denning Qld as VH-MHR and was rolled out on 27/5/01 at the Aerotec Hanger at Toowoomba Qld, making its first flight on 14/2/03.

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This CAC Wirraway was built in 1944 and its RAAF history, although brief, encompassed the drama of both flight training and active service. In August 1944 it was allocated to 5 Service Flying Training School at Uranquinty, NSW. In January 1945 it was sent to 5 Squadron were it saw active service in Bougainville from July 1945.

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I then moved on to the other end of the hanger..........

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De Havilland Vampire T.35 (Construction No. 4139) was delivered to the RAAF on 22 May 1958 and was put into service with the Central Flying School at East Sale in Victoria. It was subsequently transferred to No. 1 Advance Flying Training School at Pearce in WA. The aircraft served most of its RAAF time in the west until disposed of in January 1970.

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English Electric Canberra WJ680 entered service in December 1955 as part of 551 Wing RAF Bomber Command based at Gutersloh in Germany. In February 1956 it suffered damage that resulted in its removal from service for 12 months. Shortly after its return to 59 Squadron, the aircraft again suffered extensive damage from a bird strike during a low level training mission. Its canopy was badly damaged, as were the engine cowlings, tailplane and the wooden fin fitted to the UK built machines. Repaired yet again, the aircraft was reassigned to a UK based maintenance unit where it remained in storage for 10 years. In 1967, it was removed from storage and converted by British Aerospace to TT.18 standard carrying the Rushton designed target-towing system but, was again placed in storage until 1971. In December 1972, it was involved in yet another incident, which resulted in the ejection of the navigator. More repairs followed and it returned to 7 Squadron on target towing duties until 1980 flying without incident at which time it returned to British Aerospace at Salmesbury for major servicing. Returning to 100 Squadron where it remained on strength until 18 December 1991 when it performed its last flight in RAF service.

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The De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth was the second DH82A imported from the UK into Australia and was registered on 12 August 1936 to Airflite Ltd at Mascot in Sydney. On 21 April 1937, VH-UVZ crashed into Sydney Harbour. According to newspaper reports at the time, it was circling above a steamer, which was departing from Circular Quay, when the aircraft stalled and spun into the water. The occupants were rescued with minor injuries and VH-UVZ was retrieved to fly again. It was impressed into RAAF service on 19 August 1940, assigned serial A17-691 and allocated to No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School in Temora From July 1943 to the end of the war.

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The Ryan STM-2 was a US training aircraft that saw service with the NEI Air Force. Although training was the main duty of the Ryans, when the war got hot in the area, they were constantly being dispersed and used in other roles. The airplanes were pressed into service as reconnaissance aircraft and to supply remote outposts and patrol ships. It was not unusual for the pilots to strap a five-gallon fuel tank in the front cockpit and go out on a long coastal patrol. When the fuel became low, the pilot would land at a convenient clearing, refuel the aircraft and continue his flight. During air raids the Ryans would be hidden under palm leaves. There are a number of reports involving the agile Dutch Ryans being caught or chased by Japanese aircraft while on training or reconnaissance flights. Some managed to get back to their base safely, while others were shot down. During one attack the Ryan pilots were given orders to fly at a very high altitude in order to report Japanese airplanes approaching the airfield. At times the Ryans engaged in dogfights with the Zeros. The Ryan showed such maneuverability that it did a fair job of staying out of the firing range of Japanese aircraft.

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I then moved on to the maintenance hanger where the collection's Lockheed Hudson Mk.III was located. The 'ground crew' were working on the engines and propeller constant speed units.

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This aircraft Lockheed Hudson A16-112 was received ex USA on 5th December 1941. After service with No.1 O.T.U. the aircraft was allotted to No. 14 Squadron on 8th July 1942 for anti submarine patrol off the coast of Western Australia. It then served a period with No.32 Squadron off the East coast of Australia. On transfer to No.6 Squadron, it served out of Milne Bay, PNG on bombing armed reconnaissance and patrol work for a period of twelve months. Being returned to the mainland for overhaul it was allocated to the RAAF Survey Flight and flew with them for the next two years. Post-war, it was sold to East-West Airlines and became their flagship, VH-EWA for the next six years when it was purchased by Adastra Aerial Surveys as a photographic aircraft, from whom the Long family purchased it in 1976. Restoration and conversion to its original military configuration was completed in 1993.

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The paint scheme is representative of a Hudson III A16-211 bomber that served with No.6 Squadron RAAF during the decisive Battle for Milne Bay, and later with No.2 Squadron in the North Western Area (Timor/Dutch East Indies -Indonesia). A16-211 survived Milne Bay and received a complete overhaul before transferring to No.2 Squadron flying out of Millingimbi in the Northern Territory. Together with four other Hudsons, A16-211 carried out an armed reconnaissance to Maikor and Taberfane (both Japanese floatplane bases) in the Aru Islands on 7th May 1943. On returning to Millingimbi A16-211s undercarriage gave way and the aircraft ground looped. It was severely damaged and was converted to components, the remains of this aircraft are still at Millingimbi to this day.

The museum's Gloster Meteor F.8 was made by Gloster and carried RAF serial number VZ467, serving until 1982. Its last military role was as a target tug. Since being re-painted the aircraft carries the markings of a Korean War era Meteor operated by RAAF 77 Squadron and flown by Sgt. George Hale who was credited with a Mig-15 kill.

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Flying exhibits mean lots of maintenance work.

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A close up of the Hudson's Boulton Paul turret armed with two .303 cal machine guns. You can just see the propeller of the Spitfire Mk.VIII behind the bomber.

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A Zero's eye view of the Hudson.

After a two hour stay at Temora I continued on to Canberra, getting in by 1700hrs. It was a great trip, and one I'd be happy to again for Cancon 2014!

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Updated 05-15-2014 at 07:34 by Carl_Brisgamer

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Comments

  1. Blauer Baron's Avatar
    I think I've just expended a rep point, dont know whether I can here again, was that for junior or senior. Great tour...how can I get any work done with such distractions. It started with the sign outside...sunshine, heat, warmth.ahhh. Here in Berlin it is grey, very cold and dreary and its been like it for months...The rest of the tour was magic, espcially with the descriptions of the exhibits. Can't thank you enough for taking all the time and effort.
  2. Rat of Vengence's Avatar
    Great photo tour mate, and it is now on my list of places I must get to one day

    Dave
  3. Marechallannes's Avatar
    Indeed, Carl.

    Great tour!