AHSA Newsletter October 2016 – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

1941 With just three serviceable Brewster Buffalo aircraft remaining, 453 Squadron RAAF withdrew from forward airfields at Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur back to Singapore on 24 December 1941. Merged with the RAAF’s 21 Squadron it continued to operate as the Japanese advanced relentlessly toward the island. Source: Spitfire Association website

1947 The Civil Air Operations Officers' Association of Australia (“Civil Air”) lodged an Application for Registration as an Association under The Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904-1947 on 24 December 1947. The Association had 126 members at the time. Source: Civil Air website, www.civilair.asn.au

1974 An aviation safety agreement was signed between the governments of Australia and the United States on 24 December 1974 to (1) Provide for cooperation to sustain an equivalent level of aviation safety between the two countries; and (2) To facilitate acceptance by each country of the other country's approvals, evaluation and monitoring associated with civil aeronautical products, personnel and facilities. Source: FAA website

2003 AERO Australia magazine issue one went on sale on 24 December 2003. The magazine had 112 pages plus covers – larger than any other locally published aviation magazine at the time. Chevron Publishing Group (Ray Berghouse and John Kiddle) invited Stuart and Wendy Wilson to produce the new magazine. Source: AERO Australia