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Aviation Historical Society of Australia
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Author: DerekB

I'm a mechanical engineer by training, and I've spent most of my career in materials - engineering plastics first, then composites (fibreglass and carbon fibre materials). My aviation interests are centred on the CAC Wirraway, Boomerang and Ceres. I've published a book about the Ceres and I'm working on a manuscript for a Wirraway book.
DerekB16/09/202027/12/2022

AHSA Monthly Meeting 16 Sep 2020 (Derek Buckmaster: The Wirraway “Newspaper War”)

Derek Buckmaster gave a presentation on The Wirraway "Newspaper War". The AHSA September monthly meeting was held online via Zoom. A recording of the...
Cover image: Aviation Heritage Vol 51 No 3
DerekB01/09/202026/04/2021

Aviation Heritage Volume 51 Number 3 contents listing

The latest quarterly edition (September 2020) of the AHSA journal - Aviation Heritage - has recently been hosted to members. Full contents listing: Aviation...
DerekB19/08/202006/12/2021

AHSA Monthly Meeting 19 August 2020 (Phil Vabre: The Empire Air Mail Scheme In Operation 1938-39)

Phil Vabre gave a presentation on The Empire Air Mail Scheme In Operation 1938-39. The August 2020 monthly meeting of the AHSA was held...
DerekB15/07/202014/07/2022

AHSA Monthly Meeting 15 July 2020 (Roger McKay: Jet Fighter Evolution)

Squadron Leader Roger McKay gave a presentation on the evolution of jet fighter design, explaining the development from "first generation" to "fifth generation" designs....
DerekB30/06/202021/12/2021

Aviation Heritage Volume 51 Number 2 contents listing

The latest quarterly edition (June 2020) of the AHSA journal - Aviation Heritage - has been posted to members. Full contents listing: Aviation Heritage...
DerekB11/06/202006/12/2021

AHSA Monthly Meeting 11 June 2020 (Dr Ellen Stoddart: The Record-Setting Flights of the Perlan Glider)

Dr Ellen Stoddart gave a fascinating presentation covering the development and record-setting flights of the Perlan high-altitude glider. Ellen's son Morgan Sandercock is one...
Cover - CAC Ceres by Derek Buckmaster
DerekB08/06/202027/12/2022

CAC Ceres – Australia’s Heavyweight Cropduster by Derek Buckmaster

The Ceres agricultural aircraft was produced by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in Australia from 1959 to 1963. A total of only 20 airframes were...
DerekB01/03/202021/12/2021

Aviation Heritage Volume 51 Number 1 contents listing

The latest quarterly edition (March 2020) of the AHSA journal - Aviation Heritage - has recently been posted to members. Full contents listing: Aviation...
Cover image: Aviation Heritage v50 n1
DerekB01/12/201926/04/2021

Aviation Heritage Volume 50 Number 4 contents listing

The latest edition (December 2019) of the AHSA journal - Aviation Heritage - has recently been posted to members. A complete listing of contents...
DerekB01/03/201928/12/2021

Aviation Heritage Volume 50 Number 1 Contents Listing

The latest quarterly edition (March 2019) of the AHSA journal - Aviation Heritage - has recently been posted to members. The full contents are...

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Welcome to the website of the Aviation Historical Society of Australia Inc.
The AHSA is dedicated to recording and promoting Australian aviation history. We find and tell the stories of how aviation (both civil and military) has contributed to the development of Australia and the experiences of Australian people.
To navigate around the site, select from the menu bar above, click on one of the updates below or choose one of the categories below.

On this day in Australian aviation history:

1934 The MacRobertson International Air Races, celebrating the centenary of the State of Victoria, from Mildenhall airfield (near London) to Melbourne, commenced just after dawn on 20 October 1934 (London time). The race was divided into two divisions – speed and handicap – with no limits to aircraft size, power or crew. The sponsor, Australian confectionary mogul, Sir Macpherson Robertson, provided a prize pool of £15, 000. Initially, there were 64 entrants from 13 countries, but when the race started on 20 October 1934, the field had been reduced to 20 planes from seven countries. Mildenhall was a newly-constructed RAF airfield, but it had not been fully completed and was thus not in use by the RAF at the time. King George V and Queen Mary visited the airfield the day before the race to wish the contestents well. It was estimated that there were up to 60,000 people around the Mildenhall boundaries before dawn on a rather cool and damp Saturday morning to see the start of the race. Of these, about 15,000 actually poured onto the aerodrome and runways and caused chaos for the authorities and competitors alike who were moving out to their starting positions. Only 11 aircraft finished the gruelling 18,000 kilometre trip. The competitor's start times were as follows (s = Speed section; h = handicap section): 6:31 - Mr J.A. Mollison and Mrs. A. Mollison (nee Johnson), Britain (D.H. Comet), s. and h. 6:31 - Colonel Roscoe Turner and Mr. Clyde Pangborn, USA (Boeing 247), s. and h. 6:33 - Flight-Lieut. D.L. Asjes and Mr. G.J. Geysendorfer, Holland (Pander S.4) s. 6:35 - Mr. C.W.A. Scott and Captain T. Cambpell Black, Britain (D.H. Comet), s. and h. 6:35 - Miss Jacqueline Cochran and Mr. Wesley Smith, U.S.A. (Granville Monoplane), h. 6:36 - Mr. K.D. Parmentier and Mr. J.J. Moll, Holland (Douglas D.C. 2), s. and h 6:37 - Flight-Lieut. O. Cathcart-Jones and Mr. Ken Waller, Britain (D.H. Comet), s.and h. 6:37 - Mr. John H. Wright and Mr. John Pplando, U.S.A. (Lambert Monocoupe), h. 6:39 - Flight-Officer H. D. Gilman and Mr. J. K. C. Baines, Britain (Fairey Fox), s. 6:40 - Mr. James Woods and Flying-Officer D. C. Bennett, Australia (Lockhead.Vega), s. and h. 6:40 - Squadron-Leader J. D. Hewitt and Flying-Officer C. E .Kay, and Mr. Stewart, New. Zealand -D.H. Rapide Dradgon), s. and h. 6:41 - Lieutenant Michael Kansen and Mr. Jensen, Denmark (Desoutter Mark II.), h. 6:41 - Mr. Ray Parer and Mr: G.E. Hemsworth, Australia (Fairey Fox), s. and h. 6:42 - Mr. H. L. Brook, with. Miss E. Lay as passenger, Britain (Miles Falcon), h. 6:43 - Squadron-Leader M.C. McGregor and Mr. H. C. . Walker, New Zealand (Miles Hawk), h. 6:44 - Flight-Lieut G. Shaw, Britain. (British Klemm Eagle), h. 6:45 - Squadron-Leader D. E. Stodart and Sergeant-Pilot K. G. Stodart, Britain (Airspeed Courier), h. 6:45 - Mr. C. J. Melrose, Australia (D.H. Puss Moth), h. 6:47 - Captain T. Neville Stack, Mr. S. L. Turner, and Mr. J. H. G. McArthur, Britain (Airspeed ' Viceroy), s. and h. 6:47 - Flying-Officer C. G. Davies and Lieut-Commander Hill, Britain (Fairey SP.), s. and h. Sources: Aviation Heritage Vol 24 Nos 1 & 2, 1984; State Library of NSW; The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate (NSW), Sat 27 Oct 1934, Page 5, ORDER OF START.
1934 While competing in the Handicap section of the MacRobertson International Air Races from London to Melbourne, Miss Jacqueline Cochran and Mr. Wesley Smith, representing the U.S.A. were forced to withdraw when their Granville Brothers R6H Monoplane "QED" NR14307 developed mechanical problems at Bucharest, Romania on 20 October 1934. Source: Aviation Heritage Vol 24 Nos 1 & 2, 1984

Ansett Flying Boat Services Ballarat Beaufighter Bellanca 28/70 Bill Bedford Boeing Brinsmead Bronco CAC CAC Boomerang CAC Ceres CAC Mustang CAC Wackett Trainer CAC Wirraway CAC Woomera Chartair Cyclone Tracy DAP DC-3 DCA DH.50 DH60 Moth Duigan Memorial Lecture Eric Bonar Essington Lewis Eyre Peninsula Airways GAF Guinea Airways Halestorm JC Fitzmaurice Junkers F13 Lawrence Wackett Macchi Meteor Outlook Percival Proctor Qantas RAF 205 Squadron RFD Winged Target Roy Goon Sid Marshall Smithy (movie) Supermarine Southampton Target towing Vickers Vulcan

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