IPEC Aviation – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB03/06/202306/06/2023

Aviation Heritage Vol. 54 No. 2 (June 2023) Contents Listing

The latest quarterly AHSA journal - Aviation Heritage - has recently been posted to members. The contents of all articles are listed below: Aviation...

1955 On the morning of 30 August 1955 Auster J/4 Archer VH-AET flew over Sydney for several hours without a pilot, and was eventually shot down by Hawker Sea Furies of 805 Squadron RAN. Mr Anthony Thrower hired VH- Auster light aircraft from Kingsford Smith Aviation Flying School. He had completed one circuit of a training flight when the aircraft's engine failed as he was coming in to land at Bankstown airfield. Having successfully landed the aircraft dead-stick, Thrower jumped out and swung the propeller (there was no self starter). Unfortunately for the pilot, the Auster's brakes failed as the engine roared to life. Thrower made a valiant attempt to board the aircraft as it gathered speed down across the field but was forced to jump clear and could only look on as the plane became airborne. Emergency services were notified and it was decided to shoot the aircraft down. A Wirraway advanced trainer was scrambled from RAAF Richmond, west of Sydney, however the Wirraway's guns froze and jammed. Then a Gloster Meteor F.8 jet fighter RAAF Williamtown, flown by Squadron Leader M. Holdsworth, attempted to down the Auster, but the aircraft's guns also jammed. Two RAN 805 Squadron Sea Furies (VW645 flown by Lt John. Bluett and WZ650 flown by Lt Peter McNay - both Royal Navy officers on exchange duty with the RAN) had been engaged in gunnery practice over Nowra and they were diverted to attack the Auster. Both Navy pilots struck the Auster with bursts from their guns and sent it splashing into the sea three miles off Broken Bay at 11.43 a.m. Sources: RAN 805 Squadron History; The Daily News (Perth, WA) Tue 30 Aug 1955, Page 1, NAVY PLANES SHOOT DOWN PILOTLESS RUNAWAY

1961 Auster J/5 Adventurer VH-KAG operated by Murrumbidgee Aero Club crashed 5 miles SW of Ungarie, NSW on 30 August 1961. The aircraft was carrying passengers from the Canberra Show on a joy-flight. It crashed and burnt after hitting overhead telegraph wires while circling a home. The pilot, John Lewis (30), and three passengers died in the crash. Sources: aviation-safety.net website; The Canberra Times 31 August 1961, p1

1980 Caribou A4-152 of 38 Squadron RAAF departed Richmond for Port Vila, Vanuatu on 30 August 1980 to provide tactical transport support for the PNGDF’s Kumul Force. The Prime Minister-elect of the newly-formed nation of Vanuatu (formerly the Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides), Father Walter Lini, had asked for help from members of the South Pacific Forum to quell a Francophile secessionist movement centred on the island of Espiritu Santo. Sir Julius Chan, the PNG Prime Minister, after private talks with Lini, announced that PNG would provide a military force to put down the rebellion in conjunction with Vanuatu security forces. Supported by the ADF, an ad hoc 300-strong PNG light infantry contingent — supported by Australian-donated patrol boats and aircraft — called Kumul Force deployed with Australian support personnel to Vanuatu. This force backed up a 65-strong Ni Vanuatu police contingent. Within a few days key secessionist leaders had been arrested. Kumul Force returned to Port Moresby after six weeks on operations to a warm and triumphal welcome. Source: 38 Squadron Association