Junkers F13 – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB30/09/202319/11/2023

Aviation Heritage Vol. 54 No. 3 (September 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...

1916 Following an invitation from Britain to the dominions to form complete flying squadrons for service with the British forces, the first squadron of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) sailed from Melbourne on 16 March 1916. The squadron was formed at Point Cook in Victoria in January 1916, and it arrived in Egypt on 14 April. The squadron's less experienced pilots were sent to the United Kingdom for further training, while other personnel were attached to the Royal Flying Corps to further hone their skills. Upon joining the British forces in Egypt the squadron became known as 67 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and did not revert to its original name until 19 January 1918. Source: AWM

1942 No 77 Squadron RAAF was formed at Pearce, Western Australia on 16 March 1942, under the temporary command of SQNLDR D.F. Forsyth, with an initial strength of three officers and 100 airmen. Equipped with Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawks, it formed the main air defence for Perth until July when it was sent north and became the first Austrnlian fighter squadron to serve in the Darwin area. Source: Units of the Royal Australian Air Force - A Concise History - Volume 2 Fighter Units, RAAF Historical Section, Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995

1982 Piper PA-30 VH-DGW crashed at Augathella Airport, QLD on 16 March 1982. At the end of an uneventful flight from Morven the sole passenger disembarked and watched while the pilot restarted the engine and commenced to taxy. The passenger next observed the aircraft when it was about 30 ft above the ground after take-off. At this time the aircraft was steeply banked to the left and shortly after it passed from sight the engine noise ceased and the sound of trees breaking was heard. The wreckage of the aircraft was subsequently located at the threshold of another of the aerodrome strips. It was determined that the aircraft had collided with trees while it was in a left wing down attitude before rolling inverted and striking the ground. The precise cause of the accident could not be determined, however the possibility that the right wing flap was jammed in the fully down position after the previous landing could not be discounted. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Sources: ATSB; aviation-safety.net website

1992 Fletcher FU24 VH-EOG operated by Airpasture crashed at Coogah, E of Blandford, NSW on 16 March 1992. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a hilly terrain while engaged in a superphosphate spreading. There was 1 fatality and the aircraft was written off. Sources: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives; aviation-safety.net website

2014 Advanced Kinetics Gyroz gyrocopter G-511 crashed at Brundee Swamp, SE of Nowra, Shoalhaven, NSW on 16 March 2014. The gyrocopter crashed into a paddock killing the 65 year old pilot. A NSW Police force press release said "It appears the gyrocopter has struck the ground heavily causing substantial damage and the male pilot and only occupant was killed. The man is believed to be a 65-year-old from Nowra." Source: aviation-safety.net website; Gyrocopter accidents in Australia blog