Qantas – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB30/11/202327/12/2023

Outlook AHSA Newsletter November 2023

The November 2023 edition of Outlook / AHSA News was distributed to members recently. This edition can be read online in the viewer below....

1949 Australia's first aircraft carrier, HMAS Sydney, arrived at Jervis Bay on 25 May 1949 carrying 54 aircraft of 816 Squadron RAN, part of the 20th Carrier Air Group. The Sydney had departed from Moray Firth, north east of Inverness in Scotland for Australia on 12 April 1949. 816 Squadron aircrew had been training in the UK prior to the commissioning of the Sydney. The 54 aircraft were ferried ashore and then transported some 30 km by road to HMAS Albatross at Nowra. Source: 816 Squadron History, navy.gov.au

2001 There was disruption to Ansett operations when three Boeing 767 aircraft and a Boeing 737 were temporarily grounded for minor repairs on 25 May 2001. Source: Australian, 26 May 2001. via aph.gov.au website

2002 A full-size replica of the Fokker F.VIIb/3m 'Southern Cross' was damaged when it landed without its starboard main wheel at Parafield, South Australia on 25 May 2002. The cause of the accident was the failure of a retaining C-clip on the starboard undercarriage oleo strut, which caused the main wheel to blow out and drag behind. The pilot landed the aircraft safely, and with the minimum damage possible. The original Fokker aircraft had a spring type shock absorbing mechanism and wire wheels whereas the replica had oleo struts and Canberra Bomber wheels. During construction of the replica, the lack of a restraining mechanism on the undercarriage was identified to the project managers but no mitigation was taken. Sources: Historic Aircraft Restoration Society; Geoff Snelling via the Warbirds Online website.