Aussie air show - 60th anniversary of the RAN Fleet Air Arm

[Mazda]

Mr Mazda and I rose in the dark at 4am and headed to the airport on a cold, starry spring morning. The only people at the airport were there for champagne breakfast balloon joy flights. Unfortunately one of their staff was trying to be a bit too helpful, blocking the road to the rest of the airport and directing us to park with the balloon joy flighters. It must be a rare thing to see fixed wing pilots arriving before dawn.

We were in a hurry to get going at first light, as a light mist over the ground was developing and dew kept forming on the canopy - at least until the engine had warmed a little. We taxied out in the pre-dawn light and took off in the crisp morning air, heading south towards the beautiful coastal town of Kiama.

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It was pure magic to watch the sunrise over the ocean, and see the sky change from nearly dark to gold to that special Aussie shade of blue.

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We were heading to Nowra for the 60th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Nowra is on the New South Wales south coast, surrounded by green fields and a short distance from the ocean. As it is a Navy field it is normally in restricted airspace and we required an approval number - even for a fly-in when there was no tower operating. The base at Nowra used to house such wonderful aircraft types as the Sea Fury, but these days it is helicopter base with two runways well over 2000 metres long, which seems like a waste!

On arrival we met Mr Mazda's Dad, who was stationed at Nowra from the 50s to the 80s, and headed for the organised chaos of a unique ABC Aussie radio show which had set up an outside broadcast. ‘Australia All Over’ is a talkback show unlike any other, where people like you and I phone in to say what they are up to on a Sunday morning. On "Macca's" show you could hear kids talking about fishing in the Gulf country, farmers discussing the drought, grandmothers with recipes, people inviting others to a local fete or sporting event, people with tales of travels and history - anything at all. On this Sunday there was an interview with a member of the Police force discussing the Peter Falconio disappearance, as well as many interviews relating to the air display.

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The radio show was set up outside the entrance to the show so the next problem was how to get in. We hadn't been given passes on arrival (too early). It's amazing what a standard aviation security pass and an attitude can do, we walked straight in! We also then walked straight in to the VIP area for a coffee and some food!

Below is the restored Constellation – and her engine.

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Hawk
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RAAF aerobatic team PC-9
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What was she thinking??
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The display (apart from the one above) was very good. The base houses a very impressive museum which I hadn't seen previously. It includes wonderful old things like the Sea Fury and Firefly, a Gannett, Sopwith Pup, and surprisingly enough, a single seat Hunter (which Mr Mazda was very pleased to see).

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However the special one for me was "Foxtrot Mickey Mouse" as she is known, the timber prototype of the Victa/Glos/AESL Airtourer. I was so thrilled to see her. I understand she crashed on her first flight, as with 65 horsepower and two men on board, she wasn't going anywhere. The men were safe, Mickey Mouse was repaired, and it was decided that a bigger engine might be a good idea for the production models.

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Almost the whole history of the Airtourer was there at Nowra, and it would have been
fantastic to have lined them up for a photo. here was "Foxtrot Mickey
Mouse", our 1963 115hp Airtourer (just the 19th one made), an RAAF CT-4A ("plastic parrot" original orange paint scheme), one ex-Singapore Air Force T6 trainer (now in civilian hands), two CT-4A trainers from the RAAF ab initio training school at Tamworth, and the brand spanking new CT-4F prototype - with glass cockpit, air conditioning, and powered by a 300hp Lycoming. Who would have thought that little Foxtrot Mickey Mouse could develop into that!

The 115hp version
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115 and T6
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Plastic parrot CT-4A
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300 hp CT-4F prototype
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I was impressed with the flying display. I expected a few helicopter flypasts. There was a 14 ship helicopter formation and a Squirrel handling display, but our RAAF aerobatic display team were there, plus there were good flying displays by a Pitts S1, Giles, Extra, Edge, Stearmans, the CT-4F, Avenger, Albatross, Canberra, Vampire, Dragonfly, Hawk and F/A-18 Hornet.

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The Tracker isn't yet flying but did some taxi runs.

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The Giles was flown by an Aussie aerobatic champion and current RAAF Hornet pilot. He sure knows how to turn that Giles inside out.

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The Hornet display was (almost) like an RAF display - low, fast and impressive.

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It was getting hot, probably 32 degrees, and I was sick of the crowds so headed back to the GA parking.

Call that a tie down?
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I was drawn back to the lovely Victa, the prettiest aircraft in the whole show, and sought shelter from the hot sun under her wing.

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It was the best place on the whole field to watch the show. Close to the runway and free from the crowds, with shelter from the sun and like-minded flying types all hanging around the GA parking for the best view.

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At the designated time of 3.45pm, I started the Victa and taxied out in the line of aircraft all heading home. The GA pilots did a great job of getting out too, considering everyone wanted to depart at the same time. I was in despair seeing the line of aircraft waiting at the taxiway, but there were no delays at all.

The flight back home was enjoyable, looking out over coastal scenery.

The last words of the controller at my home field were "Cleared to land, and I'll see you next week," as we will both be going to the same fly-in. I'll write about that one next time.

1.9 hours for the return flight (although I'd say about half an hour of that was taxiing from one side of Nowra to the other, trying to find where we were supposed to park!)

[Charles Hunt]

Excellent as usual.

Thanks for brightening up a cold (Edit - it's light now - and FROSTY) wintry morning here - although the sky is clear at the moment, so I may be OK for my lesson at noon......

[Kristee]

now I feel really bad about not going...great pix and I love Macca's programme. It is unique.
Like the shot of the female with the visible thong (sorry Mazda, I know thongs mean something else in Oz)
Hope to see you tomorrow wx permitting. It was HOT in Bathurst today and so windy I lost a few thongs over the fence hanging out the washing...

[grumpy old pilot]

Definitely not thong weather in the UK...

Don't know what it is about Airtourers but after seeing none in the UK, in the last week two fuselages have been stored at the strip I use...doesn't look like they will be flying anytime soon though...

[Aerotech Flyer]

Hi Maz,
Great photos and looks like a brilliant way to spend a sunny day. Hope you get to meet up with Kristee. Regards to Mark.
All the best and keep the pics coming,
Steve (AF)

[kookabat]

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