Props & mags FEBRUARY 2016

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AVIATION MUSEUM

66 LIPSON STREET, PORT ADELAIDE P.O. BOX 150, PORT ADELAIDE, SA 5015. PHONE (08) 8240 1230

http://www.saam.org.au

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT .. This year will prove to be a busy one if all that we have planned comes to fruition. As you are aware, we have contracted Ahrens Group to design and construct our new hangar. They are now busily drawing up the plans and putting together the final quotes and our contract. In the design we have allowed one segment of the new hangar to accommodate the tail of the expected Caribou. In practical terms this means that one eight metre segment of the building will need to be ten metres high as opposed to the rest, which will be six metres high. This, of course, has dramatically increased the overall building cost due to factors like wind loading and the stresses involved. But, you would agree, that the presentation of the Caribou in the new hangar with the tail on will be awesome. The Caribou tender was submitted to Defence Disposals a few days before the tender closed thanks to Mike Milln’s hard work in putting all the pieces together and making sure we included all that was required. Now we wait for the outcome but I am confident that we will be successful in winning one of the aircraft based in Oakey. Neville Mason, one of our life members, has viewed the aircraft and is currently working on permissions from the various states to transport it to SAAM and working out the costs involved. A team from SAAM will be required to spend at least a week at the base to help dismantle the aircraft for transportation. Obviously this cost, together with our new hangar, will put a severe strain on our finances. We have pledges from Steve Nelson, Roger Lang and Langdon Badger to cover much of the costs, but I would ask that if you or someone you know would be willing to pledge a contribution too, we would be very grateful. Pieter van Dyk President

S.A.A.M. COMMITTEE

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MUSEUM PATRON: THE HON. ALEXANDER DOWNER

AC _______________

PRESIDENT PIETER VAN DYK

VICE PRESIDENT

DAVID BYRNE

TREASURER

JOHN HILLIER

SECRETARY MIKE MILLN

COLLECTION MANAGER

PAUL DAW

COLLECTION MANAGER – AIRCRAFT

WAYNNE LEE

MEMBERSHIP OFFICER ROD KOPP

WORKSHOP MANAGER

GRAHAM BELL

PUBLIC RELATIONS ROBIN De VORE

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WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS …… F.O.M. Roy Blakeman of Modbury Heights

Felix Hertzer of Hectorville If you see any of these people

around, please make them welcome.

F.O.M Stephen Meredith of Kensington Park (Stephen was mentioned in the December issue we just didn’t have his photo)

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY …. SATURDAY 20th FEBRUARY 10.00am History Group Meeting 12 noon B.B.Q. Lunch – Cost $5.00 1.00pm General Members Meeting preceded with a talk by two members of the original construction team of CC-1 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING : Tuesday 1st March

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AVIATION CULTURES MK 11 CONFERENCE SUMMARY

In December last year I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this Conference held at the University of Sydney. Another of our members, Dean Robinson, also attended. In company with Cameron Elmes from QAM we both represented the Aviation Museums National Network (AMNN). The network saw this as an excellent opportunity to promote our National Museums Network. General Points.

The Conference of two days duration was well organised and held at the University of Sydney.

A scholarship fund supported our travel costs to attend.

Our AMNN poster banner was displayed throughout the conference.

A paper outlining the role of AMNN was distributed to all conference delegates.

There was no doubt that the promotion of the AMNN was very successful.

The Presentations. There was a diverse range of papers presented. Some were very specialised and covered the social impact of aviation on the community. The papers I found of most interest were:

The establishment of an aviation museum in the terminal at San Francisco that is supported by the airport operators. A very well run venture that is well established and part of the terminal.

The story of the F-111 allocation. Interesting to note that without some intervention community museums may not have been included in the allocation.

The need for a national aviation museum. This recounted the various attempts to establish one and what aircraft may be available – there was quite a list and it did not draw on our collections. The presenter did add the potential role of AMNN collections as part of the national collection.

A visit to the Powerhouse Museum to see the aircraft collection revealed the Museum is to move and the future display of the aircraft collection is questionable due to space availability. Overall it was a very good two days and allowed us to promote the AMNN and network with other aviation individuals and organisations. It was also a reminder of the wide social impact that aviation has had and continues to have on our community. David Byrne

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WING TIPS

“TIS THE SEASON”

Maybe the jolly season is well and truly over, but the fabric season is well and truly here. As you can see we are installing fabric on the rear engine cowls of the Anson. As they are made of lightweight timber sections and are compound curves we have to be especially careful not to distort the frames by over tightening the fabric. The team has been careful and achieved a good result on two cowls so far. While they are off the airframe we will probably give them a spray coat of dope and then a primer surfacer. Tickets are now available if you want to attend the dope spraying event! Meanwhile down in the Battle section there are things happening. The forward fuselage is getting some well needed attention and the middle section is being laid out ready for construction and the tailplanes are getting remade too. The end most section of the fuselage has appeared from storage and is in reasonably good condition with the operating push rod ends and bell cranks for elevator and rudder in situ but needing attention.

The Cessna Model 1 in the courtyard will soon be mobile on its wheels as Paul has reduced them to individual spokes and rims and is ready to re-assemble them. Over and out Anson, Battle and Cessna crew

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WW 1 Display The WW1 Bay design was completed on 10 February. Jim Piscioneri designed the method of hanging of the Sopwith Pup, and I never imagined there would be so much discussion over his design and so many suggestions for other ways.

We owe a debt of thanks to Jim, who restored the model, made the prop and “engine” and whose original design to hang the model was used. It is securely suspended

without any intrusively apparent support, by using a steel suspension wire to the fuselage and five bracing wires from wings and tail to prevent movement. More can be added should it prove necessary. As well as Jim, Barry James, Russell O’Brien, Tony Harvey and Jack Kamprod all helped to make this possible. Langdon Badger

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Hopefully we will have some of the original construction team visit the Museum at the next meeting day and we can hear more of how and why this replica was built. Our thanks to the Lewis family for considering the Museum as a place to restore and display this rare replica. Australian Flying Magazine, in its February 1967 edition, provided more back- ground to the project (see article opposite). David Byrne 6

It has aroused a lot of interest and soon more information was being received about the construction of this rare replica. Flightpath magazine have shown interest and there may be a mention of it in the next edition. In time we will restore it completely – currently Paul Daniels is restoring the wheels and axles so we can move it around.

On asking a few more questions I discovered he was talking about a replica of the first aircraft built by Clyde Cessna. The attached article explains the background and construction of this aircraft. After seeing photographs and some plans I indicated we would like to come out and see it. Accordingly one day Pieter and I went and had a look. Sure enough it was still in the shed where it has been for at least the last 40 years. The fuselage – wheels – wings and tailplane were all there as well as all the wires for the wing warping system. After discussing it with the Committee we decided to retrieve it and on Wednesday 13th January – Pieter, Barry, Geoff, Mike John R, Marion, and myself organised a car trailer and in around 39 degrees we extracted it from the shed, loaded it and bought it back to the Museum. (The house with the shed had been sold and it had to be moved - hence going out on a day we would have preferred not to.)

CESSNA CC-1 REPLICA Towards the end of last year I was asked if we would be interested in an aircraft that has been sitting in an old farm shed near Gawler.

$200 FOR A CESSNA Phillip Martin says:-

Yes, that is right. If you want a Cessna for $200, all you have to do is follow these simple instructions. Of course we do not guarantee that it will fly, but you could mount it in your front yard. Staff of Ross Aviation Facilities, Parafield, have a mascot of which they can be justifiably proud. They have a full scale replica of Clyde V. Cessna’s first aircraft in their sales department. The replica, built in Ross Aviation’s workshops is the first to be built outside the U.S.A. For several months Ross Tilly, Ross Aviation’s Sales Manager, and his staff have been planning to build the replica. Only recently was the plan fulfilled. At a cost of a little under $200, excluding engine, four employees supervised by foreman Gordon Lewis built the aircraft in just eight working days. Hannan Bros., an Adelaide engineering firm, lent a 25 h.p. Anzani engine. This particular engine was originally installed in the first aircraft to fly in Australia – a Bleriot monoplane in 1910 near Adelaide. Because of the historical significance of this engine it is not possible to flight test the aircraft in which it is now installed. Cessna’s original aircraft was powered by a 40 h.p. Anzani but to the time of writing Ross Tilly has not been able to obtain one. The undercarriage wheels were manufactured from specifications by Super Elliott Cycles Ltd. also of Adelaide. Part of the main wheels are made from trotting gig parts. CC-1, as the replica was christened by Ross Aviation staff, is a faithful reproduction of the original airframe, apart from some minor modifications for improved flight safety. Some of the modifications were those made by Cessna on his later machines. The rudder has been slightly redesigned to make it more responsive. The surface area remains unchanged. To improve durability aluminium square tubing has replaced the original wooden framework.

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The wire fuselage braces were tightened by the conventional fencing method. As a farmer by profession, Clyde Cessna undoubtedly would have used a similar method. Flight control is maintained by means of flexible mainplanes and elevators. By flexing the control surfaces air is “spilt out”, increasing or decreasing lift as required. The rudder unit comprises the whole fin. A unique feature with early aircraft is the fully flying tailplane. CC-1’s older brother was first flown on August 11th 1911 at Enid, Oklahoma, U.S.A. Clyde Cessna had been so enthused with aviation’s potential that within four months of watching a Bleriot monoplane display he was ready to test his own aircraft. The Bleriot actually formed the basis of Cessna’s flying machine. It took him thirteen attempts to get airborne. The original aircraft, subjected in the years following its first flight, to many modifications, has disappeared. Only one other replica has been built and that is displayed at the Kansas offices of the Cessna Aircraft Corporation. CC-1 TECHNICALSPECIFICATIONS Length: 22 feet. Wing Span: 22 feet. Height 7 ft. 6”. Wing Area (approx.): 130 sq. ft. Power Plant: 25 h.p. Anzani Airscrew: Two bladed, wooden 5 feet diameter. Undercarriage: 18” diameter main wheels. 20 x 1⅜”pneumatic tyres. Metal tail skid. Fuel: Petrol in two half gallon tanks. Australian Flying – February 1967

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SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AVIATION MUSEUM SIGNIFICANT AIRCRAFT PROFILES

WARWICK GOLDSWORTHY

Born: 7 December 1937; Richmond NSW Died: 25 December 2010; Adelaide SA Warwick Goldsworthy was born in NSW and lived at RAAF Richmond where his father was based for the first two years of his life. The family then moved to Brisbane where Warwick’s father operated a successful engineering business. In 1954 Warwick commenced an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner with Freighter Trailer Industries. During that time (contrary to his father’s wishes who wanted him in the family business) he learnt to fly at the Royal Queensland Aero Club in DH82 Tiger Moths on weekends, and completed two years of a diploma in engineering. In 1960 on completion of the apprenticeship, he obtained a position installing diesel generators in power houses at Madang and Wewak in Papua-New Guinea. After this he returned to Queensland’s Moura Kianga coalfield where he worked on heavy machinery.

Warwick completed the commercial pilot’s licence in 1961 and wrote to numerous charter operators seeking a pilot’s job. He

gained a position with Silver City Air Taxis, which operated out of Broken Hill and Port Augusta. The company also held the Flying Doctor contract at Port Augusta. On Thursdays a freight contract was flown from Port Augusta to Coober Pedy and return, which took 1.45 hours. The return flight passengers were opal miners who would speak of their ‘fabulous’ finds while proudly displaying their glittering gems. In Warwick’s words “I quickly became hooked and decided to start an air service to cater for their needs and get some opal action for myself”. Different ways of locating opal became a passion as big as his desire to fly. Consequently, Warwick designed the first ‘round’ tunnelling machine for mining and with the assistance of his older brother Ross made it in their father’s workshop. A by-product of this was the creation of the family dugout at Coober Pedy, where both the front and back doors had views to the far horizons. In 1963 Warwick left Silver City Air Taxis and formed his owned air charter company ‘Opal Air’ with the assistance of several backers including Bepi Coro of Miners Store in Coober Pedy, Greg Sherman and Laurie Lehman. The company operated passenger and freight charter flights between Adelaide, Andamooka and Coober Pedy and during this time he also continued his active interest in opal mining. The first aircraft purchased, VH-BUD(1) Cessna 210/5, was used to carry passengers and freight. After three years a larger aircraft, VH-RXY Cessna 310K, was leased followed by VH-BUD(2) Cessna 310K, to cater for the increased traffic.

Warwick Goldsworthy July 2004 [NK Daw]

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In 1967 ‘Opal Air’ received the first Commuter Airline Licence issued in Australia and the first scheduled service from Adelaide to Andamooka and Cobber Pedy was flown on 3 July using Cessna 402 VH-BUD(3). The first timetable was for Monday/Wednesday/Friday: Adelaide Dep 0800 Andamooka Arr 0945 Dep 1000 Coober Pedy Arr 1100 Dep 1300 Andamooka Arr 1400 Dep 1415 Adelaide Arr 1600. This was later expended to daily flights. A story related about a difficult passenger and Warwick’s response is: “He once told me of a passenger he carried from Coober Pedy to Adelaide who refused to put his luggage, a large heavy bag, in the aircraft locker. Warwick took one of the seats out of the plane and the passenger sat on the bag all the way to Adelaide – no seat belt. Warwick said the bag contained what may just be the largest single piece of opal ever to come out of Coober Pedy!” In 1967 Tony Schwerdt won the tender for six Mustang fighters that were used in the Emu Atomic Bomb test and he was flown by Warwick Goldsworthy in Cessna 402 VH-BUD(2) from Coober Pedy to Emu Junction. This was along with Graham Treloar and several others together with a supply of fuel, batteries and various tools. After several months they were successful as the Mustang A68-1 was flown to Parafield and the other fighters were disassembled and trucked out.

In 1968 Warwick married Gillian (Hollingsworth) in Perth. In 1970 daughter Melissa was born, and son Nigel in 1971.

A further ‘first’ for Opal Air came in 1973 when the Cessna 421 VH-BUC became the first pressurized light aircraft to be used on regular public transport. Also that year another first: smoking was banned on all Opal Air services. It was a busy year as an additional Cessna 402 was purchased in Anchorage, Alaska, and flown to Adelaide via the Aleutian Islands, Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines and Darwin. A total of nine Cessna 421s were added to the fleet, including one that remained in the United States of America while tests were undertaken to install turbine engines, but the project was never finished.

CE402 VH-BUD & VH-BUS Adrlaide Airport 15 Jul 1973 [J Smith via SAAM]

CE421B VH-BUC Adelaide Airport 20 January 1974 [NK Daw]

The reason the Cessna 421s were acquired was to provide the greater comfort of pressurised aircraft flying above most turbulence, and a faster Adelaide to Coober Pedy flight in around two hours and fifteen minutes. Passenger demand continued to improve until the road to Coober Pedy was sealed, after which regular bus services and the ease of driving one’s own vehicle diluted passenger traffic. Other airline routes established from Adelaide were to Ayers Rock via Coober Pedy (8 April 1974 – thrice per week), to Tarcoola (1 November 1975 – thrice per week), to Indulkana and Amata (1 May 1978 – thrice per week on request), to Port Augusta as a stop on the existing route to Coober Pedy (1 May 1978 – thrice per week), to Woomera (23 April 1979 – six times per week – but had done some flights from 4 November 1978), to Olympic Dam (14 July 1980 – five times per week), Marla (14 July 1980 – twice per week). In 1978 Warwick ferried a Cessna 421 from Wichita, Kansa, to Adelaide via San Francisco, Honolulu, the Marshall Islands and Brisbane. In 1984 the first turbine aircraft was purchased – VH-SWK Merlin IIB, and in May 1986 the Merlin IV VH-SWP. They were purchased to replace the Cessna 421s for which maintenance costs had risen substantially. Engine problems with the new turbine aircraft caused the business to become insolvent after having flown 84,000 hours without serious mishap and travelled 14 million miles, which is equivalent “to the moon and back twenty eight times.” This was an effort that must be attributed to the exceptionally gifted and dedicated staff employed by the company. Opal Air closed on 22 August 1986 after the flight numbers OB15/16 Adelaide-Woomera-Olympic Dam-Adelaide using the leased Cessna 402C VH-RUY. The company achieved much in the aviation industry over twenty three years. Subsequently, Warwick established a Marleston based engineering business, which constructed a low pressure suction drill used in opal mining. The business was also a base for much research and development and many inventions including modifications to street sweepers, large tipping tools and a machine that created heat exchangers for air-conditioning units that were revolutionary in their energy efficiency. Warwick also spent some time in the USA working on an electric car. Warwick Goldsworthy was later named a ‘Coober Pedy Pioneer’ for the contribution he made to that community. POSTSCRIPT: There is a street in Coober Pedy named ‘Goldsworthy Street’ that is most likely named after brothers Warwick and Ross Goldsworthy. Nigel Daw History Group Member South Australian Aviation Museum January 2016

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CE4 21 S Ad ela id e Airp o rt 30 O c tob er 1 98 2 [N K Da w]

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APPENDIX A – OPAL AIR COMPLETE FLEET ___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________ ¹ Delivered to West Beach 14 May 1979 as N88594. Routing Wichita-San Jose 8/9 May 1979, San Jose- Honolulu 10 May, Honolulu-Pago Pago 11 May, Pago Pago-Norfolk Is 12/13 May, Norfolk Is-Sydney 13/14 May, Sydney-Adelaide 14 May. [NKD18092015V.2]

PROPS AND MAGS DISTRIBUTION As you are all no doubt aware Australia Post has made significant changes to postal deliveries as well as to the cost of postage. This causes problems with regard to the preparation and sending out of Props and Mags. If you currently receive Props and Mags by way of a hard copy but have an email address, or access to someone with email, it would be greatly appreciated if you could let me know. My email address is vk5tsx@bigpond.com . This will not only reduce costs for SAAM but will ensure you get your copy of Props and Mags in plenty of time before the monthly General Members Meeting. In the future, local members with no access to email will be able to collect their copy of Props and Mags from SAAM. It will be in an envelope with their name on it in a box in the kitchen. Country and Interstate members with no email access will still receive their copy via Australia Post.

WE NEED YOUR INPUT

At the last General Members Meeting it was decided to return Props and Mags to a monthly issue. This means that to keep it interesting, and something to look forward to receiving each month, we need your help. I am sure there are many of you out there with a story to tell. A lot of you may not feel comfortable putting pen to paper, however, if you could prepare a few notes and have a chat to Mike (he has a wonderful way with words), I am sure he could prepare an interesting article for inclusion in an issue of Props and Mags. The History Group have been magnificent in the past with their articles on past aviators, without them your newsletter would have been almost non-existent, so let’s give them a break, or at least help them out, by telling us some of the interesting things that have happened to you. Look forward to hearing from you.

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NOTE TO DESK DUTY STAFF…. We are all volunteers and desk duty staff vary from day to day. As a courtesy to those who are coming in after you, it would be greatly appreciated if you could leave the kitchen tidy at the end of each day - that is, wash and clean up cups and put them away, wipe down bench top and table if necessary, and empty the rubbish bin if it is getting full. Thank you

NOTE: When an injury requires medical attention, go to: CHG CLINIC, 136 Eastern Parade Gillman Phone 8447 6955 For Emergency treatment not requiring an ambulance, go to: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Emergency Department, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville Phone 8222 6000 This is a change to the information provided on pages 2 and 30 of your Members Handbook, which will be amended in due course.