Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia’s 40th Annual Fly-In Plus Chipmunk 70th

Anthony Freer’s Grumman TBM-3E Avenger VH-VTB thunders into flight for its return to Queensland. (photo by Matt Savage)
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Anthony Freer’s Grumman TBM-3E Avenger VH-VTB thunders into flight for its return to Queensland. (photo by Matt Savage)
Anthony Freer’s Grumman TBM-3E Avenger VH-VTB thunders into flight for its return to Queensland. (photo by Matt Savage)

Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia’s 40th Annual Fly-In and the de Havilland Chipmunk’s 70th Birthday

by Matt Savage

Friday April 15th, 2016 saw the kick-off of the largest event in the Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia’s calendar, their Annual Fly-In. This was the second year in a row that the fly-in took place at Echuca, which is on the southern banks of the famous Murray River at the Victoria/New South Wales border. The Echuca Aero Club hosted the festivities.

Four Cessna 195 Business-liners sit in the parking area other classic and ex-military aircraft. (photo by Matt Savage)
Four Cessna 195 Business-liners sit in the parking area other classic and ex-military aircraft. (photo by Matt Savage)

The turnout was a record for the event, with over 170 aeroplanes flying in from across the country. Aircraft in attendance ranged from motor gliders to ex-military fighter and bomber aircraft. Some aircraft had some issues getting out of Melbourne on the Saturday due to low cloud and rain, but by late afternoon this had cleared. The airfield was filled to capacity by end of daylight.

Former British Army Chipmunk T.10 VH-RTW. (photo by Matt Savage)
Former British Army Chipmunk T.10 VH-RTW. (photo by Matt Savage)

In addition to the Antiquer’s Fly-In, the classic de Havilland Chipmunk celebrated its 70th Birthday at Echuca. No less than 15 Chippy’s were in attendance over the weekend, representing one-third of the total Australian population. Bringing so many examples of the type from so far away for the celebration was a tremendous achievement indeed!

Golden Rudder Award winner VH-SSJ (top) enters the Break for landing. (photo by Matt Savage)
Golden Rudder Award winner VH-SSJ (top) enters the Break for landing. (photo by Matt Savage)

Richard Maclean’s modified Chipmunk T.10 VH-BVP in the glow of sunset. (photo by Matt Savage)
Richard Maclean’s modified Chipmunk T.10 VH-BVP in the glow of sunset. (photo by Matt Savage)

While many Chipmunks were still in stock condition, a couple of modified examples also graced the field. Rob Merrylees’ Chipmunk T.10 VH-UEU had received modifications to run a horizontally-opposed Lycoming IO-360 (as found in the PA-28 Warrior) and a three-bladed propeller, while Richard Maclean’s T.10 VH-BVP sports a bubble canopy, wheel spats, and an AEIO-540 engine. These modifications ensured a slightly(!) more spritely ascent than their Gipsy Major-powered brethren could deliver.

Doug Hamilton’s recently rebuilt combat-veteran Curtiss P-40N VH-PFO. (photo by Matt Savage)
Doug Hamilton’s recently rebuilt combat-veteran Curtiss P-40N VH-PFO. (photo by Matt Savage)

Bernie Heuser in CA-18 Mustang VH-JUC latches on tightly to the tail of Nick Caudwell in the F4U-5N Corsair VH-III. (photo by Matt Savage)
Bernie Heuser in CA-18 Mustang VH-JUC latches on tightly to the tail of Nick Caudwell in the F4U-5N Corsair VH-III. (photo by Matt Savage)

Double Trouble – A pair of M3 (T31) 20mm Cannon on Graham Hosking’s F4U-5N Corsair. This is the only airworthy Corsair in Australia. (photo by Matt Savage)
Double Trouble – A pair of M3 (T31) 20mm Cannon on Graham Hosking’s F4U-5N Corsair. This is the only airworthy Corsair in Australia. (photo by Matt Savage)

Many of the local population turned out to see the spectacle, and while the event itself was not open to the public, they were treated to a wide variety of aircraft types flying through their “patch”. Bernie Heuser and Nick Caudwell made a few flypasts late in the afternoon on Saturday in the Commonwealth CA-18 Mustang and Chance-Vought F4U-5N Corsair, and Doug Hamilton brought his Lockheed 12A Electra Junior and newly-restored Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, 42-104986. On February 14th, 1944, future ace Nelson Flack of the 8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group USAAF was shot down in this P-40 during an intense aerial battle, but not before he himself triumphed over a Japanese Ki-61 Hien. Recovered in 2006 from the New Guinea jungle and following a 12-year rebuild, the P-40 made her first post-restoration flight just a few weeks before the fly-in.

Maurice Rolfe’s immaculate de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide VH-UXZ basks in the glow on an Echuca sunset. (photo by Matt Savage)
Maurice Rolfe’s immaculate de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide VH-UXZ basks in the glow on an Echuca sunset. (photo by Matt Savage)

A Grand Lady – Former QANTAS de Havilland DH.60M Moth VH-UOI was the Grand Champion winner for this year’s fly-in. (photo by Matt Savage)
A Grand Lady – Former QANTAS de Havilland DH.60M Moth VH-UOI was the Grand Champion winner for this year’s fly-in. (photo by Matt Savage)

This year’s event was also the first time that both examples of the WACO Custom Cabin biplane were at the same location. QANTAS A380 pilot Guy Bourke brought up his resplendent AGC-8 NC66206, while Sker Aviation Pty Ltd brought EGC-8 Special VH-EGC all the way from Queensland for the event. Another visitor from Queensland was Anthony Freer’s TBM-3E Avenger VH-VTB. The opportunity for some good food and great company was obviously too good to miss!!

“…And he went like this, and I went like that…” (photo by Matt Savage)
“…And he went like this, and I went like that…” (photo by Matt Savage)

On Saturday evening a dinner and awards presentation took place at the Moama Bowls Club. Awards were presented for several categories, with the Grand Champion Award going to Michael Worthington’s de Havilland DH.60M Moth VH-UOI. This aircraft made its first post-restoration flight less than two weeks earlier, and was originally operated by QANTAS. Reserve Grand Champion went to Graham Hosking’s Chance-Vought F4U-5N Corsair VH-III. The US Marine Corps flew this fighter during the Korean War, and later, she saw service with the Honduran Air Force. The Golden Rudder Award, given to the best Chipmunk on the field, was awarded to VH-SSJ, owned by Queenslander John Frederick. Other award winners were:

Best Cub/Super Cub: David Howse VH-FXH
Best Yak/Nanchang: Clive Brooks VH-NNC
Best Stinson: John Cooke, Matt Webber, Bruce Pearcy VH-NOY
Best Harvard/Wirraway: Darren Craven, Jon Clements, Ian Close, John Raynor VH-TXN
Best Homebuilt/Sports: Terry Daff Vans RV7 VH-TQQ
Best Auster: John Doig VH-KAZ
Best Short Wing Piper: Chris Ashdowne & Mike Welsh VH-UYS
Best Round Tail Cessna: Michael Sheppard VH-TMO
Best 180/185: Richard Gordon VH-WCV 2016
Lance Fletcher Memorial: DH-82A VH-NEI Neil Hogg
Golden Rudder & Featured Type: DHC-1 VH-SSJ John Frederick
Best Warbird: P40N VH-PHO Doug Hamilton
Best Contemporary: Super Decathlon VH-SZZ Andrew Mason
Best Classic: PA-11 VH-LTE Phil Prap & Di Davey
Best Antique: DH-60 VH-UMK Bill Finlen
President’s Choice: Waco EGC8 VH-EGC Nigel Arnot

Quintessentially British - DH.89A Dragon Rapide VH-UXZ. (photo by Matt Savage)
Quintessentially British – DH.89A Dragon Rapide VH-UXZ. (photo by Matt Savage)

Guy Bourke’s art deco WACO AGC-8 NC66206. (photo by Matt Savage)
Guy Bourke’s art deco WACO AGC-8 NC66206. (photo by Matt Savage)

Michael Sheppard’s Cessna 140 VH-TMO. (photo by Matt Savage)
Michael Sheppard’s Cessna 140 VH-TMO. (photo by Matt Savage)

From Russia With Love – Darren Paech’s Yakovlev Yak-18T VH-YAK departs for home. (photo by Matt Savage)
From Russia With Love – Darren Paech’s Yakovlev Yak-18T VH-YAK departs for home. (photo by Matt Savage)

One of the many Austers that flocked to Echuca was this Auster V VH-MKV. (photo by Matt Savage)
One of the many Austers that flocked to Echuca was this Auster V VH-MKV. (photo by Matt Savage)

A rare gem – Roy Fox’s beautiful British Klemm Eagle VH-UTI. (photo by Matt Savage)
A rare gem – Roy Fox’s beautiful British Klemm Eagle VH-UTI. (photo by Matt Savage)

As they say in the classics, all good things must come to an end, and on Sunday the attendees began the slow march to strike camp and head home. Many of the warbird contingent left early on Sunday due to commitments with the RAAF Museum at Point Cook and their Interactive Flying Day, but a good contingent stayed on at Echuca well into the afternoon.

All-in-all, it was an excellent weekend with hundreds of like-minded aviators indulging in their passion. Special thanks go out to Matt Henderson and the Committee of the Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia for organising the event, to the Echuca Aero Club for hosting us, and to the many owners, pilots and support crews for bringing their aeroplanes from across Australia to converge and share their passion for flight. It is dedicated people like these who form the backbone of th strong community of antique and classic aircraft in Australia. Whether you own a multi-million dollar Mustang or a Piper Cub, a heartfelt thanks go to you all!

The next Antiquer’s Fly-In will also be held in Echuca in 2017, on the weekend of March 17th-19th.

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WarbirdsNews would like to thank Matt Savage for his wonderful report and photographs. We hope you enjoy reading through as much as we did!

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Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.

After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.

Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.

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About Richard Mallory Allnutt (Chief Editor) 1060 Articles
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends. After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups. Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.

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