Bravery indeed!

[GeoffRV7]

Hello all,

 

I live not far from this monument and pass it regularly.  

 

As a relatively new flyer and someone who is still getting a huge buzz from each flight, it struck me that day how brave Harry Houdini must have been. 

 

Can you imagine strapping yourself into into a fabric & wire contraption, getting it airborne - something that nobody else had done (officially) in Australia before, and thinking whilst at some speed and height, that nobody had ever landed before either?

 

Do you reckon he checked his speed over the fence and remembered to hold it level, letting it sink slowly as airspeed decreased and the gently flaring to land on main gear first?  Lol

 

Good on you Harry!  Look what you’ve given us!

 

G

 

 

 

 

[Neil_S]

Hi Geoff,

 

I now realize I must also drive past this monument fairly regularly as I drive up Plumpton Road and join the Calder to the north on my drive to Penfield, which is where I fly from!

 

Now I know where it is I shall make a small diversion and stop to have a look at it.

 

Thanks for that info.

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

 

 

[440032]

Then keep going north a bit further to

 

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/technology/industry/display/32582-duigan-monument

 

The 100 years commemoration organisers tried to get the property/airfield available to land on back in 2010, but alas, no. I often fly over it, wondering exactly where they flew from, which bit of dirt.

 

 

[Neil_S]

Yes, I have also flown over the Duigan monument. It was shown to me while on a BFR a number of years ago.

 

I would also recommend reading "A Flying Life" by David Crotty, which details the life of John Duigan and his aeroplane.

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

 

 

[facthunter]

Houdini was an escape artist and general  clever  "Circus style" performer. HIS aircraft was purchased "off the hook." . The Duigan Plane was built here and the engine as well. The original is in an annex of the  Victoria? Museum.  at Brunswick. Crotty is involved with running it.  Nev

 

 

[old man emu]

Even though Houdini was an entertainer, and no doubt brought his airplane to Australia as an entertainment prop, he can still claim the first powered, heavier-than-air flight in Australia.

 

https://www.airspacemag.com/videos/category/history-of-flight/houdini-in-australia/

 

By the same reckoning Joseph Dean can claim the first balloon ascent on 1st February 1858 at Richmond, Victoria. George Coppin owned an entertainment park called Cremorne Gardens. On a talent finding trip to London, Mr Coppin enticed experienced balloonists Charles Brown and Joseph Dean to Melbourne. Brown brought his home-made 18-metre-high muslin balloon, the "Australasian". Both Brown and Dean were supposed to ascend in the balloon, but a leaking canopy and strong winds forced Brown out of the basket, leaving Dean to rise for a 25 minute flight, landing

 

 

[Neil_S]

 The original is in an annex of the  Victoria? Museum.  at Brunswick. Crotty is involved with running it.  Nev

Yes - he is the museum curator. The original is stuck out of normal public view in a storage facility. Criminal IMO. I saw it on an open day.

 

Surely it is worth permanent public display somewhere?

 

Neil

 

 

[old man emu]

It is a big problem for famous planes that are held by "general knowledge" museums which don't have conservators who have an intricate knowledge of the composition of the exhibit.

 

An example of this is P.G.Taylor's  Frigate Bird at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. It's hanging from the roof, slowly corroding away. There's no way to get it down to treat the corrosion.

 

 

 

[Thruster88]

Long step ladder and a spray with acf50, love the scout in the background 

 

 

[old man emu]

Unfortunately, it's in the spars.

 

This Cat has been sitting outside Air Ag at Bankstown for years.

 

 

 

[farri]

Long step ladder and a spray with acf50, love the scout in the background 

The Scout caught my eye also! I can say I`ve successfully flown a Scout a couple of times.

 

 

[Student Pilot]

Unfortunately, it's in the spars.

This Cat has been sitting outside Air Ag at Bankstown for years.

 

[ATTACH]38283[/ATTACH]

Hangar 17, any original AA blokes still there? Maybe Nick?

 

 

[spacesailor]

Not far away by mr google's map There is a DC3, (guessing).

 

spacesailor