Temora aviation museum updates...

[Guest Glenn]

Temora Aviation Museum email

 

VALE ‘BUD’ TINGWELL

Sadly, film and television celebrity Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell passed away on Friday morning, 15 May 2009, at the age of 86. Bud was familiar to us here at the Museum, as he played the role of narrator on our DVD, ‘Temora Aviation Museum Wardbirds’.

 

In an interview with the Temora Aviation Museum in 2007, Bud shared some of his wartime memories, “I had a very strange war. Really scared of course, and the German anti-aircraft fire was amazing, very accurate. I used to say we were briefed to be cowards. We used to fly just below vapour trail height so if there was a German fighter lurking around you'd be able to see him. I got chased by a Greek Spitfire squadron once, and they were talking extremely excitedly to each other. I had the IFF switched on calling my base saying tell these guys we're friendly. And a Spitfire is very angry when you think it's about to attack. I have a feeling they were just sending us up.”

 

“Often you wouldn't know you were being shot at when it was bursting behind and below you. I remember one occasion we landed and there was a burst of 88 mm smack in the middle of one of our photographs. If it had been 50 feet higher we wouldn't have known what hit us.”

 

Bud was a talented pilot, an outstanding actor, and a true Australian. Our condolences go out to his family.

 

Links to Pictures

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/bud1.cfm

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/bud2.cfm

 

HUEY & SEAHAWK AT JUNE FLYING WEEKEND

 

The Museum is excited to announce that two helicopters, courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Royal Australian Navy Historic Flight (RANHF), will be joining the Flying displays on the 6th & 7th June Flying Weekend. The UH-1 Huey helicopter and the Seahawk helicopter will both be in Temora on static display as well as flying during the day, (our ex-Navy members of staff are especially excited!)…

 

Although the Huey has made a visit to Temora Aviation Museum Flying Days, it will be the first time for the Seahawk to visit Temora! The role of the Seahawk is to work in conjunction with RAN ships, flying from the ship’s deck to find, localise, and attack, (where appropriate) surface or submarine targets. It boasts features such as search radar, magnetic anomaly detector, and passive and active sonobuoys to help detect adversary seacraft. The Seahawk, which is operated by 816 Squadron, will be on static display on the Saturday of the June Flying Weekend. LCDR Todd Glynn said that he and his crew are excited to have this special opportunity to bring the Seahawk to a Museum Flying Day.

 

The Iroquois UH-1B, or ‘Huey’ helicopter was used extensively in Vietnam during the 1960s and was assigned to the 135th Assault Helicopter Company. It is no longer in service and now has a home with the RAN's Historic Flight at HMAS Albatross, Nowra NSW. LCDR Tom Smillie is planning to include the UH-1 in the Flying Display on both Saturday and Sunday.

 

RAAF SABRE UPDATE

 

Plenty of progress has been made with the RAAF Sabre in recent weeks. The Rolls Royce Avon engine has been installed, which was a huge milestone in the restoration process. This now means that the engineers can perform final engine test runs in preparation for returning the aircraft to flight.

 

RAAF Squadron Leader Paul Simmons completed his endorsement in the Museum’s Vampire last week which included several solo flights. Although an experienced RAAF F/A-18 pilot, Paul must complete a civilian CASA Low Level Aerobatic rating prior to conducting aerobatics in the civil registered Sabre. Flying the Vampire is one of the steps Paul is taking towards getting airborne in the Sabre. Both Paul and Temora Historic Flight Club’s Director of Flying Operations Darren Crabb, have been nominated by the THFC and the RAAF to fly the single seat aircraft. In preparation they will be given a comprehensive ground school training package sometime in the next few months. Stay tuned for further updates as we draw closer to the first flight of the Sabre.

 

Links to Pictures

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/sabre_avon.cfm

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/sabre_avon1.cfm

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/ben1.cfm

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/avon.cfm

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/Paul_Bruce.cfm

 

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/