Thruster History Enquiry

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Hi Sportsfans!

 

 

I am expanding to here from my ‘Avalon ????’ thread due to Ozzie’s reply that suggests I may be able to get more information.

 

 

That original thread was primarily to pin down the build date of the Thruster 84 Utility (Glasshouse) prototype (which I actually currently own).

 

 

I have it on good authority that the type went from inception to first flight in six weeks and the stimulation was a forthcoming major airshow. If I can get the airshow date then I get the build date or pretty close to!

 

 

My stimulus was that I am currently writing (have written) new Thruster Owner Handbooks covering all types. The Glasshouse is the last and is a measure of how far I am slipping into insantity! You have to be bonkers to privately publish a nearly 200 page owner manual for a type where only six remain in original (or near original) format. Yeah! But that is what I do and the Glasshouse was THE most important Australian type ever made because it took us all into responsible two seat training – from which came what you fly today!

 

 

So the airshow date (and which one it was) is important for the record. But equally I am fascinated in what happened at the Thruster factory in 1984 – it was a very big year for them – and consequently us. No records now remain and while Brian Fimmel and Kev Mitchell have been sooooooo helpful there are still big memory gaps.

 

 

But while I am on the bandwagon I may as well broaden out a bit more.

 

 

I have now pieced together most of the Thruster history and identified all (I am now confident) of the types and models.

 

 

I have photos of the vast majority but am short a couple or so. I was short of a pic of a crop spraying Thruster but now have one on a factory brochure plus some others of a derelict one.

 

 

What I still really need is any of the following:

 

 

• More photos of the crop sprayers.
   
   
  
• Photos of any Thruster on floats.
   
   
  
• Photos of ‘Bill Robinsons single seat T300’ This was around for a while so must have had it’s pic taken – probably at Evans Head.
   
   
  
• Photos of the Thruster Sprint in its original format (a single seater with an expanded pod).
   
   
  
• Any and all data, pics, memories of the Thruster Project 88.
   
   
  
• Any pics of the T100 – I have several but particularly need detail shots as I intend to re-build it from what is left, which is very little.
   
   
  
• I am interested in any and all photos of Thrusters (particularly unusual ones) or memories people have of them from the early days.
   
   
  
• The only Thruster Protype not found is the T84 and is portrayed on the factory brochure for the type. It may be destroyed but I am hoping it still exists - all the others do!
   
  

 

 

Please respond here if you can offer anything, or email me at [email protected], or PM me. Any photos should be sent at about 2 meg size or originals can be mailed to me, scanned by myself and will be promptly returned registered post.

 

 

Anything received may (with credits) be used in my publications – but – will also be placed gratis in the public domain via the TOSG web site.

 

 

Without our history we have no firm foundations upon which to build our future. Can any of you please help make that history firmer?

 

 

Aye

 

 

Tony