HARS tour guide and Lex McGowan award winner, Mr Glenn Owens, this week donated to the HARS museum a rare Government Aircraft Factory Turana radio controlled drone – serial number 22.

Developed from the Ikara anti-submarine missile, the Turana was intended to provide a parachute recoverable pilotless target for use in gunnery and missile defence training by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with a small gas turbine Microturbo 022-01 jet engine with a booster rocket for launch from a warship’s Ikara missile launcher. Prototypes were built in the late 1960s by the Government Aircraft Factory (GAF). In 1971, the RAN ordered twelve Turana targets at a cost of $1.183 million from GAF despite the fact that trials had not yet been completed. Turana Technical Evaluation Trials were conducted by HMAS Swan (III) in February 1978. Failures exposed during this period involved redesign work costing an additional $3.40 million. The Turana project was subsequently cancelled by the federal government in September 1979.

Many thanks to Glenn for his kind donation.

A significant number of Cessna 180s have appeared on the Australian Civil Register and seven served with the Australian Army, with 161 Recce Flight, 98 Squadron from September 1965 until February 1971 when they were replaced with Pilatus Porters. The seven Cessnas flew a total of 16,150 hours and carried out 11,169 sorties during

their time in Vietnam. Three of the aircraft were written off in Vietnam, but without loss of life. The first, A89-043, became the first Australian aircraft of any kind to be lost in Vietnam when, on 26 August 1968, pilot Lieutenant Steve Tizzard made a forced landing in a paddy field, following a propeller failure. Both Steve and his systems operator, Corporal Dick Schafer, were only bruised. On leaving the aircraft they found themselves surrounded by a force of about fifteen troops dressed in black and the two prepared for a desperate stand. The tallest member of the patrol then put his hands in the air and shouted, “Don’t shoot, I’m an American adviser”. Although the aircraft was recovered it was subsequently written off on 29 August.

HARS Cessna 180C VH-WGD was manufactured in 1960, maker’s number 50739. Imported by Bankstown-based Rex Aviation and registered in Australia in May of that year, it was sold to a Tamworth-based aerial agriculture company and fitted as an aerial sprayer. After performing this work for only a short time the aircraft passed through a number of hands until purchased in November 1987 by HARS member Gina Wilson.

Gina placed the aircraft on long-term loan to HARS in 1998. The aircraft was subsequently repainted to represent Lieutenant Tizzard’s A89-043. In addition to providing a reminder of an important but little-recalled part of Australian military aviation history, the Cessna serves HARS in training and transportation roles.

Cessna 180c VH-WGD

Aircraft Specification

180C Cessna

Length 7.8 m  |  25 ft 6 in

Wing Span 11 m  |  36 ft 2 in

Height 2.4 m  |  7 ft 9 in

Maximum Take Off Weight 1,270.07 kg  |  2,800 lbs

Empty Weight 687.2 kg  |  1,515 lbs

Maximum Speed 274 km/h  |  170 mph (147 kt)

Economical Cruise Speed 195 km/h  |  121 mph (105 kt)

Maximum Range (Standard) 1,491kms  |  925 miles (831 nm)

Engines

1 Continental 10-470 L horizontally opposed (flat six) air-cooled piston engine

Displacement 7.7 ltr  |  7,702 cu in

Maximum Power 179 kW  |  240 hp

Maximum RPM 2,600

Propellors Originally fitted: Hartzell two-blade solid aluminium constant speed (counterweight)

Presently fitted: McCauley three-blade solid aluminium constant speed (semi-hydromatic)

The sleek modern lines of the new twin were backed up by innovative features such as engine exhaust thrust augmentor tubes and the storage of all fuel in tip tanks in early models. In 1964 the engine exhaust was changed to flow under the wing instead of the augmentor tubes which were considered to be noisy.

Typical of Cessna model naming conventions, a letter was added after the model number to identify changes to the original design over the years. The first significant upgrade to the 310 series was the 310C in 1959, which introduced more powerful 195kW (260 hp) Continental IO-470-D engines. Production of the Cessna 310 series ended in 1980, the final version being the 310R and T310R.

The Cessna 310 was a common charter aircraft for the many air taxi firms that sprang up in the general aviation boom that followed World War 2. The advantages of the Cessna 310 over its contempories, such as the Piper Aztec, were speed, operating costs and the after market modifications such as the Robertson STOL kits which made it popular world wide for its bush flying characteristics. It could access short fields while at the same time carry a large useful load of 2,000 lbs or more at high speeds for a twin engine piston aircraft.

Cessna 310 VH-REK was manufactured in 1956 and was the first of its kind to be flown to Australia in 1958. It was initially purchased by the CSIRO for the purpose of cloud seeding experiments. It was subsequently sold into general aviation. In this capacity, the aircraft spent nearly seven years in New Guinea being flown by a Catholic Priest, the late Father JGA Flynn, before being finally relocated at Bankstown.

This aircraft was extensively rebuilt in 1994 and acquired by HARS in late 1996. Since then, an extensive overhaul of all systems, particularly electrical and radio has been carried out by the Society. The aircraft is now in excellent flying condition. The aircraft is equipped with Instrument Flight Rules (IFR capability). The Cessna 310 is now operating in the Society’s pilot training and recency programs.

Aircraft Specifications

Cessna 310

Length 9.7 m  |  23 ft 11 in

Wing Span 11.2 m  |   36 ft 11 in

Height 3.3 m  |  10 ft 8 in

Maximum Take Off Weight 2,495 kg  |  5,500 lbs

Empty Weight 1,518 kg  |  3,347 lbs

Maximum Speed 383 km/h  |  283 mph

Range 2,668 km  |  1,440 mls

Engines

2 Continental IO-470-M flat-6 piston engines

Power (each engine) 179 kW  |  240 hp

De Havilland’s famous DH 82A Tiger Moth could trace a direct line of descent  from the equally famous de Havilland DH 60 Gipsy Moth of 1925 which is regarded as having made possible worldwide development of the flying club movement.

The Tiger Moth prototype was derived from the de Havilland DH 60 Gipsy Moth. It was powered by a de Havilland Gipsy III 120 hp engine and first flew on 26 October 1931. The RAF ordered 35 Tiger Moth Is which were designated the DH 60T. A subsequent order was placed for 50 aircraft powered by the de Havilland Gipsy Major I engine (130 hp) which was designated the DH 82A Tiger Moth II. The Tiger Moth entered service at the RAF Central Flying School in February 1932. By the start of World War 2 the RAF had 500 of the aircraft and large numbers of civilian Tiger Moths were requisitioned to meet the demand for trainers.

The Tiger Moth is an open tandem cockpit biplane. The fuselage is constructed of steel tubing and covered in a combination of fabric and thin plywood. The wings and tail plane are constructed of timber and covered in fabric. The de Havilland Tiger Moth became the basic trainer aircraft for the Commonwealth Air Forces just prior to and during World War 2. The RAAF had around 100 Tiger Moths stationed at Temora NSW as their principal training base during the war.

De Havilland manufactured 8,811 DH 82A Tiger Moths between 1931 and 1945. A total of seven countries produced the Tiger Moth (England, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). De Havilland in Australia built a total of 1,085 Tiger Moths, 500 of which were exported to other countries. After retirement from active war time service, Tiger Moths began to come on the civilian market and were quickly snapped up by enthusiasts and flying clubs. These superb little aircraft were to remain in short supply, for in the early post-war years very few new light planes were available.

Many Tiger Moths in Australia and New Zealand were used to pioneer the technique of top-dressing and later, of crop spraying, leading to the current worldwide mass production of purpose-built agricultural aircraft.

Even today, Australia has one of the largest collections of flyable Tiger Moths still on the civil register. Whatever magic there is in having the wind whip by one’s ears in an open cockpit, the de Havilland DH 82A Tiger Moth must have it in abundance as it still captures the imagination of most aviation enthusiasts.

The aircraft pictured over leaf is in a serviceable condition and is currently on a long-term lease to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society from Hawker de Havilland.

De Havilland DH-82 Tiger moth A17-394 VH-DHV

Aircraft Specification

DH 82A Tiger Moth

Length 7.29 m |  23 ft 11 in

Wing Span 8.94 m  |  29 ft 4 in

Height 2.68 m  |  8 ft 9 in

Maximum Take Off Weight 803 kg  |  1,770 lbs

Empty Weight 506 kg  |  1,115 lbs

Maximum Speed 176 km/h  |  109 mph (95 kt)

Cruise Speed 148 km/h  |  92 mph (80 kt)

Maximum Range (Standard) 486 kms  |  302 mls

Engines

Power Plant De Havilland Gipsy Major I inverted four cylinder air-cooled piston engine

Maximum Power 97 kW  |  130 hp

Propellor Fixed pitch, 1.8 metre diameter, two blades made of laminated timber. The leading  edge covered with a thin brass strip to prevent damage.