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)