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Well, Jake, Mab 08, you will enjoy (at least some of) these shots. Four days ago, I visited the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society - a society, who collects and restores (mostly) vintage aircraft. It is located in Wollongong, Australia, about a one hour drive south from Sydney (for those who want the ICAO, it is YWOL). HARS is merged in with Albion Park airport, and as such made for some good spotting. Well, enough chit chat, here are the shots!


Driving up to the airport. C-47 Skytrain A65-95, is one of two here. Built in Oklahoma. In flying condition, I believe, I have seen a C-47 Dakota at Bankstown in a similar paint (possibly the other Dakota).  ;)


We just found parking, and I am snapping away. A Bell 212/412 flies over as I snap several photos (don't worry, I got pictures of the Twin Huey). This is the best "full" body shot I received of the Dakota sadly.  ;)


French Marines P2V Neptune. Pair of (what seemed to be) Mk.82 bombs on a cart underneath.


The Australian Neptune. Now I have fond memories of this aircraft (I was able to get a look inside the bomb bay of this exact plane at YSSY during the 90s! I was still only four) In perfect flying condition, both jet engines work too! FFAR pods on wings. I later got a look inside the bomb bay of a (duck egg blue) Neptune, also from the RAAF (no photos).


Now Mab, this next sequence is for you. VH-EAG Southern Preservation on engine startup. Needless to say, as I was standing RIGHT next to it as it started, I coughed. ALOT.  ;) I have video of the start too. Beautiful bird!


VH-EAG has just taxied past us and made a u-turn to get in a proper position for taxi to the active runway. The wingtip fuel tank passed RIGHT over my head. Again, beautiful bird! Former C-121 (I asked our tour guide whether it was a Columbine transport - the answer was no, but he was surprised with my knowledge). I also have video of this taking off.


And my new pet duck, Lucky.

I also have photos of the following:

RAAF Cessna Birdog trainer.
Twin seat DeHavilland Vampire (with ejection seats...strange).
USAF Cessna 172 trainer.
Mk.82 bombs (I think).
Connie in flight.
H.A.R.S towing truck.
CAC F-86.
Vintage Polish fighter (have no idea what it is)
Close up of a DC-3 RAAF roundel.
And a Neptune information plaque.

Available upon request!

Hope you guys enjoyed this set! It is time for me to go to bed now, so I will discuss this more later.

Love that Connie- !!  

Tell Lucky I said "quack".

Twin seat DeHavilland Vampire (with ejection seats...strange).

Nothing strange about that...

Thanks for the interesting tour. Next time perhaps you can get some pics of that CA-25 Winjeel lurking behind the Neptune in your 4th pic.

Great shots!!

Love the Connie!!!!!!!!!

That last shot Quacks me up!!!!!!!

RAAF Cessna Birdog trainer.
Twin seat DeHavilland Vampire (with ejection seats...strange).
USAF Cessna 172 trainer.
Mk.82 bombs (I think).
Connie in flight.
H.A.R.S towing truck.
CAC F-86.
Vintage Polish fighter (have no idea what it is)
Close up of a DC-3 RAAF roundel.
And a Neptune information plaque.

Available upon request!

I'm sure everybody would love more pics.

Nice... any shots of the Vampire?  :)

Nice set of shots!  I wouldn't mind seeing more of your Connie shots.  I'm also willing to bet that if you post shots of the unknown Polish fighter that someone here will be able to I.D. it for you.

Thanks alot for these pictures AN, I ahven't been down there in quite awhile!

VH-EAG, now that's a fine sight, do you know where she was off too?

W00T!  :D

Thank you all for your kind comments! A brief check on Wikipedia shows me that the Polish jet was a TS-11 Iskra. I should be able to get some more shots soon - I also have some shots of the "Russian Invasion" and "Herc Surprise" coming soon. You will know what I mean when you see them.

Mab, I think she was off for an airshow...she departed Friday the 28th September, for a place called Narromine, to perform at a (VERY) small airshow (only a dozen were going to it).

Apparently, its quite rare to see this bird fly. Burns several hundred gallons in just a few minutes, the cost keeps it grounded. When it turned around on the taxiway, I got splattered by some oil from the engines (not much, but enough for me to notice that my arm was "wet"). The battery died as she was holding short - I timed it right, and got video of it as it rolled down the runway, and rotated for takeoff. Then I got another two shots as she made a flyby over the airport. And, there wasn't enough left for a shot of the Winjeel or S-2 Tracker.  ;)

Yeah i saw 2 of the RAAF Dakota's the RNZAF Dakota, the HARS Catlyna and VH-EAG at the airshow all flying in formation! It was a lovely sight your lucky you got to see it up that close though

Nice pictures mate i want to go there some day

Twin seat DeHavilland Vampire (with ejection seats...strange).

Nothing strange about that...

Two seats, I guess that would be a trainer then, in that case the ejections seats are for the really bad student pilots