Hail the Land Down Under

[PeterL]

A while ago now a group of Ausie forumites set off for Canberra tucker-bags at the high port. What transpired? Is it confirmed that the WW1 collection is to be bannished indefinitely to some inaccessable storage facility?

Peter L

At the moment the curator is still on leave,and his flunkies have no knowledge of the prior arrangements we made.We hope that he will be back within the fortnight and our adventure can begin at that point.
There is no definitive word as to the future of the WW1 a/c,the curator said to me that they were in storage for the rebuilding of the AWM aviation hall etc but would go on display in the Treloar centre when the work is completed.The Treloar centre is to house all the non Australian A/c and pre ww2 a/c,such as bf109,262 etc etc
I will keep you posted as to our findings.
Chris s

Chris,
You make the Treloar Centre sound as if it is open 7 days a week, its not(maybe it is for people who know the curator), Wednesdays and Sundays are the days of operation. The Treloar centres main function is to restore aircraft and other items for the AWM, it is also used to store those items which cannot fit into the AWM.

The Curator seems to know more about the fate of the WW1 planes than the Director, Major General Gower. In his email to me dated 15 June 1999, they had to develop options for the 3 WW1 planes, and later in the same email suggested that it would be up to 5 years until the planes were back at the AWM.

How many average Australians know about the Half Flight, or about Little or Dallas or Cobby? I reckon about 1 in 10,000 and I probably have under estimated that figure.

The AWM's total disregard for Australia's early aviation is evident when they reopen the Bradbury Aircraft Hall, as it will only be for "Airpower in the Pacific" [1942-53]TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!!

For the few who have conections at the AWM, the 3 WW1 machines dismantled is a boon, but the AWM was built for all, not just the select few and again I stress, the Australian public need to be educated to our aviation past, especially the AFC and those Aussies who flew in the RNAS, RFC, RAF.

I am in the process of drafting letters to my federal member as well as organising petitions to be sent out to various areo clubs, I will not rest until the AWM wakes up to the fact that WW1 was more than just the Light Horse and the Diggers. The only result that will appease me is the return of these planes to the AWM and if they do not want them then please let the traditional home of the AFC point Cook have them.

The ironic thing in all this was the first director of the AWM was a member of the Half Flight.

Regards,
Andrew.

PS Scott did you get the draft of the petition, if it is no good let me know what needs to be changed.