Australia?

Bulldog90 · 27 October 2009, 12:08 PM

I'm getting married on Halloween and we're honeymooning in Sydney, Australia. I've already made plans to view a Bleriot XI at the Powerhouse Museum. Are there any other WW1 related airplanes worth checking out down under?

I painted our invitation.

Thx,

Bulldog90

Leatherhead · 27 October 2009, 12:44 PM

Bulldog,

The only surviving Bristol M.1C is in Australia. It's in the town of Minlaton (South Australia).

crankcase · 27 October 2009, 01:19 PM

...in Canberra, if you can make it over there. That seems the place to be.
marc
p.s. Happy Wedding! Remember, don't forget to honeymoon as well!

sheppo · 27 October 2009, 01:50 PM

Its around 2-3 hours to Canberra from Sydney (depends where you start), and another 16 more to Minalton in South Australia. Theres a fair bit to see on the way in terms of scenery and ity might even still be a bit green after the rains weve had!
The bride may not be overly keen in a 32 hour round trip to look at a plane.
Its (at least) a 3000Km round trip by car...

Chock · 27 October 2009, 03:07 PM

Sounds like my marriage LOL

My wife no longer complains when I drag her up for flights in old aeroplanes or into dusty museums to look at a Hawker Hurricane or whatever. She has been indoctrinated and can now identify what mark of Spitfire she's looking at from 10 miles away.

Keep in mind that she is likely to do the same to you with whatever her hobby is though, so don't feel too guilty, in my case that's her dragging me to dog shows, and I can now spot a Bichon Frise from 5, rather than 10 miles away (they are smaller than aeroplanes).

Best wishes for the wedding.

Al

mustang · 27 October 2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leatherhead

Bulldog,

The only surviving Bristol M.1C is in Australia. It's in the town of Minlaton (South Australia).

I watched this aircraft perform at an air display in South Australia prior to WW2. It was then fitted with a Gypsy 4 cylinder in line engine. It has now been re-fitted with the original Le Rhone rotary.

The manoeuvreability was impressive.

Mustang

R Gannon · 27 October 2009, 10:26 PM

Yes the AWM has one of the two surviving Albatros DV's - a formaer Jasta 29 machine it also has an original 2 AFC SE5 and a Pfalz DXII. A DH9 has more recently been restored. There are also three to four German egines from 2-seaters which were taken to Oz as trophy machines after WW1 but sadly were destroyed in a fire. And of couse there is a fair few bits von Richthofen's Fokker DR1 425/17 as well as his fur boots. There is also the tail skid from a Jasta 7 Pfalz DIII (Mertens kia) shot down by Aussie ace Capt Cobby

There is also a complete Lancaster Bomber which flews heaps of missions over Germany. Also Me 110 tail fin of German night fighter ace Schafner with 121 victory bars!!!!

Plus heaps of other war material - well worth the visit! Moreover not all is on display - in Canv berra suberb of Mitcham there is the AWM's restoration warehouse which when I last visited c 1990 had a Zero, an Me 262, an Me 109 G and a B29 under restoration.

Cheers Russ

stevedrew · 28 October 2009, 08:06 AM

Bulldog90,

You really should visit the AWM in Canberra. Like I said, it's about a 3 hour drive from Sydney, and one of the best war-themed museums in the world. The current "Over the Front" display (I'm told) is a MUST see. I'm going down there to have a look sometime in early November - flying down and back on the same day - YES, it's worth it!

Your good lady wife may not appreciate you taking this much time out of your honeymoon, but you will kick yourself if you miss out. As Chock said, make a day of it, but ALSO research her favourite hobby/pasttime and what special display can be seen in Sydney, and spend a day there (DON"T grit your teeth...enjoy it. The secret of a good marriage is to share your partner's interests).

I'd be happy to show you round the Powerhouse Museum to look at your favourite Bleriot.

Enjoy your stay in Sydney. Take a ferry ride from Circular Quay to Manly (very cheap) and take in the sights of the most beautiful harbour in the world.

SteveS · 28 October 2009, 06:04 PM

First of all, "Congrats", Bulldog90 on getting wed. Must be a special woman who will let you visit museums on your honeymoon. She does know doesn't she?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustang

I watched this aircraft perform at an air display in South Australia prior to WW2. It was then fitted with a Gypsy 4 cylinder in line engine. It has now been re-fitted with the original Le Rhone rotary.

The manoeuvreability was impressive.

Mustang

Well, this thread is a bit timely.

This would be the Bristol M1 Gypsy Racer, I presume.

I'm in the process of building a free flight model of it in its in line configuration. I've only seen two grainy photos of it. Can anyone point me to any others? I've seen current photos of it in red with the rotary but am looking for any with the in-line Gypsy engine as built by Horrie Miller.

Also I've not been able to find if it was indeed ever raced.

Thanks for any help you send my way!

Salute,
Steve

mustang · 28 October 2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveS

First of all, "Congrats", Bulldog90 on getting wed. Must be a special woman who will let you visit museums on your honeymoon. She does know doesn't she?

Well, this thread is a bit timely.

This would be the Bristol M1 Gypsy Racer, I presume.

I'm in the process of building a free flight model of it in its in line configuration. I've only seen two grainy photos of it. Can anyone point me to any others? I've seen current photos of it in red with the rotary but am looking for any with the in-line Gypsy engine as built by Horrie Miller.

Also I've not been able to find if it was indeed ever raced.

Thanks for any help you send my way!

Salute,
Steve

Mustang again. I never heard it referred to as the Gypsy Racer and I can't say if it was ever raced. One bit of history though. I can recall that it was advertised for sale at Christmas 1939, just after the start of WW2. It was based at Parafield airport near Adelaide South Australia where Horrie Miller operated a charter business. The asking price was 150 pounds Australian, about 450 dollars at that time. It was never sold and Miller eventually flew it to Perth Western Australia where he eventually formed McRobertson-Miller Airways.

I operated an aviation business from the same airport until about 20 years ago and I recall a photo of the aircraft in flight was displayed in the ground floor of the tower building. It had been removed the last time I was in the building and I can't say at this time what happened to it.

Over the next few days I will contact the airport management and see if it can be found

I will get back to you.

Cheers
Mustang