Australian Centenaries of Flight - 2010

[mark_pilkington]

Plans are underway for a number of celebrations in 2010 to commemorate the Centenaries of Australian aviation that will occur.

Planning is being undertaken for commemorative ceremonies, and community celebrations at Diggers Rest in March 2010 to honour Houdini's first controlled and sustained flights in Australia, while in July at Mia Mia celebrations will be held to honour the success of the Duigan Brothers (John & Reg) in designing, constructing and flying Australias' first indigenous aircraft.

The aircraft was built to pursue a 5000 pound Australian Government competition for a military aircraft offered in 1909, perhaps then Australias' first "warbird".

A Duigan Centenary of Flight website has been created and a flying replica of the Duigan 1910 Pusher Biplane is already under construction.

I'm limited from providing website details >

duigancentenaryofflight dot org dot au


The site includes a 29 page story written and presented by John's Nephew in 1962, with editorial assistance by his father Reg, there are many rare photos from the families personal archives, and ongoing updates on the replica's progress will be provided on the site.

John Duigan an engineer trained in England had no experience with aircraft or flying, but undertook tethered glider experiments in Australia to understand the controls of flight, and built his own pusher biplane with little more than a photograph reference to the Wright Flyer, including specifying ,and later modifying a locally built engine, and incorporating tricycle undercarriage and aileron controls, the aircraft was built by John and Reg at their rural property using steel strapping from hay bales as the source of metal for most fittings.

John Duigan later ordered a modified Type D tractor biplane from Avro, and earned his pilots licence in England before returning to Australia to construct his own tractor biplane. He served with the AFC in France, and later retired to civilian life in Australia giving away flying after two serious crashes, his original aircraft is stored in the collection of the Museum of Victoria - one of Australias most significant airframes.


Donations can be made online via PAYPAL or by cheque and post, all donations over $2 are tax deductable in Australia, the project is being undertaken under the charitable management of the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin, and the Replica will join that collection when it completes its flying displays.

regards

Mark Pilkington

[aerohydro]

Hello All

In addition to the 1910 Duigan Biplane flying replica project, detailed in Mark's posting, another group of Australians are intent on replicating a 1914 Bristol Boxkite, as this was Australia's first military aircraft.

Paul

[Breguet]

Of course this is already a replica boxite in the Museum of Australian Army Flying at Oakey in Queensland. That replica was one of two built for the movie "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines"

[aerohydro]

Another aircraft from "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machine" can be found on the other side of the Tasman.

The Vickers Type 22 monoplane, used by Count Emilio Ponticelli in the film, is currently on display at the Southward Car Museum, located just north of Wellington, New Zealand.

Paul