tiabunna's photos with the keyword: Aircraft

The two aircraft in this image were water-bombers, working on the huge fires in south-east Australia during late 2019-early 2020. The nearest aircraft, on the left, was a C130 with the identification "Bomber 134" and had come from the USA with its 3 man crew. Memorialising its sad loss with its crew shortly after, three years ago on 23 January 2020, in a combination of huge fires, bad winds, and mountainous terrian. Brave men and a sadly remembered event. In the PiP, smoke from nearby fires at the time.

Very shortly after I post this, we'll be on our way. First stop is Singapore, then onward to England (briefly) before heading across to Norway for a Hurtigruten trip before returning to Oz via Oslo and Copenhagen. I expect our aircraft will be a few sizes larger than this. :-) Here's a matching link. Vintage Ryan STM S2 aircraft, at an airshow at the Temora Aviation Museum. Explored.

The only word for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is "stunning" and that is by no means an overstatement! From the range of remarkable early aircraft to the presentation of the exhibits, everything is extremely high quality: it might just be significant that this is a pet project for Sir Peter Jackson, better known as the director of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and an aviation enthusiast. For more information, I would recommend visiting the Centre's website. This display setting with mannequins contains an original American-made Thomas Morse Scout, used as a US training aircraft late in WW1.

The only word for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is "stunning" and that is by no means an overstatement! From the range of remarkable early aircraft to the presentation of the exhibits, everything is extremely high quality: it might just be significant that this is a pet project for Sir Peter Jackson, better known as the director of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and an aviation enthusiast. For more information, I would recommend visiting the Centre's website. This Breguet 14 A2 bomber is a reproduction. Only two original examples of this aircraft still exist.

The only word for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is "stunning" and that is by no means an overstatement! From the range of remarkable early aircraft to the presentation of the exhibits, everything is extremely high quality: it might just be significant that this is a pet project for Sir Peter Jackson, better known as the director of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and an aviation enthusiast. For more information, I would recommend visiting the Centre's website. First flown in 1910, the elegant Taube was used by Germany early in WW1. The display example is shown with the observer firing a rifle at an attacking British aircraft.

The only word for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is "stunning" and that is by no means an overstatement! From the range of remarkable early aircraft to the presentation of the exhibits, everything is extremely high quality: it might just be significant that this is a pet project for Sir Peter Jackson, better known as the director of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and an aviation enthusiast. For more information, I would recommend visiting the Centre's website. Built and used in large numbers, the R.E.8 carried two crew on bombing and reconnaissance missions. This aircraft is an accurate reproduction. .

The only word for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is "stunning" and that is by no means an overstatement! From the range of remarkable early aircraft to the presentation of the exhibits, everything is extremely high quality: it might just be significant that this is a pet project for Sir Peter Jackson, better known as the director of the "Lord of the Rings" movies and an aviation enthusiast. For more information, I would recommend visiting the Centre's website. This Italian-built Caproni CA.22 dates from 1913. It is original, not a reproduction, and is the only one of its type still in existence.

This Avro Anson was one of many operated in Australia during WW2 as training aircraft. Somehow it has survived the years, was restored, and now is probably the only flying Anson Mk.1 in the world (of about 6,700 built). Seen in New Zealand at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre near Blenheim. Best viewed large.

This Fokker Dr.1 Dreidecker (Triplane) replica was at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre near Blenheim. This is an excellent aviation museum with many of the exhibits airworthy and flown at airshows, as are more of the Jasta seen (in the PiP note) parked indoors. I couldn't resist this musical clip which has video of an original Dr.1 with its most famous exponent.

After a week, during which the RAAF flew low over the partly completed airstrip taking photographs to evaluate whether an aircraft could land to take us off, the second flying boat "Islander" (a converted Sunderland) was returned to service. Here it is arriving from the left of the photo, having had the interior refitted: that had been removed to allow the aircraft to be fitted with long range tanks as it had been sold and was scheduled to go overseas.

When I came to this site from F*r, I copied several albums across - but somehow never posted many of the images. Time to fill the gaps! Cross a Russian An24 with American Pratt & Whitney engines, build it in China, and the Xian MA60 is the result. I needn't have been apprehensive, flying in it felt much like any other commuter style airliner.

When I visited Lord Howe Island in 1974 an airstrip was being built to enable normal air services, but it was incomplete. The only way to fly to the island was by flying boat. This was the last regular airline service in the world still operated by flying boat, but they had been sold and were being retired. One had been taken out of service to prepare for the trip overseas, by replacing the seats and other fittings with long range tanks, but this one was doing limited service until the airport opened. Our return trip was to be two days later, but a gale on the second night broke the flying boat’s moorings and washed it aground. These flying boats had been the island’s lifeline for many years, and it was a disconsolate crowd of locals and visitors who gathered around the damaged aircraft on the beach next morning. The good news is that the aircraft was repaired on the spot, flown out, and in September 1974 it became the last flying boat out of Lord Howe. The aircraft is now housed in a special aviation museum in Southampton, England. As I mentioned though, the other flying boat was out of service being refitted, and the runway was unfinished. We had become castaways on a sub-tropical paradise! Unfortunately it was winter and the weather was poor: you can't win everything. :) Insets Another view of the beached aircraft; The wingtip dug into the sand and damaged; The damaged float removed from under the wing. From Kodachrome slides.