Features
Blue sky debut


Edition 5009, 31 May, 2007
In its 33 year history the Australian Air Museum has actually been officially opened four times.

However, on May 6, with the help of some magnificent flying displays the Fleet Air Arm Museum, formerly known as Australia’s Museum of Flight, made its official debut after being handed over on September 1, 2006 to the Fleet Air Arm Association.

About 20,000 people attended the official debut and the museum’s opening ceremony guests included Federal, state and local government politicians, senior representatives from all three arms of the ADF and retired Fleet Air Arm officers and sailors.

The guests heard a rededication address by the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders AO CSC RAN, who outlined the early days of the preservation of historical naval aircraft and the subsequent founding of the museum in 1974 by retired Rear Admiral (then Captain) Andrew Robertson. Later, VADM Shalders and the rededication lady, Mrs Judy Ralph, jointly unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.

The revamped museum has focussed on past naval aircraft under a display banner of ‘Wings Over Water’.

The display marks the beginning of a new phase in the life of the museum, which will have evolving exhibits to mark all aspects of the Fleet Air Arm.

Manager of the museum, Terry Hetherington, said the ownership of the collection and building at HMAS Albatross was transferred from the Australian Naval Aviation Museum Foundation – a charitable foundation run by a board of directors – to the RAN on September 1 last year.

“The Foundation felt that ownership of museum was better placed in the hands of the RAN because of the artefacts such as the aircraft engines, as well as the financial considerations,” Mr Hetherington said.

“It is part of the Navy’s history and heritage and government policies have changed so those things now have to be taken care of from the Defence budget.”

Mr Hetherington works with a staff of four, including two curators, and since the September 1 handover has changed the focus of the museum’s collection to emphasise naval aviation history rather than civilian aircraft history.

“We’ve disposed of the civilian aircraft and artefacts and now the museum is telling the story of the Fleet Air Arm in chronological themes,” Mr Hetherington said.

“We have started off at the beginning in 1917 when the RAN carried small Sopwith fighters, a single pilot bi-plane, up to the most current pilotless target, the Kalkara.”

Also on display for the air show were a number of heritage aircraft such as the Tiger Moth, P-51 Mustang fighter, Hudson bomber, Canberra bomber, Meteor fighter, Neptune ASW, Lockheed Super Constellation and Harvard fighter bomber.

In keeping with the focus on naval aviation history, the show thrilled the crowd with flying displays from Navy Seahawk and Squirrel helicopters as well as the RAAF Roulettes precision acrobatics team, F/A18s and a parachute display from a C130 Hercules transport aircraft.

Aerobatic displays were given by Pitts Special, Giles 202 and Dragonfly aircraft.
ON FIRE: Pip Borrman in his Edge 540 puts on an impressive acrobatic display during the Fleet Air Arm Museum’s air show at HMAS Albatross.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
BIRD OF PREY: A Navy Seahawk is put through its paces in an impressive display.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
FLYING FLAGS: Red Berets parachute from a C130.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
SMOKERS: Two Pitts Specials, from the Red Bull Aerobatic team, make their marks at the air show at HMAS Albatross

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
NOSE DIVE: A P-51 Mustang fighter looks hungry for a kill.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
ACROBATICS: The Navy’s AS350B Squirrel display team shows off the versatility of its helicopters.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
GOING UP: A RAAF FA/18 Hornet performs a steep climb.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
 
OLD GUARD: Three Stearman aircraft flying in formation.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
CROWDS: Visitors check out the static displays at the air show.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen
MISS FIRE: A Harvard fighter bomber taxis on the runway.

Photo: ABPH Craig Owen