The completed 504K carries a more 'distressed' look than its travelling partner, which the Museum specifically requested, saying that it is in keeping with the type's original role. (Photograph courtesy of the RAAF Museum.)

In 1913, the first aircraft to arrive at Point Cook, a Bristol Boxkite, two Deperdussin monoplanes and two BE2a aircraft were delivered.

Miss Joanna Cunningham, who lived about two kilometres outside the western gate recalled that everyone in the area went around to witness the historic aircraft arrival, assuming that the peculiar aeroplanes would appear overhead.

She arrived at the Base, along with several other locals, only to find that the aircraft were arriving by truck, packed in boxes and it would be a number of days before the aircraft were assembled and ready to fly.

Museum staff and volunteers have spent weeks preparing the aircraft for display. At work on the 504K are Curator Brad Owen, Technical Curator David Jones and Technical Officer Gary Walsh in the Restoration Hangar. (Photograph by Darren McNamara.)

Almost 90 years later not much has changed, two English bi-planes arriving at Point Cook by sea and road to be unpacked from their containers for assembly. The aircraft replicas, a SE5a and 504K were built in Ipswich, England and are the latest acquisitions for the RAAF Museum.

'These replicas have filled a major gap in our collection of significant aircraft,' Museum Director Mr David Gardner said.

'The public will now have a more comprehensive understanding of Australian military aviation history because we have been able to put the aircraft on display almost immediately, detailing a more complete lineage of aircraft operated by the AFC and the RAAF,' he said.

Authenticity is important to the Museum; most of the fittings and instrumentation shown inside the SE5a are original. (Photograph by Geoff Matthews.)

The aircraft fit into the Museum collection between the 1916 Maurice Farman and 1935 Hawker Demon aircraft, both currently on display.

The Avro 504K saw service in the UK in World War I with No.s 5, 6, 7 and 8 AFC (training) Squadrons, while the Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a was operated by No. 2 Squadron in France and No.s 5 and 8 (training) Squadrons in the UK. For operational service, it was fitted with Vickers and Lewis machine guns and was also capable of carrying up to 45 kilograms of bombs.

In Australia, following World War I, both types were received at Point Cook; the 504K was used as a trainer and the SE5a as a fighter. The Cirrus Moth in 1927 and Bristol Bulldog in 1929 replaced the types in Australian service, respectively.

The SE5a was also towed onto the grass for a photo opportunity before going on display. (Photograph by Geoff Matthews.)

The Museum's replica aircraft spent more than a month in transit, before being inspected by Quarantine officials. It was then the task of Museum technical staff to reassemble the aircraft, in particular, fitting the centre sections, and attaching and rigging the wings of both aircraft.

The aircraft have been built to original specifications, using genuine fittings and instrumentation. Even the fabric used is the traditional mercerised cotton. The SE5a is painted to represent A2-31, an aircraft that was test flown at Point Cook during 1922 and destroyed in 1929. The 504K will eventually represent A3-17, which also operated at Point Cook between 1921 and 1925.

The 504K will eventually represent this aircraft, A3-17 shown here at Point Cook where it was operated between 1921 and 1925. (Photograph courtesy of the RAAF Museum.)

The RAAF Museum operated an airworthy replica SE5a during 1984 and 1985 before the aircraft was privately sold. The original intention was to fly the new 504K replica in the UK before its arrival at Point Cook, but this proposal had to be abandoned because the engine did not meet the Civil Aviation Authority (UK) guidelines.

The 504K completes the Museum's Training Exhibition, which was officially opened late last year, and in particular helps to tell the story of deaths in training. The death of Corporal Bertie Whicker in 1921, after an accident in a 504K aircraft, was the first fatality of a RAAF airman at Point Cook.

The SE5a is also set to go on public display at the Museum, alongside other fighter aircraft such as the Boomerang, Meteor and Phantom.

By Teena Cardillo