20 October 2023
Excitement was in the air when Air Force visited the 103rd Loxton Annual Spring Show, and helped to celebrate a veteran's 100th birthday, on the October long weekend.
100 Squadron provided a flypast with a 1940s Lockheed Hudson, and the Air Force Rock Band AV8 and local Australian Air Force Cadets also made an appearance.
Also showing their support were members from RAAF Base Edinburgh, including HQ Air Warfare Centre and 462 Squadron, and a pilot from crowd favourite the Air Force Roulettes.
This year’s event also doubled as 100th birthday celebrations for decorated Air Force veteran Howard Hendrick.
Mr Hendrick spent his centenary birthday surrounded by members of the Loxton community and talking all things aviation with qualified flying instructors Squadron Leader Samuel Da Graca Costa from 100 Squadron and Flight Lieutenant James Dutschke from the Roulettes.
“It’s been the most wonderful day, to share my 100th birthday at the colourful Loxton show, surrounded by so many friends and with the members of the Air Force here as well,” Mr Hendrick said.
Air Force band AV8 led a very special ‘happy birthday’ for Mr Hendrick, with the Royal Australian Air Force band also celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
“The wonderful RAAF Band are here, and they may inspire the young people here today to take up the many opportunities available to them in the Air Force,” Mr Hendrick said.
Howard Hendrick joined the RAAF on Anzac Day 1942 at the age of 18, where he learnt to fly on Tiger Moth aircraft and prepared for single seat fighter training on the CAC Wirraway.
The plan changed for the young pilot when he arrived in the UK and they moved him onto Lancasters, to eventually join the RAF’s Bomber Command.
Howard went on to be a flying instructor on the Lancaster and continued flying after the war as an international commercial pilot for British Airways.
When asked what his favourite thing about flying the Tiger Moth was, Howard replied with a smile: “It hardly ever crashed.”
