Interwar picks

[Jeffrey]

Browny.

I have been looking for pictures of that bird all over the place.

Any you would like to share

What a rare and nice site it must be to see.

Hi michael, I have some here but no idea where and yes it is a marvelous old machine. I even have one on the cover of an old air force association magazine with the engine running as well. one day when I manage to find some time to sort through my lot I'll let people know.

[Browny]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay in replying. Just got back from the weekend airshow at Amberley. Great airshow! The highlight had to be the substitution of the RAAF Museum's Mustang into the No1 slot of the Roulette's display. The sound of three PC9's doing aero's tucked in behind a 'Stang was just brilliant. Hats off to the RAAF for pulling it off!

Yep, the avatar pic is of old Harold Thomas' Vengeance Mk1a.

I restored it's '2600 to running condition back in the mid eighties (I was maintaining DHC-4 Caribous back then for a day job). I've got quite a few pics of the Vengeance taken during and after the restoration. I'll scan and e-mail them to you. Now if we could just post attachments on this forum....

Cheers

Browny

[Jeffrey]

Hi browny, would love to get those pics, have seen that aircraft in person and was quite awed by it. my father flew in them and his logbook shows a flight in that aircraft.
will pm the email address to you.

[Michel Lemieux]

Browny, tks for the info

For posting pictures please try:
http://www.imageshack.us/

Its free and works great for me:

[Jack Cook]

how about the Boeing F2B fighter
Northrup A-17 with fixed gear
Curtiss Hawk 75 fixed gear
Curtiss A-22 Falcon or SNC-1
Bell Airacuda
Grumman Skyrocket

[Browny]

Ok guys, I think I've got this pic posting issue squared away!

Here's some pics I managed to snap during the ground running of RAAF Vengeance 1a A27-99 (EZ999) in mid 1987, after a four year restoration of the big Wright R2600.

Shortly after these were taken I was posted away (about 4,000km away!), and I don't believe the aircraft has been run up too many times since. As the building in which it is displayed has now been surounded by Sydney's suburban sprawl, I doubt that it will be run at this site again.

The wings have been removed to facilitate getting the aircraft out of the museum doors. The aircraft is very original, and other than a missing tail fairing, very complete.

Cheers

Browny

[Michel Lemieux]

Outstanding, thank Browny.........

Looks to me like a very original bird on top of that.

[Jack Cook]

Col R,
Is this the same Mystery ship under rebuilt that Bob Van Ausdall had a stroke in on short final and crashed???

[Jeffrey]

thanks Browny, very much appreciated. I would have loved to have seen her running as it was late 80's I was at narellan to see her.

I was unfortunate too in having missed out on seeing the old matilda tank they have there being driven aeround the paddock beside the hanger.

[Don Martin]

Jack,
I think this is probably the same aircraft. I know it's considered a "jinxed ship" as it has had several crashes and at least one death associated with it. And it is not being restored to flying condition, only static.
Don

[airnutz]

1.Caudron 714c-1 Cyclone...racer pedigree with leetle guns
2.Savoia-Marchetti S-67...cat launched flyboat fighter, classic ital form
3.Waco JHD-6....classic Tailspin Tommy So. Amer. export
4.Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk....the one the Navy didn't see missing
5.Curtiss-Wright CW-24B....Ascender predecessor

1. Bell Airacuda
2. Douglas Y1B-7
3. Curtiss SOC
4. Consolidated P2Y
5. Curtiss A-18
Honorable mention: Thomas-Morse O-19

[Jack Cook]

Bob was a friend of mine. He flew B-25s with the 555th BS in the Pacific and was a outstanding (antique/warbird rebuilder and pilot. His D-17 Staggerwing was a sight to behold and his Storch is in the AF Museum. He was very actice in the CAFs SO CAL Sqd. flying the C-46, B-25 and Zero. His brother Van flew flew Spits and still flies a beautuiful Luscumbe. They took a trip to AK in the Staggerwing and Van remembers that Bob just wasn't his normal self. Van was concerned that he was ill and tried to talk Bob into seeing the DR. instead of flying the Mystery Ship. But, Bob felt obligated to do so and you know the ending.
He had a major stroke while landing bought the farm. A great loss!