HARS media release: 6 April 2023
Hands-on fun makes HARS Aviation Museum a unique experience for visitors to its large undercover hangars at Shellharbour Airport, just off the M1 Motorway between Wollongong and Kiama.
Combined with vintage aircraft engine runs, flights and engineering work, the monthly tarmac days for April, being held during school holidays, will provide extra interest for visitors.
The HARS Tarmac Days will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 14-16 April, with the museum open from 9.30 to 3.30.
A legendary Iroquois veteran of the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm will make a special flight into HARS Aviation Museum at Shellharbour Airport on Saturday 15 April at about 10.30 am.
Subject to conditions on the day Huey 898 will fly to HARS from Nowra where it is maintained in flying condition with outstanding support from Air Affairs beside the Navy’s HMAS Albatross base.
Neptune 566 will conduct engine runs using its unusual combination of jet and radial engines while it is planned to stage engine runs and some flying of both former RAAF Caribou and Dakota aircraft, plus beautifully restored smaller vintage Victa Airtourer and Cessna 310.
HARS volunteers will be on hand to guide a walk-through of the classic “Connie”, now the world’s only flying Lockheed Super Constellation, the double record setting former Qantas Boeing 747-400, a former RAN submarine hunting Tracker along with an opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a former RAAF swing-wing supersonic F-111 and a former US Cobra attack helicopter. These are just some of the almost 60 heritage aircraft on display.
Restoration work continues on the amazing replica of Smithy’s tri-motor Southern Cross, the former RAAF Neptune 273 and from the HARS Navy Heritage flight the Queens Flight Navy Dakota and Grumman Tracker.
Saturday June 10 will be the 95th anniversary of the original Southern Cross landing in Sydney just a day after Smithy and Ulm became the first to fly it from America (Oakland in California) to Australia (Brisbane) , covering the 11,585 km in a flight time of 83 hours 38 minutes with stops in Hawaii and Fiji – defying the odds and critics who said it couldn’t be done.
Part of the experience at HARS Aviation Museum is having engineers and guides on hand to outline the history of each aircraft and the effort that goes in to keep many still airworthy.
Located at Shellharbour Airport, just off the old Princes Highway, HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30 to 3.30 daily except for Christmas Day (the last guided tour starts at 2 pm).
Visitors can make a meal of it when they drop into Café Connie (open 9.30 am to 2 pm) where the menu offers a value selection of hot and cold foods plus barista coffee.
Details of check-in at www.hars.org.au
