HARS Aviation Museum media release: 20 April 2023
Waves of former defence aircraft will stage a flypast over eight locations along the NSW coast in an aerial Anzac Day tribute organised by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS).
Subject to availability and conditions on the day, the waves will comprise an Orion AP-3C, Spitfire Mk IX, Grumman Tracker S-2G, Dakota C-47, Caribou DHC-4 and Iroquois Huey UH-1B.
Flying in a loose trail (long line astern) the aircraft will fly over Anzac services at Shellharbour, Wollongong, Kiama, Kangaroo Valley, Figtree, Bundeena, Cronulla, Coogee and the city of Sydney. The afternoon Huey flight over Figtree will salute the 50th anniversary of the cessation of Australian forces in Vietnam.
Shellharbour (from 8.10 am)
Orion, Spitfire, Tracker, Dakota, Caribou, Huey)
Wollongong, Kiama, Kangaroo Valley (from 10.05 am)
Orion, Spitfire, Huey
Bundeena (9.45 am), Cronulla (9.50 am), Coogee (from 10 am)
Caribou, Dakota, Tracker
Sydney (from 10.30 am)
Tracker, Dakota, Caribou
Figtree (1.10 pm)
Huey
It will be the largest ANZAC overflight ever staged from the HARS Aviation Museum.
After their salute the aircraft will return to HARS Aviation Museum where they will be on show to visitors, along with other aircraft of significance to aviation in Australia.
Other warbirds in the massive HARS display include a former RAAF supersonic F-111C swing-wing bomber, additional 1960s Neptune and Trackers maritime patrol aircraft, additional Dakotas, an additional Caribou, a Winjeel trainer, a PBY Catalina, a Sea Fury, a former RAN Wessex helicopter, Sabre, Vampire and Sea Venom jets plus airliners including the Lockheed Super Constellation “Connie” (itself a former USAAF transport aircraft from 1955), a Douglas C-54/ DC-4 which in its USAAF service took part in the Berlin Airlift and the only Boing 747-400 remaining in Australia.
Open every day, HARS Aviation Museum offers visitors a hands-on and interactive opportunity with the aircraft in tours conducted by informative guides.
HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30 to 3.30 daily for guided tours (last tour 2 pm), located at Shellharbour Airport, just off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail and a short walk from the railway station.
Visitors can make a meal of it when they drop into Café Connie (9.30 am to 2 pm) where the menu offers a value selection of hot and cold foods plus excellent coffee.
Details of check-in at www.hars.org.au
AIRCRAFT DETAILS
Orion
While Lockheed Orion AP-3C continue operating with the RAAF, HARS has the only one flying under civil registration (VH-ORI). Maritime patrol duties with this aircraft included searching for the missing MH370 airliner in the Indian Ocean.
Caribou
Built in Canada by Hawker de Havilland, HARS has two of the amazingly short field take-off and landing transport aircraft (A4-234 and A4-210) with A4-234 the last RAAF aircraft to leave Vietnam. They are a flying memorial to all Australian Service personnel who served in the Vietnam War.
Dakota
More than 16,000 of the type, known variously as the C-47 or Dakota. HARS has four of this type in our collection. A65-94 was built for the USAAF in 1945 then quickly entered service with the RAAF. In 1964 it conducted the first RAAF flight into Vietnam, bringing food and medical supplies for refugees.
Huey
Huey 898 is one of seven legendary Iroquois UH-1B to serve with the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm and now serving with the HARS Navy Heritage Flight.
Spitfire
Associated with HARS at Shellharbour Airport, Shaun Brown’s Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX model served during World War II.
Tracker S-2G
Twin engine anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft with a four-man crew that operated from aircraft carriers and land bases.
