RAAF Museum Mustang grounded

This is bad news!

If anyone wants an extra set of hands – I would be more than happy to help having just landed in Mel for a couple of years and I have now got transport!

please pm me

******!!!

Holey cow.Know a few projects down there that will have a hellova time getting organised in 30 days.But knowing the resourcefullness of my fellow colonials we will get it done.Asbestos is badd stuff.I can always ask Brian up here to push a couple of boring army planes out of the Hangar for some better planes to go in..Good luck guys.Hope it doesn,t have to come to it though.Best of luck from up here in the Bananna Republic. 🙂

ANOTHER POINT COOK MUSTANG IS “GROUNDED”

Today the civilian tenants on the Southern Tarmac were given 30 days to vacate their Hangars by the Defence Department, while nearby Asbestos work is undertaken and their own Hangars are repaired or demolished.

No alternative accomodation is being offered either temporarily or permanently, no plans or proposals for the tenants to re-occupy the Hangars at a later date, it now appears clear that the RAAF intends to close the airfield to civilian use in the longer term.

No public consultation on the future strategy!

I understand at least 3 businesses and the local Flying Club are likely to be put out of business, and up to 35 aircraft pushed off the site, activities now in doubt include a flying school, vintage Tigermoth joyrides and the major private Warbird operators including long term (35 year) Point Cook resident Flying Mustang “A68-104” of Bob Eastgate.

A number of the Bellman Hangars being vacated are rumoured to be targetted for demolition!!

It seems “Duxford Downunder” is being FLUSHED down the drain!

regards

Mark Pilkington

Fran Bailey Parl. Sec. for Defence (February 2004)

The National Aviation Museum Trust will

manage the aviation activities on the site for educational, recreational and commercial purposes;

oversee the development of a National Aviation Museum at Point Cook;
preserve the heritage buildings;

ensure the local community and veterans’ organisations are consulted.”

(Don Heyward Sitrep4 April 2005 advice of TEG “progress” ) “In particular, the RAAF study may well result in a slightly different management structure than the one originally envisaged by the TEG; however, I hasten to add that we have been advised that, whatever the outcome, the original intent of the Trust will be preserved”.

(AVM McLennan Memo October 2005)
“To address the RAAF’s enduring requirement for the preservation of the RAAF Museum and the important heritage buildings and other structures at Point Cook, the Chief of Air Force has formed a RAAF Heritage Advisory Council. This Council will be responsible for providing the Chief with strategy and policy advice to engage the ongoing community interest in preserving the RAAF heritage values of Point Cook. I have the honour to be the first Chairman of the Council…………To ensure the widest possible consideration of ideas for the preservation and future development of RAAF Point Cook, the Council will be seeking proposals from individuals and organizations with an interest in the site. Once the new administrative arrangements are in place I will be contacting you again to seek your advice and proposals”.

(Teresa Gambaro November 2005 advice of future Defence Use of Point Cook)”As a further step to engage the ongoing community interests in preserving RAAF heritage at Point Cook, Chief of Air Force has decided to form a RAAF Heritage Advisory Council for Point Cook…..I consider that this arrangement will be able to address all of the issues of concern to my predecessor, the Hon Fran Bailey MP, when she sponsored the establishment of a National Aviation Museum Trust.”

The techno-w@nkers don’t believe that the North American P-51D Mustang built under licence [or in some cases assembled] are not P-51D’s then the Macchi MB326H built in Oz was never referred to as a CAC “anything” during my time in the service.

No.

However if you find your way to Aus, we’ll be delighted to show you a good time. Unless you look like your Avtar, in which case, on arrival, Australian Imigration will spray you with Raid. 😉

No…..? 😮 Would that be because I didn’t say please? 🙁 In which case, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, and it will never happen again! Pretty please!!!

Being a connoisseur of good times I guess I ought to come down and check out if times are as good as you advocate. In which case you don’t even have to wrap up the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-18 Mustang Mk 23 A68-170 as I will collect it. And your poor mailman will not get a hernia!

As for my looks, ladies do tremble with anticipation, and men shiver with fear as this nordic god appears….. 😎

All my methods are legal except the ones that aren’t and they are between me and Australian Customs

Would that be the same customs that let a Supermarine product slip out of Oz several moons ago? So no they get their revenge by letting any chunk of metal with dodgy paperwork slip in to the country? :rolleyes: 😉

T J Johansen Esq
Have WW directory, will travel!

TJ

All my methods are legal except the ones that aren’t and they are between me and Australian Customs

As for your present you will have to talk to Santa but you have GWB and that should be enough for any straight thinking adult.

Regards
John P

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what does that mean? Am I not getting my present……?

No.

However if you find your way to Aus, we’ll be delighted to show you a good time. Unless you look like your Avtar, in which case, on arrival, Australian Imigration will spray you with Raid. 😉

Oh, and TJ, if you want a present, ask for the right thing? It’s a CAC aircraft, not a P-51D. Shesh. 😉

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what does that mean? Am I not getting my present……? 😮 🙁

Yes TJ and another thing ……………………..

A CAC Mustang is not just a P51 D in Drag – there are lots of subtle differences in the Aus built aircraft such as hardware etc – much to the chagrin of US guys who have sourced them to rebirth as P51 Ds – serves em right I say.

John P

Hey, a P-51 will never be a drag… :rolleyes: You guys from Oz are always so subtle..;) 😀
Oh, and Setter, please refrain from bringing your large suitcase and Ocean’s eleven tactics when next in California. The former Bruce Morehouse P-51D now with Tony Banta has ex-Australian wings!!!!

T J Johansen esq
Still awaiting the mailman!

Great Shot Dave J, and your are o.k to JDK!.

Seen her on the New’s up north, Looked beaut!!!.

Yesterday, I could have sworn I heard a MERLIN go over my flat!!!!.

But by the time I managed to get outside, was just a fading sound was left!!.

CAN ANYONE OUTTHERE CONFIRM IF A STANG HAS BEEN AT ESSENDON PLEASE!!!.

Don’t THINK Stang VH-BOB come’s here much now day’s.

Yes TJ and another thing ……………………..

A CAC Mustang is not just a P51 D in Drag – there are lots of subtle differences in the Aus built aircraft such as hardware etc – much to the chagrin of US guys who have sourced them to rebirth as P51 Ds – serves em right I say.

John P

Thanks for asking.

The Mustang flew back from Wagga, arriving at RAAF Williams (Point Cook) at about 12.25, on Wednesday 17th August, 2005, and undertook a final display before making (what is currently) the last landing of an Air Force operated Mustang at about 14.00.

Before display & landing there were a few photos take a2a from the Harvards present.

A few piccies, from my digibox.

I’ll post a Mosquito update on a seperate thread, sometime.

Oh, and TJ, if you want a present, ask for the right thing? It’s a CAC aircraft, not a P-51D. Shesh. 😉

jdk has the mustang made it back from wagga if not when will it be back?
i spent the greater part of monday sitting in the restoration hanger.
i now have a greater respect for the guy’s in nz who are building a mossie fuse from scratch after having a good look at museum restoration project

i just talked to someone at the museum and they seemed very cagey about the grounding of the museum mustang . maybe there is somthing else going on here . :confused: he did say it was going to be in the hanger.
paul

Well, since they already have a P-51D on display and don’t wanna fly this one I can only say one thing. Wrap it up nicely with lots of bubble wrap, and mail it at the earliest convience to; T J Johansen, Oslo, NORWAY. 😉 😀

Awaiting the mailman with eager anticipation

Yours sincerely,

T J Johansen esq

“170” in the sun.

For info, this aircraft, CAC CA-18 Mk.23 Mustang A68-170 was completed in NOV 1949 and has allways been owned by the Aust DOD (RAAF).

Well said James

However to the point of speculation over the possible future disposition of the Mustang. I feel that coment and speculation do have a place here as a public institution the RAAFM is open to public scrutiny. This forum is part of a voice in letting the administrators know the views of the informed community and that the options open to them ie Grounding, Flying or sale are examined in that wider community.

Nothing is wrong or ill considered in letting the public have a voice as it is after all ultimately “our” Mustang – The Museum administrators are the custodians of it. Pure and simple.

So when previously one of the 3 Mustangs held by the Museum was sold/traded (quite rightly in my opinion) why wouldn’t there be conjecture about the future of the two remaining aircraft.

I am not opposed to one of the two being sold and I think it is healthy to discuss that possability before a “closed door ” deal is done without all opinions being heard.

John P

So here’s a few pics from the last ‘interactive’ featuring the Mustang this Sunday just gone. Sorry there’s no ground2air shots, I’m not a digital SLR owner.

It was a foul morning, with showers passing over, but as the aircraft was flying the sun came out and we had a rainbow. Is Thor a CAC fan?

Flt Lt Peter Clements was driver for the day, and there were a lot of Museum Staff and Friends in attendance for a sad day for a lot of people. There is hope of flight in the future – but at this stage we have to wait and see.

Enjoy.

A couple of PSes; The reason for grounding is given in the press release at the top of this thread. It was NOT, repeat NOT cost. That was something I wondered about, but was NOT given as a reason. I can’t really speculate beyond that, and I do feel it’s a pity to ground the aircraft. It just seems to me cost is often a factor ignored or overlooked by enthusiasts (until we have to pay petrol!) and I wondered about that.

Trumpeter, thanks for the post – I’m not upset. To clarify – I just have the choice of posting here, or doing the same work for a magazine or a book where I may get paid or feel it’s worthwhile. If the only visible response I get is from people who’ve clearly a) failed to read the post and b) just project their desires onto a situation, I’ve got better things to do. There are few journalists involved here partly because it’s often pointless.

The RAAF Museum is a museum first and an aircraft operator second; so the flyers are going to be outnumbered by the static airframes. I don’t see a grounding as having anything to do with potential sales – that’s jumping to conclusions.

Many museums hold spare aircraft for trade – a third Mustang being sold says nothing about one (or two) others, given their provenance.

This is only my opinion, of course!

There are a limited amount of airworthy aircraft of whatever type in the world and to remove one from flight just seems a waste.
Theres nothing to stop anyone from watching the training aircraft fly but to ground a perfectly capable airframe and deprive people who would like to see or hear it is strange.
JDK,please don’t get upset,people will always have opinions and to air them is something that we should all have the right to do respectfully of others views.

Hi Eddie

Well there are a lot of permutations to that legislation and stuff moves in and out all the time quite legally.

Given that the Mustang is one of 10-15 survivors here of genuine CAC built mustangs I think it would stand a good chance of being granted an export permit – I can think of quite a few very rare aircraft that made it out of the country. Like the only surviving complete aircraft that was involved on an attack on Australia(the Oscar now in the USA)

Regards
John P

I’d assume that it would be very difficult to export from Aus, given the very strict rules on exporting “moveable cultural heritage”. I think anything that’s been there longer than about 25 years falls under that rule.