My first “real” flight [the first was in a DC-2] as a passenger was in a Royal Aero Club of Newcastle Chippie at the opening of the Port Macquarie aerodrome in the late ’50’s.

Picked up an ATC Flying Scholarship and did my PPL initial on the Chippie at the RAC of NSW. First solo in VH-RSP on 15Jan65.

Switch to 2004 and on 22Feb was given the opportunity to fly her from Caboolture to Caloundra in Queensland, 39 years later! 😀 😀

Old Chippies never die; they just become more fun!

Equally, thoroughly enjoyed a chance to renew a try at aeros with John Beattie at Woburn during the 2002 Moth Rally. As Uncle Roger would say……..”Ah! de Havilland!!” 🙂

G’day 😉

Thoroughly enjoyed Saturday.

Query; where did the Connie guys find a spare tyre on a quiet Saturday afternoon?

G’day 😉

You’ll be ecstatic to know that HARS Neppies are alive and well ‘downunder’!

-566 has just been repainted.

Please visit [HTML]http://www.hars.org.au/index.html%5B/HTML]

G’day 😉

Thanks, Laurent, for those! Great shots!!

Other than Avalon last year where I have some night show shots, I’m usually not in a position to gets any shots of her ‘sister’. The sound is something you’ll never forget! 52″MAP at 2,900rpm [with the engine doing twice that!!] is just awesome.

Our 8 x -3350 formation should be the Connie and two P-2’s. One day!!?? :rolleyes:

G’day 😉

As an ad hoc loader of Rapides at DX, it’s great to have such happy feedback. 😀

G’day 😉

What’s the Max AUW of the Belfast, please?

G’day 😉

Superb shots! Thanks!! 😀

Nice to see her ‘sister’ back at Mascot today in her old corner at the Qantas Jet Base. Flying out Tuesday for any interested spectators.

G’day 😉

dhfan,

The vibration factor wouldn’t surprise me at all!!

The engine mounts, much to our horror, were actually truck radiator mounts from the late ’40’s. Meant to be fitted in compression they are dual mounted in shear. A genuine replacement set will have metal-to-metal contact [at least they fail safe!:rolleyes: ] on at least one of the 4 mounts in about 50hrs of operation. This doesn’t do much for the vibration.

We’ve come up with an approved Unithane filled mount which is proving capable; at least not collapsing, but there’s a bit of a jury decision on the vibration.

G’day 😉

BTW, parts for the Drover obviously used “off the shelf” components from the automotive industry. Take brake master cylinders; our Drover is #20 [last built] and has two different p/n cylinders. There are 4 approved brake cylinder p/n’s. When you take about 6 years to build 20 airframes, I guess stuff like this happens!