Phil

Don’t get me started about the Australian Cruiser Tanks – wrong forum, but another lost opportunity for Australian manufacture stuffed up by idiots!

Regarding the Wilson Books, I entered the Aerospace Publications website and noticed that the Beaufort/Beaufighter book is no longer available. Damn, thats the one I wanted.

I’d like nothing more than to see a CA-15 (not Kangaroo, that name was never official) AND a Woomera fly side by side – wonder if they ever did? They sure would make good restoration projects.

How about the following aircraft in a fly-off to see which one was the superior performer?

CA-15
MB-5
Spiteful
P-71 Eagle

All aircraft were too late to be developed and each resembled the epitome of piston engined fighter development. Can anybody suggest some that I’ve missed, that never reached production (although I think some Spitefuls entered service, not sure)

Ron

Regarding the similarity of the two aircraft, I remember reading years ago that the CA-15 was just an Australianised modification of the P-51. When I first saw the photos of it, I could understand how that conclusion was reached. Does anyone know whether there are any photos of the two together – surely they must have stood side by side at the factory sometime during 1946 or early 47?

Regards

Wombat

JDK

I would have thought that Wackett would have been more detailed at least in describing CAC’s achievements during its formative years. Whilst the Woomera was not a success, it was a huge undertaking for such a young company and was designed to meet very stringent, and overly ambitious, specifications – in short, it tried to be too many things in one. Did anybody else, with less than three years manufacturing experience, attempt to build a twin engined aircraft as their first truly indigenous attempt, which was a dive, torpedo and level bomber, armed with four machine guns for the pilot, four remotely controlled for another crew member, with a longer range than many of its contemporaries?

The Woomera wasn’t the most attractive bomber but to look at it, the intent is obvious – to me, it had the potential to be a potent weapon.

If Wilson does manage to get enough information together, it will be a fascinating volume. Between him and Meggs, one would have to hope that a detailed and overdue history will evolve.

Regards

Wombat

Matt

I reckon the Meggs books would be worth whatever he asks – I certainly would be prepared to save hard to get them, whatever the cost. I’m frankly amazed that there are enough Australian designed aircraft to justify four separate volumes. I can think of only a few, apart from the very early efforts from Wackett and others pre CAC, such as the Widgeon I and II. More modern efforts I can think of include the Nomad, Victa Airtourer, the weird looking skytruck thingo currently being made and the Spitfire replica, but that’s about it.

Ja

The libraries around here don’t cater much for us aircraft loonies – the few books they do have are more general on aircraft and they don’t carry aero mags at all. Still, I’ll keep looking.

I must say that I am enjoying this Aussie discussion group – there are plenty of us in the forum, but unfortunately, our aero industry hasn’t given us all that much to talk about. (and I really AM sick of reading about all that Pommie and Yank stuff!!!! – we need some variety.)

One thing that just struck me comes from reading Wackett’s autobiography, “Aircraft Pioneer”. Whilst he goes into a lot of detail in the book about the selection process for the Wirraway and the Mustang, his writings on the development of indigenous aircraft is extremely brief which I think is a terrible shame. For example, re the Boomerang, a brief tale relating to its genesis takes less than two pages. The Woomera is a mystery – the only reference I can find in the whole book is a photo of Wackett and other CAC executives standing beneath the nose of the CA-4, and a reference to 2 bomber prototypes in a list of world war two production totals. Absolutely no text about this aircraft which must have been extremely significant to the company in its early years! The CA-15 also only gets a very brief mention but scores that well known profile shot on the tarmac amongst the photos.

I wonder why Wackett didn’t go into more detail in the development of those three aircraft – the Wirraway gets a very solid coverage.

Regards

Wombat

Yep, you’re right

Hi Ozmatt,

If I’d bothered to get off me blot and check my books, I would have got the model number right first time – thanks for the correction.

You mentioned Keith Meggs’ book once before some months ago. What can you tell me about it? At the time you mentioned it, I was reading Wirraway to Hornet, and thought that Meggs’ book(s) sounded like something I had to get, but on the New South Wales Central Coast, specialist book suppliers are non-existent. Do you have any idea of who the publisher will be?

One thing that has always fascinated me about CAC was that, shortly after commencing production of the Wirraway, they launched into the development of something as complex as the Woomera. The company had barely been in existence for more than about 3 years!

After reading my two available references on the aircraft, one can’t help regretting that Wackett tried to be too clever with the aircraft. If he had agreed to fit conventional fuel tanks, instead of trying to seal the inside of the wing structure to act as tanks, and had given away the remote controlled barbettes on the nacelles, the aircraft might have had a real chance of mass production. Off the top of my head, I can’t even think of a major aircraft manufacturer that tried remote controlled nacelle mounted barbettes up to that time. The Woomera might not have been the most glamourous looking bomber of the war, but when you take a long look at the few photos available, the potential is obvious.

Regards

Wombat