Mark

Thanks for that info. I would like to get Wilson’s book on the Beaufort/Beaufighter/Mosquito – haven’t done so yet, but your info on APC/DAP etc, sort of fits in with what I thought had happened.

I also have Wackett’s book, having found it in a second hand bookshop about 25 years ago. I remember the developments you wrote about and couldn’t believe the chicanery that the British aviation interests AND government adopted to convince the Australian government to “Buy British”, and the gullibility of our government almost to do so blindly until Wackett convinced them that the yanks had more modern facilities, were building more modern aircraft and were willing to deal with us with an aircraft ideally suited to CAC’s needs in the late thirties. The Wirraway was no doubt the most practical aircraft for a brand new company to manufacture, and it had a recognised need within the RAAF for substantial numbers.

I have always deeply regretted the failure of the Woomera and CA-15 to reach production. The Woomera is by far the greater unknown quantity, as it wasn’t needed by the time it was basically sorted out, but could have been an outstanding asset three years earlier when the first CA-4 prototype flew. An interesting thing with Wackett’s autobiography is that he barely mentions the Woomera anywhere except one photo of the nose and lists it in the production figures for the company by war’s end. Absolutely no other mention anywhere for what should have been a very significant aircraft in the company’s history, even if it was only two prototypes.

Dave

Love the painting of the Boomer. I have a copy of a video produced by ABC productions, of the development of the Boomer, with quite a bit of World War 2 film of the prototype being built and flown and a restoration being flown today. Excellent film work and even the Boomer could sound purposeful when put into a dive and honking over paddocks at a couple of thousand feet. A world war two Boomer pilot is interviewed and admits that as a fighter, they were not much use (aren’t they the only fighter with no kills to their credit?), but they were loved by the troops on the ground for their excellent army co-operation work, where they were nicknamed a high speed cropduster. They mightn’t have been much of a fighter, but I love ’em!

Regards

Wombat

From the few threads I have read where Rappens participates, he seems to retire to the sidelines to watch the outcome and read the inevitable feed-back, from Snapper and Flood, who seem to mag away between themselves like two old ducks over the back fence. (Said with tongue firmly in mouth, fellows, no offence intended!)

However, Rappens’ point about the content of many of the posts on the General forum has a ring of truth about it. I feel that a post needs to have universal appeal, particularly in view of the wide international representation we have here. Posts about favourite foods, what the local politician said last night, or what new legislation is being enacted next month in your country, generally lack this universal appeal and the discussion will be limited to a select few.

I have tried a number of times to start threads off which have this appeal, with only limited success. My best effort was a couple of years ago by asking how the foreign press represented Australia’s dealings with illegal immigrants. Whilst the subject was specifically Australian-based, it had universal appeal because the issue at heart affects a number of nations, including Britain, it was topical, and the foreign press was giving the Australian government and people a real bashing over our actions. Unfortunately, on an international scale, not much happens over here which would interest readers from the EU or US, so subjects are hard to come by. But I’ll keep trying.

As for Rappens, every forum has to have his type of representation. If it wasn’t Rappens, it would have been one of the Hellaids of some of our more outspoken (and fiercely patriotic) American friends. I find them amusing. Let’s not try to keep them away altogether.

Regards

Wombat

Australian production

Our production of license-built aircraft was a bit diverse.

We had three major manufacturers, Dehavilland, the privately owned Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and the government owned Aircraft Production Commission (APC).

The aircraft produced under license by each manufacturer were as follows:

Dehavilland – Tiger Moths, Mosquitoes

CAC – Wirraway – (licensed adaptation of the Harvard/T6)
– Boomerang – adaptation of the Wirraway, permitted under the licensing agreement with North American Aircraft for the Wirraway production.
– P-51D

APC – Beaufort
– Beafighter
– Lincoln (first Australian production model flew in 1946)

CAC also produced three independent designs. The CA-2 Wackett trainer, produced in reasonable numbers, the CA4/11 Woomera bomber, two prototypes only and the CA-15 fighter (single prototype only).

Regards

Wombat

Well, I AM flattered…

My, my, I’m humbled. I’m still around too, dcfly, and thank you for your gracious compliment.

I tend to frequent the Historic forum as the subjects are of greater interest to me. I skim through this forum but seldom see any issues interesting enough to which to contribute.

I’ve seen Mr. Rappens’ “contributions” a number of times. It strikes me that he seldom starts much of his own, (this thread excepted), but lobs a grenade into the debate whenever Flood or Snapper start up their dialogues to see what sort of reaction he invokes. The funny thing is, once he’s lobbed his bomb, he tends to sit back and seldom enter the discussion again. Must get a buzz out of pushing someone’s buttons, I guess. I work with a bloke like that – a proper prawn.

Kev, you sorted him out nicely with your discussion re spasticity. I hadn’t heard the term spastic used as a noun, in the derogatory fashion, for years. Brings back memories of me misguided youth, during the 1960’s, when we said such stupid things. Perhaps Rappens has not yet advanced from those days, in which case he has a long way to go to catch up to the rest of us!

Regards

Wombat

Re: Old TV Shows

Originally posted by Dave Homewood
Having read a few recommendations for Twelve O’Clock High on this forum I decided to look it up on IMDb. I was surprised to discover that as well as the film there was also a television series of the same name from 1964-67. Does anyone remember it? Was it any good? Did they use warbirds in the filming or simply old stock footage?

Cheers
Dave

Dave

Must be showing my age, but I well remember the television series “12 O’Clock High”. It ran in Australia during the mid to late 60’s and starred Robert Stack (remember him as Elliott Ness in The Untouchables) in the role portrayed in the film by Gregory Peck. (General Frank Stone?) The name Frank Overton also rings a bell, I think he was another senior officer, (his stage name during the show was Harvey, I think) and he was Stack’s boss.

As I was in my teens at the time, but had suffered the aero bug for some years, I loved the show. A great deal of internal shots from the pilot’s seat, with the mid-upper turret (with gunner) rotating in the background. Lots of stock footage of battle and bombing sequences, but I seem to remember that the ground scenes had a few Forts.

Can any other old pharts remember this series and fill in some of the gaps for Dave and myself?

Regards

Wombat

chuck

wrong this time too….

wombat