Have you ever dreamt of being in an aerial dog fight, piloting a P-40 and shooting down other aircraft or being shot at? This weekend you will have the opportunity to be get up close and personnel with three of TAM’s infamous fighter aircraft, as they take to the sky you can get a feel for what it might have been like. See our Spitfire MK XVI, CAC Boomerang and RAAF CAC Sabre in full flight this this Saturday (March 17th) from 10am. Making a special guest appearance will be Allan Arthurs P-40, a ferocious fighter!

The Boomerang was Australia’s answer to a desperate need for fighter aircraft during WWII and in a hurry, going from drawing board to full flight in just over 16 weeks. Despite it’s short gestation period it served us well. The Boomerang was flown by R.A.A.F. Squadron’s No’s  4, 5, 83 and 85 defending the mainland, undertaking escort duties for shipping convoys and air to air operations against the Japanese. The Boomerang still remains the only fully Australian designed and built fighter aircraft to see ever production. 

The infamous Spitfire was made famous through its involvement in the Battle of Britain and has become synonymous as the aircraft of WWII. See our Mk XVI in action and hear the story of it’s armed reconnaissance mission in the Utrecht/Hague/Leiden area during WWII. Painted in the markings that it wore when flown with RAAF 453 Squadron, this combat veteran is well known to enthusiasts around the world  having spent many years in New Zealand as part of Sir Tim Wallis’ Alpine Fighter Collection before coming to Temora Aviation Museum (TAM).

Jump ahead almost 20 years and allow yourself to soar as you hear the Sabre’s magnificent Rolls-Royce/CAC RA.7 Avon Mk.26 axial flow turbojet engine start up. TAM’s RAAF Sabre saw service with the RAAF on the Australian mainland and then later with the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Allan Arthur is bringing his P-40 Kittyhawk to the Museum to complement the Aircraft Showcase – Fighter theme. Built in 1943 his P-40N1 Kittyhawk is powered by an Allison 1710 V-12 engine which is rated at 1400 horsepower. The aircraft was retrieved as a wreck from a fire dump in New Zealand before being completely restored and painted to represent GAQ from RAF 112 Shark Squadron which fought in the Middle East against Rommel before moving on to Sicily and Italy. Allan spent more then six years rebuilding the aircraft and since returning it to the skies he has flown it more then 140 hours enabling thousands of people to see this magnificent machine!

Beat the Mothers Day Rush!

With Mothers Day just around the corner why not pop into our Gift Shop whilst at our showcase this Saturday. We have a lovely range of gifts for our Aviation loving mums. Perhaps she would enjoy 14k gold Airplane post earings, always a conversation starter, or glam up shower time with a pink camouflage showercap!
For those who are unable to make it here befor Mothers Day you are still able to purchase from our wide range of merchandise. Just CLICK HERE to head to our online shop more inspiration!

Upcoming Showcase Dates

Last Saturday the Temora Aviation Museum hosted another successful Showcase Day with the Piston Fighters a popular aircraft combination with the many visitor’s who turned for what was a beautiful day for flying. Those who attended saw the Wirraway and Spitfire Mk XVI fly along with Allan Arthurs P-40 which was visiting the Museum from Albury. It was an enthusiastic crowd who not only saw these magnificent Warbirds fly but spoke with the pilots who fly them and the engineers who do a terrific job in maintaining these Warbirds.

This weekend will see thousands of visitors and up to 1000 aircraft flying in to the Temora airfield for NATFLY 2011. The Museum will not be flying any of its collection for this fly-in of recreational aircraft however we will be open to visitors from 10am to 4pm each day throughout the long weekend except for Good Friday when we are the closed. So come and see the latest and greatest in homebuilt & light aircraft at NATFLY 2011 with all the industry leaders attending.

On ANZAC Day, as in previous years, the Museum will open its doors at 12 noon as a sign of respect for those who served their country and to allow all staff volunteers and visitors the opportunity to attend the morning services. In memory of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice the Museums Wirraway will be conducting a fly by at the morning services in Springdale, Ariah Park and Temora.

Our next Showcase Day is scheduled for May 7th and we will be acknowledging the role the Forward Air Control aircraft and personel played during the Vietnam conflict. Activities for the kids, feature films, pilot talks and engineering demonstrations will all be happening throughout the day so come on out to the Temora Aviation Museum and experience Aircraft Showcase.

The Museum now has an official Facebook page which is regularly updated with what is happening around the Museum along with lots of photos, links and videos, so become a fan today, http://www.facebook.com/temoraaviationmuseum

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Website www.aviationmuseum.com.au