The Temora Aviation Museum is proud be hosting the Temora Invitational Scale Classic 2010 on Saturday 6th November here at the Museum. The Scale Model competition will be incorporated into the Aircraft Showcase – Piston Fighters event we are scheduled to hold. This combined event will take place on Saturday the 6th November with the Scale Models also flying on Friday 5th and Sunday 7th.

When asked about the event, John Rolfe, organiser of the scale classic, had this to say: “Well once again the year has rolled around to one of the best Scale model competitions in Australia and to top this event off we have the Temora Aviation Museums Showcase on the Saturday. This year we have a few very interesting aircraft on display from WWI and WWII including multi engine aircraft and modern day military jets. There will be people on hand to explain to the visitors how these aircraft operate. Each flying routine will consist of 10 manoeuvres of the pilot’s choice and two compulsory ones. All aircraft will compete in four rounds over the three days of competition as well as static judging to see how close the aircraft detail is to a full sized version. With at least two aircraft in the air all the times it will be very exciting for those watching, visitors will also have the chance to get up close to the aircraft throughout the day.”

This weekend, you must come to Temora Aviation Museum to witness a full sized Spitfire, Kittyhawk and Wirraway along with dozens of meticulously built scale model aircraft in the air. So grab a chair and your sunscreen and come on out to the Temora Aviation Museum this weekend. Food and beverages will be available on all three days, with normal admission applying both Friday and Sunday and on Saturday Aircraft Showcase Day admission applies, see www.aviationmuseum.com.au

This weekend at Temora will be an extra busy Aircraft Showcase. In addition to the Museum’s Tiger Moth and Wirraway taking part in Aircraft Showcase, the Jet Flyers Association will be conducting their annual event with up to 75 radio controlled aircraft on display and taking to the skies to compete for their top awards across multiple categories. Friday is a practice day and the competition is in full swing on Saturday and Sunday with categories for speed, best scale model and best sports model providing motivation for these pilots. Model Jet action from previous years at Temora has included BAe Hawks, F-4 Phantom, Eurofighters, MiG 15s, F/A-18’s, F/A-15’s, F-86 Sabre, and a Vampire.

The Model aircraft will take a break on Saturday while the Museum’s Tiger Moth and Wirraway take center stage for Aircraft Showcase – Trainers. Pilots Lars Larson and Rod Luke will be displaying these historic aircraft and demonstrating some of the maneuvers that RAAF pilots learned at Temora and other training bases during World War II. Aircraft Showcase also includes a film which will be screened in the Display Hangar and Theatre and a tour of our Engineering Hangar.

The Museum will open at 10am and the Mess Hall will be open so there is no need to pack a picnic basket. The weather is forecast to be clear skies with cool temperatures which makes for perfect flying weather.

Five Museum aircraft are headed to Williamtown NSW to take part in the Australian Defence Force’s annual airshow this Saturday and Sunday. The Museum’s Spitfire Mk VIII, Gloster Meteor, Lockheed Hudson, Cessna O-2A and the RAAF Sabre are all departing Temora for Williamtown. If you are planning to attend the show, be sure to check for transportation information and parking instructions and make plans to come by and say hello to our team.

For a complete list of what is happening at Williamtown check out the RAAF’s website
http://www.airforce.gov.au/AirShows/

SCALE MODEL EVENT THIS WEEKEND
The Temora Aviation Museum is the host this weekend for the Scale Aircraft Society’s, Temora Invitational Scale Classic. The event will see 43 flying model aircraft competing in 4 different areas which are Master, Expert, Team and Flying.

Judging is conducted in two areas, flying aircraft and static aircraft. The flying component of the judging involves ten manouvers which must be performed in a prototypical manner, meaning in the same manner in which the original full scale aircraft would have performed the manouver. During the assessment of the static component of the judging, the officials will take a close look at the detail and how accurate the outline of the aircraft is, color and markings, surface texture, even the detail of rivet and panel placement and positioning.

Aside from the 43 flying examples of scale aircraft visitors will be able to view, up close, more static scale model aircraft including replicas of the Temora Aviation Museum owned Tiger Moth and Mk XVI Spitfire which has travelled all the way from Adelaide. If you have attended a Museum Flying Day before you will not be disappointed with this weekends show as our regular commentator Peter (Ando) Anderson is making the trek down from Sydney to provide informative commentary for this two day event.

President of the Scale Aircraft Society John Rolfe said “We are delighted with the interest shown from competitors who have travelled some distance to participate in this event and we are overjoyed with the weather forecast which currently predicts perfect flying conditions over the weekend.” When asked about the event, John replied with “I think that it is going to be a magnificent weekend at what I believe to be the best aviation museum in the world, assembling a model next to an original Mk VIII Spitfire, it does not get much better then that”.

So come on out to Temora and be impressed by these meticulously presented scale models and of course the entire aircraft collection at the Temora Aviation Museums will also be on display. Visitors will be treated to a lunch time aerobatic display from a 1/3 scale aircraft and two large ¼ scale Warbird models on both Saturday and Sunday. No need to bring your lunch as the Mess Hall is open for business right throughout the day serving up hot and cold food along with cool drinks and ice blocks.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD
Voting has opened for the 2009 NSW Tourism Awards People’s Choice Award and this year the Temora Aviation Museum is a finalist in two categories.

The Sunday Telegraph, Tourism Industry Council NSW and Tourism NSW are giving 98 lucky readers the opportunity to win their share of over $23,000 in prizes when they vote in the People’s Choice Award.

The People’s Choice Award is your opportunity to vote for your favourite NSW travel destination or tourist experience – that would be Temora Aviation Museum.

Entries are free and completed quickly online via the following link. http://dsc.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/m/dt.aspx?id=d8e6bba1eb&group=Daily+Telegraph&name=2009+People%27s+Choice+Awards
To enter, vote for your favourite finalist in any of the categories listed and enter your details to be in the draw to win.
Voting closes on the 15th November 2009 so encourage as many people as you can to vote for us in both the Tourist Attraction and the Tourism Experiences categories. – Thanks for your votes.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS ONLINE
With Christmas only 49 days away, it is time to buy gifts for that aviation lover on your list! Our online merchandise has something for everyone! We offer a wide range of aviation themed items including books, DVDs, clothing, caps, toys and giftware.

Our NEW range of Sabre merchandise has been extremely popular including T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, polo shirts, cloth patches, books and postcards.

Visit the ‘Merchandise’ link on our website. We have that special Christmas gift you are looking for!

Terrific weather and blue skies set the scene for the annual model jet aircraft event, Jets over Temora 2009, which was held at Temora Aviation Museum over the weekend. Jason Starkey, President of the Jet Flyers Association of NSW, was pleased to see so many people visit the Museum to watch the scale model aircraft in full flight.

Over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday visitors were able to witness flying by model aircraft such as a F-86 Sabre, Cougar, MiG 15s, F/A-18 Hornets, F/A-15 Eagle, F-4 Phantom, and Eurofighters to name just a few.

Check out the 2009 photo gallery page to see photos from the model jet weekend.

FLYING WEEKEND NOT FAR OFF…

The 24th & 25th October Flying Weekend isn’t far away, and we’re very excited to announce that we will have a Mustang attending to participate in the flying program! It will be flown by Matt Hall, who has been in the news lately for his overall third position in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship’s.

Matt, who is a third generation pilot, a former RAAF Fighter Combat Instructor, international unlimited aerobatic competitor and the first Australian to be selected to compete in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, was initially inspired by his first Red Bull Air Race World Championship experience as a spectator in 2004. Hall would never have guessed in his wildest dreams that just four short years later, he would become the first Australian ever to compete in the world’s largest spectator sporting event. Don’t miss Matt and his Mustang here at Temora during the 24th and 25th October Flying Weekend!

If you were missed the first public flight of the newly restored RAAF Sabre during the September Flying Weekend, then make sure you see it fly at the upcoming October Flying Weekend. The Sabre will be flown again by RAAF Squadron Leader Paul Simmons, as well as Temora Historic Flight Club’s Director of Flying Operations, Darren Crabb. The Sabre has proven to be incredibly popular with the many veterans who have either flown or worked on the aircraft in the past.

The Mustang and the Sabre will join the rest of the historic aircraft in the Museum collection to make for a very special Flying Weekend.

To pre-purchase your tickets to the October Flying Weekend click on the ‘purchase tickets online’ button on the homepage.

SABRE CLOTHING AND OTHER ITEMS NOW AVAILABLE

The Museum gift shop is well stocked with aviation books, clothing and giftware. In recent weeks we have received many new items with a Sabre theme. Some of the most popular new items include the Sabre T-Shirts and caps along with Stewart Wilson’s Sabre book. Check out these new items by clicking on the ‘merchandise’ link.

This weekend is the annual Jets over Temora 2009 event conducted by the Jet Flyers Association, and hosted by the Temora Aviation Museum. The Jet Flyers Association has been holding their annual event at Temora Aviation Museum for the past few years, and have enjoyed the clear air space and large open ramp area to present their radio controlled model aircraft to the public.

The event will commence on Friday 18th September and will consist of set-up and pilot registration for the entrants there will also be some flying practice occurring throughout the day. On Saturday and Sunday the event will feature amazing flying, with several competitions being held throughout the day for target speed, best scale model, and best sports model. Visitors will see the model versions of aircraft such as BA Hawks, F-4 Phantom, Eurofighters, MiG 15s, F/A-18’s, F/A-15’s, F-86 Sabre, and a Cougar, among others!

Make sure you don’t miss them! The Museum’s opening hours will be extended for this event and are between 9am and 4pm. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase from the Museum’s Mess Hall. Admission, which includes entry into the Museum as well as watching the model aircraft fly, is Adults: $10, Adults 65+ yrs: $7.50, Children: $5.00 (3-18 yrs).

Click on the link below to see some photos of the model jets:

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/JFA_SeptFW.cfm

SECOND AVON ENGINE BEGINS INSPECTION AND REPAIR PROCESS

A second Rolls Royce Avon Mk 26 engine is currently undergoing an inspection so that it will be available for use in the Sabre when needed. This particular engine was last overhauled, for the RAAF, in 1993 by Qantas.

Aircraft Engineer David Finch is currently disassembling the engine so that he can conduct a corrosion repair on the compressor section. This involves pulling all the compressor stages apart, and replacing damaged compressor blades. The engine will then be put back together and a static balance carried out on each individual stage. This will be followed by a dynamic balance on the compressor assembly.

Once these processes have been completed, the engine will be reassembled and then tested on the mobile engine test truck. After passing all running checks the engine will be subjected to an inhibiting procedure to ensure safe storage until the engine is needed for use.

See some photos of the Rolls Royce Avon Mk 26 in the links below:

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/AvonMk26a.cfm

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/AvonMk26b.cfm

TEMORA AVIATION MUSEUM WAS MENTIONED IN PARLIAMENTARY SPEECH

On our last Flying Weekend (September 5th & 6th) Mrs. Kay Hull MP, Federal Member for Riverina was a VIP Guest for Saturday’s Flying Day. Kay addressed Parliament on Wednesday September 9th and in her speech stated:
“It needs to be said that the museum would not have been a success but for three vital elements, including, first and foremost, the vision, passion, expertise and generosity of Sydney businessman David Lowy, the founder and president of the museum. Over a 10-year period he has contributed countless hours of his time in planning and executing the tasks that go with developing a world-class institution—with aviation safety in mind. In the museum’s first decade of operations he has donated more than $30 million to fund the purchase of the items in the collection, the buildings, the plant and equipment as well as the recurrent costs which provide for the specialist technical skills that are needed to maintain military aircraft. The museum employees 23 full-time staff and has an active apprentice program in order to educate the Australian public and the massive visitation to the museum about the need to respect aviation’s past and make its future safe.
Secondly, the unstinting efforts of the Temora community, including its municipal office bearers, have been critical. On each occasion that there is a flying day—and there are eight flying weekends per year— the staff of the museum swells from 23 full-time members to 70 or 80. The difference in numbers is due to the specially trained community volunteers, who manage to handle a crowd which exceeds the entire population of Temora. The museum attracts more than 40,000 visitors each year. They are given a consistent and complete education experience on aviation history and the need for aviation security now and in the future. The museum is a true community partnership. On flying days the food services are provided by the local volunteer fire brigade, with all of the profits being donated to local area charities. To date, approximately $200,000 has been raised and donated.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the work of the RAAF personnel who have so ably and readily assisted the museum. Take, for example, the most recent flying display. The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, was on hand to officiate at the first public flying of the recently restored Sabre jet fighter. I also acknowledge that my colleague in the Senate and senator for the ACT Senator Kate Lundy was in attendance. I welcomed her to the Riverina. The Sabre restoration was a joint RAAF-TAM effort which took more than three years. The RAAF technical experts assisted the TAM crew in the complete rebuilding of this aircraft. In addition, over the years RAAF personnel and others, as part of their recreational flying, have donated their time to pilot the museum’s aircraft and explain to the many aviation enthusiasts and the general public across Australia the critical requirements for aviation safety.”
For a complete transcript of Mrs. Hull’s speech click on the link below. The transcript can be found beneath the photos taken at the September Flying Weekend, 2009:
http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/news/SabreLaunchWeekend.cfm

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday Temora Aviation Museum will be hosting the Model Jet Flyer Association. Visitors to the Museum will be able to watch these detailed model aircraft fly in their annual competition through the skies over Temora. You will also be able to see the aircraft up close throughout the day. Entry is from 10am with your admission cost including both the Jet Flyers Competition and the Temora Aviation Museum.

October will be a very busy month for Museum personnel and aircraft alike. The weekend of the 4th and 5th will see the Hudson, Meteor, Vampire, Canberra and Cessna O-2A make the trek to RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland to support the Royal Australian Air Force Airshow. For our Queensland supporters who would like to see these historic aircraft up close – this is your chance!

The 11th and 12th of October is the next flying weekend here at Temora Aviation Museum. The engineers will be busy servicing aircraft returning from Amberley and preparing them for flying weekend visitors. At this stage it is planned to fly the entire aircraft collection so why not take advantage of our new two flying day pass and enjoy a full weekend of aviation sights, sounds and smells.

The 19th of October will see the Hudson return to Queensland to provide static display for the Museum of Australian Army Flying Annual Open Day at Oakey. This Museum has a fantastic new facility which is worth visiting to learn about Army Aviation.

October 25th and 26th is the 60th Anniversary of HMAS Albatross. They are celebrating with an Airshow at Nowra which the Temora Aviation Museum will attend with the Vampire, Canberra and Cessna O-2A.

A big THANKYOU to all of you who purchased items from our online giftshop during the Fathers Day Promotion and a reminder that Christmas is only just around the corner. Start your shopping now with a special aviation gift for the aviation enthusiast in your family. May we recommend the Temora Aviation Museum Warbirds DVD? Every aircraft in the Temora Aviation Museum is airworthy and this program presents comprehensive profiles on each. Learn how these aircraft are kept airworthy and view historic operational film showing how they went to war. The Temora Aviation Museum collection is a tribute to those who flew in defence of their country. Fighter pilots from WWII, jet fighter pilots from the Korean War and a Vietnam War Forward Air Controller take to the cockpit again and tell their amazing stories.

A very busy time was had by all at the Temora Aviation Museum over the September Flying Weekend (15 & 16), particularly with the notable appearance of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets from Williamtown, NSW which were a big attraction! In total, three Hornets visited Temora for the Flying Weekend. One Hornet performed a flying display, a second Hornet was used for flying display backup and the third was on static display, manned by RAAF personnel for visitors to check out more closely.

The F/A-18 flying displays were performed by Flight Lieutenant Aaron Ward. It was a spectacular sight to watch the Hornet perform a full high energy low-level aerobatic display, including manoeuvres such as a ‘dirty pass’ which involved the flaps, gear, hook and speedbrake extended, a ‘square loop’, a ‘high alpha pass’ and a ‘vertical departure’ to 10,000 feet. On the Sunday afternoon, visitors that were still at the Museum around 4.00 pm were fortunate enough to see the three Hornets perform a couple of formation top-side passes and a bomb-burst on departure, which featured the centre Hornet soaring vertically into the sky. The RAAF Hornets, along with their personnel were made welcome at the Museum over the weekend, and we look forward to their attendance again for future TAM Flying Weekends.

As well as the Hornet’s involvement, the Museum also exhibited an extensive flying program, which saw other visiting aircraft such as Doug Hamilton’s Harvard, Steve Death’s Trojan, Allan Arthur’s Kittyhawk, Gordon Glynn’s Cessna O-1 and Lars Larson’s Cessna 180. The Museum’s aircraft that featured in the flying program were the Tiger Moth, Ryan, Wirraway, Boomerang, Spitfire Mk XVI, Vampire, Meteor, Canberra and Dragonfly.

Our final Flying Weekend for the year will fall on 17 and 18 November, so don’t miss it – start planning your trip now! For photos from the September Flying Weekend check out the photo gallery page.

MODEL JETS

The Model Jet Flyers Association of NSW will hold their Annual Model Jet Championships at the Museum this weekend – 22 and 23 September. The Model Jets Association have used the Museum as a venue for their championships over the past few years and we are happy to have them back again this weekend. Come along to see miniature versions of the F-16s, F-18s, BAE Hawks, Cougars, Panthers, Lightnings and many more sport aircraft compete for different titles. The Museum will be open both days from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, with flying occurring all day, both days. Cost is normal Museum admission; $10 for adults, $7.50 for people over 65 years and $5 for children. Food and refreshments will be available throughout the weekend for purchase through the Museum’s canteen, the ‘Mess Hall’.

This weekend will see the Model Jet Flyers Association of NSW visit the Temora Aviation Museum again to hold their Annual Model Jet Championships. Friday 6 October will consist of set-up and pilot registration, along with general flying practice going throughout the day.

Saturday and Sunday 7 & 8 October will consist of general flying with a few competitions thrown in throughout the day. Examples of the categories for entering the competitions will include:
Target speed which involves reaching either 200 km/h or 250 km/h without the use of remote to know how fast the aircraft is going;
Best of Show – the best crowd pleaser;
Best Sport and Best Scale jet – judged on appearance; and
Best Landing.

The weather is predicted to be quite warm over the weekend, so as you plan your visit to the Museum remember to bring along sun protection. The Museum opens at 10 am and closes at 4 pm both days, with flying being consistent throughout those times. Admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for adults aged over 65 yrs and $5.00 for children (3-18 yrs). Food and refreshments will also be available from the Museum’s canteen, the ‘Mess Hall’.

So come along to check out some amazing miniature jet action over the coming weekend!