It is only two weeks until the first Temora Aviation Museum Flying Weekend for 2007. The flying programme is taking shape with the exciting inclusion of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society’s (HARS) Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina. The aircraft was built in 1945 by Consolidated at its New Orleans plant and was delivered to the US Navy. It was later sold as surplus to the Aircraft Instrument Corporation and placed on the US Civil Register as N9562C. The Catalina underwent several different missions before being acquired by HARS in 2002, from Portugal where it had been operated as a water bomber under Chilean registration. From there, it was flown to Australia in September 2003. HARS is in the process of restoring the Catalina as closely as possible to the configuration of the famous RAAF “Black cats” of World War II. The RAAF “Black Cats” were pure flying boats, enabling long range and maximum possible loads with extended water take offs.
The Catalina will fly on both the 17th and 18th of February along with most of the aircraft from the Museum collection. The two days will not be exactly the same, so for the full experience plan to spend the weekend here in Temora.
NEW FLYING DATES
More future flying dates have been decided upon for 2007 / 2008. They are as follows:
2007
17 & 18 February
7 & 8 April
19 & 20 May
30 June & 1 July
18 & 19 August
15 & 16 September
17 & 18 November
2008
9 & 10 February