Temora Aviation Museum will be flying its Warbirds again this weekend, 18th and 19th of August. Flying Weekends are a great opportunity for visitors to experience the sights, sounds and smells of wartime vintage airplanes.
A welcome first-time addition to this upcoming weekend will be arrival of the TBM-3 Avenger (VH-MML). The Avenger is part of Steve Searle’s aircraft collection and will be visiting from Coolangatta, Queensland.
The Avenger was manufactured in the mid 1940’s by the Grumman Aircraft Company, which was based in Long Island, New York. Its main role during WWII was as a torpedo bomber. After their illustrious career as wartime bombers, many Avengers invariably ended up being heavily modified for operations as crop dusters and in a later development, as fire bombers. But as newer, more technically advanced aircraft types became available for fire bombing and farm work, the Avengers were once again facing redundancy.
Steve acquired his ex-fire bomber TBM in 2005, and proceeded with an extensive restoration of the machine to the glorious state it is in today, finishing in April 2006. The aircraft has been repainted to represent Avengers flown by Torpedo Squadron 84 from the Aircraft Carrier USS Bunker Hill circa 1944-45. It is distinguished by its US Navy Glossy Sea Blue fuselage and yellow nose ring.
Visit the Museum this weekend to watch the Avenger perform handling and aerobatic flying displays, along with other wartime aircraft from the Museum such as the Canberra, Meteor, Tiger Moth and Spitfire Mk XVI.
Flying action is on both Saturday and Sunday and Museum gates open at 10.00 am, with flying beginning at 11.00 am. Cost for adults is $15, adults over 65 yrs are $10.00 and children (3-18 yrs) $5. Children under 3 yrs are free. Food and refreshments are available on site, and don’t forget to bring along a light fold-up chair if you have one. Get along to the August Flying Weekend and check it out!