Up in Cairns for a winter holiday with my family, they put up with my aviation
interest and allow me to persue my interest/obsession, thanks girls!
Along the towns foreshore is a monument to the Catalinas that operated
from the area during WW II. Over three thousand operational missions
commenced from Cairns.
Around an hour drive west of Cairns up to the Atherton Tablelands you will
find a small town called Maareba. On the outskirts heading south at the local
airstrip you will find North Queensland Warbirds. They have a Corsair very
close to flying, on the day of our visit she was covered in plastic having her
tail markings applied.
This machine is a combat veteran flying missions off the aircraft carrier Intrepid
and flew operations over Okinawa with the Grim Reapers Squadron.
When first purchased from a museum in the States the main spar had been cut
so she could fit against a wall. Unable to source a replacement a new spar was
made. A complex “W” shaped single piece of alloy this has to be heated and
then bent to shape. That is the spar in behind the plumbing behind the engine.
Another part getting some attention the complex main wheels disc brakes were
creating a bit of head scratching.
Looking like a piece of art the massive prop.
And a bit of wall art the prop off a Kittyhawk, now sold , she had a gear leg
collapse, they kept the prop as a souvenir.
Resident Winjeel.
Ex NZ1040 moved to Australia in 2000, be a nice photo getting an air to air of
her flying alongside the Corsair with the markings she wears.
They have three other Harvard projects in house, plans for all of these to return
to airworthy status. By the look of the markings they are look like they may be
ex American machines?
I’m taking a bit of stab here, re-painted Harvard parts?
Webb site
http://www.warbirdadventures.com.au
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