Warbird Information Exchange

Despite the type's importance in W.W.II, there is currently only one airworthy Lockheed Hudson flying in the world - now with the Temora Aviation Museum in New South Wales, Australia.

It was restored to flight, along with a sister-ship, donated to the Australian War Memorial (and now in store) primarily thanks to the efforts of Malcolm Long, who died after a short illness on 16th November.

As well as the Hudsons, he had a hand in what was really Australia's first warbird, CAC Wirraway VH-BFF which flew again in the 1970s, despite obstacles placed by Australia's civil aviation authority of the time.

He flew his Stinson L-5 until recently, and his facility at Air Gold Coast, Queensland rebuilt a batch of war-veteran ex-Indian L-5s. He was instrumental with the Chewing Gum Field museum and the Airworld at Wangaratta, Victoria. While these are no longer with is, without Malcolm's involvement, effort, money and leadership, many currently preserved aircraft would have been lost.

We will be publishing a short obituary in the next issue of Australia's Flightpath magazine.

Vale.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Sorry to hear about this James... he was indeed a pioneer. I've always loved that Hudson of his... hope to see it myself one of these days.

Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

Last Wednesday a memorial gathering was held at Air Gold Coast. The Hudson flew in from Temora and did a display. Very nice indeed. The other Hudson is on display at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

The backdrop was two L-5's which Malcolm loved...

Unlike most he has left a true warbird legacy..

RIP

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..defeat is never an option!

Thanks for that Oscar. The memorial gathering sounds an appropriate tribute.

A minor correction; the AWM Hudson was on show before the new hall opened with G for George in it; when the displays were finished, the Hudson went into store at the Treloar Centre, where I saw it in January last year - AFAIK, it's still there - but you may have more recent info than me!


Absolutely, and I don't think he'll be forgotten either.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

One of my first memories of being interested in WW2 Aviation was sparked by a trip to that very museum.

I can recall being very impressed with the P-40 being displayed "as found", and clambering over the DR1 Replica.

Very sad news.

I am saddened to hear of Malcolm's passing.

I recall Malcolm first coming into the RAAF Museum back office to discuss his intentions to acquire the Hudsons and display them at Point Cook with then curator W/O Bob Gould in the mid/late 1970s.

Malcolm eventually had his two Hudsons, Mark 111 Auster, Stinson L5, Fairchild Argus and Wirraway operating from Point Cook, (more L5's came later) he also acquired a derelict P40N from Monty Armstrong that now flies with Murray Griffiths, and flew in his Bristol Freighter VH-SJG.

As one of the museum "hangar rats" I got to help polish a new clear view nose panel fitted to one of the Hudsons, and help Ron Lee paint the fuselage roundels on Malcolms's Freighter.

I got my first ride in a Wirraway thanks to Malcolm (with Alan "Muffie" Searle as the pilot), along with a back seat ride with Malcolm in his cherished L5, and a lumber along the taxiway in the Hudson, such involvements furthered my own strong interests in this hobby.

Malcolm was a fantatical preservationist of Australian Aviation, (hence saving two hudsons and the last mark 21 Bristol Freighter from uncertain futures) and contributed a lot to the modern Warbird movement in Australia.

His Wirraway VH-BFF, owned jointly with Ron Lee - and now owned/operated by Temora, was the first ANO 108A aircraft to operate as an "ex-Military" aircraft paving the way for the modern Experimental and Restricted category operations of warbirds today.

Malcolm later moved his entire collection to Chewing Gum field in Qld, saving / acquiring a C47 along the way as well as becoming deeply involved in the L5's with a production line eventually developing.

Malcolm later moved his entire collection to Airworld Wangaratta other than his beloved L5 which stayed home in Qld.

Malcolm had hoped his collection would be acquired by the Victorian Government "NASMA" project but when that fell through in 1997 he was left with the concern of having to sell one or more aircraft overseas, something I feel he was very reluctant to do.

Eventually he sold one Hudson, tigermoth and Auster Mk III to the Australian War Memorial, while the Freighter A81-1 was donated to the RAAF Museum and returned back to Point Cook, while his other Hudson and Wirraway were purchased by Temora and continue to fly as a testimony to his efforts.

His Fairchild Argus was sold privately prior to the rest of the collection and I purchased his Wackett Trainer fuselage that had been on display at Chewing Gum field and later Airworld Wangaratta, his C47 is in far north Queensland under restoration to fly.

I last saw Malcolm in Hilands book shop Melbourne @ two years ago, searching for TBM Avenger books to assist his son's restoration of the Steve Searle Avengers at Air Gold Aviation.

Malcolm was a quiet achiever and a true gentleman, my condolances to his family and close friends, and a thankyou to Malcolm for his great efforts in preserving Australian Aviation Heritage and developing the modern warbird movement in Australia

- Rest in Peace.


regards

Mark Pilkington

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20th Century - The Age of Manned Flight
"from Wrights to Armstrong in 66 years -WOW!"