Videos of Anzac Day 2010 in Brisbane

I had the honour again on Anzac Day 25 April 2010 in Brisbane to march with the veterans of 460 Squadron RAAF. My late father-in-law, John Goulevitch, was a member of 460 Squadron RAAF.

I took a number of videos with my new Kodak Zi8 High Definition compact video camera.

Click here to see these videos

Rampage of the Roarin' 20's

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Rampage of the Roarin's 20's
The Illustrated History of the
312th Bombardment Group during World War II
Lawrence J. Hickey
Michael H. Levy
with Michael J. Claringbould

Published by International Historical Research Associates
Boulder, Colorado, USA

Rampage of the Roarin' 20's covers the history of the 312th Bomb Group's contribution to the war in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) during WWII.

The 312th Bomb Group started its war effort in December 1943 with the Fifth Air Force using P-40 Warhawk dive bombers. It was not long before they converted to A-20 light attack bombers. They were involved in action in New Guinea, the Netherlands East Indies, the Philippines and Formosa and over Japan.

Many of these missions were flown in the low-level strafer attack mode, resulting in some of the most outstanding combat photos of the war. Near the end of the war, the 312th BG converted to the B-32 Dominator Very Heavy bomber. They flew their last few missions over mainland Japan.

Meticulous research in the U.S. archives woven together with information from interviews with hundreds of unit veterans has produced a definitive 416-page text that includes maps depicting the location of every mission flown and aircraft lost.

- Hardcover (large format 220mm x 285mm)
- 416 pages, 19 Chapters, 5 Appendices, and 12 maps
- Comprehensive 16 pages of Index
- Over 700 photographs including a 24 page colour section
- 32 detailed nose art reproductions
- 5 colour paintings by world-renowned aviation artist Jack Fellows
- 36 Colour Aircraft Profiles
- 312th BG Insignia and colour Patches

HOW TO ORDER:-

Visit the IHRA Web Page
to order your copy of this excellent book

ISBN: 978-0-913511-03-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2009924370

Photographing and Filming of the Wreck of AHS Centaur

The "Seahorse Spirit" left Brisbane again on Friday 8 January 2010. David Mearns and his team carried out three hours of commissioning testing of the submersible ROV Remora 3 by taking high definition footage of the wreck of the SS Kyogle at approximate position 26° 59.32’ South 153°38.58’ East at a depth of 178 metres before moving out to the site of the Centaur. This footage again confirmed that it was not the Centaur.

The "Seahorse Spirit" arrived over the Centaur at about 4:45pm on Saturday 9 January 2010. Remora 3 will make about four visits down to the Centaur. The first was a reconnaissance visit which started at 8:15pm on Saturday night, 9 January 2010. It was then intended to make three further visits to the site over the following two days.

The first photos of the hospital ship Centaur were taken at about 2:50am on the morning of Sunday 10 January 2010. The pictures confirm that Centaur is sitting on a sandy bottom at a depth of about 2059 metres and listing about 25 degrees to the port side. The Red Crosses indicating that it was a hospital ship are clearly visible in one of the first photos released. A distinctive star could also be seen on the bow along with the corroded identification number 47. It took almost 2 hours to lower Remora 3 down into position.

(AAP: Bruce Long)

The Centaur's red cross can be seen in the first
footage taken of the ship since it sank in WWII.

The pictures and footage have clearly shown the mast, anchor, guard rails and the paravane mounted on the starboard bow which was used for cutting cables on moored mines. The bow of Centaur is almost completely severed from the rest of the ship.

A problem with one of the "Seahorse Spirit's" main engines meant they had to limit the time of the first recce ROV dive. The strong seabed currents also created issues with "dust storms" created by disturbed sediment limiting camera vision on some occasions.

Visit my web page on 2/3 Hospital Ship AHS Centaur

First Flight in Australia

This entry to my "Australia @ War" Blog has been provided by Gordon Clarke of ADF Serials:-

On the 5 December 2009 it was the centenary anniversary of what I believe was the first flight in Australia of an Australian designed heavier than air aircraft.

On Sunday 5th December 1909 George Taylor assembled his original designed glider on the sand dunes of Narrabeen, NSW and took off into the wind from the sea watched by some friends, helpers, locals and his wife which according to Taylor numbered over 100 people. An event reminiscent of the Wright brothers some seven years before.

George was a pupil of Lawrence Hargraves and it showed in his design of the biplane glider which sported a box tailplane directly inspired by Hargraves. Others have said the glider was inspired by a Voisin design. The reports indicate that there were made around 20 flights that day, varying in length from 100 yards (approximately 93 metres) to 250 yards (234 metres). But the firsts didn't end there. Apparently his wife Florence, also flew the glider either that day or the next and so she becomes the first Australian women aviatrix!

It makes an interesting comparison that six years ago there was a big fuss and write up about the centenary anniversary of the Wright brother first powered flight in nearly all the Australian aviation magazines/journals. However, there has been precious little in the Australian aviation press about this event. The only article that I'm aware of is one by Ian Debenham in Flightpath volume 21.1 earlier this year. Perhaps I'm too quick to criticise, as it has only been a little over a week since the anniversary, or is it that we know other countries' aviation history better than our own? I would have thought that we would be writing about the anniversary prior to (like Ian did), or around the event at least. But then again trying to determine who actually flew first is a murky area, as pointed out by Debenham in his article "Who Flew First?" Maybe we only have ourselves to blame.

So despite Taylor's historical bias in his writings, well done George and Florence on the records you both set. Some Australians recognise your achievements and perhaps others will now too.

Gordon Clarke

Airlines & Aircraft of the Ansett Group 1921 - 2002 by David Niven

Airlines & Aircraft of the
Ansett Group 1921 - 2002
by Fred Niven
Edition 7 (December 2009)

This data DVD covers the history and aircraft of:-

Ansett Airways, ANSETT-ANA, Ansett Airlines of Australia, Ansett. & Ansett Australia, including Victorian Air Coach Services, Ansett International & Cook Islands International, Engineering & computer systems; A.N.A./Tasmanian Aerial Services/Holyman's Airways & Airlines of Australia & all their many predecessors, including Adelaide Airways, Air Beef, New England Airways, North Queensland Airways, Rockhampton Aerial Services & Western/West Australian Airways; Adastra Airways (airline services); Aeropelican; Aircrafts Pty. Ltd. & Queensland Airlines; Airlines of Northern Australia & Ansett N.T.; Ansett Air Freight & Ansett Australia Cargo; Ansett Flying Boat Services, Barrier Reef Airways & Trans Oceanic Airways; Butler Air Transport, Airlines of N.S.W., Ansett Airlines of N.S.W., Air New South Wales, Air N.S.W., Ansett N.S.W. & Ansett Express; Connellan Airways/Survey & Inland Transport, Connair & Northern Airlines; East-West Airlines & Eastwest, including Wollongong & South Coast Aviation Service & South Coast Airways; Guinea Airways & Airlines of South Australia, including Air Gold & Holdens Air Transport Service & a major coverage of GAL’s New Guinea operations; Hazelton; Kendell; Lloyd Aviation (airline services); MacRobertson-Miller Aviation/MMA/Commercial Aviation Co./Air Beef, Airlines (W.A.), Airlines of Western Australia; & Ansett W.A.; Mandated Airlines Ltd. (M.A.L.)/W.R. Carpenter Air Service, ANSETT-M.A.L., Ansett Airlines of Papua New; Guinea, including Gibbes Sepik Airways, Island Airways, Madang Air Charter/Services & Papuan Airways; Pacific Aviation (airline services); Patair (Papuan Air Transport/Papuan Airlines) & Stol Commuter; Skywest & Trans West & their many predecessors (including Civil Flying Services (WA)/Stillwell; Jet Charter (WA), Murchison, Noeska, Nor’West Air Taxi, Pilbara, Southern & Wittenoom Air Charter; South Pacific Airlines of N.Z. (SPANZ) & Ansett New Zealand (including Newmans Air, Ansett Newmans, Tranzair; Ansett New Zealand Regional); Southern Airlines/Goulburn Valley Air Services; and Transcorp Airways.

The DVD contains 160 files (approximately 5,700 pages - 1,700 more than in Edition 6), not including the 27 video presentations.

This Edition 7 version of the DVD includes:

• Full details of each aircraft operated by any Ansett-related airline 1921-2002; including their previous & subsequent histories, updated to 23 November, 2009; indexed by both registration & airline.
• Around 10,000 photos/charts/maps of Ansett-related aircraft & personalities, since 1921 (up from around 8,000 in Edition 6).
• A detailed history for each airline, including its fleet, history, points served & logos.
• 'Milestones' of Ansett Group airline-related aviation events; by airline & for the group.
• Route-maps, timetable covers & lots of other memorabilia & some 'What might have beens'. The amount of memorabilia has increased very significantly in this edition.
• Updated Flight Crew lists for all Ansett Group airlines 1921-2002.
• Separate sections on A320s, BAe 146s, 727s, 737s, 747s, 767s, Convair CV-340/CV-440s, Fokker F.27s, F28s & 50s, DC-2s, DC-3s, DC-4s, DC-5s, DC-6 & DC-6Bs, DC-9s, Lockheed 188 Electras, Short S.25 Flying Boats & Vickers Viscounts.
• Details of all known Ansett Group-related aircraft accidents/incidents.
• Flight Attendant & other uniforms from the 1940s onwards.
• A major increase in the contents of the In-Flight Service section.
• A brand new section on model aircraft kits/decals available.
• 27 great video & TV commercial presentations (compared with just 8 in Edition 6).

Click here for details to order your copy of this amazing DVD

For details of many other Military Books and DVD's

Book - "Never a Dull Moment" by Philip Dulhunty

Philip Dulhunty, OAM, has lived a life packed with adventure, narrow escapes from death and truly remarkable achievements in the realms of business, aviation and sailing. A self-taught engineer, his technical innovations and entrepreneurial drive have helped transform the face of the global electricity supply industry.

This autobiography traces Philip's story from his idyllic childhood at Port Macquarie through to his current role as a doyen of the power industry. Not only does it chart his highly successful career as a businessman, it also covers his Army service during World War II and the unforgettable period that he spent in atom bomb devastated Japan with the Allied Occupation Forces.

During World War II while bases in Sydney, Philip witnessed the Japanese flying boat flying across Sydney Harbour the night before the Japanese Midget submarines attacked the harbour. Many years later Philip helped to locate this Japanese flying boat which had been scuttled after it was damaged when landing beside the Japanese mother submarine off Sydney.

Philip was attached to the 16th Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery in Townsville at Mount St John. He later moved to Magnetic Island with this unit. After this he retrained at Bathurst camp for entry into Australian Infantry Intelligence.

In recent years, Philip was also involved in a project to purchase and refurbish a Catalina in Portugal and fly it back to Australia. For more information on this book.

For more information and details on how to order your copy of this book click here.

AHS Centaur found

The Australian Hospital Ship Centaur has been found.

www.ozatwar.com/ozatwar/centaur.htm


-- Post From My Ipod Touch