The Lismore Aviation Expo 2018 took place on the 29th of August 2018 at Lismore Airport, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The event was organised by the local Lismore City Council and featured static displays, handling displays, solo and synchronised aerobatics and adventure flights. Lismore is 600Km north of the state’s capital, Sydney, and 200Km south of my home city of Brisbane in Queensland. I made the 2.5 hour trip from Brisbane on the morning of the show, returning that same day which turned out to be a bit tiring after running around photographing all day.
When customers were allowed to enter the show at 9am, the airport was covered in a layer of fog which made me wonder whether the earliest planned flying displays would be cancelled. The organisers soon announced there would be a delay in the flying schedule but expected all displays to proceed once the fog lifted. It wasn’t long until the fog dissipated enough to start the flying displays, the show got back on schedule and the rest of the day progressed without any hitches.
As I had no media credentials for the show I moved around inside the general crowd area all day with no special access. The crowd line closest to the runway provided a great view, and the display line direction meant that I had the sun at my back all day. This was very welcome compared to the two previous airshows I attended where I had to shoot into the sun for most of the day, I was able to capture better contrast and colour on the flying displays from this show had than those previous ones All in all it was a big day for me but very rewarding, seeing the beautifully-restored P-40 Kittyhawk and very large TBM Avenger both up close and flying was a real highlight for me.
Which aircraft attended the airshow?
The show included flying displays of replica WW1 aircraft, WW2 and post-WW2 era aircraft and some of the participants from the Red Thunder TFC event. WW1 aircraft included replicas of Fokker DR.I Triplane in Red Baron scheme and a Bristol F.2B Fighter.
Warbird attendees included a Grumman TBM Avenger, Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk, North American T-28 Trojan, CAC CA-16 Wirraway, CAC CA-25 Winjeel, Yakovlev Yak-52, Cessna O-2 Skymaster. The RAAF provided a small presence, dispatching a single BAE Hawk 127 jet trainer from RAAF base Williamtown for a flying display, returning to its home base without landing. Unfortunately the CA-18 Mustang and Bell 47 Helicopter aircraft that were promoted to be attending did not make it to the show.
Several of the warbirds offered adventure flights on the day, with the Trojan, Wirraway, Avenger, Winjeel and Yak-52 giving customers the opportunity to fly in some interesting military aircraft.
Due to the number of images I want to display, I’ve broken the airshow up into two separate articles. In this article I document the following aircraft types that attended the show:
In this follow-up article I will concentrate on the other aircraft that attended the airshow, including Paul Bennett Airshows aerobatic displays and civilian aircraft.
Curtis P-40E Kittyhawk
One of the stars of this airshow was the beautifully-restored P-40E Kittyhawk owned by Pay’s Air Service based out of Scone, NSW. This aircraft was built 1942 in Buffalo, NY as a P-40E. Originally destined for the RAF, the aircraft was not delivered to the UK and instead taken up by the USAAC Pursuit Squadron in Tonga. Later in 1942 it was transferred to RNZAF (believed to 15SQN) with serial NZ3094. After the end of WWII the airframe was sold to scrap merchants in New Zealand along with around 50 other Kittyhawks, where it remained until being saved from destruction by a couple of locals. In 1994 Col Pay purchased the aircraft and shipped her to Scone in rural New South Wales for restoration. A full restoration was begun at Vintage Fighter Restorations, with wings and tail section outsourced for refurbishment. The Allison V-1710-39 V12 engine was also fully rebuilt. She finally took to the skies again in 2004 in the hands of the late Col Pay.
A feature of the P-40 series is the asymmetric undercarriage retraction operation. Here the starboard main gear is still fully extended, with the port main and tail wheel fully retracted. It looks quite unusual in a still frame, but I’m assured it is normal for the type.
The decision was made to finish the aircraft in the scheme of No.3SQN RAAF P-40E with aircraft code CV-V. This was to commemorate the aircraft of WGCDR Bobby Gibbes (DSO, DFC and Bar, OAM) as commanding officer of No. 3SQN when the squadron was based in North Africa. WGCDR Gibbes was able to see the aircraft and signed the amusing nose art shortly before he passed away in 2007. I’m told by Bobby’s daughter that the nose art was originally drawn by his mother and adorned the original aircraft, and is faithfully reproduced here. She also mentioned that Bobby was very proud to see the finished aircraft, and I know she is very happy that her father was commemorated in this way.
The amusing nose art designed by the mother of WGCDR Bobby Gibbes for his original aircraft during WWII. The artwork depicts a Kangaroo wearing a RAAF cap kicking a Dachshund wearing a German helmet up the behind. WGCDR Gibbes signed the engine cowling access plate when he was invited to view the completed restoration.
Grumman TBM-3E Avenger
The aircraft was built by General Motors in 1943 as B/N 53857, and currently displays markings from squadron VT.8 that flew from USS Bunker Hill. This particular airframe saw active service in several actions in the South Pacific conflict. Post-war she was operated by Central Air Service in Lewiston, Montana, USA under registration N7017C and later in Canada for Forest Protection Ltd as a firebomber with registration C-GFPM. In 2004 it was sold to an Australian owner and was restored on the Gold Coast with first post-restoration flight in 2006. Paul Bennet Airshows purchased the big girl in 2011 and has displayed her at many airshows.
The most well-known pilot to fly the Avenger would have to be ex-US president George Bush (senior). In over 50 combat missions in the Avenger he was forced to ditch twice, once rescued by a destroyer and on another occasion by a submarine which he then spent a month on board before being returned to his squadron’s aircraft carrier. From his meritorious combat service, Lieutenant Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and three air medals.
(reference: Naval History and Heritage Command)
The Avenger was the heaviest single-engined aircraft of WWII, powered by a massive 1,900 HP Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone radial engine. In some of these photos you can visualise the size of the aircraft, the pilot looks comparatively tiny and the cockpit is very high above ground. Avengers were designed as torpedo bombers, with a crew of three comprising pilot, turret gunner and radio operator/bombardier/ventral gunner. The internal bomb bay housed either a Mk13 torpedo, a single 2,000lb bomb or up to 4 X 500lb bombs.
The big girl was kept busy all day, apart from the handling display she was in and out for several adventure flights. Each time she was parked with wings folded, giving the crowd a chance to enjoy the unfolding process. The photo below shows a small crowd waiting for the unfolding process to begin before the pilot taxies out to give another passenger the thrill of a lifetime.
CAC CA-16 Wirraway
The Wirraway was an Australian-built trainer developed under license and based on the North American NA-16 trainer. At the outbreak of war the RAAF had received six Wirraways. In total, over 750 Wirraways were produced by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Wirraway is an Aboriginal word that means “challenge”. The aircraft was powered by a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine, also license built by CAC. They were armed with a pair of forward-firing Vickers Mk V machine guns, a rear-mounted .303 caliber Vickers machine gun and could carry a pair of 500lb or 250lb bombs, various smaller bombs of marker flares.
This particular aircraft was received by RAAF in 1945 and modified for target towing. It was sold by RAAF in 1958 to a foundry, resold to CAC in 1960 and to a scrap metal merchant in 1963. She was saved from destruction by Warbirds Aviation Museum in 1970, and sold a couple more times before restoration in 1993. Registered as VH-MFW in 1997, she is currently operated by Warplanes Pty Ltd out of Caboolture airfield, Queensland and was flown by Ross Parker at this event.
Some Wirraways were used in the fighter and light ground attack roles in front-line units throughout the South Pacific theatre. In 1942 a Wirraway earned the type’s only aerial kill, downing a Japanese fighter plane. At the time it was thought that the enemy aircraft was a Mitsubishi A6M Zero, but it was later identified as a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa. Interestingly, this is one more aerial combat victory than the Australian-built Boomerang fighter achieved during the war.
The type served with the RAAF as a training aircraft until decommissioning in the late 1950s. Post-war, some Wirraways were heavily modified by CAC to operate as crop-dusters with the designation “Ceres”. This airframe was sold to CAC for this purpose, but was not converted.
At this show Pilot Ross Parker got plenty of stick time conducting several adventure flights along with his energetic handling display. This aircraft photographs beautifully in any light with its matt grey stretched fabric and metal wings. I think the yellow fuselage stripe and colourful RAAF roundels make for a wonderful livery.
North American T-28D Trojan
T-28D Trojan VH-TRO “Huff’n’Puff” was built in 1951 as S/N 51-3722 and delivered to USAF in that year. In 1964 it received conversion to AT-28D at North American Aviation’s Columbus, Ohio plant. The aircraft served with the Royal Thai Air Force 1965-1975 and was operated by Air America in Laos. She was then operated by Philippines Air Force 1976-1987. In 1988 it was part of a composite restoration with another ex-Philippines AF AT-28D 51-3782, with the original build no 51-3722 was retained. It passed through one Australian owner before being acquired by current owners Kim and Malcolm Rolph-Smith, who operate the plane under the banner of Warbird Aviation out of Archerfield Airport in Brisbane, Queensland. She is currently in the scheme of 38364/TL-364 with tail markings of 15th Strike Wing. The fuselage is in polished aluminium finish with nose art of a dragon and called “Huff’n’Puff”.
Designed as a primary trainer for the US Air Force in the late 1940s, the T-28 entered service with US Navy and Air Forces from early 1950s with over 1,900 units produced. The type replaced the North American T-6 Texan trainer and was itself replaced by the Beech T-34 Mentor. After USAF adoption, the US Navy and Marines also ordered their own specific variants of the design. The Navy version featured shorter propeller and a tail hook for carrier operations. Despite USAF retiring the T-28 from service in the 1960s, US Navy and Marines continued using the Trojan as their primary trainer into the early 1980s.
In T-28D guise the aircraft is powered by a thumping 1,425hp supercharged 9-cylinder Wright R-1820 radial engine displacing over 29 litres. I reckon the large size of this aircraft must have been quite confronting for young trainee pilots venturing out for their first flight on what is a primary trainer.
The type saw combat service in the Vietnam conflict in the counter-insurgency, light ground attack, forward air controller and close air support roles. The T-28 and AT-28D conversions saw them fitted with underwing hardpoints for these missions. They were used in the “secret war” in Laos during the Vietnam conflict, operated by Air America. In all, the T-28 series served in the militaries of 28 countries.
This was another aircraft kept busy during the event with pilot Kim Rolph-Smith taking her up for several adventure flights across the day. His handling display was excellent, throwing the big Trojan around the sky and giving us some great views along the display line. The polished metal finish on this plane makes for good photo exposures, I really like the combination of markings, nose art and finish they’ve come up with on this machine.
Yakovlev Yak-52
This airframe was built 1991 and taken on strength to Russian DOSAAF (Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Navy). The This society was created to train citizens for the country’s armed forces reserves, and provided pilot training using Yak-52 aircraft in the 1990’s. The aircraft was imported to Australia in 1988 and passed through several owners until 2017 when it was purchased by owner at the time of this airshow, Warbird Aviation based at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane, Queensland.
The pilot put “Geisha Girl” through her paces in a solo handling display.
At some point in her travels she was painted in a Japanese scheme and named “Geisha Girl”. She is seen here being prepped for flight on the tarmac at Lismore Airport.
CAC CA-25 Winjeel
BAE Systems Hawk 127
Cessna O-2A Skymaster
Other Information
Location
Lismore is a city in north-east New South Wales, Australia. It is 600Km north of Sydney, 200Km south of Brisbane and 35Km inland from the coast. Lismore airport is 2Km from Lismore city.
Image Galleries
If you’d like to view more of images on this topic, below are some links to my photography gallery website.
