Does anyone remember the Trans Australia Airlines DC-3 aircraft that was suspended from an arch out front of Melbourne's Tullamarine Terminal.

12 replies

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Does anyone remember the Trans Australia Airlines DC-3 aircraft that was suspended from an arch out front of Melbourne's Tullamarine Terminal. I wonder what happened to it. Probably relegated due to one of the many ugly makeovers of the airport. It was there for years, then just gone.

aniljak

Member since 15 Sep 2012

Total posts 99

It was restored and flew  again about 15 years ago. Both the ansett and taa dc3s did a number of flioghts back then  and were regulars at Mangalore airshow. I got to fly in one of them ( can't remember which one) on a special flight from tullamarine over mount dandenong for (think 50th) anniversary of kiama disaster.  Was supposed to be both dc3s but other went u/s at last moment. Believe taa dc3 now grounded and at moorabin air museum but may be wrong. I also flew on rebel airs two dc3s from Sydney  to the bicentennial airshow at Richmond in 1988. Stinking hot but flying over Sydney harbour in a dc3 is something you don't forget!

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Thank goodness it wasn't cut up for scrap. Ah, they were the golden days of aviation, last minute cigarette before walking onto the airport apron by pushing open some unlocked wire gate, the passengers walking out to the aircraft hanging onto their millinery with their tickets in their travel gloved hands, clutching onto their onboard valices, the endless tearful waves goodbye to the rellies back at the departure point, the bobbing down to get in the aircraft up the stairs, the rear port door being slammed firmly shut ready for taxi and takeoff, the pilot yelling out the side window "Clear prop", the puffs of black smoke, the wheel chocks thrown aside,  the constant reving up, the passengers already at a 10 degree incline during taxing, the curtains bobbing up and down as it went over the concrete joins on the taxi ways, the Barley Sugars being handed out to get your jaws working and prevent ear blockages, and then finally that burst of pure Gooney Bird power down the runway gently lifting the rear wheel off the ground and the aircraft raising at a graceful pace, the drone of the two engines was like a melody for passengers and people out there in the rear world to hear, you heard a distant drone, getting louder and closer, then it passed you by.

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Was there not retro fitted air conditioning?

Zoomer

QF

Member since 18 Jul 2014

Total posts 6

VH-AES, Hawdon was restored to flying condition by volunteer TAA staff in 1987-8. Hawdon operated TAA's first flight from Laverton to Sydney on 6 September 1946. The aircraft is used, now by QANTAS since the 'merger' with TAA (Australian Airlines) in 1992 for promotional and charitable flights.

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Oh thats beautiful news. Thanks.

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Wonder why it didnt depart from Essendon Aerodrome.

Zoomer

QF

Member since 18 Jul 2014

Total posts 6

Essendon was too wet and muddy.

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Do we think it had grass runways in 1946? Gee.

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

If thats the case the concrete would have been poured and they would have already been planing Tullamarine.

Richard Brown

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 26 May 2012

Total posts 132

Shown here in 2007. 

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

There she goes, passengers getting very nervy at this point, they are about to be level flying...

sgb

Emirates Airlines - Skywards

Member since 30 Nov 2015

Total posts 419

Gee, with a couple of First and Business rows, there wasn't much left for Cattle class.

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