Queensland Air Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1974 |
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| Location | 7 Pathfinder Drive, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, Queensland |
| Type | Aerospace museum |
The Queensland Air Museum is a special place in Caloundra, Queensland, Australia. It's a not-for-profit museum run by the community. Its main goal is to collect and protect amazing aviation history, especially from Australia and Queensland. This museum has the biggest collection of old aircraft in Queensland. You can also see many aircraft engines, equipment, photos, and books there.
Contents
History of the Museum
The Queensland Air Museum first opened its doors on 2 June 1974. Its very first aircraft was a Canberra bomber. This plane was bought from the government and shown at a museum in Brisbane. Later, the museum moved to a new spot in Nudgee. More planes joined the collection, like a Meteor and some Vampire and Sea Venom jets.
Because a new airport was being built nearby, the museum had to move again. After some challenges, the Sunshine Coast Council offered the museum a permanent home. So, on 14 June 1986, all the aircraft moved to Caloundra Airport. A brand new hangar was built for them. The museum officially opened on 4 April 1987. The road in front of the museum is called Pathfinder Drive. This name honors Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett, who founded the World War II Pathfinder Force.
With a permanent home, the museum's collection grew even more. In 1989, they went on an exciting trip to Singapore. They bought a Sea Vixen, a Meteor, and a Hunter from a scrap dealer. These planes were taken apart, shipped to Australia, and then carefully put back together for display.
The museum site is about two hectares big. Over the years, it has been improved a lot. A second hangar was finished in 2004 and made even bigger in 2006. They also built a library and special areas for restoring and storing aircraft.
For many years, there was talk of moving Caloundra Airport, which made the museum's future uncertain. But in 2010, the Queensland Premier announced that the airport would stay put. This was great news for the museum! In 2013, the local council gave the museum a 30-year lease extension. They also made a plan to let the museum grow even bigger.
Amazing Aircraft Collection
The museum has a huge collection of aircraft. These planes show many different parts of aviation history.
You can see military aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and other countries. There are also passenger planes from famous Australian airlines like Ansett Airlines and Trans Australia Airlines.
The museum also displays aircraft that were designed or built in Australia. These include the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Wirraway and Sabre, and the de Havilland Drover. You can also find agricultural planes, training aircraft, helicopters, and naval aircraft.
Wicko Cabin Sports Replica
The first powered aircraft designed and built in Queensland was the Wicko Cabin Sports. It was a small plane made of wood and fabric. Geoff Wikner designed and built it, and it first flew in 1931. The Queensland Air Museum got copies of the original plans for this important aircraft. They built a replica of it, which went on display in 2007.
CAC Wirraway A20-652
The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation's Wirraway was a very important plane for Australia. It helped create a strong aircraft industry here. The Wirraway was built under license from an American design. It was made between 1939 and 1946. With 755 built, it's the second most produced aircraft type in Australia.
Wirraways were used by the RAAF during World War II. They flew missions in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. They helped with scouting, target marking, and dive bombing. They were also used as advanced training planes for many years, until 1958.
The Wirraway at the museum is A20-652. It was built in 1944. The museum bought this aircraft in 2010. It was flown from Adelaide to Caloundra and is kept in flying condition. You can sometimes see its engine running during special public displays!
General Dynamics F-111C A8-129
The F-111 was the RAAF's top strike aircraft for 37 years. It was used by two squadrons from RAAF Base Amberley. This aircraft could do a cool trick called a "dump and burn". It would release fuel and then light it up with its afterburners. This made a spectacular flame, which was popular at air shows and events like the 2000 Sydney Olympics closing ceremony.
The Queensland Air Museum has F-111C aircraft A8-129 on display. This plane was one of the first F-111s to arrive in Australia in 1974. It also flew in the very last F-111 operational flight in 2010. The aircraft is painted in its original camouflage colors. One side shows markings for 1 Squadron, and the other side shows markings for 6 Squadron.
Engine Collection
The museum also has a large collection of aircraft engines. Many of them are displayed next to the planes they powered. You can see different types of engines, including piston engines, turbojets, and turboprops.
The piston engines include large radial types like the Pratt & Whitney Wasp and Double Wasp. There are also famous engines like the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Allison V-1710.
The turbojet collection features early designs like the de Havilland Goblin and Rolls-Royce Nene. Other turbojets include the Rolls-Royce Avon. Turboprop engines like the Rolls-Royce Dart are also on display.
The museum has an "Operational Engine Collection." These engines are mounted on special stands and are run during public displays. They range from small 40 horsepower engines to powerful 1,450 horsepower radial engines.
Special Displays
The museum has many displays that tell the story of aviation in Australia, Queensland, and the local Sunshine Coast. These include exhibits about Charles Kingsford Smith, Women in Aviation, the Pathfinder Force, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and famous airlines like Ansett Airlines and Qantas. You can also learn about the Flight Data Recorder and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Royal Flying Doctor Service
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been very important for people living in remote parts of Australia. It provides medical help to isolated communities. Reverend John Flynn started this service in 1928. He dreamed of using radios and aircraft to connect doctors with patients far away.
Flynn worked with Alfred Traeger to create special two-way radios. These radios used a pedal to generate power, making them reliable in remote areas. The service began by leasing a plane from Qantas. Today, the RFDS still operates a fleet of over 60 aircraft across Australia.
The Queensland Air Museum's RFDS display includes two DHA-3 Drover aircraft. These planes, named John Flynn and Norman Bourke, were used by the RFDS between 1951 and 1968. You can also see an example of a Traeger radio.
Calair Skyfox
The museum has a special display honoring a local aircraft maker called Calair Corp / Skyfox Aviation. The main part of this display is a CA21 Skyfox aircraft, which represents the very first prototype. This plane was put together using parts from several Skyfox aircraft.
Calair Corporation started in 1989 at Caloundra Airport. They built a two-seat plane called the Calair CA21 Skyfox. It was designed for training and fun flying. The Skyfox was the first aircraft in Australia to be certified for general aviation pilot training. It was powered by an Aeropower engine, which was based on a Volkswagen engine.
Later, the company changed its name to Skyfox Aviation Ltd. They made new models with different engines and features. The final model, the CA25N Gazelle, had tricycle landing gear. Production stopped in 1998.
Pathfinder Force Display
During World War II, British bombers flew night missions over Germany. These missions were very dangerous and often missed their targets. To make bombing more accurate, the Pathfinder Force was created in 1942. It was led by Group Captain Don Bennett, who was born in Toowoomba.
Special squadrons in the Pathfinder Force had experienced crews. They would fly ahead of the main bomber force. Their job was to find the target and mark it with bright flares. This helped the bombers coming behind them drop their bombs in the right place.
The museum has a large display to remember the Pathfinder Force. It was set up with the help of the Pathfinder Force Association of Australia. You can see uniforms, special items, models, and even a copy of Don Bennett's office. It includes many of his original belongings. This display is next to the F-111 jet, connecting the past with modern air forces.
Aircraft on Display
As of March 2018, here are some of the aircraft you can see at the museum:
- Auster J/5G Autocar, VH-BYP
- Auster J/5B Autocar, VH-KCL
- Avions Max Holste MH.1521M Broussard, VH-HFA
- Anson Mk 1, VH-BIF
- Anson Mk 1, MG222
- Beagle B.206-S, VH-UNL
- Beech C18S, VH-CLG
- Beech E18S, N3781B
- Beech P35 Bonanza, VH-AWC
- Beech 200 Super King Air, VH-FII
- Beech 2000A Starship, N786BP
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois, A2-310, Australian Army
- Bell 206B-1 Kiowa, A17-012, Australian Army
- Bensen B-8M Gyrocopter
- Bristol Bloodhound Mk.I
- Bristol Scout D, 8976, AFC (replica)
- Broome Lebeau, 10-0046
- Calair CA21 Skyfox, VH-CAL
- Cessna 336 Skymaster, VH-CMY, ANSETT-MAL
- Cessna 402A, VH-DZY, Bush Pilots Airways
- Chrislea CH.3 Super Ace, VH-BRO
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-6 Wackett KS-3 Cropmaster, VH-AJH
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-16 Wirraway Mk.III, A20-652, RAAF
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-18 Mustang Mk. 23, A68-201, RAAF (replica)
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-25 Winjeel, A85-410, RAAF
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-27 Sabre Mk.31, A94-935, RAAF
- Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-28 Ceres, VH-CEU, cockpit only
- de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth, VH-BKS
- de Havilland DH-100 Vampire F Mk.30, A79-476, RAAF
- de Havilland DH-104 Dove Mk.1, VH-MAL Rai, Mandated Airlines
- de Havilland DH-112 Sea Venom FAW Mk.53, WZ898, RAN
- de Havilland DH-112 Sea Venom FAW Mk.53, WZ910, RAN (stored)
- de Havilland DH-110 Sea Vixen FAW Mk.2, XJ490, RN
- de Havilland DH-110 Sea Vixen FAW Mk.2, XJ607, RN (nose section)
- de Havilland DH-114 Heron 2D/A1, VH-KAM, Airlines of Tasmania
- de Havilland DH-115 Vampire T Mk. 35A, A79-828, RAAF
- de Havilland DHA-3 Drover Mk.3, VH-FDR John Flynn, Royal Flying Doctor Service
- de Havilland DHA-3 Drover Mk.3, VH-FDS Norman Bourke, Royal Flying Doctor Service
- de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T Mk.10, VH-RVV, Royal Victorian Aero Club
- de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou, A4-173, RAAF
- de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou, A4-159, RAAF (nose section)
- Douglas DC-3-194B, VH-ANR, Ansett Airlines of NSW
- Fairey Gannet AS Mk.1, XA331, RAN
- Fokker F.27 Friendship Mk.400, VH-FNQ, Ansett Airlines
- General Dynamics F-111C, A8-129, RAAF
- Government Aircraft Factories Canberra B Mk.20, A84-225, RAAF
- Government Aircraft Factories Jindivik Mk.3B, WRE-601
- Government Aircraft Factories Mirage IIIO(FA), A3-16
- Government Aircraft Factories N22B Nomad, VH-BFH
- Government Aircraft Factories Turana, P1-019
- Gloster Meteor F Mk.8, WA880, RAF (painted as RAAF A77-721)
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor TT Mk. 20, WD647, RAF
- Grumman S-2A Tracker, 133160
- Hawker Hunter F Mk.4, XF311, RAF
- Hawker Hunter FGA Mk. 74BS, 533, Republic of Singapore Air Force
- ICA-Brasov IS-28M, VH-GRK
- ICA-Brasov IS-29D, VH-GWC
- International Model Aircraft Towed Glider Mk.2, Identity unknown
- Kawasaki KH-4, VH-AHQ
- Kawasaki KH-4, VH-HFZ
- Lake LA-4-200 Buccaneer, VH-EJX
- Lea Kestrel Kermit, 10-001
- Link Trainer D4-282
- Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, A59-96, RAAF
- Lockheed SP-2H Neptune, A89-277, RAAF
- Mohawk 298, VH-HIX, Queensland Pacific Airways
- Piaggio P.166, VH-BHK, (painted as Queensland Airlines VH-PQA)
- Pilatus PC-6 Porter, A14-705, Australian Army (nose section only)
- Piper PA23-250 Aztec, VH-MBX, (painted as TAA Sunbird Services VH-TGP)
- Piper PA25-235 Pawnee, ZK-CEL
- Piper PA38-112 Tomahawk, VH-SCK
- Pterodactyl Ascender II+, 10-0665
- Rand Robinson KR-2, VH-XXS
- Robinson R22 Beta, VH-SBQ
- Robinson R44 Raven, VH-RMN (cockpit only)
- Seabird Rouseabout Mk. 3, 10-0281
- Seabird Sentinel, VH-SBI
- Seabird Sentinel, VH-SBU
- Sports Flight Skypup, (identity unknown)
- Sud-Ouest SO-1221S Djinn, VH-INP, Ansett-ANA
- Aerospatiale SA315B Lama, PK-ZHB
- Swearingen SA-226 Metroliner II, VH-BPV, Bush Pilots Airways
- Transavia PL-12 Airtruk, ZK-CWX
- Vickers Viscount 756D, VH-TVJ, Trans-Australia Airlines (nose section)
- Victa Airtourer 100, VH-CFE
- Westland Wessex HAS MK.31A, N7-217, RAN
- Wicko Cabin Sports, VH-UPW, (replica)
- Winton Grasshopper, (identity unknown)
- WSK Mielec SB Lim-2, 636, Polish Air Force
See also
- List of aerospace museums
