News Pertaining to the Australian Flying Corps

The news section has current wordly news pertaining to the Australian Flying Corps in one way or another. If you learn of any news to do with Australian Flying Corps members, organizations, aircraft, anything, send an email to the Australian Flying Corps Website.

April 2002

The ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee (Queensland) is selling commemorative ANZAC Day badges, one commerating the Australian Flying Corps. The other three commemorate the Lighthorse, Simpson and his Donkey and the Slouch Hat pin. The badges are available for $5 AUD from www.anzacday.org.au.

July 2001

More details for the RAAF History Conference, 2001 which will be focusing on WWI Aviation.

Date - 24 August 2001.
Venue - The Bradman Theatre, National Convention Centre, 31 Constitution Ave, Canberra.
Registration $55.00 (Includes GST, lunch and refreshments - They accept cash, credit cards or cheques made out to 'Collector of Public Monies' )

Further Information Contact - The Aerospace Centre, RAAF Base, Fairbairn ACT 2600. Ph: 02 6287 6641
Fax: 02 6287 6382

Email Registration - registrations@aerospacecentre.com
Website http://www.defence.gov.au/aerospacecentre/.

Program
0745 - 0830 Registration
0830 - 0845 Opening Address - Chief of Air Force
0845 - 0945 The Perception of Flight Before WW1 - Group Captain Ian MacFarling
0945 - 1015 Morning Tea
1015 - 1115 The Development of Air Doctrine in the War - Mr Peter O'Sullivan
1115 - 1215 Australian Aviation Personalities in the War - Group Captain Mark Lax CSM
1215 - 1315 Lunch
1315 - 1415 Harry Hawker and the Spin - Dr. Colin Martin
1415 - 1515 Aircraft in Palestine - Dr. John Mordike
1515 - 1545 Afternoon Tea
1545 - 1645 The Early Post-War Years and the Establishment of the RAAF - Dr. Alan Stephens
1645 - 1700 Closure - Chief of Air Force

June 2001

The Australian War Memorial's new exhibition, the "Anzac Hall" has opened in Canberra. Of Australian Flying Corps interest are two World War I aircraft. The original Deperdussin from the Central Flying School in Point Cook is on display alongside the Gloster F.8 Meteor as a comparison of aircraft development. Also on display is the Imperial Gift SE5a which is in AFC markings. The SE5a is included amongst a series of WWI relics including a Crossley Tender, used by the Australian Flying Corps to do their hauling and recovery, a Leyland 3 tonner, another common hauler, lots of WWI Artillery and a MkIV Female Tank. Other AFC memorabilia on display includes the medals of Herbert Gillis Watson, who was an ace with 4 Squadron AFC. News courtesy of Gordon Branch.

May 2001

A documentary on Sir Hubert Wilkins has been in shooting and production for the last year spanning Australia, Norway and the United States. Wilins was a remarkable adventurer, whose escapades covered Arctic adventures by air, land and submarine, War correspondant in WWI and the Turko-Bulgarian War of 1912, Australian Flying Corps aviator in WWI, Navigator in the England - Australia air race of 1919 and Antartic Exploration. The documentary has website at Voyage of the Nautilus and plans to be released in 2001.

April 2001

Smithy's Southern Cross flies again! Not quite, the US developed Robotic Spy Plane known as the Global Hawk recently flew across the Pacific Ocean from California in the USA to an RAAF airbase in South Australia. The aircraft on it's ground breaking flight was named the "Southern Cross II" in honour of the Australian aviator and ex-RFC pilot, Charles Kingsford Smith who made a similar ground breaking trip in 1928 in the original Southern Cross, a Fokker tri-engine aircraft.

April 2001

The RAAF History Conference will be held on Friday August 24th at the Canberra Convention Centre in 2001. The conference will be a one day affair with the theme, World War One and the prospective title, the "Birth of Australian Aviation". The outline of papers includes;

The Politics of Military Aviation - the international perspective and the inter-service issues; the birth of the idea of an independent fighting service; this paper should also introduce the AFC. Ian MacFarling
Personalities - AFC personalities: leaders - good and bad; pilots, technologists, trainers and logisticians. Mark Lax
Technology - the development of the aircraft as a weapon of war. DSTO representative.
The development of air power doctrine - the interaction of experience, technology and innovation? French Historian
Palestine 1918 - The use of technology (and in particular the aircraft) in the joint and combined battle. How much original input did Allenby make - how much was borrowed?; did the battle change the conduct of operations for the decisive closing weeks of the war?; are there any lessons for today? John Mordike
Post-World War I and the establishment of the RAAF - relating the events of World War I to the establishment of the RAAF. Dr Alan Stephens

March 2001

The March Issue of Australian Aviation Magazine contained the article on the Vickers Vimy flown by Ross and Keith Smith in the 1919 England to Australia Air Race, the article appeared in the "Warbirds, Vintage and Veteran" section;

"SOUTH AUST VICKERS VIMY MOVE? - In Adelaide, South Australia, there has been much recent publicity centred on the future of the Vickers Vimy, currently on display at Adelaide Airport, following the proposed loss of its location at the airport. The Vimy, registered G-EAOU, was the winner of the 1919 England to Australia air race and was flown by the Smith brothers. The large twin engined biplane bomber is considered to be a national treasure and as such should be looked after by government. At present the SA Aviation Museum at Port Adelaide is offering to locate the Vimy in a special building next to it's site. As the only accredited aviation museum in SA the museum has offered to be the custodians of the historic aircraft and to keep it in state." p79, Australian Aviation Magazine.

June 2001

Australian Aviation Magazine also had a small article on the AFC Website, in the "Wings on the Web" section;

"Australian Flying Corps 1914 to 1919 - With 2001 marking the 80th anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force, it is only fitting we should profile this dedicated to the RAAF's forerunner, the Australin Flying Corps. Cameron Riley has assembled an outstanding tribute to the AFC, covering every imaginable aspect of its operational and military history. Visitors to this handsomely designed website will find histories of the AFC's operational squadrons, flying schools, biographies of air aces, illustrated profiles of AFC aircraft, a photo gallery and links to official AFC documents and published references. This site is an excellent account of this often neglected passage in Australia's military aviation history." p85, Australian Aviation Magazine.

Kudo's to all the contributors to the Australian Flying Corps Website.