A rather obscure title until I tell you that it refers to a flying Super Constellation
L-1049F that I came across in a small town in Australia. These planes are at the top of my list of all-time favourite aircraft. Newspaper and magazine photographs in the 50’s of genuine celebrities arriving and departing from international airports shown standing on the steps of a Super Constellation, more often than not a TWA one, immediately conjures up images of glorious glamour. Now I too have experienced that glamour for myself. I am visiting HARS (Historical Restoration Society Inc.) an aeronautical Aladdin’s Cave hidden away at Illawarra Regional Airport, New South Wales, Australia.

This particular aircraft was built in 1955, affectionately called Connie, and delivered to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) section of the US Air Force. It was transferred to the Air National Guard (basically the US Air Force Reserve) in 1962 and was used continuously until 1977 when it was put into deep storage (mothballed) at Davis Montham Air Base (famously called “The Bone Yard”) in Tucson Arizona.

At some point in time, during an annual inspection, a pilot window was left open and the aircraft became a large pigeon coop with its interior covered in nests and guano (bird poo). It was being stripped for spare parts. Scrap metal merchants did not want her because of the guano contamination. HARS members saw her in 1990 and after negotiation HARS acquired her from the US Air Force in late 1991.

Restoration was conducted by HARS Volunteers, onsite at the Pima Air & Space Museum next to Davis Montham. QANTAS was very helpful with cheap plane tickets for the many journeys back and forth. In September 1994 Connie was test flown for the first time in nearly 18 years. There was a period of final testing and a fresh coat of paint (donated by Lockheed). For the journey back to Australia she was flown over the Pacific. She arrived in Sydney on 3rd February 1996.

Connie is one of only two flying Constellations in the world. The other is the Breitling Constellation in Switzerland. Amazingly both aircraft were built next to each other in the factory. Connie is #4176 and Breitling Constellation is #4177.

She is just one of the many flying and static exhibits that await you at this wonderful ‘museum’ or hive of activity, as it was when I visited recently. I was introduced to this gem, by Brian Pattern, a friend from Gerringong NSW while I was visiting him and his wife Margaret.

The whole story is in their ‘Mission Statement’ – to recover, and where possible restore to flying condition, aircraft or types of aircraft that have played a significant part in Australian aviation history both in the civil and military areas. To this end they have gathered around them a skilled group of volunteers, all expert in various skills recognised within the aviation industry. The fruits of their labour and fascinating on-going projects are on public display in the working museum.

Among their other flying aircraft are a pair of De Havilland DHC-4 Caribous, a pair of DC3s and a Catalina Flying boat.

Their ‘static’ displays include the massive Boeing 747-400, called “City of Canberra”. It was the first 747-400 series to be delivered to QANTAS. This aircraft holds the world record for the longest non-stop flight by a commercial aircraft – London to Sydney in August 1989 for a total flight time of 20hrs and 9 minutes at an average speed of 893 km/h for a total distance of 18,012km. It carried just 23 passengers and crew and used a special blend of high density fuel to enable it fly the record distance.

During her 25 year 3 month career with Qantas, The City of Canberra flew 13,833 flights, carried 4,094,568 passengers and flew nearly 85 million kilometres, which is equivalent to 110.2 return trips to the moon.

Among the aircraft currently being restored are a pair of De Havilland DH-115 Vampire T-35s and a very special project – a Fokker FVIIB “Southern Cross”. This replica Southern Cross is a flying replica of the famous record breaking Southern Cross Fokker FV11B of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith from the 1920s and 1930s. It was built in South Australia in the period between 1980 to 1987, as a tribute to ‘Smithy’, the aircraft toured Australia during the 1988 Bicentenary raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.


She is a faithful replica built to modern standards using the traditional aircraft construction of steel tubing and timber with doped Irish Linen for the fuselage and an all wooden (spruce and plywood) wing. She is the largest “exact replica” aircraft in the world and has the largest one piece wing ever made here in Australia.

On the 25th May 2002 at Parafield South Australia she lost a main wheel on takeoff. Landing on the one good wheel and the tail, the pilot kept the damaged wheel off the ground by keeping its wing high in the air. When the aircraft stopped the high wing came down and snapped off ~3m of the wing tip. After considerable negotiation HARS acquired the aircraft from the SA Government in 2010.

Having experienced the enthusiasm of the HARS membership it won’t be too long before they have added more aircraft to their ‘flying fleet’.

I could have spent hours there seeing up close these wonderful old aircraft and chatting to the host of talented volunteers without whom this super living museum could not exist. I openly admit that I have used their own aircraft information details and suggest that, if you want to see all the aircraft and engines that they have, please visit http://hars.org.au .

Location
Corner of Airport Road and Boomerang Avenue
Albion Park Rail NSW 2527, Australia
P: +61 02 4257 4333
F: +61 02 4257 4388

Opening hours
The museum is open every day (except Good Friday and Christmas Day). Guided tours are available any time between 9:30am and 3:30pm. Please note that tours of the B747 are subject to weather.

Guided Tour Costs
AUS$20/adult, AUS$15/senior or student concession, AUS$8/child (5-14 years) or AUS$55/family (2 adults plus up to 4 children). Please allow 1-2 hours for a comprehensive tour.

Group Tour Bookings
To arrange group bookings please call the HARS reception desk in advance on
+61 02 4257 4333.

Please note that this information is valid as at 14 December 2015.

For aircraft enthusiasts this is a MUST VISIT location. Please help spread the word because more visitors equates to more wonderful restoration work saving aeronautical history for future generations.

GETTING THERE
Illawarra Regional Airport is an 80-minute drive from Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport (International & Domestic flights). An electric rail service is available between Sydney and Albion Park Rail on the South Coast rail line.

If you'd like to know which airline is the Editor's favourite please click on
http://www.tour-smart.co.uk/destinations/u-s-a-/u-s-a-pan-am-and-me - the clue is in the title!!