By HARS media officer Ian Badham OAM, a rescue helicopter and aeromedical pioneer
The former RAAF submarine hunter and marine patrol Lockheed Orion is flying again with the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) based at Shellharbour Airport south of Sydney.
After a year of maintenance, including critical propellor work, the impressive four-engine former AP-3C patrol aircraft flew again in October.
Logging over 16,400 hours of surveillance, the Orion was handed over to HARS in 2017— and now is the only Orion of its type flying in Australia and the only one flying with a museum anywhere in the world.
The flying history included some 350 hours over the Indian Ocean searching for the missing MH370 airliner.
HARS President and Chief Pilot Bob De La Hunty praised the maintenance volunteers.
“Our huge thanks to the long hours and quiet dedication of a crew that spans Brisbane, Adelaide, Capertee, and California,” Mr De La Hunty said.
“Their hands are keeping Australian aviation history flying.”
HARS Orion A9-753, participated in most RAAF P-3 operations including Operation Gateway and numerous deployments to the MEAO (Iraq & Afghanistan) and the MH370 search. Built in May 1978 it was delivered to the RAAF on 4 August 1978.
The P-3B started replacing 11 Sqn P-2E aircraft in 1968 and the Squadron moved to Edinburgh, and then ten years later, 10 Sqn started receiving P-3C aircraft and moved to Edinburgh also. During the course of the Orion service, the P-3B were traded in for new P-3C aircraft and then in the early 2000s, the fleet was progressively modified to AP-3C standard.
The RAAF replaced the Orions with the Boeing P-8 Poseidon and Northrup Grumman MQ-4C Triton (an unmanned aircraft) from around 2021.
The Orion is on display at HARS Aviation Museum along with some 60 aircraft of significance to Australia’s aviation legacy, with 20 being airworthy.
Flying aircraft include Australia’s predecessor to the Orion, former RAAF Lockheed Neptune 273, several DC-3/Dakotas, two De Havilland Caribous, a former RAN sub-hunting Grumman Tracker, Lockheed Super Constellation and HARS mascot “Connie”, a Catalina and the magnificently restored replica of Kingsford Smith’s 1920s Fokker tri-motor Southern Cross plus, although it flew there in 2015, the now static double record holding former Qantas Boeing 747-400 (shortest and longest Qantas delivery flights).
Visit HARS Aviation Museum
Closed only on Christmas Day, HARS Aviation Museum offers a largely undercover and hands-on experience for visitors at its Shellharbour Airport hangars.
HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30am to 3.30pm daily for tours hosted by informative volunteer guides (last tour 2pm) including a walk through the double record setting former Qantas Boeing 747-400.
It is located at Shellharbour Airport, off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail and just a short walk from the railway station.
Located in the NSW Central West, the Parkes HARS Aviation Museum is open for visitors on Thursdays and Sundays.
