Presentation to honour aviation pioneers at HARS
Professor Michael Hough AM, patron of the Lawrence Hargrave Society, and Richard Webb, model builder of Hargrave box kites, will give a special presentation honouring aviation pioneers this Saturday as part of the weekend's HARS Tarmac Days
The NSW South Coast is closely identified with two outstanding Australians who were early pioneers of powered flight.
Lawrence Hargrave demonstrated the principles of the aerofoil wing through his kite flying experiments at Stanwell Park Beach and he also developed a working model of the rotary engine for aviation.
Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith used his famous Fokker trimotor “Southern Cross” to fly the first successful Tasman Crossing, making a take-off from Gerroa Beach after initial engine troubles
Prof Hough said his presentation on Saturday will use animated illustrations to explain the significance of both pioneers.
“It will explain the work of Lawrence Hargrave with the work of the Lawrence Hargrave Society (LHS) in preserving his memory,” Prof Hough said.
“It will show examples of his box kites and explain current projects the LHS is undertaking to preserve the memory of this famous early aviation pioneer, including proposing that the domestic terminal of the new Western Sydney Airport be named the Lawrence Hargrave terminal.”
The presentation will provide a short official movie of the work of Anthony Fokker and the achievements of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in the “Southern Cross” trimotor.
Audience members will be able to inspect the full-size flying replica of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s Fokker tri-motor aircraft “Southern Cross” and a flying de Havilland Tiger Moth trainer which was built at Bankstown – both located in the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) hangars.
The presentation will start at 11am.
While the talks are free to attend visitors are required to pay entrance fees which include guided tours to all HARS attractions and hands-on experience.
As that also is the HARS monthly Tarmac Day with scheduled flying, tour participants can then stay on to enjoy the undercover displays, check work on reassembling the recently-arrived John Travolta former Qantas Boeing 707. Visitors are invited to step on board for an inside look at the cockpit section of a Boeing 707-338 – ex-Qantas, ex RAAF – which is similar to the Travolta 707-138.
HARS President Bob De La Hunty said the four-engine former RAAF marine patrol Orion will be open with crew to take visitors through operations while hopefully its predecessor the Neptune will be conducting engine runs on Sunday – subject to crew availability.
The volunteers at HARS also plan to conduct DC-3 and Caribou engine runs over the weekend while their former RAAF Vampire jet will conduct engine taxi runs, subject to weather.
On Saturday and Sunday, a barbecue selection is available for visitors to have lunch under the wing of the massive Boeing 747-400, which also is open for guided tours.
Visitor information
The largely undercover HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30 to 3.30 daily, except Christmas Day. All visitors will be accompanied by a HARS tour guide. The last tour starts at 2pm. It is located at Shellharbour Airport, just off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail and a short walk from the railway station.
Professor Michael Hough AM, patron of the Lawrence Hargrave Society, and Richard Webb, model builder of Hargrave box kites, will give a special presentation of aviation pioneers on Saturday at 11am.
