Warbirds flypast to salute Anzac Day services

HARS Aviation Museum media release: Tuesday 19 April 2022

The distinctive sound and sight of former defence aircraft from the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) will stage a flypast over seven ANZAC Day locations along the NSW South Coast, Illawarra and Sydney.

Up to seven “warbird” aircraft will salute the ANZAC services in Shellharbour, Wollongong, Kiama, Kangaroo Valley, Cronulla, Coogee and the city of Sydney.

Subject to operational factors, the aircraft will be an Orion, Mustang, Harvard, Tracker, Dakota, Caribou, and a Huey helicopter.

It will be the largest ANZAC overflight ever staged from the HARS Aviation Museum.

The Orion, Mustang, Harvard and Iroquois will form the Wollongong, Kiama and Kangaroo Valley flypasts, with the Tracker, Dakota, Caribou and Catalina featured over the Cronulla, Coogee and Sydney.

Shellharbour

All the aircraft will overfly Shellharbour in a long line astern sequence, led by the Orion at 8.10 am and make two passes before returning to the airport.

Wollongong

Taking off from 9.40 am the Orion, Mustang, and Huey will make three passes over Burelli Street Wollongong from east to west starting at 10.05 am.

Kiama

After leaving Wollongong the flight will travel along the coast to fly along Terralong Street, Kiama in a north-westerly direction for two passes from about 10.30 am.

Kangaroo Valley

From Kiama, the Orion, Mustang, Harvard and Huey plan to travel via Berry and make two passes over the Kangaroo Valley services.

Cronulla

Taking off from 9.30 am the Dakota, Caribou and Tracker will fly north along the coast to overfly Cronulla beach shortly before 10 am.

Coogee

The aircraft will continue their line astern formation to fly over Goldstein Reserve at Coogee at 10 am at the conclusion of the ANZAC march by Coogee, Randwick and Clovelly RSL members.

Sydney City

After the Coogee salute, the aircraft will continue to fly north to Long Reef and wait for air traffic clearance to flyover Garden Island then along Elizabeth Street in a northerly direction over the Sydney ANZAC Day march at 10.30 am.

The aircraft will return to HARS Aviation Museum where they will be on show to visitors, along with other aircraft of significance to aviation in Australia.

Other warbirds of note in the HARS display include a former RAAF supersonic F-111C, three 1960s Neptune maritime patrol aircraft, a Catalina, a Winjeel, additional Dakotas, a former RAN Wessex helicopter, Vampire and Sea Venom jets plus airliners including “Connie” the former Lockheed Super Constellation and the only Boeing 747-400 remaining in Australia.

Open every day, HARS Aviation Museum offers visitors a hands-on and interactive opportunity with the aircraft in tours conducted by informative guides.

HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30 to 3.30 daily for guided tours, located at Shellharbour Airport, just off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail and a short walk from the railway station.

Visitors can make a meal of it when they drop into Café Connie where the menu offers a value selection of hot and cold foods plus excellent coffee.

Details of check-in at www.hars.org.au