Wings and wheels going on Travolta 707

From watching work begin to put wings and wheels back on the Travolta Boeing 707 to the sight and sound of classic aircraft flying and running, there’s action aplenty for all during this weekend’s monthly Tarmac Days at HARS Aviation Museum.

President of the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, Bob De La Hunty, said the HARS volunteers were proud to show off their collective effort from 47 years of preservation of Australia’s aviation heritage.

While open daily, the focus of monthly Tarmac Days is on flying or taxiing selective aircraft.

“When we took on saving Neptune aircraft then a Super Constellation, people were in disbelief that we could do it,” Mr De La Hunty said. “But now we still take on what many see as impossible. With over 70 aircraft saved from scrapping and a good number still flying or potentially able to do so, our members have plenty to share with visitors.”

“Apart from the 707 work, the October Tarmac Days will have the DC-4, Convair 440, newly landed Qantas F100, Tracker and Canberra open for inspection on the tarmac.”

Listed for flying are the L39 Albatros fast jet and on Saturday both a former RAN Huey 898 helicopter and a former RAAF De Havilland Caribou, while the Vampire jet restoration team plan to taxi their former RAAF trainer.

Painting the wings and fuselage of the former Qantas and Travolta Boeing 707-138 is almost complete, Mr De La Hunty said.

“Now a three-member team has arrived from America to reverse the process they undertook to help get the aircraft here by ship earlier this year,” he said. “Our experienced team working on the 707 have been fantastic and the fact that all is now ready, demonstrates what HARS can do!”

“Make no mistake, this is a monumental engineering challenge, and one that will stand as an Australian aviation achievement even greater than had we been able to fly to Australia as originally anticipated.

“In Hangar 3, visitors can go aboard the Super Constellation “Connie“ and see our engineers working on an engine change. There are also lots of other aircraft to see in and around Hangar 3, including work on our Catalina, Queen’s Flight Dakota and maybe the Southern Cross replica Fokker Trimotor of which the original is of Charles Kingsford Smith fame.”

Upstairs at HARS Aviation Museum, visitors are able to inspect the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame and the Lawrence Hargrave Centre.

Visitor information

While open for guided tours every day except Christmas Day, the monthly Tarmac Days allow the volunteers at HARS Aviation Museum to highlight some of their almost 70 aircraft of significance to Australia’s aviation heritage.

The largely undercover HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30 to 3.30 daily. All visitors will be accompanied by a HARS tour guide. The last tour starts at 2 pm. It is located at Shellharbour Airport, just off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail and a short walk from the railway station. 

The museum’s acclaimed Café Connie is open for barista coffee plus hot and cold food at very reasonable prices … augmented on Tarac Days Saturday and Sunday by barbeque offerings to be enjoyed under the wings of the record-setting former Qantas Boeing 747-400.

So, when visiting HARS Aviation Museum you can make a meal of it.

Visitor details at www.hars.org.au