January - March 1996

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• Equine Excellence - The P-51 Mustang
• Mustang Survivors Downunder
• A Stag Returns
• Santa Monica Museum of Flying
• The Flying Flea
• Stearmans Downunder
• Flying the Beast (The Stearman)

In the previous article mention is made of the three CAC built Mustangs which have been flying in Australia over the past decade or so. We've been privileged to witness these aeroplanes being displayed at airshows right up and down the East Coast of Australia.

Considering the period over which this number of operational machines has remained constant it is interesting to reflect on the fact that to date 19 different Australian Mustangs have been allocated civillian call signs, and this doesnt include the ones based over in New Zealand, five at last count.

April - June 1996

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• Albatross Odyssey
• The Return of Miss Sandgate
• The Wooden Wonder
• Panama Jacks Aircraft Restoration
• Deja Vu (Sam Picture 50 years on)
• Cavanaugh Flight Museum - Texas
• Mustang Memories
• So You Want To Get Into An Aeroplane
• Harvards in South Africa

Graham Orphan discusses the unique wooden design of this classic wartime bomber and its inevitable decline, which until now was considered irrevocable.

Aucklander Glyn Powell is giving new hope for life to remaining Mosquitos worldwide. He has succeeded in producing the massive and complex fuselage moulds which have hitherto daunted restorers and procluded the building of replacement Mosquito fuselages.

If Glyn's test fuselage passes with flying colours, projects around the world will suddenly become viable restorations.

July - September 1996

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• Australia's B-24 Miracle
• Ellen Grace Chellingworth - Aviatrix
• Flying the Yak-3M
• Frozen Fokker
• Tang's Thai Texan
• Warbirds Over Wanaka
• Mosquito Survivors
• The Dogs of War - L-19
• Narromine 96
• North Shore Airshow

When Japan appreared likely to invade Australia during 1942 the United States threw in its heaviest flying metal. Enter the Liberator - officially known as the B-24. Well over 40 years since Australia retired its last Liberator, a World War II memorial example is being privately built there.

The significance of what is happening is not generally known. This is that Australias B-24 project is easily one of the biggest warbird rebuilds ever tackled anywhere in the world. After its planned completion within the next few years the aircraft will be offered to an accredited Australian museum for public display.

October - December 1996

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• Airtourer Henry's final touchdown
• The Fairchild Downunder
• Flying the Timeless "Taifun"
• The First Warbirds
• Ryans Remembered
• The Hunt for Joh's Old Tiger
• Wattsbridge 96
• Caboolture Corroboree
• The Cascade Squadron

Earlier this year I was somewhat intrigued to receive a call from Maurice Hayes and Colin Henderson to join them at Maurice's pub in Papakura to have a look at a video they had taken recently in South Africa. I was even more surprised to see that the video was of an aircraft type that I had seen occasionally flying the UK warbird circuit, but knew little about - the ME-108 Taifun.

I even became quite excited when Colin advised me that they had purchased the aircraft and that it would be here in time for Warbirds Over Wanaka 1996.

Read more about Trevor Blands comments on the ME-108 Taifun.