Air Frame @ Daly Waters

[The Voice]

I noticed an airframe 'parked' on the side of the Stuart Highway, southern side of the driveway to the Highway Inn, Daly Waters.

When I asked the girl behind the counter, the only thing she could offer info wise, was that it came down from DWN on a truck, and it doesn't have any direct link/history to the area, but it is a supposed symbol of an early days QF landing at Daly Waters a lifetime ago.

It has a V tail, high wing, minimal windows/glass which to me suggests it could have been used a freight mover rather than a people mover, or perhaps one of Ammans old frames.

The reg was something like NYB or similar, the reg had been removed and there was a vague outline of lettering.

Anyone know the story/history of it?

Seems such a shame to see it dumped where it is .. it could have at least been mounted properly ...

[High Altitude]

I reckon by the sound of it you hit it with Aman?

Maybe an old commander?

Daly Waters... What a great PUB!!!

Fun flying into the old airstrip and putting yer plane in the ole hangar!

[Super Cecil]

A V tail high wing? your having a loan I think. Don't know of any high wing V tail's, is it a single? Do you mean swept forward tail?

[The Voice]

When I get where I'm going Cecil, I will upload the photo I took, but one thing buddy, I am not having a loan...

HA yep .. reckon that's what it might be - an aero commander is what it looks like, sort of!!

[tinpis]

Voice it may be one of the dead Shrikes that were parked against the fence near the old Aero club
If it was I probably flew it in another life.
:{

[captain marvellous]

When this bloke [shiela] says "V tail" does he [she] really mean tail plane dihedral? :confused:


Aero Commander tail plane dihedral
http://www.controller.com/images/controller/fullsize/70756608.jpg


Beech Bonanza V-tail
http://www.controller.com/images/controller/fullsize/00920449.jpg

[Fris B. Fairing]

VH-NYB was an AC690 registered to Amann Aviation.

Cheers

[Spotlight]

I could be wrong (gasp shock horrer), but pretty sure the hull is the Shrike John Weymouth (Heli-Muster, VRD) ran as a breakdown vehicle for his choppers in the 80's early 90's.

Further to the above. Having seen it, it is definately a piston Aero-Commander, pale blue markings and totally gutted. Not even worth wandering over to.

Of far more interest, a bit further down the track is the main section of a B25. Very solidly built!

[bushy]

Was it the one that was intercepted entering the country with a load of cannabis resin?

[Spotlight]

Interesting Bushy! Donald Tait, deceased now of course. I have no idea if JW may have ended up with the aircraft but anythings possible.

[The Voice]

Thanks Capt Marvellous for the pic's upload, (and I'm not a bloke BTW) and Cecil apologies .. it was indeed a poor choice of words on my part, it is the tail plane dihedral that I wrongly called a V tail. It does look exactly the same as the pic uploaded and Tinny I guess it may be one you've clocked a few hours in!

Still it is a shame that it has gone from wasting away on the back of on airport somewhere, to doing it on the side of a road!

Spotlight Whereabouts are you referring to? I've obviously missed the one you're referring to, although I've seen plenty of relics etc. all over the Territory and the top bit of W.A.

[Pseudonymn]

TV, don't apologise to Cecil, he has more to apologise for than you. His shirts are a crime against fashion! :E (Hi Cec!)

Are you still planning on heading back to DRW for a few days at the end of March? If so, drop me a PM here or that other place and we'll sort something out. :ok:

[SeldomFixit]

The Amman Aviation fiasco makes for a good read but can anyone tell me who the principals were ?

[captain marvellous]

I'm not a bloke BTWWell ya can't blame me for that! ;)

[Pinky the pilot]

Bushy; If memory serves me correctly the Shrike that Tait used was torched by him after he landed. The whole lot, a/c and the illicit cargo was destroyed!
An obscene waste of a good aircraft.:{

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[Torres]

Fris, who is seldom wrong, suggests NYB is an AC690 - turbine engines. I thought all the Amman Fiasco aircraft were Garrett powered Turbine Commanders?

Spotlight says its "...definately a piston Aero-Commander, pale blue markings."

If the registration is not NYB and Spotlight is correct, is it perhaps the Coral Sea Air 500S Shrike with pale blue markings which ran out of motion lotion a few hundred meters short of the Runway at Horn Island a few years ago, and ended up in the drink? That aircraft was shipped to Cairns and was certainly only suitable for transformation to pots, pans and beer cans.

"...is a supposed symbol of an early days QF landing at Daly Waters a lifetime ago..." Qantas will be impressed, I'm sure!!! :E

[CoodaShooda]

If we're commemorating QANTAS at Daly Waters, surely we should have a Constellation. :E

Or a P-40 to commemorate the many USAAF pilots who crashed there when misjudging their height on approach...a combination of fatigue and inexperience with the wide open spaces so I'm told. :{

[tinpis]

OK
Just got off the blower with Al from the Daly Waters boozer.It is indeed VH NYB an ex coast watch Shrike got from the fence at Darwin airport.
He is going to mount it nose first into the deck and paint "BUGGER" ! onnit :hmm:

[Fris B. Fairing]

Torres

Your faith is touching (and probably misplaced!). I checked another register and VH-NYB still shows as an AC690 Turbo Commander.

tinnie

Are we sure it's a Shrike or has it been "customised"?

Cheers

[tinpis]

This guy is only a publican not an aircraft historian
He quoted me the rego over the phone while standing beside the plane .

Personallyhttp://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/whogivesa****.gif

[The Voice]

Torres "...is a supposed symbol of an early days QF landing at Daly Waters a lifetime ago..." Qantas will be impressed, I'm sure!!! well, she does work behind the counter at a roadhouse, what would she know? I think I caught her on the back foot in any case when I asked.

.. and the markings are 2 x blue and 1 x red line .. just to be precise ..

Seldom .. in which context are you after the prinicpals? The entire matter is documented in law annals. But, I'm guessing that may be not what you're after.

[Fris B. Fairing]

tp

A simple "don't know" would have sufficed.

Imagine a little graphic which implies that personally I do give a ....

[Super Cecil]

Psedonym...ph and the Voice WIMMIN? what's the world coming to? next thing the'll be letting wimmin fly.:(

[SeldomFixit]

Voice - how perceptive of you.

[Pseudonymn]

Hey Cec, you've let me fly with you...




...although I got nowhere near the controls! ;)

Seeya next month! :}