RAAF Caribou - New homes for Caribou aircraft

[Feather #3]

From: Defence Media Centre [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, 15 September 2011 5:45 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Minister for Defence Materiel - New homes for Caribou aircraft

New homes for Caribou aircraft

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced that two organisations will preserve and display nine Caribou aircraft and associated equipment.



The two organisations are:

· Amrock Aviation Pty Ltd based in Brisbane, which will use the aircraft for humanitarian work in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands; and

· The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society in the Illawarra, which will preserve and display two aircraft, one propeller, 15 engines and two spares packages.



Other organisations will receive propellers:

· Upwey RSL (Victoria);

· Clarence City Council (Tasmania);

· Caboolture Warflight and Heritage Museum (Queensland);

· Narromine Aviation Museum (NSW);

· Dorrigo RSL (NSW);

· Northampton RSL (WA); and

· Redlands RAAFA (Queensland).



“For more than 40 years, Caribou aircraft were the workhorse of the Australian Defence Force, primarily supporting the Army” Mr Clare said.



“They were used extensively in Vietnam, as well as in East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands supporting humanitarian and relief work.



“They were a versatile aircraft, capable of short take offs and landings on unprepared runways.



“The Caribou served Australia with distinction and these organisations will help us preserve the aircraft for future generations.”

G'day ;)

[drpixie]

Does anyone know who "Amrock Aviation" is?

They don't seem to appear anywhere on the web (nothing on google but a few mentions that they're getting the Caribous). If the RAAF didn't want to pay for maintenance, I'm not sure why it would make sense to a humanitarian org.

(Or is it our government giving free aeroplanes to the bible-bashers and missionaries? - he says raising both politics and religion...)

[Horatio Leafblower]

The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society in the Illawarra, which will preserve and display two aircraft, one propeller, 15 engines...

Two airframes with 7.5 engines each but only one prop beween them? :confused::bored::uhoh::eek:

[Feather #3]

Yes, Horatio, I've been giggling about that all day! :ok:

G'day ;)

[UPPERLOBE]

Reckon the boys at the rail (Hars) will have to do a few Anzac Day flyovers to get those rissoles to hand over the props, :}

[RATpin]

Love to have a copy of the guys in full mess kit,ramp down with Perth City as the backdrop.

[SIMUL8D]

They listed in June with ASIC? Victorian Based company?

Any news? Are they looking for Ex-Boo Pilots per chance :ok::)

ANYone?

[SIMUL8D]

They just purchased a chunk of the Caribou Fleet. Does anyone know who they are? Contact Details? A Name? Looking for qualified DHC-4 Pilots? Any rumours :)

[jas24zzk]

Good to see some RSL's getting some bits for display. :ok:

[MASpares]

Amrock is a new entity - Military & Aviayion Spares Pty Ltd, has been consulting to them for 2 years in this developing project. The intention is to replace the the piston engines for PT6A-67T using PenTurbo's STC

[MASpares]

They will be trucked down from Oakey to Archerfield QLD

aprrox 2+ years conversion and set up time - lot of work to be done to get them on the Civil Register & yes pilots will eventually be needed. sit tight and I will peridically update this forum.

cheers
pb

[SIMUL8D]

Do they want ex-DHC-4 pilot's, and do you have a contact name? Could you PM me if possible?

[Wingnuts]

It is reported at Caribou Cargo - Company News (http://www.cariboucargo.com.au/4/news.html) that the first of two HARS Caribous flew from Oakey to Albion Park yesterday. It is believed the second will make the journey on Wednesday. Congratulations HARS!

A4-210 taxies for take off past A4-234.
http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr223/Wingnutsbucket/IMG_1953.jpg

Lined up.
http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr223/Wingnutsbucket/IMG_1955.jpg

[Ultralights]

I'm surprised Temora didn't get any

[Aye Ess]

Acrylic on stretched canvas. 61cm X 76cm

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a401/alan_spears/img019.jpg?t=1320011511

[Super Cecil]

Yoo can still see the numbers you didn't paint on the nose, paint by numbers is always good to fill a few hours in. :8

[Aye Ess]

Ha,dang, Super Cecil. Hoped you wouldn't reveal my secret. "The Big Book of Paint by Numbers, Vol 4, Aeroplanes".

[Trojan1981]

Beeyoutiful! Good to see them back in the air. I miss the 'bou...

[Wingnuts]

Wednesday, 2/11/11, and 234 leaps into the air for fllight to Albion Park.http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr223/Wingnutsbucket/IMG_1973.jpg

[Arm out the window]

Who was flying? Someone like Max Walker?

[Benny7601]

The aircraft A4-234 was flown from Oakey to Illawarra Regional Airport on the Wednesday by two ex caribou jocks, one a QFI. I acted as the Flight Engineer for the trip. The aircraft ran very smoothly a credit to HARS engineers

[scran]

I'm in TVL doing some work and note 199 is the gate guardian here

[Trojan1981]

Yep, moved from outside the Sqn about a year ago. Shame really, it was their last tactical transport aircraft in the inventory; The sign might still say "The Home of Tactical Transport" but the aircraft sitting on the line these days are a bunch of civilian turboprop hacks! :}

[falconx]

whats the deal with the caribou sitting in BNE in pieces?

[Wingnuts]

The Caribou hangar construction has stalled pending progress payments. What you see in pic is as far as it is going. It is believer the government is taking steps to repossess the 6 aircraft at Oakey. It is expected they will be put up for re-tender.

Toowoomba's largest hangar to revive historic aircraft
THE CHRONICLE (Toowoomba)
Anthea Gleeson, 16/8/13


http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr223/Wingnutsbucket/ToowoombaCaribouHanger_zps0f04b278.jpg (http://s486.photobucket.com/user/Wingnutsbucket/media/ToowoombaCaribouHanger_zps0f04b278.jpg.html)

A KINGSTHORPE company is building a super-sized hangar capable of housing two Caribou aircraft side-by-side with room to move.

The $1.2 million hangar will be the largest at the Toowoomba Airport.

Bettabuilt managing director Matt Garry said the hangar had been specifically designed for an Australian company to restore and maintain decommissioned army Caribous.

The company will also store 20 shipping containers filled with parts in the massive structure.

"The specific design of the hangar caters to the Caribou," Mr Garry said.

"The mezzanine level will be capable of (holding) five tonnes per square metre."

Construction of the Spitfire St hangar began three weeks ago and is expected to be completed within eight to nine weeks.

When finished, the hangar will measure 46 metres wide by 26m deep and 12.85m high.

Although it is the largest structure at the Toowoomba Airport, the hangar is not the biggest that Betterbuilt has constructed.

The company started in 2003 and has constructed specifically designed hangars, using a patented curved roof-line structure, around Australia.

Bettabuilt designs, manufactures parts in Kingsthorpe and also constructs the final product.

Mr Garry said the company had expanded into the American market and is currently negotiating a contract with the owners of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).

"We would be the only specialised aircraft hangar manufacturer in the world," he said.