"Charlie75
Just had a look at the forum for the first time in many months and saw your photos of the crashed PNGDF Nomad.
The photo would be post-1980. I took the first PNGDF Nomads up in 78 and the prang at Nadzab happened after I left at the end of 1980. Up to that date all the PNGDF aircraft had full markings on the side and tail - maybe this is photoshopped to prevent embarrassment? Also it was a a couple of years after we got there that the aircraft were sent one by one back to Melbourne to have the radar fitted (the pranged one has the radar nose).
I had around 2,000 hours on the Nomads both in PNG and Australia and have never heard of the 'infamous tail stall". They certainly had plenty of mods to fix fatigue in the tail area (that is what caused the fatal Army accident in South Australia) but nothing that affected the handling.
I reckon they were a really good aircraft design that was crueled by the Public Service unwilling to allow the factory to spend money on development. We took an N24 from England to Australia alongside a turbine Islander. I think most people would agree the standard Islander was a first class working aircraft but alongside the Nomad (with the same engines) it came second in every possible comparison.
Nomad - what could have been!"
aavn,
Sorry, but that was definitely taken in 1978/79. I took those photos myself, and I was on duty when it happened.
We left PNG to return home to Perth in early 79.
No photoshopping either.
Last edited by Charlie75; 25th Mar 2015 at 10:54.