27th Jan 2019, 13:21 - Wikipost
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A thread where ex PNG geriatrics lapuns and long longs can live in the dim distant past.
Where tall stories are accepted as fact. War stories are applauded. Grab a Brownie, pull up a story and join in a trip down memory lane!!! 
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PNG Ples Bilong Tok Tok
Nice model of P2-RDE CAC Sabre.
This machine had quite a history; was an ex-TAA machine, then with Maslings and bounced off a hilltop at Cootamundra one rainy night. Extensive nosewheel and forward bulkhead damage, but was rebuilt and sold to Talair.
I flew it in the early 80's, but it was not my favourite Otter. All the ex-TAA machines were very heavy, due to being built with a complex F27-type electrical system.
Not sure where it ended up post Talair.
This machine had quite a history; was an ex-TAA machine, then with Maslings and bounced off a hilltop at Cootamundra one rainy night. Extensive nosewheel and forward bulkhead damage, but was rebuilt and sold to Talair.
I flew it in the early 80's, but it was not my favourite Otter. All the ex-TAA machines were very heavy, due to being built with a complex F27-type electrical system.
Not sure where it ended up post Talair.
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A lot of the early Twin Otters used were 200's. If RDE was one, then perhaps the model should have the thinner, pointed props, and an outline for the escape hatch halfway down the fuselage roof.. just for accuracy..
Hiya Frigatebird
Maybe you're right.. I had only two Talair Twotter pics and I couldnt read the rego on either of 'em. Thing is there is so much wrong with this model the shortcomings you noted pale into insignificance... I really stuffed this one, not a good quality build or paint job..its a long story.. besides the paint job the thing that I find annoying is the unfeathered props..I was too lazy to modify them.
I have another kit to do a better job next time.. I am treating this one as a practise run)
If anyone has more pics of this era Talair Twotters (or any other type for that matter) let me have 'em!
I have another kit to do a better job next time.. I am treating this one as a practise run)
If anyone has more pics of this era Talair Twotters (or any other type for that matter) let me have 'em!
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sabre
I just came back from reading the limericks to take my previous post/comments off because I felt bad about pointing out a possible inconsistency. but as you don't mind, then I'll leave it stand. Cheers.
( really don't know much anyway.. love the 300's tho..)
I just came back from reading the limericks to take my previous post/comments off because I felt bad about pointing out a possible inconsistency. but as you don't mind, then I'll leave it stand. Cheers.
( really don't know much anyway.. love the 300's tho..)
Grandpa Aerotart
CAC sabre can you paint the next one as P2-RDB?
It was FAR AND AWAY the best of the ex TAA -200s - built on a Tuesday morning whereas RDE
was most assuredly built Friday afternoon.
Lighter on the controls, climbed better, carried REALLY dumb loads and merely frightened me rather than killing me - I loved RDB - my Wau based Twotter
And frigatebird is spot on re the design features of the -200.
It was FAR AND AWAY the best of the ex TAA -200s - built on a Tuesday morning whereas RDE
was most assuredly built Friday afternoon. Lighter on the controls, climbed better, carried REALLY dumb loads and merely frightened me rather than killing me - I loved RDB - my Wau based Twotter
And frigatebird is spot on re the design features of the -200.
P2-RDB
Hiya Chimbu Chuckles,
...
I am 95 per cent sure this is RDB.
The pilot was Dangerous Dave, the slide was taken by my father - in -law about 79-80, for some reason I believe it was taken at Menyamya but I am probably wrong.
I wasnt familiar with the differences in Twotters, other than the early versions had a rounder / shorter nose. I have 3 "memories" of Lae Twotters:
1. My first wet season morning in Nadzab tower about 4 weeks after I first arrived.. Lae and Nadzab were socked in and a Talair twotter was in the stack over the Lae NDB waiting its turn for an approach into Nadzab, it was about No 5 in the approach sequence and didnt have the fuel to hang around...diverted to Bulolo. (I still shudder at this baptism of fire)
2. Twotter pulling off the taxiway at Lae onto the grass, passing 4 on the taxiway to enter the runway and belt down to Pacific Helicopters. Pilot abandons plane full of Pax to enter helicopter and off to rescue Maxy from the Huon Gulf after ditching the Baron
3. Twotter cleared to enter CTA via the Blackcat or Bulolo gap ( I forget which),
on first contact pilot radios "unable to maintain altitude".. was about 3000 ft above cleared level and STILL climbing at a rapid rate being caught in some updarft!
Yep the next one will be RDB...more pictures would be nice to help with the process
cheers
wal
...I am 95 per cent sure this is RDB.
The pilot was Dangerous Dave, the slide was taken by my father - in -law about 79-80, for some reason I believe it was taken at Menyamya but I am probably wrong.
I wasnt familiar with the differences in Twotters, other than the early versions had a rounder / shorter nose. I have 3 "memories" of Lae Twotters:
1. My first wet season morning in Nadzab tower about 4 weeks after I first arrived.. Lae and Nadzab were socked in and a Talair twotter was in the stack over the Lae NDB waiting its turn for an approach into Nadzab, it was about No 5 in the approach sequence and didnt have the fuel to hang around...diverted to Bulolo. (I still shudder at this baptism of fire)
2. Twotter pulling off the taxiway at Lae onto the grass, passing 4 on the taxiway to enter the runway and belt down to Pacific Helicopters. Pilot abandons plane full of Pax to enter helicopter and off to rescue Maxy from the Huon Gulf after ditching the Baron
3. Twotter cleared to enter CTA via the Blackcat or Bulolo gap ( I forget which),
on first contact pilot radios "unable to maintain altitude".. was about 3000 ft above cleared level and STILL climbing at a rapid rate being caught in some updarft!
Yep the next one will be RDB...more pictures would be nice to help with the process
cheers
wal
Silly Old Git
Lapun Tru yes we do know each other
I don't think you will find many pre 1975 posting here, there may well be a few lurkers
Heres a poor photo for ya . Hint, 1971, he wore huge RM Williams boots that allowed him to sand off tyres with ease.
I don't think you will find many pre 1975 posting here, there may well be a few lurkers
Heres a poor photo for ya . Hint, 1971, he wore huge RM Williams boots that allowed him to sand off tyres with ease.
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Husat i stap?
Bloody awful photo, Tinpis - could be just about anybody!
Bernie used to wear RM Williams boots, but it doesn't look much like him in the photo. My memory is now in regular senior moment mode, so I may have to admit defeat on this one.
Wouldn't be Gumis, would it?
Bernie used to wear RM Williams boots, but it doesn't look much like him in the photo. My memory is now in regular senior moment mode, so I may have to admit defeat on this one.
Wouldn't be Gumis, would it?
Last edited by Lapun Tru; 13th Feb 2010 at 06:50. Reason: Additional info
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Lutheran Mission Aircraft - VH-RAJ, EFO, AMS, ELG
Reading back over a few pages, I found the picture of VH-RAJ posted by Storchpilot and references to EFO and AMS.
I flew for the Lutheran MIssion for a year before joing TALAIR and flew a lot of hours in all these aircraft, plus ELG which was a Turbo Cessna 206 with a Robertson-STOL conversion - a beautiful aeroplane to fly.
At the opposite end of the scale was VH-RAJ, a Wren460 conversion of a Cessna 182 - not particularly pleasant to fly, although it served its purpose. As noted previously, this aircraft was named after Ray Jaench (can't remember the spelling), who died following an aircraft accident in a Lutheran Mission Dornier after take off from a new strip below Shaggy Ridge near Dumpu. (I forget the name of the strip, although I flew in there a few times - I'll see if I can find it in my log books). As I recall, Ray had landed for the very first time at the strip and then suffered an engine failure after take off. Although the accident had absolutely nothing to do with the strip itself, ATC (which exercised positive control in those days) closed the strip and refused to allow anyone else to land there. A RAAF chopper was sent from Moresby to the crash site in the gorge below the strip, but the pilot got lost on the way and took a while to get there. Meanwhile a DC3 landed at Dumpu to transfer the injured to Madang.
The result of this cock-up was that although the accident happened about 0900, Ray and the injured passengers were not airlifted by the chopper to Dumpu until the afternoon at about 1500. Again, my (admittedly hazy) recollection is that Ray died in the DC3 on the way to Madang.
The Wren460 was purchased to replace the Dornier specifically to operate into a tiny Lutheran Mission strip called Tapen (south east of Lae) which had an Effective Operational Length of just 350 FEET! Somewhere in my junk I have a slide taken on downwind at Tapen, which shows the entire incredibly short strip. Even RAJ had a couple of mishaps there!
VH-RAJ had canards at the front which worked in opposition to the elevators, a full-span flap/aileron system and strakes on the top surface of the wings which moved with the ailerons to redirect the airflow. It was virtually unstallable. The first time I flew it I had to take a body bag (complete with occupant
) and a small amount of cargo - payload was VERY limited - from Lae to Goroka. Halfway up the Markham Valley I decided to see what it could do and tried some stalls (I didn't think my sole passenger in the body bag would mind). With the airspeed right off the clock, all that happened was that the nose remained high and wandered around in a circle while the altitude only very gradually decreased!
As for AMS and EFO - Terry Z gave me my C206 endorsement and route checks in AMS out of Madang in late 1970. I flew EFO for the Lutherans out of Goroka. Some of you may recall an ATC guy at Goroka (Dave H?) who we used to call "Standby One" (his favourite reply to anything). He often cleared me to land with the phrase "Evangelical Flying Object clear to land!"
Interesting memories that this thread is bringing back.
I flew for the Lutheran MIssion for a year before joing TALAIR and flew a lot of hours in all these aircraft, plus ELG which was a Turbo Cessna 206 with a Robertson-STOL conversion - a beautiful aeroplane to fly.
At the opposite end of the scale was VH-RAJ, a Wren460 conversion of a Cessna 182 - not particularly pleasant to fly, although it served its purpose. As noted previously, this aircraft was named after Ray Jaench (can't remember the spelling), who died following an aircraft accident in a Lutheran Mission Dornier after take off from a new strip below Shaggy Ridge near Dumpu. (I forget the name of the strip, although I flew in there a few times - I'll see if I can find it in my log books). As I recall, Ray had landed for the very first time at the strip and then suffered an engine failure after take off. Although the accident had absolutely nothing to do with the strip itself, ATC (which exercised positive control in those days) closed the strip and refused to allow anyone else to land there. A RAAF chopper was sent from Moresby to the crash site in the gorge below the strip, but the pilot got lost on the way and took a while to get there. Meanwhile a DC3 landed at Dumpu to transfer the injured to Madang.
The result of this cock-up was that although the accident happened about 0900, Ray and the injured passengers were not airlifted by the chopper to Dumpu until the afternoon at about 1500. Again, my (admittedly hazy) recollection is that Ray died in the DC3 on the way to Madang.
The Wren460 was purchased to replace the Dornier specifically to operate into a tiny Lutheran Mission strip called Tapen (south east of Lae) which had an Effective Operational Length of just 350 FEET! Somewhere in my junk I have a slide taken on downwind at Tapen, which shows the entire incredibly short strip. Even RAJ had a couple of mishaps there!
VH-RAJ had canards at the front which worked in opposition to the elevators, a full-span flap/aileron system and strakes on the top surface of the wings which moved with the ailerons to redirect the airflow. It was virtually unstallable. The first time I flew it I had to take a body bag (complete with occupant
) and a small amount of cargo - payload was VERY limited - from Lae to Goroka. Halfway up the Markham Valley I decided to see what it could do and tried some stalls (I didn't think my sole passenger in the body bag would mind). With the airspeed right off the clock, all that happened was that the nose remained high and wandered around in a circle while the altitude only very gradually decreased!As for AMS and EFO - Terry Z gave me my C206 endorsement and route checks in AMS out of Madang in late 1970. I flew EFO for the Lutherans out of Goroka. Some of you may recall an ATC guy at Goroka (Dave H?) who we used to call "Standby One" (his favourite reply to anything). He often cleared me to land with the phrase "Evangelical Flying Object clear to land!"
Interesting memories that this thread is bringing back.
Treasures from the op. shop. 'Best of Paradise.' 1978. First edition.
Of the 133 selections, seventeen are about or relate to aviation.
1. Gold - but no rush.
2. Three Zeroes - and Bertie hangs up his goggles.
3. Life with the Junkers G31
4. On a wing and a prayer.
5. At the end of the rainbow. (Piece by Dave Tholler with many of his
DC-3 pics.)
6. Tapini.
7. An affair of the air. (Larry Blackman.)
8. Liklik balus.
9. Hoppy and the Swallow
10. Amelia - the jigsaw is falling into place.
11. Nadzab.
12. Jackson's Airport.
13. 'Old John' Jackson, DFC.
14. Wewak.
15. Rabaul.
16. Lae.
17. Skyway to Hong Kong.
Included in the Blackman memoir - 'Sitting on Guadalcanal, writing up the load and trim sheet using the tailplane as a table. Co-pilot on the other side doing a walk-round raises the elevator inflicting on me a nasty bruise just below the ribs. Explained all this to the wife when I got home. Her retort -
'I know of your long standing love affair with this aeroplane, but when the thing bites you, it's just too much!'
Copies are on Amazon from about 10 quid to 30.
A night cap now . - a tumbler of ST VINNIES SACRIFICIAL WINE. Cheers.
P.S. Where is CB (Bryan) Grey today?
Of the 133 selections, seventeen are about or relate to aviation.
1. Gold - but no rush.
2. Three Zeroes - and Bertie hangs up his goggles.
3. Life with the Junkers G31
4. On a wing and a prayer.
5. At the end of the rainbow. (Piece by Dave Tholler with many of his
DC-3 pics.)
6. Tapini.
7. An affair of the air. (Larry Blackman.)
8. Liklik balus.
9. Hoppy and the Swallow
10. Amelia - the jigsaw is falling into place.
11. Nadzab.
12. Jackson's Airport.
13. 'Old John' Jackson, DFC.
14. Wewak.
15. Rabaul.
16. Lae.
17. Skyway to Hong Kong.
Included in the Blackman memoir - 'Sitting on Guadalcanal, writing up the load and trim sheet using the tailplane as a table. Co-pilot on the other side doing a walk-round raises the elevator inflicting on me a nasty bruise just below the ribs. Explained all this to the wife when I got home. Her retort -
'I know of your long standing love affair with this aeroplane, but when the thing bites you, it's just too much!'
Copies are on Amazon from about 10 quid to 30.
A night cap now . - a tumbler of ST VINNIES SACRIFICIAL WINE. Cheers.
P.S. Where is CB (Bryan) Grey today?
Last edited by Fantome; 13th Feb 2010 at 09:51.
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Where is CB (Bryan) Grey today?
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Lutheran Mission Aircraft - VH-RAJ, EFO, AMS, ELG
Hi Lapun Tru
If you were flying for the Lutheran Mission in those aircraft, did you ever fly any schoolkids to Wau? If you did from Goroka, I was probably one of those schoolkids aboard. Yes I remember ELG, allthough I canīt recall flying in it. As kids interested in airplanes we knew it was turbo charged and were always raving on about itīs qualities, although we were so small and young then, that we probably didnīt really know what we were talking about.
Check your PMīs
Storchpilot
If you were flying for the Lutheran Mission in those aircraft, did you ever fly any schoolkids to Wau? If you did from Goroka, I was probably one of those schoolkids aboard. Yes I remember ELG, allthough I canīt recall flying in it. As kids interested in airplanes we knew it was turbo charged and were always raving on about itīs qualities, although we were so small and young then, that we probably didnīt really know what we were talking about.
Check your PMīs
Storchpilot
Where was the camera?
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Where was the camera?
It was actually on the site, where they were trying to build an airstrip with one Caterpillar D4 and some dynamite. They gave up pretty quickly, as the earth to be moved was such a huge amount, that they would have needed bigger dozers and graders and all the rest of the big stuff. In the picture (please excuse the quality
, as it is a scan from a 1968 poor quality slide taken from a chopper) you can see the place of the airstrip in process in the left upper quarter. The place where the airdrops took place were in the very upper left corner, just above the last buildings.
Very much later a strip was built in Ponampa, but at a totally different site.
While we were there we had three means of getting out of the station: walking for days, driving with a Landrover for six hours or catching a rare ride on the SIL Hughes 300 C Helicopter.
Last edited by Storchpilot; 15th Feb 2010 at 15:48.