PNG Ples Bilong Tok Tok

[tail wheel]

Last I heard, Sypho retired (from NJS 146 fleet) to the peace & quiet of Maleny,SE QLD.

Yes, I remember now. I think he still lives there.

Tail Wheel, Brian was the fellow aviator mentioned in the last paragraph of my Misima story.

Yes, Brian liked his amphibians but I suspect he probably had more land plane hours than amphib hours. I recall him spending ages trying to convince me we should be operating Shin Meiwa US-1A aircraft commercially in PNG. With five engines I suspect the Shin Meiwa amphib one of the few aircraft type where the bank account hits empty before the fuel gauges read empty!!!

[Pinky the pilot]

And a general question, anyone else who was there on the foggy Moresby morning, Hagen show day, when the tower controller called our bluff?

Found out later he had already resigned. Dont think many people believe my story.

FL235 Do tell please!

[FL235]

A (true) tale of a different time.

Scene - briefing room below tower at POM
Time - early on Hagen Show day.
Cast - crews of about 17 a/c, all planned for Hagen ( except us, going to Mendi)
Problem - one of POM rare sea fogs, thick enough to reach about half-way up the tower.

Enter the tower controller, come down to make a cofffee, to be treated to friendly abuse on the lines of "C'mon, we've got to get these people to Hagen".

Unexpected reply, "You want to go, go line up."

Well, no-one was conviced it would happen, but no-one was going to back down. So we all taxied out nose to tail, the leader was cleared to "line up, report ready". When ready, "clear for take-off, report abeam tower on course for Hagen." As each completed the 180 to head N-W, line up the next one.

So 17 (from memory) mostly VFR flights departed with less than 50 yds vis on the runway. The story I heard was that tthe controller had already resigned & was going home to Canada.

Then there was the exchange on the radio changing from tower VHF to area HF.

"Moresby, this is XYZ, on track for Mendi, climbing thru 8000, to cruise 12000."

"Good morning XYZ, QNH 1012, traffic is---(long pause) ah bugerrit, there's about 6 in front of you, 12 behind you, they're strung out from 8000 to 12000 and they're all going to Hagen."

A memory to hang next to the other classic exchanges with towers jn the good old, bad old, days.

And I still have some rather poor photos of the Patair DC3 as we overtook him near top of climb.

Memory is not to be trusted after so many years, so others may remember it differently.

[sundaun]

Our old mate Duncan with his Baron (a la Wau) plus survival kit obviously needed at NZAA!!!! (See "airline section")

[Bedder believeit]

Sypho and I shared digs in 4th street in Lae, and Max Painter (Macair engineer) lived next door. We used to take it in turns to cook, and when it was Sypho's turn, I'd retire to the DCA mess a short distance away, and Olga would feed me (hahaha). Sypho was enamoured with Charlton Heston. If you visited the TAA mess bar, there was a whole lot of cartoons drawn by one of the Strachan brothers spread around the upper wall. Jonny Deewhy and the Splinters would give their version of pop/rock on Saturday nights.

[mendi63]

Our old mate Duncan with his Baron (a la Wau)

aka "The Morobe Muscle Man"?

[Laeloya]

Hope you don't mind me jumping on here, but was trawling some old PNG pics of mine, and then went looking for any news of Ian Leslie, saw the posts on here re his tragic accident, then worked my way through all 10+ years of the posts, what amazing stories and oh boy, have you guys brought back some memories.
I flew many times with Ian, including in IDL more than once when he was looking fro comany abck to lae from Goroka i the afternoons.
I am not a pilot or an ATC, but been associated with aviation most of my life and while living in Lae between 1975-1991 I did many a trip around the New Guinea provinces with Talair, but especially up and back from Lae to Goroka most Mondays, and also onto Hagen and Chimbu many times, often in the right hand front seat. Talair was a major client and I got to know many pilots so they would kindly let me hop in the front.
I have some old photos from those days so shall see if I have anything that might be of interest here. Some at Telefomin in 1976 I think.
But one episode comes back to me in particular - Max Parker in P2-UNE (I think I have that right) outbound from Lae (may have been Nadzab) heading south (may have been Popondetta or POM) but front undercarriage did not retract, so headed for Goroka, landed on the grass beside the main runway, kept the nose wheel up, got the passengers to help balance the aircraft by moving around the cabin as he wanted. Then when at the end of his landing, lowered the Cessna down on the front wheel. A great bit of flying and he even brought it up to the top end of the landing area. I was lucky enough to be in Talair's ops room at Goroka airport at the time to see him bring it in.
Ray Hoffman flew me Popondetta back to Lae the day he sadly did not make it throguh the Tari gap.
Hope not to have bored you but so good to be able to reminisce and thanks heaps for bringing back so many great memories.

[Old Farang]

Originally Posted by Exaviator

Tail Wheel, Brian was the fellow aviator mentioned in the last paragraph of my Misima story. He was based in Singapore and flying a Gruman Albatross for an oil company at that time. He probably had more hours on flying boats than he did on wheels...

His son Scott was a Hobie Cat sailer of some repute and had the agency for Hobie Craft for SEA.

Bryan(McCook) was a close friend of mine. He used to take me to work offshore in the jump seat of the Albatross. RIP.

I guess it is ok to post the following link? The Albatross lives on:

VH-NMO Grumman Albatross leaves Perth, heading for Avalon in Victoria ? AviationWA

[Duck Pilot]

I remember looking at a Grumman Albotross at the old Ansett maintaince base at Tullamarine in about 2002 or '03. I've got non digital photos somewhere, would VH-NMO happen to be the same aircraft? The aircraft I looked at was in a US Navy paint scheme if I recall correctly.

I'll dig the photos up.

What ever happened to the Grumman Goose that John Wild had that was based in PNG?

[troppo]

Originally Posted by Duck Pilot

I remember looking at a Grumman Albotross at the old Ansett maintaince base at Tullamarine in about 2002 or '03. I've got non digital photos somewhere, would VH-NMO happen to be the same aircraft? The aircraft I looked at was in a US Navy paint scheme if I recall correctly.

I'll dig the photos up.

What ever happened to the Grumman Goose that John Wild had that was based in PNG?

I think P2-MBA went to VH-MBA and another life after that. McCook briefly flew Widgeon P2-WET, for Massim Expeditions and Tours in 94 before Rabaul turned to **** (P2-MEX was the D-50 of the same company, and probably the nicest piston twin I ever flew). P2-WET was subseqently sold to the Harnish's from Whitby/Salt Air. At the time the G-44 out of Rabaul was probably the best job in the world . Sadly the legacy of the owner is the Rabaul Queen tragedy.

[Duck Pilot]

Thanks troppo.

Salt Air are good!

[troppo]

Originally Posted by Duck Pilot

Thanks troppo.

Salt Air are good!

I think P2-WET might have gone back to its original rego of ZK-AWM (?) and has been undergoing a complete rebuild at Ardmore for the last couple of years. The romantic era of floating hull seaplanes (remember tales of the golden monkey on TV when you were a kid???), it would be great to see one flying down our way again

[giamann]

Originally Posted by Duck Pilot

What ever happened to the Grumman Goose that John Wild had that was based in PNG?

https://www.planespotters.net/photo/...n-g-21-a-goose

[tail wheel]

For those Wan Toks that missed it elsewhere, Mudguard passed away in Langkawi, Malaysia a week or so ago from natural causes. He was 71 years of age.

His ashes are being returned to family in Ireland.

[Minosavy Masta]

R.I.P Muddy, The look you championed in the 70s I am constantly reminded of when looking in the mirror some 40 years on. Some great times shared at various watering holes around New Guinea in those early days.

[rockarpee]

RIP Muddy heaps of great memories, Rick J.

[olderairhead]

RIP Muddy. Another Talair legend now hovering in heaven.

[Pinky the pilot]

Got a vague idea I once had a drink or three with Muddy at the Club Dero on occasion.

Anyone got a piccy of him they can post?

[tail wheel]

I think it is fairly obvious which one is Mudguard!! (Hint: Shiny on top, all s*** underneath.)

Photo borrowed from another ex PNG wantok!

[Pinky the pilot]

Thanks Taily.

Now fairly sure I never had a drink with him!