Cessna 336 VH-CMY
Thread Starter
I have just received the following from Ray Feltman:
Ray later added that his snake flight was on a C206.
Rgds
One of Ansett's 336's hit Kuta ridge to the south of Hagen possibly as a result of the rear prop hub failure. After that there was an AD issued for increased inspections to be carried out on the prop hubs. My little occurrence was with VH-GKY on the 28th November 1968 where the rear engine suffered a prop hub failure which caused the rear engine to break away from its mounts and broke the crankshaft allowing the remaining blade and the remaining bit of hub to hit the left boom, ripping it off at the rear of the wing attachment, the only thing holding the tail plane on was the rudder cables. 10 seconds later on the take off roll and it would have been all over for me. The air traffic controller was Geoff Jefferson (since deceased) and the chief fire officer was Mick O'Brien, last known retired from airport fire service when Archerfield fire service closed. CMY operated with Talair for a number of months in the Ansett colours.
Rgds
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Harold Rondorf was flying the 336 that chopped the boom on t/o Madang.
Morrie Aldridge was killed on Kuta ridge at about the 8000' level.When we got to the wreck one blade on the rear prop could be freely rotated.I flew CMY as a new a/c.The swinging engine was a waste of money and rarely used.The336 was a dog.
Jasper M and Dennis G are still around but dont see them on a regular basis
NK (MAL /Ansett 61-74)
Morrie Aldridge was killed on Kuta ridge at about the 8000' level.When we got to the wreck one blade on the rear prop could be freely rotated.I flew CMY as a new a/c.The swinging engine was a waste of money and rarely used.The336 was a dog.
Jasper M and Dennis G are still around but dont see them on a regular basis
NK (MAL /Ansett 61-74)
Silly Old Git
Didn't think I had completely lost it 
Couldn't remember the Madang one though...
And somebody else was the puk puk, but that is another story.....
Couldn't remember the Madang one though...
And somebody else was the puk puk, but that is another story.....
Last edited by tinpis; 2nd Jan 2010 at 19:56. Reason: stick these ' silly bloody things in the right place
Thread Starter
Lik Lik Gabelschwanz Teufel
Now that VH-CMY is safely ensconced at the Queensland Air Museum, we find that a few parts have gone astray over the years. If anyone has any leads we need:
Cabin door (RHS - the only door)
Seats
Misc engine cowls
Prop for front engine
Any help much appreciated.
Rgds
Cabin door (RHS - the only door)
Seats
Misc engine cowls
Prop for front engine
Any help much appreciated.
Rgds
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anna Bay NSW
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Hello new aircraft people, I am totally new to computers and your web site. I was looking for a picture of a Cessna 336 and Good old Google jead me to your site.
The first two pictures are both aircraft I have worked on. I am a bit of an interloper, because I am NOT a pilot, but a ground engineer (retired) and I worked for Ansett MAL and TAL in the mid 60's to early 70's.
Nice to have input, keep up the good work.
I am open to emails.
DOMF
The first two pictures are both aircraft I have worked on. I am a bit of an interloper, because I am NOT a pilot, but a ground engineer (retired) and I worked for Ansett MAL and TAL in the mid 60's to early 70's.
Nice to have input, keep up the good work.
I am open to emails.
DOMF
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DOMF
Not a PNG one, but the one I was endorsed on by Don Adams of Hervey Bay when he had Offshore Aviation after he and Reg Barnewall had sold Island Airways to Snow Richards of Toowoomba's UnionAir. He had kept Lady Elliot Island (he was the fellow responsible for rehabilitating vegetation after the guano extraction, and building the airstrip), taking supplies to the Lighthouse keepers, and picnic daytripers, and just had the one 336 then. Was endorsed on it in January '77, and last flew it on 7th. October that year, landing on the beaches of Yidney and Eurong, and doing a run to Lady Elliot and back.
Will look to see if I have another better photo of it
VH-CMU ('75)
Not a PNG one, but the one I was endorsed on by Don Adams of Hervey Bay when he had Offshore Aviation after he and Reg Barnewall had sold Island Airways to Snow Richards of Toowoomba's UnionAir. He had kept Lady Elliot Island (he was the fellow responsible for rehabilitating vegetation after the guano extraction, and building the airstrip), taking supplies to the Lighthouse keepers, and picnic daytripers, and just had the one 336 then. Was endorsed on it in January '77, and last flew it on 7th. October that year, landing on the beaches of Yidney and Eurong, and doing a run to Lady Elliot and back.
Will look to see if I have another better photo of it
VH-CMU ('75)
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Front or back?
I've read about a few conversions of 337s that had a single turbine conversion.
I think one had a garret in the front, which makes sense to make rear cargo loading easier, while another had a p&w in the back.
The turbine conversion would seem to kill a number if birds (more power, only one engine to maintain, possibly less chance of coolly the rear donk)
I note that the conversions were just one off, so possibly not a roaring commercial success...but I do remember seeing a very modern US prototype with a big pusher-could be a new take?
What would be the rationale for a single rear turbine?
I think one had a garret in the front, which makes sense to make rear cargo loading easier, while another had a p&w in the back.
The turbine conversion would seem to kill a number if birds (more power, only one engine to maintain, possibly less chance of coolly the rear donk)
I note that the conversions were just one off, so possibly not a roaring commercial success...but I do remember seeing a very modern US prototype with a big pusher-could be a new take?
What would be the rationale for a single rear turbine?
Moderator
Basler Turbo 34.
Basler Flight Services Turbo 34 conversion of the Cessna 337 Skymaster involves replacing the fore- and aft mounted piston engines with a single rear mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop. The aircraft is stretched 2.1 m and can carry ten passengers or 7.3 m3 of cargo, loaded though a large double door. Strengthening of the wing centre section allows gross weight to be raised 50%, to 2,700 kg. Basler claims that the aircraft, at maximum gross weight, will take off in 135 m (450 ft), climb at 1,600 ft/min (8.1 m/s), land over a 50 ft obstacle and stop in 205 m and cruise at 230 kt (425 km/h) and 15,000 ft. Basler has logged more than 430 h on the prototype Turbo 34.
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Looks a neat conversion, the cabin would be reasonably quiet, I guess the longer nose would have baggage capability.The performance figures quoted look good, especially the field performance. The 337 always performed better on the rear engine. The bottom half of the fins appear to be enlarged, perhaps to improve directional stability?
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That looks like a great aeroplane, but it would be limited by legislation in Australia.
Most of the time it would have to fly at 9000ft or lower, unless everyone was brething oxygen.
I don't think charter pax would like that much.
So it would remain in private category.
Most of the time it would have to fly at 9000ft or lower, unless everyone was brething oxygen.
I don't think charter pax would like that much.
So it would remain in private category.
Thread Starter
With so much renewed interest in the type it may be an appropriate time to revisit the subject of this thread. The Qld Air Museum is still looking for a cabin door for VH-CMY. It is understood that the 336 and 337 doors are interchangeable so does anyone have any leads?
Rgds
Rgds
I have a photo of C.337 VH-DVY (337-0129) at Bankstown in the mid-90's in the same Paradise Air colour scheme as CMY. Does this aircraft fit into the story anywhere?
AS
AS
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Vh-CMY was flying in New Guinea under the Ansett MAL banner, and then for TAL, I worked on all 336 Cessnas for both airlines. I did 2 years with MAL and 2 years wit TAL and, yes, it did have the ability toswing the rear engine out of the way for long cargo.
DOMF LAME
DOMF LAME
Thread Starter
DOMF
There was never any doubt that VH-CMY could swing. Indeed she will swing again after static restoration. Here is a recent image:
The "bulkhead" is just temporary weatherproofing.
DOMF do you have any photos of the aeroplane in service with the rear engine swung aside?
Rgds
There was never any doubt that VH-CMY could swing. Indeed she will swing again after static restoration. Here is a recent image:
The "bulkhead" is just temporary weatherproofing.
DOMF do you have any photos of the aeroplane in service with the rear engine swung aside?
Rgds
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GKY
Watched GKY take off at Moorabbin today. So there you go, the old girl is still flying, probably as slowly as ever. I had a chat with the owner a few days ago and boasted about flying her around PNG in the mid sixties. He is very keen to track down the craft's history and particularly old photos. Can anybody help there? There was talk about me doing flight reviews for the owner and his mates - might get to fly her again - after 45 years........
YD
YD