Billy Thorpe and the Piaggios
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Billy Thorpe and the Piaggios
No, not the Aztecs. In this instance it was a Piaggio, although the Aztecs travelled on it. Thorpie describes the Piaggio in his second book stating only that it was owned by a Melbourne operator and flown by a Jim Davidson. The aeroplane was used to transport the band to several gigs in the outback. One such flight is described in the book as having culminated in a wire strike on approach to a town in north-west NSW identified only by the mythical name "Redville". Apparently damage to the aircraft was minor. Can anyone identify the Piaggio in question? I'm guessing that I would be wasting my time looking for an incident report on the wire strike 
Rgds
Rgds
Interesting tale.
From memory, operators of the P166 Portofino were -
I have memories of "Blackjack" Walker flying the GAAF machines.
From memory, operators of the P166 Portofino were -
- Forrester Stephen out of Essendon
- General Aviation Air Freighters of Mascot
- Comalco from Cairns (corporate shuttle to Weipa)
- Snowy Mountains Authority out of Cooma
I have memories of "Blackjack" Walker flying the GAAF machines.
In the mid 70's Blackjack arrived at Scone in a "Pig" for fuel with a load of one day old chicks bound for somewhere out west and asked if we could look at one of his engines which had low oil pressure.
On pulling the filter it was found to contain lots of "sparklies" (no part numbers tho) at which he opted to carry on saying that if the engine failed he would get his pax to all start flapping their wings.
On pulling the filter it was found to contain lots of "sparklies" (no part numbers tho) at which he opted to carry on saying that if the engine failed he would get his pax to all start flapping their wings.
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Fris B, I have a vision of many gen Y readers google searching 'Piaggio' aircraft & seeing images of a sleek,modern business turboprop. Maybe if you have at hand a piccy of the QAM one,to show them the less than elegant aeroplane that we oldies know as the 'pig'.
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The younger generation........ 
VH-FSA and VH-PGA at Essendon.
And no, they are not jets - GSO480's with the props on backwards.....
I well remember the PatAir machines. Apart from the geared engines, they served quite well in PNG.
VH-FSA and VH-PGA at Essendon.
And no, they are not jets - GSO480's with the props on backwards.....
I well remember the PatAir machines. Apart from the geared engines, they served quite well in PNG.
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Useful Paiggio P166 web site.
Fris, looking at that photo, for the first time I notice a similarity to the larger Aerocommander of the same era, which I think also had geared engines?
Fris, looking at that photo, for the first time I notice a similarity to the larger Aerocommander of the same era, which I think also had geared engines?
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Picture of VH-BHK when Comalco had it CNS-WP-CNS
QAM AIRCRAFT COLLECTION
I was in Weipa from 75-79 and hitched out to Cairns in this a couple of times with Les Nind. It was replaced with BSS a 690 Aero Commander respectfully, or otherwise, called the super pig.
PS Does anyone know where Les is these days? He was a great influence in my aspiring aviator days when I was an apprentice sparky in Weipa.
I was in Weipa from 75-79 and hitched out to Cairns in this a couple of times with Les Nind. It was replaced with BSS a 690 Aero Commander respectfully, or otherwise, called the super pig.
PS Does anyone know where Les is these days? He was a great influence in my aspiring aviator days when I was an apprentice sparky in Weipa.
Last edited by harrowing; 4th Jun 2011 at 20:44.
Fris...
I think PQA was a P166C Portofino. Same as ASA, which was ex-airlines South Australia. I flew it when it was at Forrestair Essendon in the 70's.
It had the same engines as those on the Aero Commander 680F and FLs. IGSO-540's I seem to recall.
Despite its looks, it was pretty good to fly, and a very stable instrument platform. Solid as a brick ****house!
I think PQA was a P166C Portofino. Same as ASA, which was ex-airlines South Australia. I flew it when it was at Forrestair Essendon in the 70's.
It had the same engines as those on the Aero Commander 680F and FLs. IGSO-540's I seem to recall.
Despite its looks, it was pretty good to fly, and a very stable instrument platform. Solid as a brick ****house!
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harrowing
Les Nind came into the museum in Aug 92 but I've not heard from him since.
SIUYA
PQA was a P-166B Portofino. Only the P-166B carried this name. Sadly PQA met her end on the fire dump at Tullamarine.
Sorry, I should have made it clear from the outset what Piaggio product I was talking about but I assumed everyone would be familiar with the other Pig.
So does anyone know which one Thorpie used? He claimed in the book that it had a six pipe, whiskey-filtered hookah bolted to the floor of the cabin. You'd remember that if you saw it!
Rgds
Les Nind came into the museum in Aug 92 but I've not heard from him since.
SIUYA
PQA was a P-166B Portofino. Only the P-166B carried this name. Sadly PQA met her end on the fire dump at Tullamarine.
Sorry, I should have made it clear from the outset what Piaggio product I was talking about but I assumed everyone would be familiar with the other Pig.
So does anyone know which one Thorpie used? He claimed in the book that it had a six pipe, whiskey-filtered hookah bolted to the floor of the cabin. You'd remember that if you saw it!
Rgds
The one that was operating out of Bankstown years ago now parked at the northern end of Wollongong airport. Sad sight, spar corrosion saw the end of it.
Friend of mine used to operate it, still can't get over it since it has a colourful history.
Friend of mine used to operate it, still can't get over it since it has a colourful history.
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One such flight is described in the book as having culminated in a wire strike on approach to a town in north-west NSW
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I'll bite, if it had a geared engine why did the prop sound as if it was doing 3000 rpm going down hill. Also there is/was one displayed on a pole out side some N.S.W. country town. Maybe in Mill colours, maybe Uralla?
The 'Pig'
In the later 1970's a 'Pig' used to come through Camden. It always had day old chooks, and from memory was going to Tassie. It always struck me as an old, noisy and un-economical machine. But then again ....
Silly Old Git
The P166 flew like it looked and sounded.
Lonely nights over the GAFA grinding along the cockpit eerily lit up by the exhaust flare...eyes peeled for Ju 88's...
Lonely nights over the GAFA grinding along the cockpit eerily lit up by the exhaust flare...eyes peeled for Ju 88's...