1950s small plane around Australia
Peter Hodgens built a Druine Turbulent powered by a VW. CAO 100.18 and 101.28 were promulgated around 1956 for amateur built aircraft. VH-PWH was first recorded on the Register in late 1958. The only VW powered approved designs at the time were the Druine Turbulent, Jodel D9 and Luton Minor. The Druine Turbi is a 2 seater powered by a Cirrus minor or similar.
Don't kow if he flew around Australia. I think he still lives in Sydney
Don't kow if he flew around Australia. I think he still lives in Sydney
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: dans un cercle dont le centre est eveywhere et circumfernce n'est nulle part
Posts: 2,606
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I very near purchased a Luton Minor from VIC circa '84'ish. It had a JAP engine of two cylinders, single seat, and was, as told a refurbished Antarctic disposal left for years in the ice etc. Photo's somewhere. However it would be quiet a journey to circumnavigate the continent. 340 KG MAUW @ 60 something KTS.
There is something I would do if I had the time over again.
PS: there was a Luton Major of similar vintage with two seats.
There is something I would do if I had the time over again.
PS: there was a Luton Major of similar vintage with two seats.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Try the Bankstown local paper, the Torch. Its still owned by an independent family and may have records back that far.
There was a motor mechanic shop in the centre of Bankstown that built up VW aero engines. It is now a Vietnamese garage but the then owner always had one on the go when I was there inthe 60s and even 70s so there must have been a few VW powered aircraft around Bankstown.
Wunwing
There was a motor mechanic shop in the centre of Bankstown that built up VW aero engines. It is now a Vietnamese garage but the then owner always had one on the go when I was there inthe 60s and even 70s so there must have been a few VW powered aircraft around Bankstown.
Wunwing
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: The back of the hangar
Posts: 147
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Allan Mitchell - Druine Turby? Fairly recently deceased aged in his 90's - a much admired flying inventor and author.
Last edited by RV6; 16th Oct 2012 at 21:14.
Thread Starter
The Druine Turbi looks to big It was definitely a single seat low wing monoplane a similar small size to a Volksplane but without the wing struts , I think.
Last edited by Dick Smith; 17th Oct 2012 at 17:26.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dick,
See what you make of the follwing time line. The odds appear to be on Peter Hodgens.
I, and not doubt many others, would be interested to hear the full story when you track it down.
1955 - Standards for amateur-built aircraft promulgated in Air Navigation Order (ANO) 100.18 'Ultra-Light Category'.
23 Mar 1958 - Stits SA-5A Flut-R-Bug VH-ULA test flownat Moorabbin V. First to fly under ANO100.18. The approval provided for the type to be constructed from a factory kit.
Mar 1958 - News that in Sydney a Druine Turbulent wasunder construction by P.W. Hodgens.
Mid 1958 - News that in Adelaide, another DruineTurbulent was under construction by D. McCallum using PFA plans obtained by Keith Jarvis.
Mid 1958 - News that in Port Moresby, Albert Baglesswas constructing a Dart Kitten.
13 Nov 1958 - P.W. Hodgens Turbulent VH-PWH test flown at Camden. The first amateur-built aircraft under the ANO.
March 1959 - Article from “Oshkosh 365” by Peter Hodgens states “In March 1959 I was demonstrating Australia’s first certificated amateur built aircraft (at Camden)… a Druine “Turbulent” which I had recently completed.”
April 1959 - Turbulent VH-PWH is flown from Sydney to Brisbane in 6 hrs flying time.
June 1959 - Dart Kitten VH-WGL is test flown at Port Moresby.Owner/builder Albert Pascoe Bagless
Sept 1959 - D McCallum’s Turbulent VH-UEI test flown at Parafield
December 1959 - The Schneider Aircraft Company formedat Parafield S.A. to import and market the German Stark factory built version of theTurbulent.
August 1960 - Schneider import Stark Turbulent from Germany and register it VH-UEO.
August 1960 - Turbulent VH-UEO was photographed at Wentworth NSW in August 1960.
22 September 1960 - Article in Sydney Morning Herald of September 22 1960 entitled “Test Flight of Sydney Home Made Plane” states:“A single seat home built aircraft, which has been grounded for 12 months,because some- one took its undercarriage, will be test flown on Sunday. ... During the year Mr Hodgens has built a new undercarriage and installed a more powerfulengine. A second Trident (sic) built byMr. Don Blinman of will also be test flown on Sunday.”
5 October 1960 - Turbulent built by Mr. D.G. Blinman of Sydney registered VH-DGB.
November 1960 - Dart KittenVH-WGL. Registered in November 1960, to Mr. Albert Pascoe Bagless of PNG.
01 April 1962 - Turbulent VH-DGB photographed at 1962 Bankstown Airshow. D.G. Blinman built VH-DGB using the Ardem engine fromHodgen's VH-PWH. It was registered as the third Turbulent built.
September 1962 - TurbulentVH-UEI photographed at Parafield.
18 Nov 1962 - Turbulent VH-DGB crashed at Ashbridge, NSW whenit stuck power lines
November 1963 Firstflight of Turbulent VH-ULI at Parafield aerodrome
See what you make of the follwing time line. The odds appear to be on Peter Hodgens.
I, and not doubt many others, would be interested to hear the full story when you track it down.
1955 - Standards for amateur-built aircraft promulgated in Air Navigation Order (ANO) 100.18 'Ultra-Light Category'.
23 Mar 1958 - Stits SA-5A Flut-R-Bug VH-ULA test flownat Moorabbin V. First to fly under ANO100.18. The approval provided for the type to be constructed from a factory kit.
Mar 1958 - News that in Sydney a Druine Turbulent wasunder construction by P.W. Hodgens.
Mid 1958 - News that in Adelaide, another DruineTurbulent was under construction by D. McCallum using PFA plans obtained by Keith Jarvis.
Mid 1958 - News that in Port Moresby, Albert Baglesswas constructing a Dart Kitten.
13 Nov 1958 - P.W. Hodgens Turbulent VH-PWH test flown at Camden. The first amateur-built aircraft under the ANO.
March 1959 - Article from “Oshkosh 365” by Peter Hodgens states “In March 1959 I was demonstrating Australia’s first certificated amateur built aircraft (at Camden)… a Druine “Turbulent” which I had recently completed.”
April 1959 - Turbulent VH-PWH is flown from Sydney to Brisbane in 6 hrs flying time.
June 1959 - Dart Kitten VH-WGL is test flown at Port Moresby.Owner/builder Albert Pascoe Bagless
Sept 1959 - D McCallum’s Turbulent VH-UEI test flown at Parafield
December 1959 - The Schneider Aircraft Company formedat Parafield S.A. to import and market the German Stark factory built version of theTurbulent.
August 1960 - Schneider import Stark Turbulent from Germany and register it VH-UEO.
August 1960 - Turbulent VH-UEO was photographed at Wentworth NSW in August 1960.
22 September 1960 - Article in Sydney Morning Herald of September 22 1960 entitled “Test Flight of Sydney Home Made Plane” states:“A single seat home built aircraft, which has been grounded for 12 months,because some- one took its undercarriage, will be test flown on Sunday. ... During the year Mr Hodgens has built a new undercarriage and installed a more powerfulengine. A second Trident (sic) built byMr. Don Blinman of will also be test flown on Sunday.”
5 October 1960 - Turbulent built by Mr. D.G. Blinman of Sydney registered VH-DGB.
November 1960 - Dart KittenVH-WGL. Registered in November 1960, to Mr. Albert Pascoe Bagless of PNG.
01 April 1962 - Turbulent VH-DGB photographed at 1962 Bankstown Airshow. D.G. Blinman built VH-DGB using the Ardem engine fromHodgen's VH-PWH. It was registered as the third Turbulent built.
September 1962 - TurbulentVH-UEI photographed at Parafield.
18 Nov 1962 - Turbulent VH-DGB crashed at Ashbridge, NSW whenit stuck power lines
November 1963 Firstflight of Turbulent VH-ULI at Parafield aerodrome
Last edited by Seagull V; 19th Oct 2012 at 22:07. Reason: formatting errors
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: australia
Age: 66
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"The one I flew was later than that and was built from scratch including the prop and an engine reputed to have originally come from the Queanbeyan tip. It had to go through a full test flying program as so much of it had been manufactured from basic materials. I did some of it and had a ball "screaming" around the Captains Flat, Hoskingtown area at about 70 knots." Bushpig.
Bushpig, did it have disc brakes made from the circ saw blades used to build it, and was its rego PBW? (Sorry for the thread hijack Dick!)
Bushpig, did it have disc brakes made from the circ saw blades used to build it, and was its rego PBW? (Sorry for the thread hijack Dick!)
Last edited by scrufflefish; 21st Oct 2012 at 10:12.
