Lapalama PNG
 

MFU being loaded at Lapalama PNG. Colin Simmons is the MAF Pilot by the look of it and his floopy hat. Photo taken November 1981. I have one more photo for now, will show tomorrow. It's a beauty ... hopefully find some more soon. Trying to locate some interior/panel shot's.

http://www.frednolan.com/images/stor...t_Lapalama.jpg

http://www.frednolan.com/images/stor..._Lapalama2.jpg

The bits and pieces certainly seemed unloved when you started.Was it stored in the open?
Not related i remember a 185 parked by the fence in Kununnurra in 1981 wanted $3000 for it :{ Craig may correct me if im wrong;) )

There was another laying on its back nearer the Vic river for years. Someone went and got that (Craig?)

Notice it does not sport the Frank Newell rubber pipe engine bay drain mod. :hmm:

Unloved 185
 

MFU has had several owners since 1989 when it pranged in Western Provinces PNG. Some work was done on the fuselage initially and then every thing seems to have been abandoned. Many major components were missing and I've had to redo much of that original work. When I got it, it was in a shed for some years and I think a 40' container before that. But where about in FNQ and Sydney I don't know.

When complete, it will have the extended oil drain away from cargo pod. On my last one, outlet was on RHS undercarriage.

Interesting about the cheap one's, when I originally bought P2-MFS/BAM, it cost $6,000 with a new factory reman and zero prop. Total resto cost incl full avionics upgrade was $33k. I flew it for some 6000 hours and sold it for $95k. I only sold it because I wanted an auto pilot and 2 engines for night op's. They tried to get me to take the other one (P2-BAF) with it at the time in a $10k deal for 2. I said "what would I want two of them for" ... ?

This is P2-BAM just arrived at Moree from PNG way back.

http://www.frednolan.com/images/stories/jbm/jbm_09.jpg

November 1981 - Goroka PNG
 

This an interesting refuelling scene at Goroka PNG in late 1981.

MAF pilot's Winston Ussher is loading P2-MFU with Colin Simmons from previous posts is on the wing plus Tony Lister (LAME) with the fuel hose. Tony's dress is very period and the side burns, long socks and bermuda type shorts all the go back then ! Good to see proper refuelling SOPs in place, the earth strap on the LH leg already.

Notice the other chap in the rear RHS window and far side of MFU looking on with the puzzlled look ... like how much can you fit in a 185 ? The pilot seat was the full size adjustable type and the co-pilot was a smaller folding unit that was stored in pod when not required. Center seat was a bench type also folding and had belts for 3 pax when installed. Many of the airstrips serviced were above 5000' elevation.

At this point in it's life, MFU had accumulated some 6,500 hours and 5 incidents, including some 3 landing accidents (one in Australia and 2 in PNG).


http://frednolan.com/images/stories/..._at_Goroka.jpg

Later became MAF Mt Hagen Chief Pilot. He was a Pilot contractor for Mission Aviation Fellowship, in Cambodia and left October 2009 at the end of the contract.

Recent photo in Cambodia:

http://www.thaiflyingclub.com/images...Winston206.jpg

Hotmin airstrip, Sepik Province PNG
 

This pictures was taken in July 1979 at Hotmin airstrip in the Sepik Province. Hotmin is just south of the Central Mountain range. MFU was on a Governmment patrol with Col Simmons (MAF) the pilot.

http://frednolan.com/images/stories/..._july_1979.jpg

Brugam PNG
 

A picture can sure tell a story.

This photo is P2-MFU at Brugam, Sepik Province PNG in 1977. Col Simmons and wife Jacki visited friends at the South Sea's Evangelical Church base, with their son Paul. 35 years later, young Paul is now a F18 Instructor in the RAAF and also fly's the Temora CAC Sabre. Getting about with Dad in PNG I imagine would have given him the best insight into aviation and piloting you could get !

http://frednolan.com/images/stories/...rugam_1977.jpg

Nice old pichas, got anymore? Like one of Angoganak if you have one. Arrived in there one afternoon in a 185 that had gone noiseless climbing out from Lumi.
Pushed down the nose and there it was. Got lucky. Mission pilot bloke heard my mayday (Wewak FSU didnt) waited for me to land and help push it off runway He gave me a lift back to Wewak!

Free ride to Wewak
 

Hey Tinpis
I hav'nt got any yet of Angoganak, but I have a few more inbound soon. I never know what I have until they turn up !
Sounds like you had a lucky break with that deal.
What photo's do you have, can you post a few ? I'll look up my info from MAF, I thought MFU was based out of Wewak also.

You may be correct I had left by mid 75
I have slides I must convert to digi soon

Coud it be possible that pilot is readng this and remembers that day?

Col Simmons was last heard of sim instructing for Cathay in Hong Kong. That was a few years ago, not sure if he is still there.

I remember when Paul used to hang around the Lae crew room; he was interested in aircraft, but smart enough to join the military. Glad to hear he has done well.

Engine failure at Angoganak
 

"Coud it be possible that pilot is reading this and remembers that day?"

Tinpis,
Could you give me some more info on that Mayday flight, like date/year and the MAF pick up (aircraft type) or other, so I can ask folks if anyone remembers?

Col Simmons has been in touch with me just last week and lives in NSW.

According to me log I was in CMW. WK- Lumi - AGK on the 29/11/74

Yer scary right enough but not as bad as all controls except rudder locking up after T/O out of Omkalai (C185):eek:

I believe this is CMW 4 years earlier in GKA

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/tinpis/tal185.jpg

Oh, he would have got priceless advice from Parker. :hmm:

Omkalai
 

How did you cope with that out of Omkalai ? What caused the control jam ?

I have passed on the details on the forced landing, see if there is anyone around who recall it. MAF people have said that there was around 45 pilots and LAME's involved with MFU during it's time up there. I've heard from about 6 or 8, so there potential for a lot more story's eh ?

Why did everyone use Slides in the 70's, messy now to go back and convert them.

Slides... preceded colour prints by years and held their colour well. In about 1970, Hanimex had paper that held its colour ... most others lost one of the primary dies and the photos went blue or pink or brown.
Many of us stuck with the slides because of the size of the picture on the wall when you got the projector out.
I was using black and white which I developed and printed myself in the bathroom the evening I took ther photos, in many cases, colour negatives that took a week to come back to PNG and slides … also a week’s wait.
Bloody hot sweaty work getting ya fingers stuck to glossy paper cooped up in a blacked out bathroom in Madang I c'n tell ya.

Briefly. Dual pole installed with too long a bolt, rubbing against vacuum hose, finally wore through hose and bolt plunked inside pipe just after take off. Grabbed it real good I tells ya
Was able to jink around on rudder and trim so lined up and came back and landed at Omkalai. Orli pax was fascinated :uhoh:
I didnt have time to stick me head up under the panel and find out what was wrong :bored:
I had asked the ginger beer to take it out before I left.

Thank goodness for folks like sixties relic capturing a lot of stuff on film
Imagine if video had of been available then!

Imagine if video had of been available then!

Yes Imagine, submittible evidence of all the fun :rolleyes:

Prob a good thing there was not, (sarcastic) :ok:

P2 - UIA
 

Could anyone tell me if they knew of a Cessna 180 P2 - UIA ?
She met up with an accident at Tarakbits.
I would appreciate any information on her history.

Cheers