1950s small plane around Australia
 

When I was a kid living in East Roseville in the 1950s, I followed the exploits of an aviator who had built his own small plane – with a Volkswagen engine – and commenced flying it around Australia.

From time to time there were bits about it in the newspapers. It was one of the things that really motivated me to think that possibly, one day, I could become a pilot.

Does anyone know the story and can anyone give me any links to the newspaper reports of the time?

Hi Dick

I don't know of the story but in case you haven't seen either of these I found this article about a French kit plane that used a VW car engine (in the Broken Hill newspaper Barrier Miner on 23 December 1954). Perhaps it's possible your aviator flew one of these?
23 Dec 1954 - Flying at 5d. Mile

Also on Wikipedia there's a big list of aircraft that have used VW engines. Perhaps one of these relates to the story? (scroll down close to the bottom)
Volkswagen air-cooled engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

regards

Ren

Sounds like the Rollason Turbulent - some info on Wiki.

Could it have been a Druine Turbi? I understand that there were a couple of these built in Australia around that time.

See here Druine Turbi

The Corby Starlet had a VDub engine as well as Jodels. I flew a single seat Jodel a few times in the 70's with a VW engine and it was good fun. There were two blokes in Canberra who built more than one Jodel (VW powered) from memory at separate times, I believe around the late 50's to 60's. I was a kid in the area then. I am fairly sure they were Artie Powell and Vic Southwell. I also have a feeling one or the other or both made a few long cross country excursions, whether around Australia though I don't know.
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.
There was a fellow though that used to fly a Corby Starlet quite long distances as well that I vaguely recall something about. Sorry can't be of more help.

Could be . It was a single seater and I am pretty sure it had a VW engine.

I vaguely recall the story, and think it may have been a Jodel - the name rings a bell, anyway.

Dick, that would be the North Shore Times which is now owned by News Ltd but once part of Cumberland Newspapers (I think). They do not appear to have an archive search function and the editions that far back are probably not digitised anyway. Maybe if you contacted the paper they may provide access to archives. The paper only came out once a week on a Wednesday so there would not be too many editions to search through.

Maybe. But I think it was more likely in a Sydney daily newspaper. I have done some searching but can't find anything. I think the paper followed the trip over a number of months!

Australasian Post if you can find them, rare now.

Norman Hamilton designed an built an aircraft that basically fits that description, not 100% sure the engine was VW. The wings were rectangular profile, looked a little like a Victa.
He tried to sell it for cattle mustering etc.

I don't think a Volksplane existed in the 1950s so unlikely it was one. I will research Norman Hamilton.

If it helps, Norman Hamilton was the Victorian Porsche Dealer and his son Alan raced Porsches in the '60's and I think got into Formula 5000 in the early '70's.
Haven't heard of him since, but Alan may be the best bet for any information.
Good luck.

"Maybe. But I think it was more likely in a Sydney daily newspaper. I have done some searching but can't find anything. I think the paper followed the trip over a number of months!"

I was jumping to conclusions....should spend more time reading the request.

The Norm Hamilton aeroplane was the Flut-r-Bug VH-ULA
I flew one of them back in the '70's.

Obviously a Turbulent so you could have an arm out the window. I guess that Wally Watkins would've been around at the time. I recall him saying that the Turbulent was the first homebuilt here.

Dick.

As a kid I heard a story about a Sydney bloke who set off on such a journey in a Tipsy Nipper. Now I can't confirm his name or authenticity, (getting on now), but the Tipsy was both a factory and kit built aircraft, one seat and was powered by a Rollason Ardem, (1500cc VW). Just reading up on them in an old "Observers" book, they had a range of about 175 nm, but there was a tip tank varient that extended this to some 400nm x 80KTS.

I understand the Hamilton Flut-r-Bug still exists, and is still owned by a member of the Hamilton family.
John

The Airways museum website - Airways Museum / Civil Aviation Historical Society
has a listing of Aircraft Magazine articles. From that list:-

1958 March
Our First Ultra-Light - Stits Flut-r-Bug - to Fly this Month

1959 January
Building and flying the Druine D.31 Turbulent


1959 April
The Druine D.31 Turbulent - Amateur Built Machine

The following pertain
VH-ULA
Certification of Amateur Built Aircraft - Druine Turbulent VH-ULI

Perhaps sourcing the articles from a library might jog the memories Dick?

Thanks. I have checked. Does not seem to be any of those shown. I will keep looking.

Dick, been trawling around in Trove. Can you remember a specific year?

PS Good on you up in Cairns:ok: