PADARCS Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 A hunting friend of mine stunned me recently when he showed me this photo. It was taken on a hunting expedition in South Australia, probably in the 1970s. This aircraft looks to be in such excellent condition. I have researched Aussie Mustangs as well as I have been able to but I haven't found anything to match this one. Under high magnification the name STARDUST can be seen on the cowling and the number 072 just before that word. The number 4706072 is on the rear fuselage just before the 'A'. Does anyone know anything about this aircraft? I thought I had a record of every Mustang which had been flown as a civilian aircraft in this country but this one is a completely new one on me. I cannot sleep for fretting about this. Please help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Had a good look around & can't find anything. Does your friend know the name of the property on which the photo was taken? The photo is too low a resolution to give any clues, a higher res photo might give some clues as to the location, if you could post one. There must be some way to find out something, just a bit stuck at the moment. Cheers, willedoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PADARCS Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Thanks willedoo. He was just passing through on a hunting trip so he has no idea of where it was except that he's certain that it was in South Australia. We used very high magnification to get those numbers off the photo. With those, and the name Stardust, it should be easy to track down. Very frustrating eh? Let's hope someone will recognise it. It amazes me that such a pristine looking example is not easily found in the records. Thanks for your effort to identify it willedoo. padarcs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Hello Padarcs, The name Stardust was the name of the P40 flown by USAAF ace, LT. Andrew J.Reynolds,9th.Fighter Squadron,49th. Fighter Group, operating near Darwin around 1942-43. Reynolds was the first USAAF ace in the Pacific theatre & the top scoring ace from 1942-1943. I thought there may be a small possibility that the P51 is named after it, as it is reasonably well known, appearing in some paintings & as a livery in some kit models. Some pilots carried on the tradition of the same name for subsequent aircraft they were assigned to, but I haven't found any connection between Andrew Reynolds & P51's. The 9th.FS flew P51's after the end of the war, but his history is hard to trace after the Pacific ace period. I'm fairly sure he ended up a Lt.Colonel, so he possibly moved on to command another unit & may have flown Mustangs. Either way, it's possible the P51 in the photo may have been named after it. That's all I know for now. Cheers,Willedoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 That photograph was taken at Burra, north of Adelaide (look it up...). While it might look like the real thing from a distance, it was very much a "home made" thing fabricated from all sorts of el cheapo stuff. Someone had a lot of spare time on their hands, as well as a great deal of enthusiasm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 That photograph was taken at Burra, north of Adelaide (look it up...).While it might look like the real thing from a distance, it was very much a "home made" thing fabricated from all sorts of el cheapo stuff. Someone had a lot of spare time on their hands, as well as a great deal of enthusiasm. Thanks Geoff, thought it might have been somewhere north of Adelaide by the building & country. Just wondering, by 'home made' do you mean a non-flying mock up. Shame the photo wasn't a better resolution. Just as a side note, I had the rare privilege today to talk to a WW2 Boomerang pilot, quite a fascinating old gentleman & very good for his age. He was still flying privately until only a few short years ago & still has his log books & aircraft numbers from his time in Boomerangs & Wirraways up in the islands. Said he flew around 30 different Boomerangs in his time, I'd say he'd have a story or two. Cheers, Willie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Thanks Geoff, thought it might have been somewhere north of Adelaide by the building & country. Just wondering, by 'home made' do you mean a non-flying mock up. Shame the photo wasn't a better resolution. Just as a side note, I had the rare privilege today to talk to a WW2 Boomerang pilot, quite a fascinating old gentleman & very good for his age. He was still flying privately until only a few short years ago & still has his log books & aircraft numbers from his time in Boomerangs & Wirraways up in the islands. Said he flew around 30 different Boomerangs in his time, I'd say he'd have a story or two.Cheers, Willie. Very much non flying and very very home made. Having said that, it's not a bad effort - just that the closer one approaches it, the more it becomes clear that it is in no way the real deal. No idea where it is now, but might make a couple of enquiries to see if I can find out. We have a Boomerang at Parafield,'though a month or so ago when we visited the Classic Jet Fighter museum it had the engine out for repair$$$$$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Very much non flying and very very home made. Having said that, it's not a bad effort - just that the closer one approaches it, the more it becomes clear that it is in no way the real deal. No idea where it is now, but might make a couple of enquiries to see if I can find out.We have a Boomerang at Parafield,'though a month or so ago when we visited the Classic Jet Fighter museum it had the engine out for repair$$$$$. Thanks for that, I think the old chap I spoke to was keen to see if any of his old Boomerangs are still around. He was asking about the one on display at Oakey, but it has 83 Sqdn code letters MH; in his conversation, he mentioned serving at Bougainville alongside NZ Corsairs, so that would be 5 squadron, BF markings. I wonder if anyone knows if any of them have survived. Cheers, Willie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Glenn Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Temora Aviation Museum has one and I think there are 2 others about somewhere but can't remember where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Thanks for that, I think the old chap I spoke to was keen to see if any of his old Boomerangs are still around. He was asking about the one on display at Oakey, but it has 83 Sqdn code letters MH; in his conversation, he mentioned serving at Bougainville alongside NZ Corsairs, so that would be 5 squadron, BF markings. I wonder if anyone knows if any of them have survived. Cheers, Willie. The CA-12 Parafield Boomerang is flown by Jim Whalley - its squadron markings shown as LB-L, ID'd as A46-63, serial # given as 886. How much of this can be taken as "gospel" I can't verify - when it comes to an airworthy example I feel that a lot of repro items must perforce be incorporated into aircraft of this age. Doesn't worry me too much as I'd rather see them flying rather than static only. If you can chase up the following "Classic Wings" issues you'll find much more material dealing with Boomerangs which might help your "old chap" in his seeking out survivors. Vol 10 #4 '03 Issue 42 Vol 16 #3 '09 Issue 71 Vol 17 #2 '10 Issue 75 Cheers, Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 The CA-12 Parafield Boomerang is flown by Jim Whalley - its squadron markings shown as LB-L, ID'd as A46-63, serial # given as 886. How much of this can be taken as "gospel" I can't verify - when it comes to an airworthy example I feel that a lot of repro items must perforce be incorporated into aircraft of this age. Doesn't worry me too much as I'd rather see them flying rather than static only.If you can chase up the following "Classic Wings" issues you'll find much more material dealing with Boomerangs which might help your "old chap" in his seeking out survivors. Vol 10 #4 '03 Issue 42 Vol 16 #3 '09 Issue 71 Vol 17 #2 '10 Issue 75 Cheers, Geoff. Thanks Geoff, Will try to chase up those issues. I imagine a lot of old warbirds are made up of bits of different aircraft & sometimes markings don't reflect the true origin. Fom what I can find out, LB was 84 Squadron which flew them for about 6 months or so. I should try to find out whether he was posted to different squadrons or just the one. Thanks again for your help. Regards, Willie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I thought all the recent Boomerangs were reproductions? I was under the impression that there were no original aircraft left in flying condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Here's a link to a photo of the one in the Oakey Aviation Museum: http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_90220 Seems like it was made up of bits & pieces of various aircraft. Don't know how accurate the Wikipedia entry is, states 3 airworthy in Australia, the one at Oakey, the one Glenn mentioned at Temora & the Parafield Boomerang Geoff mentioned. Also mentions a full scale airworthy replica in the States incorporating some original parts & several others under restoration here in Australia. Saw on one site an article dated 1967, mentioning one sole survivor, ID# A46-30. So whether or not this was the last intact one, I don't know. It seems to be long gone. Cheers, Willedoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 So I guess that some of them must derive some "provenance" from original... The late Guido Z's Boomerang was I believe the first and I thought it was not original and I seem to recall that it had some connection with the USA... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Off the top of my head there were no surviving intact Boomerangs. The story of Jim Whalley's a/c is absolutely amazing if you get to see the work that had to be put into it. I commend the Classic Wings articles to you to get an idea of the work. Restoring veteran cars from piles of scrap and bits and pieces scrounged from all over the place is one thing, but when you're looking at an object that has to be air worthy, it's a whole new ball game! The least unkind descriptive for any airworthy Boomerang toaday might be "composite" rather than "reproduction". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I suppose it explains why this Spitfire in a post of Scott's a while back has a 12 million pricetag: http://theaussieaviator.net/showthread.php?t=48420&highlight=spitfire There must not be too many warbirds of any type in the world still original, by the sound of it. It's good to see a true Australian built warbird like the Boomerang surviving, & great to see someone like Lynette donate their's to the Army Aviation Museum for the public to enjoy. Does anyone know of any others on static display apart from the incomplete one at the War Memorial. Cheers, Willie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mick grinter Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Emu Plain all are now flying 6 i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumm441 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 it's not the one at Greenock is it G -34.437967,138.937284 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Are we talking about Boomerangs here? I see a Canberra as well as "something else" Please ID for me. Mick - do you mean that there ar esix airworthy Boomerangs at Grenoch? If so, it's news to me... clarification, please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumm441 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 This is a pic from 2010 The sign reads that it's a replica of a CA-18 mk 23 Mustang G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 This is a pic from 2010The sign reads that it's a replica of a CA-18 mk 23 Mustang G Yep... as for reply #7. I'm still hoping to find out just how many Boomerangs ("original" or not...) are in Australia and are airworthy... I'd be surprised if it tallies more than a couple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Doing a Google only mentions 2 or 3. VH-MHR at Temora, the Toowoomba one, now at the Museum of Army Aviation, Oakey, and possibly VH-XBL. The RAAF website was quoting only one airworthy in Februrary 2011, presumably VH-MHR. I think the Boomerang at Oakey was airworthy when donated, but is now on static display, so it probably doesn't count as airworthy. Does anyone know anything about VH-XBL, supposed to have flown again in 2009. Cheers, Willie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Found some photos of VH-XBL on Airliners: http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=VH-XBL So I guess that makes two airworthy, VH-MHR & VH-XBL, as VH-BOM, the one at Oakey has been there since 2007 on static display, so I don't know whether that counts as airworthy. I think it was airworthy & flying when donated. VH-BOM was supposed to be the first to fly in Australia since the end of the war, then I guess followed by VH-MHR, then VH-XBL, possibly in that order. So it looks like only three restorations/re-builds have flown here. I hope I get to see one of them fly one day, have only seen the static display & there's nothing like the sound of a Twin Wasp. Unless of course you count the Cyclone 9, Twin Cyclone, Duplex Cyclone etc. Cheers, Willie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siznaudin Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 Have done a bit more homework, and I see that the Oakey museum website states that MH-Y (the ex Zuccoli a/c) is now a static exhibit. MH-R at Temora is airworthy, and when I last (June '11) sighted LB-L, Jim Whalley's aircraft at Parafield, it had the engine out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rzaff Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 A hunting friend of mine stunned me recently when he showed me this photo. It was taken on a hunting expedition in South Australia, probably in the 1970s. This aircraft looks to be in such excellent condition. I have researched Aussie Mustangs as well as I have been able to but I haven't found anything to match this one.Under high magnification the name STARDUST can be seen on the cowling and the number 072 just before that word. The number 4706072 is on the rear fuselage just before the 'A'. Does anyone know anything about this aircraft? I thought I had a record of every Mustang which had been flown as a civilian aircraft in this country but this one is a completely new one on me. I cannot sleep for fretting about this. Please help! Hi how are you the mustang you are referring to in burra is my grandfathers he made it at home and took him 4 years it was that exact to scale an original canopy was purchased and it fit and closed perfectly it is now located in greenock the numbers you referred to was his army numbers and he named it stardust it runs also powered by a Datsun engine but of course it cannot fly Regards Ryan ps I have plenty of pics of it during the build process 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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