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Vintage Auster and Kookaburra Sailplane Aerotow


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Not a lot of height on the climb out. Flown both of those types. I must confess I wasn't as pro glider then as I have become since. Pretty dusty conditions. No real air cleaner on an Auster. Was in Mt ISA abut 5 months ago and had a pretty good lookaround. Used to go through there a lot. (before the dung beatles controlled a lot of the flies) Nev

 

 

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Nice to see these old memories, Windsor.

 

The Kookaburra was an Australian designed and manufactured aircraft, of course. Harry Schneider was the man and he produced a number of variants of it along with the Grunneau Baby. These were simple rag and tube aircraft but they gave great enjoyment to those who flew them well.

 

That one looks like one of Harry's earlier models (short wing) which had a 20:1 glide ratio and a max aerotow speed of 61 knots making the Auster an ideal aircraft for aero towing it.

 

I was endorsed by Mike Valentine in his ES52 back in the early 1980's. Mike loved the old girl because she was so basic. Aluminium and Grp had already well and truly superseded R&T, but the older machines retained a certain "mystique".

 

I had an unreasonable attachment to an old Bocian 1E (Polish design) which I did some instructing in. It had an elevated rear seat so the instructor could actually see over the student's head instead of around it, but the most alluring aspect was the gentle, drawn-out and very audible sigh it gave as one of its beautifully long, tapered wings stalled and dropped preparatory to entering a very dramatic spin. I don't have photos so Google is your friend if you would like to see what it and it's 18 metre wingspan looked like.

 

Kaz

 

 

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I am familiar with the Bocian Kaz. Gliding lost as much to its character as it gained to its high speed performance when the glass ships took over IMO.

 

Are you familiar with the Schneider's first design in Australia?

 

The photo shows the second ES49b Kangaroo they built launching in the Isa. It set many national and state gliding records.

 

Scan%2B87.jpeg

 

 

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With regards the Kooka', is actually ALL wood, fuselage included.where my flying all started:chuffed:

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Sorry...second boob. Yes it was carpentry not welding that was required for repairs. When I make a mistake like this I really worry about my poor memory and how it is deteriorating. But not for long 'cause I forget about it again pretty quickly!

 

I seem to recall there was something unusual about the dive brake lever..was it mounted overhead and between the pilot and crew? I know Auster tried this out as an idea to give instructors in the left seat more control but it was more hindrance than help in a narrow cockpit.

 

I've been hunting for my old GFA log book to see when it was I flew Mike's machine with him but haven't found it yet. I did it at Euroa and Peter Johnson was CFI back then. The winch we used is at Wahring field these days.

 

Kaz

 

 

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I am familiar with the Bocian Kaz. Gliding lost as much to its character as it gained to its high speed performance when the glass ships took over IMO.Are you familiar with the Schneider's first design in Australia?

 

The photo shows the second ES49b Kangaroo they built launching in the Isa. It set many national and state gliding records.

 

Scan%2B87.jpeg

No. Never saw one to my knowledge. I think there is still a Baby Grunneau at Benalla?

 

Ian Newman had a Boomerang and became very well qualified in maintaining wood aircraft. He now has one of the very few Falcos in Australia which is also wood and a very quick, aerobatic aircraft.

 

Kaz

 

 

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Ian Newman had a Boomerang and became very well qualified in maintaining wood aircraft. He now has one of the very few Falcos in Australia which is also wood and a very quick, aerobatic aircraft.

Kaz

Here's one Kaz . Beautifully built by one of the boys from Southport . He offered me a ride down to Farcombe Hall near Taree and back last year . I really couldn't refuse . Pretty quick too !

 

Bob

 

image.jpg.8da1878309fc065db1831235d6a3c8b3.jpg

 

 

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