Graham's Track and Runway - Nowra Airshow Oct 31, 2004

Shark 07 N16-118 of HS-817. Unfortunately the Sharks didn't put a bird up in the show. However if you were early enough (before 8AM) you would have seen Shark 22 hovering around before heading off on a job.

Nowra Airshow

HMAS Albatross October 31, 2004

Text and all images Copyright Graham Mison

Sometimes you get what you deserve. And that's just what the organisers and visitors received at HMAS ALBATROSS on Sunday October 31 - fine weather and a great show. For those of us that made the trip to Nowra earlier this year to find the show cancelled on the day due to bad weather, it was a relief to find the Weather Bureau get it right this time. Bright sunshine bathed the base for most of the day with clouds rolling in mid afternoon.

This was one of the more memorable 'shows on the South Coast for many years. A number of things contributed to that, interesting displays and an enthusiastic crowd combined with the afore mentioned weather among them.

For myself there were a number of firsts on the day. First time seeing the HARS Black Cat flying, first time seeing a Hawker Hunter put through it's paces and first time enjoying the new 'dance' display by HC 723's Squirrels.

There were a lot of highlights from the day, among them another polished performance by the Roulettes and the sight of Connie starting up her engines.

The latter is something to be experience, all noise and swirling smoke that envelopes the aircraft and all around her as each of her four engines coughs into life. It's no wonder she's so popular with the crowd. Long live the big pistons!

HC 723 (the Taipans) put on one of the surprises of the day, a welcome display by a pair of it's AS 350 Squirrels. This was a great site if you were in the spectator area around the centre mark of their display as I was (see pic on the right).

The Squirrel has always been a lively airshow performer so putting two in the air in close proximity is a winner by me and judging by the reaction of those around me their performance was much appreciated.

It was brought home very well at Nowra how strong the Warbird scene is with a jet trio of A-37, L-39 and Hunter providing the big noise of the show.

Newest on the scene being the Hunter. A lot of runway and sky was used for it's display and great to see the braking 'chute used for the landing. Add to them the return of a flying

Shall we dance?

So would they be swinging Squirrels or tangoing Taipans?

Jet Trio

Aero L39 Albatross VH-ATD

Cessna A-37B Dragonfly VH-DLO

Hawker Hunter VH-FRH

Sea Fury and certainly the post WWII fans were happy.

HARS provided the Catalina and Super Constellation that so many of the crowd had come to see and an excellent show they put on at that. Both, once in the air, are very graceful and you can just imagine the Cat flying off on a clandestine mission to the north to mine enemy harbours.

The black paints realy wearing now and the reds and silver of it's previous life are showing through. Personaly I think this adds caracter to the old girl and hope it's not repainted too soon.

Summing up the show I would have to say "The same but different." There were many of the usual suspects performing but enough new blood to keep the interest up. Hopefully in '05 the good weather will continue and maybe, just maybe the Navy will open up a hangar or two.

You can't help but wonder department: Standing near the RAAF King Air I overheard a spectator ask the youngish Air Force officer "What's that plane over there?" (pointing to the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly in SVNAF markings) "That's a Strikemaster" he replied," the Kiwi's use 'em". Balance that with another conversation between a father and his 8 or 9 year old son that I have as audio background on video tape as Roulette three makes a landing after a go around. "Look Daddy the PC-9s not going around, he's landing!"

* Originaly published 2004 *