Bankstown Saturday 10th March 2012

[Grahame Hutchison]

Out at Bankstown this morning there were a few corporate jets, a new Navy Bell 429 (one of three being delivered by Raytheon), a
Sikorsky S76A arrival, Cessna Caravan, and a Rural Fire Service Bell 214.

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VH-VHP Raytheon / Hawker Beechcraft 390 Premier 1 (RB-175) operated by Sydney Jet Charter

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VH-WIO Falcon 2000EX (183) operated by Balmoral Air

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VH-WIO Falcon 2000EX (183) operated by Balmoral Air - now with "Wild Oats" under the Australian flag

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N49732 Bell 214B-1 (28005) 1976 build operating for the NSW Rural Fire Service

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VH-WWC Cessna 337 (3370193) 1965 build and privately owned. One of my favourite aircraft when I was learning to fly at
Bankstown in 1968

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VH-MGJ Bell 206 (206L-4) 1999 build operated by David Jones Aviation

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049 One of the three new Bell 429s being delivered to the RAN by Raytheon. There was already one in the Hawker hanger being
assembled, and possibly another behind it. This one was being made ready for a lift off the delivery truck.

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VH-XUX Sikorsky S-76A 1980 build operated bu ROEM Associated in QLD

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VH-JXB Cessna 208 Caravan (208B2009) 2008 build operated by Evalmex in SA

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VH-SYZ Agusta AW139 (31155) 2008 build operated by Lloyd for the Ambulance Service Of NSW

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VH-SYG Eurocopter MBB-BK 117 C-2 (9235) 2009 build operated by Lloyd for the Ambulance Service Of NSW

[Grahame Hutchison]

A couple of other interesting finds out at Bankstown today were the aircraft below (can anyone supply any details), and a close up
of Polair 2, which now has a Skylink HD video transmit / receive antenna.

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http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/D300-2012-03-10-026.jpg

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VH-PHX Eurocopter AS.355N (5623) 1996 build operated by the NSW Police Force

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Nose mounted FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) to assist with searches

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NSW Police Force Emblem

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Rear belly mounted Spectrolab SX-16 Nightsun high intensity searchlight

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Troll Systems Skylink HD Antenna - Downlink Transmit / Receive. SkyLink HD’s exclusive inertial measurement unit (IMU), heading
sensor and two-axis steering not only point the antenna accurately to the receive sites’ heading, but also compensate for the
aircraft’s pitch and roll.


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Mounting setup of the FLIR, Skylink HD and SX-16 Nightsun

[Ken D]

A couple of other interesting finds out at Bankstown today were the aircraft below (can anyone supply any details),

Looks like a B-25

[Grahame Hutchison]

Thanks Ken, you might be right. I have been in a B-25 Mitchell with the glass nose, however this just looked somewhat smaller without all the pieces in place.

[James S.]

It looks like a Douglas A-26 Invader to me.

[Grahame Hutchison]

I was originally thinking of a Boston DB-73, 22 of which were operated by the RAAF.

[Jaryd stock]

Is this the one that was over WA, used as a firebomber ? Was shipped in about 6 or so years ago from the states....

[A McLaughlin]

Grahame - any chance of a high ressie of the Navy Bell 429 for the next mag? I'd need it by Wed lunchtime if OK. Cheers

The unknown aircraft looks like an A-26 which was a development of the DB-73/A-20/Boston, and served right through to the Vietnam War. Didn't Randall McFarlane own one at Archerfield before Macair went bust?

[Grahame Hutchison]

Hi Andrew, I have already sent two shots of the 429 to AA, however I will also send them directly to you later tonight just in case.

[A McLaughlin]

No that's fine. If Gerard and Nic have them, then we're right. Cheers

[Grahame Hutchison]

Mystery aircraft solved.

Information received from another Board Member

It is the A-26 imported by Nick Leach (aka Heavy Lift) who also owns VH-MMF the DC-3.


Lets hope it is not left on the grass for too long.