Narromine Airshow by Alice Kelly, Narromine News Sept., 2002 Narromine will be "bursting at the seams" as an estimated 10,000 people and over 300 aeroplanes get set to descend on the town over this long weekend for the Outback Aviation Expo and Airshow. According to organiser Peter Kierath, "half the town has been involved," from residents showing country hospitality by opening up their homes to billet pilots, to the services clubs, charity organisations, emergency service organisations and Council, who have all worked hard to bring this premier event to Narromine." "Its starting to run into the hundreds, the number of people involved," Mr Kierath estimated. And the event is shaping up to be a weekend to remember.
Mr Kierath said Ms Bird-Walton cut her trip to the USA short when she was asked to open the museum. Mrs Bird-Walton has a long-standing connection with Narromine, as local Tom Perry "coerced her into her first aircraft" back in the 1930s, according to Mr Kierath. She will arrive in a Super Constellation, set to land at Narromine Airport.
The plane, along with Russian, Czech, Lithuanian and British warbirds and other jets will be displayed for visitors to check out. And the spectacular airshow scheduled for 12pm Sunday is "turning into an absolutely huge event", Mr Kierath said, with over 40 aircraft involved. The airshow would be preceded by a RAAF wreath-laying ceremony at Narromine's Commonwealth War Graves cemetery at 11am, to commemorate those who died during WW2 while training at Narromine Airport. At 10.30am, 10 Tiger Moths will fly over the cemetery followed by a low-level pass by the RAAF's aerial acrobatic team The Roulettes. Mr Kierath said everyone was welcome at the ceremony. And after all the excitement of the airshow, residents and visitors could enjoy the beauty of a balloon glow at Rotary Park on Sunday evening, starting at 6pm. Over 15 balloons would be "lit up like huge Chinese lanterns" in the night sky. The event is free, and Mr Kierath said everyone is welcome.
FEATURE STORIES
All types of aircraft on display at the Narromine Airshow
The Narromine Aviation Museum
The Narromine Aviation Museum
Narromine's historic airfield
Dreams of flying : James Concert Hayden built a plane in a paddock in 1917
The Wright Flyer for Narromine
Narromine Airshow : A Very Special Ceremony
Roulettes on Display at the Narromine Airshow
All types of aircraft on display at the Narromine Airshow by Alice Kelly, Narromine News
 The first Spitfire to visit Narromine, Jan., 1943
As well as the Super Constellation lovingly restored to flying condition after being rescued from a plane graveyard in the USA by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society there will be an 'essential' at any airshow, a Supermarine Spitfire, with this years aircraft courtesy of Temora's Aviation Museum. The first Spitfire to come to Narromine in January 1943 - a very mysterious arrival, it was probably heading to Darwin where there was a squadron to protect the northern city. As well as the Super Constellation and the Spitfire the Air Display has a huge range of planes to check out:
The Narromine Aviation Museum by Alice Kelly, Narromine News
 Beryl Hartley at the New Narromine Aviation Museum
Not just the recording of our memories but a process of discovery too: Beryl Hartley said when a tiny, underexposed photo was blown up for this exhibit, hidden faces and planes emerged with great clarity. Visitors to the museum have helped her reconstruct the events surrounding the scene through their memories. Famous Australian pioneering aviatrix Nancy Bird-Walton will open the Narromine Aviation Museum at 2pm Saturday. Everyone is welcome to see "their" museum being opened. Stories of the "ordinary person" and their relationship with Narromine's flying history are the heart and soul of the Narromine Aviation Museum. And from its conception to its opening this Saturday, the project truly belongs to the people of Narromine. The exhibits charter the history of people in aviation from the first adventurous flights in the early 1920's, through the war years as an active training base, twenty five years of Qantas operations as the alternate airport for Mascot, gliding operations since the 1940's to the aviation activities of the present time with general and sport flying. And the museum is truly interactive - Beryl Hartley has been taking tours through the museum and says she discovers new details about the people in the exhibits from the visitors themselves.
"I always ask them if they were here during the war," Mrs Hartley said. "Quite often they have brothers or uncles stationed here, but every so often we get someone who was here themselves." "They are the ones that tell us who is in the photos on display."Mrs Hartley said the Museum was an outstanding example of Australians interest in recording their history. "As small towns in regional Australia seek their identity in a declining rural economy, the town of Narromine identifies strongly with its aviation past."Narromine Council turned the first stone with funding for the museum's establishment. A public fundraiser then raised $93,000 to buy building materials, and many local trades people donated time and materials. The Aero Club members gave 6000 voluntary hours to the construction of the project and the Federal government has contributed with funding from the Regional Assistance program and the Federation fund.
The Narromine Aviation Museum by Beryl Hartley, Narromine Aviation Museum In the mid 1980's the governments of the day handed the ownership and management of many regional airports to the local councils of the district in which the airports were situated. The government made financial assistance available for ongoing maintenance of the airports at that time but this assistance was for a limited period. It become clear in the 1990's that many of these regional airports were being either closed or under threat due to the encroachment of residential and other inappropriate development on their boundaries. The airport users at Narromine formed a committee at this time to ensure that Narromine airport would be recognized as an historically significant regional airport. As an active airport since 1919 with an aviation history to record all stages of aviation growth from that time, this was the perfect site to capture the history of regional aviation in Australia. The committee identified the important tasks. The first task to tell the history of this field, and the Narromine Aviation Museum started from this first goal. The second task was to establish development on the airport to ensure that it would be utilised as an active flying facility into the future, the Narromine Skypark is the result with the establishment of a first class residential aviation park. The Narromine Council, working with this first committee, planned for the development of a multi user complex on the airport to promote Narromine as a sport aviation center with facilities for all disciplines of general and sport aviation. The completion of the Museum project at Narromine airport is an outstanding example of Australians interest in recording their history. As small towns in regional Australia seek their identity in a declining rural economy, the town of Narromine identifies strongly with its aviation past. The two flying clubs on Narromine Airport, Narromine Aero Club and the Orana Soaring Club are long established aviation clubs and their members undertook the task of raising funds and providing the labour for the construction of the building. Narromine Council provided the first allocation of funding for the establishment of an Aviation Museum. A public fundraiser was held and $93,000 raised for purchase of building materials, many local trades people donated time and materials, the club members contributed 6000 voluntary hours to the construction of the project. Both clubs have fitted out their clubroom sections of the building and entered in a lease arrangement with Council to ensure the building remains financially viable. The Federal government has contributed with funding from the Regional Assistance program and the Federation fund. The Narromine Aviation Museum is a project that is owned by the people of Narromine. A building that will host a unique record of the aviation history of this airfield from the first adventurous flights in the early 1920's, through the war years as an active training base, twenty five years of Qantas operations as the alternate airport for Mascot, gliding operations since the 1940's to the aviation activities of the present time with general and sport flying. Congratulation Narromine. In the Year of the Outback the aviation community and residents of Narromine celebrate 83 years of aviation on Narromine Airport.
Narromine's historic airfield by Alice Kelly, Narromine News Narromine is one of the most historical airfields in Australia contributing significantly to the growth of aviation throughout the country.
 British Experimental BE.2.E
The first entry in the Narromine aerodrome logbook is RAAF BE.2.E landing on November 20, 1919. It was enroute to Darwin to meet Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, winners of the England to Australia Air Race. The next entry is AOU Vickers Vimy l3 on February, 1920, piloted by Sir Ross Smith M.C. (bar) D.F.C. (2 Bars), F.R.G.S. Sir Keith Smith, Sergeant W. Sheirs, Sergeant Bennett.
 Charles Ulm and Charles Kingsford Smith
In May 1920 Charles Kingsford Smith landed in Narromine on a barnstorming tour. Later entries include Arthur Butler in 1928 and Lester Brain in 1929. In April 1929 the Southern Cross landed with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Cpt Ulm piloting. Then came Captain F.C. Chichester in January, 1930 on his 30 day record flight from England to Australia.
 Jean Batten
Unforgettable names such as Jean Batten and Nancy Bird became frequent visitors to Narromine and history was in the making. It became a critical wartime training field for our RAAF personnel, a training field for QANTAS pilots over 25 years on Super Constellations, DC 4s, and later the HS 125, agricultural crop spraying and, of course now an excellent recreational airfield for powered aircraft and gliders.
Dreams of flying : James Concert Hayden built a plane in a paddock in 1917. by Alice Kelly, Narromine News While Narromine's historical love affair with flying machines is well known, there is a less known first chapter that begins in a paddock somewhere near Narromine. Just 14 years after the Wright Brothers made the first powered flight and two years before the first plane landed at Narromine Airport, young James Concert Hayden was preparing for the maiden voyage of a plane he built on his father's farm.
 James Hayden, c.1917
And it was not just the plane that would be flying for the first time either - despite being in the Royal Flying Corps, the war had ended before Jim Hayden had the chance to fly. But Jim was not prepared to let a little thing like a lack of flying experience ground his dream. When on leave in 1917 Jim prepared the plane for flight - there was some damage to the plane caused when his father James Patrick Hayden had tried to fly the plane while Jim was away at war.
 James Hayden in his aeroplane, 1917
Sadly, Jim's dream was never realised because of a design fault. The aircraft was nose-heavy and unable to get off the ground. But his pioneering spirit lives on - he instilled a passion for flying in his son Keith Hayden, who today heads a team building a replica Wright Flyer, which could be housed in Narromine.
The Wright Flyer for Narromine by Beryl Hartley, Narromine Aviation Museum It has been confirmed that the Replica of the Wright Bros Aircraft currently under construction at Sydney University will be housed at Narromine . The replica will be a certified flying model and will travel to Ireland, Germany and the USA following its completion. Eric Hayden whose grandfather built the first aircraft at Narromine is actively involved in the Wright Flyer project. Eric visited Narromine during the year to make a presentation on the project to many interested locals. The meeting was very well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all. It is planned to have the aircraft on static and flying display. Pilot may undertake a conversion to the Wright flyer which is sure to be a treasured entry into their pilot log book. A video of the event will be offered to pilots undertaking the conversion. Eric's father, local glider pilot Keith Hayden, is a director of the Wright Flyer Project and a long time support of the flying clubs of Narromine. Keith was based at Narromine airport during the war. Along with many local pilots and aircrews Keith has a great deal to contribute to the Museum. The history of the airport for the last 82 years is recorded in photographs, memorabilia, film and especially in the memories of those who were part of that historic record. Colin Pay, well known war bird owner and pilot will carry out the test flying on the Wright Flyer. Colin originally comes from Narromine and has a life time involvement with the local aeroclub. The Wright Flyer is being built from plans supplied by the Short family in Ireland who supplied the original plans to the Wright Bros. The group who have undertaken the construction of this historic aircraft have now spent 5 years on the project and it is expected to be completed with the next 12 months. It is understood that when completed and test flown this aircraft will be the only flying model of the Wright Flyer.
Narromine Airshow : A Very Special Ceremony by Alice Kelly, Narromine News A ceremony to recognise the pilots who gave their lives while training at Narromine during WW2 will be held at Narromine War Cemetery at 11am on Sunday. The Roulettes will lay a wreath at the Narromine Cemetery to honour the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Narromine area. Roulette 7, Flight Lieutenant Micheal Wijnberg will lay the wreath, alongside the graves of the twelve airmen who died at Narromine during their war training. It will bear the words, "From the Men and Women of the Royal Australian Air Force". The ceremony will coincide with a "wedge" formation flypast of the six aircraft from the Roulette team lead by Squadron Leader Sean Bellenger. Following the flypast, the team will overfly the township of Narromine and land their Pilatus PC9 aircraft at the local airfield where they will be available to meet with the public.
Roulettes on Display at the Narromine Airshow by Alice Kelly, Narromine News The RAAF Roulettes Aerobatic Team will perform a spectacular airshow at Narromine Airport at 1pm on Sunday. The Roulette team has seven members, six of who fly the display and Roulette Seven, who gives a commentary. The current team members are: R1 - Squadron Leader Sean Bellenger, R2 - Flight Lieutenant Dennis Tan, R3 - Squadron Leader Peter Robinson, R4 - Flight Lieutenant Andrew Greaves, R5 - Flight Lieutenant Micheal Briggs, R6 - Flight Lieutenant Rick Reid and R7 - Flight Lieutenant Micheal Wijnberg.
For further information, please contact:
Beryl Hartley Phone: (02) 6889 2733; Fax: (02) 6889 2933 eMail: hartley@avionics.com.au
Links and Downloads All about the Shire of Narromine [445Kb] Narromine - Gliding Capital of Australia Narromine - Outback Aviation Expo & Airshow Map of the Narromine Region from multimap.com Map of the airfield from Soar Narromine Outback Australia - a Great Destination in 2002
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Highlights include the opening of the new Aviation Museum by famous Australian aviatrix and museum patron 
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