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AAWA Members recently travelled down to Serpentine Airport for an up close look at the Sikorsky Skycranes stationed there for the Perth summer fire season. Based there were N957AC Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane (MSN 64098) named “Ichabod” and N154AC Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane (MSN 64037) named “Georgia Peach” who was undergoing some heavy maintenance.
We all had 10-15 minutes in the cockpit of “Ichabod” with one of the pilots, where we were shown over the controls and had a chance for some cockpit photos.
To top off the day, we had VH-ZUZ Culp Special doing circuits on the grass strip next to us and Bert Filippi pushed his incredible Sopwith Pup out of the hangar so we could get some photos in the open. We also got to see his 1937 De Havilland DH-87B Hornet Moth, SE-AGE, which until recently had been stored in Sweden.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Matt Hannigan.
Photo © Matt Hannigan.
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Keith Anderson.
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Matt Hannigan.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
This helicopter was brought over from Victoria on 7 February 2015, to fight some large bushfires in WA and ended up staying here. It had previously visited WA in the 2013/2014 fire season.
Built in Nov 1968 for the US Army as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (S-64A), serial 68-18460. Served 295 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter), (1160 Aviation Company), Fort Sill, Oklahoma, later West Germany. Preserved at Hunter Army Airfield Collection, Savannah, Georgia. Sold to Erickson Air-Crane and registered 8 July 1992 as N157AC, converted to S-64E Skycrane. Leased to Canadian Air Crane Ltd in Delta, British Columbia, registered C-GESG on 12 February 1997. Returned to US register with Erickson Air Crane as N957AC on 11 March 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Matt Hannigan.
Undergoing heavy maintenance before being shipped to Greece for their summer fire season. This helicopter was based here at Serpentine for the 2014/15 fire season. Arrived by sea and flown Fremantle to Jandakot to Serpentine on 20 December 2014. Built in 1967. Delivered to the US Army in February 1968 as 68-18435, as a CH-54A Tarhe. Last served with 1160 Aviation Company, Georgia Army National Guard. Retired from military service in late 1980s. On 26 March 1992, registered to Erickson Air Crane Co, Central Point, Oregon, USA as N154AC.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Undergoing heavy maintenance before being shipped to Greece for their summer fire season. This helicopter was based here at Serpentine for the 2014/15 fire season. Arrived by sea and flown Fremantle to Jandakot to Serpentine on 20 December 2014. Built in 1967. Delivered to the US Army in February 1968 as 68-18435, as a CH-54A Tarhe. Last served with 1160 Aviation Company, Georgia Army National Guard. Retired from military service in late 1980s. On 26 March 1992, registered to Erickson Air Crane Co, Central Point, Oregon, USA as N154AC.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Undergoing heavy maintenance before being shipped to Greece for their summer fire season. This helicopter was based here at Serpentine for the 2014/15 fire season. Arrived by sea and flown Fremantle to Jandakot to Serpentine on 20 December 2014. Built in 1967. Delivered to the US Army in February 1968 as 68-18435, as a CH-54A Tarhe. Last served with 1160 Aviation Company, Georgia Army National Guard. Retired from military service in late 1980s. On 26 March 1992, registered to Erickson Air Crane Co, Central Point, Oregon, USA as N154AC.
Photo © David Eyre
this photo shows the main rotor head.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
This is the 10,000 litre water tank
Photo © Keith Anderson.
This photo shows the massive gearbox and main rotor shaft
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Landing on the grass runway 27. Built in 2003. Peter built it from plans – some bits he had to guess. Sourced all parts himself. Took 6000hrs over 3 years (or 40 hrs/wk, 52 weeks/yr). Hardest was hand-making the cowlings by “tin bashing”.
Photo © David Eyre
Landing on the grass runway 27. VH-ZUZ was built in 2003. Peter built it from plans – some bits he had to guess. Sourced all parts himself. Took 6000hrs over 3 years (or 40 hrs/wk, 52 weeks/yr). Hardest was hand-making the cowlings by “tin bashing”.
Photo © David Eyre
Taxying out to take off from the grass runway 27. VH-ZUZ was built in 2003. Peter built it from plans – some bits he had to guess. Sourced all parts himself. Took 6000hrs over 3 years (or 40 hrs/wk, 52 weeks/yr). Hardest was hand-making the cowlings by “tin bashing”.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Taking off from the grass runway 27. VH-ZUZ was built in 2003. Peter built it from plans – some bits he had to guess. Sourced all parts himself. Took 6000hrs over 3 years (or 40 hrs/wk, 52 weeks/yr). Hardest was hand-making the cowlings by “tin bashing”.
Photo © David Eyre
Landing on the grass runway 27. VH-ZUZ was built in 2003. Peter built it from plans – some bits he had to guess. Sourced all parts himself. Took 6000hrs over 3 years (or 40 hrs/wk, 52 weeks/yr). Hardest was hand-making the cowlings by “tin bashing”.
Photo © David Eyre
After USAF Colonel Harold Schultz decided to build an exact replica of the Sopwith Pup, he started to collect original parts, including an 80 hp Le Rhône rotary engine. The collecting and initial building took 25 years, however, deteriorating eyesight forced Schultz to abandon the project, and handed it over to Bert Filippi in Australia. The replica was finished by Fred Murrin over a five year period, and was given the color scheme and markings of the Sopwith Pup with RFC s/n B1727, that was named ‘Normie’ after Second Lieutenant Norman Herford Dimmock who normally flew the B1727 on the western front. While flown by another pilot, B1727 crashed in France on October 28 1917. Dimmock kept the windshield and joystick, which he donated to Schultz many decades later. As a tribute to Norman Herford Dimmock, the aircraft was registered VH-NHD, and was flown for the first time by Bert Filippi at Jandakot, near Perth Western Australia on March 4, 2010. Whilst almost all parts in VH-NHD are original of that era, including the propeller and the 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary engine, only the windshield and the joystick are from B-1727. For that reason it is registered as a replica, but even to the most discerning eye, this aircraft cannot be distinguished from a Sopwith Scout out of the Standard Aviation Factory in Sutton in 1917. A far cry from other aircraft registered as Sopwith Pups, which have radial engines, steel fuselage, modern fabric not to mention tail wheels and brakes.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © Keith Anderson.
Photo © Keith Anderson.
After USAF Colonel Harold Schultz decided to build an exact replica of the Sopwith Pup, he started to collect original parts, including an 80 hp Le Rhône rotary engine. The collecting and initial building took 25 years, however, deteriorating eyesight forced Schultz to abandon the project, and handed it over to Bert Filippi in Australia. The replica was finished by Fred Murrin over a five year period, and was given the color scheme and markings of the Sopwith Pup with RFC s/n B1727, that was named ‘Normie’ after Second Lieutenant Norman Herford Dimmock who normally flew the B1727 on the western front. While flown by another pilot, B1727 crashed in France on October 28 1917. Dimmock kept the windshield and joystick, which he donated to Schultz many decades later. As a tribute to Norman Herford Dimmock, the aircraft was registered VH-NHD, and was flown for the first time by Bert Filippi at Jandakot, near Perth Western Australia on March 4, 2010. Whilst almost all parts in VH-NHD are original of that era, including the propeller and the 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary engine, only the windshield and the joystick are from B-1727. For that reason it is registered as a replica, but even to the most discerning eye, this aircraft cannot be distinguished from a Sopwith Scout out of the Standard Aviation Factory in Sutton in 1917. A far cry from other aircraft registered as Sopwith Pups, which have radial engines, steel fuselage, modern fabric not to mention tail wheels and brakes.
Photo © David Eyre
After USAF Colonel Harold Schultz decided to build an exact replica of the Sopwith Pup, he started to collect original parts, including an 80 hp Le Rhône rotary engine. The collecting and initial building took 25 years, however, deteriorating eyesight forced Schultz to abandon the project, and handed it over to Bert Filippi in Australia. The replica was finished by Fred Murrin over a five year period, and was given the color scheme and markings of the Sopwith Pup with RFC s/n B1727, that was named ‘Normie’ after Second Lieutenant Norman Herford Dimmock who normally flew the B1727 on the western front. While flown by another pilot, B1727 crashed in France on October 28 1917. Dimmock kept the windshield and joystick, which he donated to Schultz many decades later. As a tribute to Norman Herford Dimmock, the aircraft was registered VH-NHD, and was flown for the first time by Bert Filippi at Jandakot, near Perth Western Australia on March 4, 2010. Whilst almost all parts in VH-NHD are original of that era, including the propeller and the 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary engine, only the windshield and the joystick are from B-1727. For that reason it is registered as a replica, but even to the most discerning eye, this aircraft cannot be distinguished from a Sopwith Scout out of the Standard Aviation Factory in Sutton in 1917. A far cry from other aircraft registered as Sopwith Pups, which have radial engines, steel fuselage, modern fabric not to mention tail wheels and brakes.
Photo © David Eyre
This aircraft was built in the UK in 1937 and has been registered as SE-AGE its entire life. It was delivered to Norrkoping, Sweden on 7 Sept 1937 and registered to Norrköping Automobile and Flying Club. On 12 Feb 1942, it was damaged in an accident at Lake Storuman during target towing for air defence. It passed through a number of owners until its airworthiness lapsed in October 1962. It was eventually restored and rolled out at Norrkoping on 20 May 1995, registered to Föreningen Veteranflyg, Linköping. Bert later acquired the aircraft, but kept it stored in Sweden until recently.
Photo © David Eyre
This aircraft was built in the UK in 1937 and has been registered as SE-AGE its entire life. It was delivered to Norrkoping, Sweden on 7 Sept 1937 and registered to Norrköping Automobile and Flying Club. On 12 Feb 1942, it was damaged in an accident at Lake Storuman during target towing for air defence. It passed through a number of owners until its airworthiness lapsed in October 1962. It was eventually restored and rolled out at Norrkoping on 20 May 1995, registered to Föreningen Veteranflyg, Linköping. Bert later acquired the aircraft, but kept it stored in Sweden until recently.
Photo © David Eyre
This aircraft was built in the UK in 1937 and has been registered as SE-AGE its entire life. It was delivered to Norrkoping, Sweden on 7 Sept 1937 and registered to Norrköping Automobile and Flying Club. On 12 Feb 1942, it was damaged in an accident at Lake Storuman during target towing for air defence. It passed through a number of owners until its airworthiness lapsed in October 1962. It was eventually restored and rolled out at Norrkoping on 20 May 1995, registered to Föreningen Veteranflyg, Linköping. Bert later acquired the aircraft, but kept it stored in Sweden until recently.
Photo © David Eyre
This aircraft was built in the UK in 1937 and has been registered as SE-AGE its entire life. It was delivered to Norrkoping, Sweden on 7 Sept 1937 and registered to Norrköping Automobile and Flying Club. On 12 Feb 1942, it was damaged in an accident at Lake Storuman during target towing for air defence. It passed through a number of owners until its airworthiness lapsed in October 1962. It was eventually restored and rolled out at Norrkoping on 20 May 1995, registered to Föreningen Veteranflyg, Linköping. Bert later acquired the aircraft, but kept it stored in Sweden until recently.
Photo © David Eyre
The Nord 3202 was a 1950s French miltary trainer aircraft. This one served with the French Army as 97/F-MAIP. Upon retirement it was sold as N2256W to David C. Tallichet & John R. Hawke/Euroworld California Inc, Long Beach California on 20 Feb 1978, but was stored in Florida in yellow French Army
paint. In 1984, it was sold to Levolor Lorentzen Inc, Lyndhurst, New Jersey and in 1987 to Hubert B. Finch, Houston, Texas. On 12.11.91 it was registered VH-UFB to Bert Filippi.
Photo © David Eyre
Photo © David Eyre
Built in 2009.
Photo © David Eyre
Built in 1967.
Photo © David Eyre
Built in 1967.
Photo © David Eyre
Registered on 12 Nov 2008.
Photo © David Eyre
This type was designed by John Williams as a three-quarter scale replica kit-built version of the North American P-51 Mustang. This example has been under construction by Luis Ricardo since 2008, and is not yet registered.
Photo © David Eyre
Built in 1968, ex F-BPLB. Doing aerobatics.
Photo © David Eyre
Built in 1968, ex F-BPLB. Doing aerobatics.
Photo © David Eyre
