The Laister-Kauffman 10A (LK10A) is a 2 seat a military training glider developed from a successful Jack Laister single seat glider called Yankee Doodle that first flew in 1938 and was exhibited at the Paris Air Show of 1939. The two seater variation was ordered in 1941 by the US Army for training glider pilots of troop carrying gliders. The military designation was XTG-4. The LK 10A glider was a simpler, more robust design than Yankee Doodle. A longer canopy enclosed both seating positions. The top of the fuselage formed a straight ridge from the top of the canopy to the point where the fin – rudder connected. Also, the design was simplified by adopting straight spar wings of 15.2 metres in place of gull wings of 14.170 metres. During the war years 156 LK10As were produced before the contracts to supply the US Army were terminated. Many of these were later sold as surplus. The Museum’s exhibit (serial number 122) was built in 1943. It was imported into Australia in the 1950s by Ric New, a member of the Gliding Club of Western Australia. Ric New modified the glider by “flat topping” the fuselage and making other aerodynamic changes. This kind of modification of the LK10A was a well tried strategy in United States for extracting better performance from the glider. It is understood that the reduction in weight and cleaner aerodynamics from the changes could increase the glide ratio from 1:24 to something like 1:30. The LK10A was located at the Gliding Club of Western Australia for many years. Records reveal that it was kept airworthy until about 1975. The LK10A is an important acquisition in that it allows one to compare the state of two seat glider design in United States and the United Kingdom in the immediate post war period. It is interesting to note that at that time a number of clubs in Australia who acquired a two seat glider for training chose the United Kingdom open cockpit high strutted wing offerings from Slingsby (e.g. T31) instead of more innovative military surplus gliders from America. Modified LK10A glider consisting of tubular steel fuselage with a combination of fabric and metal covering, fabric covered wooden wings and other flying surfaces.australian gliding, glider, sailplane, laister, kauffman, ric new, gliding club of western australia, lk10a, yankee doodle, xtg-4

Otto Lilienthal (1848-1896) from Berlin, Germany, is widely credited as being the first person to make repeated successful gliding flights. He was known for adopting a thorough scientific approach founded on observations of the flight of birds in relation to the problem of inventing a man carrying heavier than air machine that would fly. He developed and tested bird-like gliders controlled by weight shift by the pilot (a similar method to modern hang gliders). The pilot held on to the glider with his forearms resting in hoops mounted on the main structural beam connecting the wings. The weight shift was achieved by the pilot swinging his trunk and legs. In contrast, the pilot of a modern hang glider is suspended below the glider and, with the use of an A-frame, allows the whole body to be moved around to achieve control. The Lilienthal design apparently had a tendency to pitch down and a tailplane was added to mitigate this problem. Lilienthal flew from hills in the Rhinow region and from a conical hill he built near Berlin. He made over 2000 flights. Importantly, for others seeking to progress manned flight at the time and also for the historical record, reports of Lilienthal’s flights (some with photographs) were published and Lilienthal detailed his experiences and corresponded with other flight pioneers. Lilienthal’s work became well known and influenced Orville and Wilbur Wright in their initial experiments with gliders in 1899 (although in their quest to design and fly an aeroplane they relied on new data created by wind tunnel testing). The replica built by Bruce Hearn is of the 1893 Lilienthal glider. It is very similar to the “Normal-Segalapparat” (Normal Glider) for which patent protection was later granted a few years later. The Lilienthal replica glider is an important addition to the AGM collection as it represents the beginning of successful gliding flight. Hang glider made of wood with wire bracing – yet to be covered with authentic cotton fabric. The glider has a small plate with identification details including name of builder (Bruce Hearn) glider, hang glider, lilienthal, hearn, replica

The auto tow launching mechanism was designed by Ray Jamieson of Cobram in the north of Victoria. The prototype was built the for the Corowa Gliding Club where it was used for some years. After Ray’s brother, Bert Jamieson, had witnessed the machine in use at Corowa, at Bert’s request, Ray built second one (the Museum’s exhibit) for use at Bacchus Marsh airfield. Bert lived in Melbourne at the time and was a member of the Victorian Motorless Flight Group (VMFG) which used Bacchus Marsh airfield. This occurred in the 1970s. The method of operation was to have the auto tow mechanism mounted in the back of a utility motor vehicle. The launching cable was attached to the glider. With the Volkswagen engine of the mechanism running, the tow vehicle would then drive along the runway to commence the launch. The mechanism would automatically apply brake pressure to the cable drum as the vehicle proceeded freely letting out the cable and then smoothly towing the glider into the air. When the launching cable reached a certain angle, the pilot would release the cable from the glider at which point the winching mechanism would automatically retrieve the cable in preparation for the next launch. This allowed quicker restarts and the flexibility of easily changing runways to suit the wind conditions. It made gliding a simple and cost-effective operation. Ray Jamieson and his son often used the prototype which they named “George” at Corowa in this way. With the exception of several demonstration launches, the Museum’s example of this type of device was not used by the VMFG at Bacchus Marsh due to rulings by the Department of Civil Aviation encouraging the use of aero tow launching at their site. As far as is known this is the only device of its type in the world and is indicative of the ingenuity found amongst the Australian gliding fraternity.Single drum and motorized drive mechanism mounted on a mobile steel frame.australian gliding, glider, sailplane, auto towing, launching, jamieson, corowa gliding club, victorian motorless flight group, vmfg

The Wessex was used between 1964 and 1984 by the Australian Navy in Australia and Oceania. This helicopter, no 31, also use for disaster relief in Darwin after Cyclone Tracy.Manufactured in Britain from a USA design, the Wessex was jet powered (Napier Gazelle), a multi-role helicopter used in air sea rescue, anti-submarine, ambulance, troop and freight carrying. Dependent on the mission profile, the aircraft carried a crew from three to five including two pilots.Includes a full set of Royal Australian Navy insignia and carries the Serial No. N7-221 and Navy Side No. 31.RAN Roundel. Navy Registration N7-221. No31, a/c safety markings. Tiger Head Unit Logo of 816 Sqnhelicopters, military equipment, wedssex, troop carrier, navy

Ill p.63.non-fiction The Albatros family of fighters were amongst the most effective aircraft employed by the German Air Service for much of World war 1. This volume provides a Jasta by Jasta breakdown of the German Albatros aces on the western front.world war 1914-1918 - aerial operations - germany, fighter pilots - germany

Ill, p.63non-fictionThe French Nieuport company provided the Allied air forces with the first true fighter scout of World War 1 in the shape of the diminutive Type 11 of 1915. It was replaced by the bigger and more powerful type 17 which proved to be one of the best fighters of the warworld war 1914-1918 - aerial operations - france, fighter pilots - france

Ill, p.244.non-fictionDon Charlwood was born in Melbourne in 1915. Accepted as a RAF navigator in 1940, he was posted to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds in the winter of 1942. There he crewed up with a pilot from Western Australia and a British crew to fly a Lancaster bomber. In No Moon Tonight he gives a profound insight into the inner lives of the men of Bomber Command and their hopes and fears in the face of mounting losses. He depicts the appalling human cost of the air war in an account which has been favorably compared to other enduring memoirs of the 1st World War, namely Sassoon's Memoirs of an Infantry Officer and Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front. A memorable first hand account of the air war over Germany.world war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - britain, world war 1939-1945 - personal narratives - australia

Index, ill, map, p.303.non-fictionA biography authorised by Bader and based on his own private papers, flying logs and notes. Written by a close friend, it tells the story of a man who lost both legs in an air crash in 1931 and went on to become a leading pilot in the Battle of Britain, a prisoner of war (who still tried to escape despite artificial legs), businessman, public speaker and worker for the disabled. world war 1939 – 1945 – aerial operations - britain, douglas bader - biography

Ill, p.64.non-fictionThe first virtually all-jet war, the conflict in Korea saw F-86 Sabres of the USAF take on MiG-15s of the North Korean and Chinese air forces. Although the Allied pilots were initially taken aback by the ability of the communist fighter in combat, sound training and skilful leadership soon enabled Sabre pilots to dominate the dogfights over the Yalu River. In all 39 F-86 pilots achieved ace status, and a number of these are profiled in this volume, as are notable pilots from the US Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Navy and, for the first time, the handful of MiG-15 aces.korean war 1950-1953 - history, korean war - aerial combat

Bib, ill, maps, p.80.non-fictionContents : Introduction. The defence build up, Darwin 1920's to 1942. 19 February 1942, the first raids. Initial defence, American and Australian Kittyhawks. Striking back with Hudsons & Beaufighters. Colour plates the 49 FighterGroup USAAD. The Spitfires arrive No 1 fighter wing RAAF. The heavy bombers USAAF and RAAF strikes. Staging the offensive, the war moves North. Pilot profiles. Conclusion, Darwin's present defences. Air forces. World War 2. Warfare. world war 1939-1945 - aerial operations - northern territory, darwin - bombardment - 1942-1945

Ill, maps, p.63.non-fictionExposing the true scale and significance of the deployment of air power in the Balkans, this book details the activities of NATO and UN aircraft as well as local pilots in the former Yugoslavia. From bombing by B-2 stealth bombers to air-to-air combat; from moving ground troops by helicopter to 'food-bombing' for refugees, air power has played a vital role in ''Europe's Vietnam'', and there is little sign that the fires of conflict are being extinguished. Debate amongst air power practitioners has yielded little agreement as to the degree of damage inflicted on the Yugoslav 3rd Army in Kosovo. balkan conflict - aerial operations, european history - 20th century

Index, ill, p.343.non-fictionPersonal recollection by fighter pilots of their experiences from the second war to the present dayfighter pilots - usa, air warfare - history

Single paged typed letter (carbon copy) from Air Department (England) 25th November, 1915, to 'All Inspectors' requesting that pilots carry out certain aircraft flying tests (climb, speed) with a view to increasing the efficiency of aircraft. 'Mr Watson' is handwritten in purple pencil, top left of page.person, individual, basil watson

Index, bib, ill, p.236.non-fictionIt is difficult to overestimate the excitement that accompanied the birth of the Spitfire. An aircraft imbued with balletic grace and extraordinary versatility, it was powered by a piston engine and a propeller, yet came tantalisingly close to breaking the sound barrier. First flown in 1936, the Spitfire soon came to symbolize Britain's defiance of Nazi Germany in the summer of 1940. Flown by pilots of many nations, it saw service as far afield as Australia and the Soviet Union. Spitfire: The Biography is a celebration of a great British invention.spitfire, world war ii - air warfare