Formal notification of discharge from permanent military forces of the Commonwealth of Australia, stuck into brown linen card cover bearing Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia. Register number P123910, the document was assigned to Private Neil Ernest Swainston , Rifleman, on 27/10/72 after 1 year and 183 days of effective service. Document is accompanied by cover letter from Central Army Records Office, Albert Park Barracks, Victoria.discharge certificate, national service - australia, swainston collection

Pro-forma document, one-page foolscap, outlining obligations and conditions of service, addessed in blue ink to Private N E Swainston, Army no. 3801127. Sent from S Command Personnel Depot, Watsonia Barracks, Macleod, Victoria, to notify him of three years service 21 October 1972 until 20 October 1975.army reserve, australian regular army reserve, swainston collection

TROVE : The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thursday 14 February 1867 p 1 Article 'THE EXHIBITION. OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. The culminating point in the history of the Intercolonial Exhibition of 1866-7, was reached yesterday, when His Excellency Sir Henry Manners Sutton, Governor of Victoria, publicly received the reports of the jurors, and formally declared their awards. .........................CHEMICAL AND METALLURGICAL PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES....................... MEDALS - VIctoria .............John Kruse, chemist, Melbourne - For his fluid magnesia...........................'. Haines, Gregory, 1994, Á History of Pharmacy in Victoria, The Australian Pharmaceutical Publishing Company in association with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australai (Victoria) Ltd, Melbourne, Australia.opp. page 54, photo of 'John Kruse' and of 'John Kruse's pharmacy, Russell Street, Melbourne, 1866'. TROVE : Melbourne Punch (Vic. : 1855 - 1900) Thursday 21 January 1897 p 3 Article A Musical Genius. BY X. THERE is a chemist's shop in Hawthorn in the drawingroom over which some of the best, music that has ever been heard under the Southern Cross has been discoursed. Here John Kruse, the famous violinist , has delighted his late father with his violin. Here Nellie Mitchell's (Madame Melba's) voice found appreciative admiration long before she became famous. It is the shop of John Kruse, chemist and druggist, the inventor of fluid magnesia, insecticide and a world of well-known articles of daily consumption. The old mail died some time back, but lived long enough to gratify his chief wish, viz,, to see his famous son, Herr Johann Kruse. John journeyed from Germany to see his dying father. His brief but brilliant sojourn amongst us will be remembered by all lovers of music. TROVE: Colac Herald Friday 1 September 1876, page 4, Article. TROVE: The Argus Tuesday 2 July 1867, page 3, Advertisement. 'Felton Grimwade, 125 Russell Street, Melbourne'Clear glass bottle, oval shaped in section with text embossed on both sides and on base. Embossed on base 'M65' over '1923 6' over 'AGM'. Side 1 : 'KRUSES PRIZE MEDAL MAGNESIA' Side 2 : 'THIS BOTTLE IS THE PROPERTY OF FELTON GRIMWADE & CO PTY. LTD. MELBOURNE'. Over the numeral '1'.chemist, magnesia

Belonged to Miss Elizabeth Bull, born in 1851, who came to Australia with her parents R & L Bull and settled in Bairnsdale, in Eastern Victoria in the 1860s. Donated by Mrs A. S. Fulton of 21 Waterloo St Camberwell, Victoria on 5th September 1986.Metal button home scissors with square cut section in top blade.

8728.1 - Thin wooden frame with very dark stain and gold paint on the inner part of the frame. 8728.2 - Very large print of a one pound note. 8728.3 - Brief description of the note and it's history.8728.2 - 1 - MELBOURNE - VICTORIA - ONE - POUND - THE NATIONAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED - On demand I promise to pay the bearer ONE POUND sterling at MELBOURNE June 1893 - For THE NATIONAL BANK OF AUSTRALIA - Manager - ENTd 8728.3 - NATIONAL BANK NOTE - The first note issued by the National Bank when it reopened for business on 26th June, 1893 after reconstruction following the 1893 land boom.

TROVE : The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thursday 14 February 1867 p 1 Article 'THE EXHIBITION. OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. The culminating point in the history of the Intercolonial Exhibition of 1866-7, was reached yesterday, when His Excellency Sir Henry Manners Sutton, Governor of Victoria, publicly received the reports of the jurors, and formally declared their awards. .........................CHEMICAL AND METALLURGICAL PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES....................... MEDALS - VIctoria .............John Kruse, chemist, Melbourne - For his fluid magnesia...........................'. Haines, Gregory, 1994, Á History of Pharmacy in Victoria, The Australian Pharmaceutical Publishing Company in association with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australai (Victoria) Ltd, Melbourne, Australia.opp. page 54, photo of 'John Kruse' and of 'John Kruse's pharmacy, Russell Street, Melbourne, 1866'. TROVE : Melbourne Punch (Vic. : 1855 - 1900) Thursday 21 January 1897 p 3 Article A Musical Genius. BY X. THERE is a chemist's shop in Hawthorn in the drawingroom over which some of the best, music that has ever been heard under the Southern Cross has been discoursed. Here John Kruse, the famous violinist , has delighted his late father with his violin. Here Nellie Mitchell's (Madame Melba's) voice found appreciative admiration long before she became famous. It is the shop of John Kruse, chemist and druggist, the inventor of fluid magnesia, insecticide and a world of well-known articles of daily consumption. The old mail died some time back, but lived long enough to gratify his chief wish, viz,, to see his famous son, Herr Johann Kruse. John journeyed from Germany to see his dying father. His brief but brilliant sojourn amongst us will be remembered by all lovers of music. TROVE: Colac Herald Friday 1 September 1876, page 4, Article. TROVE: The Argus Tuesday 2 July 1867, page 3, Advertisement. 'Felton Grimwade, 125 Russell Street, Melbourne' Clear glass ellipse in section bottle, with embossed text on both sides and initials and numerals on base.'KRUSES PRIZE MEDAL MAGNESIA', 'This bottle is the property of FELTON GRIMWADE & CO Pty Ltd Melbourne on sides. 'S1935' 'AGM' on base.magnesia, kruse, felton, grimwade, chemist

Haines, Gregory, 1994, Á History of Pharmacy in Victoria, The Australian Pharmaceutical Publishing Company in association with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Victoria) Ltd, Melbourne, Australia. Page 41 '..................Although John Kitchen and his sons began their soap making business in South Melbourne in 1855, these low standards of hygiene and the overcrowding in Melbourne and on the diggings helped to cause significant health problems.........''. TROVE : The Age, Monday 6 October 1919, page 10, Advertisement. 'J Kitchen and Sons Pty Ltd, 10 Queen Street Melbourne......Kitchen's .....Phenyle...' TROVE : The Australasian, Saturday 1 October 1921, page 11, Article. 'Kitchen's Phenyle for sinks and drains....'Aqua blue tinted glass, diamond shaped in section, poison bottle with embossed text and pattern around two panels containing text with bottle manufacturers monogram on base.'KITCHEN PHENYLE', 'POISONOUS', NOT TO BE TAKEN' between panels of stippled crosses on sides. In a diamond shaped cartouche, the letter 'V' over 'D M' over 'A'. AGM monogram on base.poison, phenyle, kitchen

Dr Henry Mitchell O'Sullivan was a medical doctor also practising obstetrics in the district of Casterton, Victoria from 1919 until his death in 1977.The Gladstone bag and contents were used in the inter-war period 1918-1945. His son, the late Dr David More O'Sullivan donated the obstetric bag and its contents to the RANZCOG Museum in 1999.The Gladstone bag was put aside and the contents have remained intact. Consequently, this item is a unique time capsule of the type of instruments and pharmaceuticals usedby a Victorian country doctor in the inter-war period.An obstetrician's bag belonging to the late Dr Henry Mitchell O'Sullivan (1892-1972) containing various items such as obstetric forceps, destructive instruments, curette, pelvimeter, catheter, speculum, antiseptic, chloroform, iodine, catgut suture, surgical needles and twine for tying off umbilical cord after delivery. dr henry mitchell o'sullivan, casterton victoria, dr david more o'sullivan, inter-war period

Mary Howlett (1840-1922) began practising as a country midwife in 1866 in the western district of Victoria. She qualified as a 'ladies monthly nurse' in 1887 and continued to practise as a nurse and midwife until 1920.She began her six months training at the Melbourne Lying-In Hospital. She was known by many as 'Auntie', and her career spanned more than 50 years. Mrs Howlett's midwifery box and contents were given to Dr Frank Forster, and he donated them to the museum collection in 1993. The contents of this box are consistent with use by a midwife, but such a box would have been cumbersome and heavy to carry around. It is possible that Mary Howlett would also have had a bag for her midwifery requirements.This midwifery box is highly significant as it includes close to the original contents of one midwife's 'professional kit' up to 1920. The contents reveal something of the professional practice of a midwife in country Victoria at that time.A wooden box with hinged lift-up lid, one drawer, and an inner wooden tray. Rests at each side inside box indicate another tray may have originally sat across the top. Pasted inside the lid is a product list from Robert McDonald (chemist and druggist). There are locks for both the main chest section and the drawer. A circular section is cut out of the bottom of the drawer. The contents of the box include, enema syringe, a red rubber douche, glass breast pump, nipple shields, a thermometer in travel case. Also includes cotton bandages, a tooth extractor, and fetal stethoscope.midwifery

This item was purchased at Leski's, Melbourne, Medical collection auction, 8 May 2013. The incubator was part of a rare collection of medical, dental and pharmaceutical objects belonging to a tourism business, Kryal Castle, near Ballarat, Victoria from 1974. At some point,apparently, an officer manager discarded the museum records, so the provenance of the neonatal incubator, and many other items in the Leski auction, has been lost.Neonatal incubator, "Glenleigh", made and used, late 1950s- early 1960s. The four side laminated panels as well as bottom panel are possibly made of asbestos fibreboard,. Each panel is sealed with polished aluminium strips, and has a metal handrail.The incubator is mounted on four castors made by "Shepherd USA'. On the front panel is a bakerlite dial and a bakerlite switch. The item is incomplete: the cover, probably glass, is missing. Inside the unit is an old calico infant's mattress.There are two name plates on the front panel; “Australia/ Victor Watson/Limited/ New Zealand” and "Glenleigh/ Baby Incubator/ Aeronautical & Industrial Lighting Co/ 677-9 North Road Carnegie”. Australia/ Victor Watson/Limited/ New Zealand” "Glenleigh/ Baby Incubator/ Aeronautical & Industrial Lighting Co/ 677-9 North Road Carnegie”. Castors::"Shepherd USA'

Mary Howlett (1840-1922) began practising as a country midwife in 1866 in the western district of Victoria. She qualified as a 'ladies monthly nurse' in 1887 and continued to practise as a nurse and midwife until 1920.She began her six months training at the Melbourne Lying-In Hospital. She was known by many as 'Auntie', and her career spanned more than 50 years. Mrs Howlett's midwifery box and contents were given to Dr Frank Forster, and he donated them to the museum collection in 1993.Small black bakelite irrigator nozzle. There are 7 entries in the nozzle head. Small ridge around neck of nozzle.irrigation, midwifery

Mary Howlett (1840-1922) began practising as a country midwife in 1866 in the western district of Victoria. She qualified as a 'ladies monthly nurse' in 1887 and continued to practise as a nurse and midwife until 1920.She began her six months training at the Melbourne Lying-In Hospital. She was known by many as 'Auntie', and her career spanned more than 50 years. Mrs Howlett's midwifery box and contents were given to Dr Frank Forster, and he donated them to the museum collection in 1993. Syringe attachment with 4 depressions of equal size around the base. Inside is a shallow rim. The inside is hollow and wider at the base rim than the top. It tapers to half the circumference size at the outlet.intravenous device, midwifery

Mary Howlett (1840-1922) began practising as a country midwife in 1866 in the western district of Victoria. She qualified as a 'ladies monthly nurse' in 1887 and continued to practise as a nurse and midwife until 1920. Mrs Howlett's midwifery box and contents were given to Dr Frank Forster and he donated to the museum collection in 1993. A related item held in the collection is Mrs Howlett's linen apron donated by Patricia Thompson in 1993.Black bakelite irrigation nozzle.midwifery, irrigation

This type of wire cot was in common use in Maternity hospitals from the 1920s to the 1950s. Cot and bedding originally from the Maternity Unit, St George's Hospital, Kew. The hospital in Kew was closed in 1998 and the services transferred to Box Hill Hospital. Julie Collette, former General Manager, donated this cot and other items to the Museum collection in 1998. The mattresses were made by 'Cloudsoft' bedding in Fitzroy, Victoria. Infant's cot, made of wire and wire mesh, with two covered mattresses [218.2, 218.3]. Mattress cases are printed with text that reads 'Northern Hospital Linen Service - 51' and 'Stericlean Linen Service'.infant care

The Slingsby T31 is a two seat training glider that came available in 1951. It is, in effect, a two seat version of the single seat Kirby Tutor. The T31 was marketed by Slingsby Sailplanes both as complete aircraft and kits of parts for assembly. The Australian Gliding Museum’s example (currently registered as VH-GDB) is one of five of this type to grace Australian skies. Three including GDB were assembled in Australia from kits supplied by Slingsby’s in England, the other two were delivered as completed airframes. To date only four remain of which two are airworthy. This aircraft began flying in at Caversham in Western Australia (the then home of the Gliding Club of Western Australia) in July 1956. It was badly damaged in a crash in June 1958. The wreckage was sent to Schneiders in Adelaide for repair. However, the Club decided against having the repairs done, opting instead to buy a new ES52 Kookaburra. After a couple of years, the wreck was purchased by a member of the Waikerie Gliding Club whereupon the glider was rebuilt with some modifications, including a more rounded and better streamlined fuselage nose. It returned to the air in October 1961 at Clare in South Australia. The ownership of VH-GDB passed through a number of clubs, including at Dubbo in New South Wales, Wimmera in Victoria and Pioneer Valley at Mackay in Queensland. Eventually, it came into the hands of Bill Riley of Tocumwal in New South Wales who held it in storage for many years. Riley donated the aircraft to the Museum. It has been restored to airworthiness and is flown at vintage glider rallies and on Museum open days. This exhibit is an excellent example of a Slingsby T31 Tandem Tutor, a type of glider that was used by a number of clubs in the 1950s and 1960s for dual training of pilots to the solo capability.The Slingsby T31b Tandem Tutor is an open cockpit, tandem, two-seater glider with high, pylon mounted two piece wing supported by double, wire braced, steel tube struts. The glider is fitted with a main wheel, rubber-block sprung, wooden nose skid and steel leaf sprung, brass shod tailskid. The basic controls of aileron, rudder and elevator are not supplemented with pitch trim. Wing lift spoilers and both aerotow and winch releases are fitted. The instrument panels in both cockpits are fitted with an airspeed indicator, cosim variometer and altimeter. This red and silver painted wood and fabric covered aircraft is in excellent condition having been restored to full airworthy status by the Australian Gliding Museum. SLINGSBY – T31b (nose – both sides) DB Australian Gliding Museum (rudder – both sides) It has been given Serial Number GFA/HB/12 and is registered as VH-GDBaustralian gliding, glider, sailplane, slingsby, tandem tutor, t31, gliding club of western australia, waikerie gliding club, wimmera soaring club, pioneer valley soaring club

This Dunstable Kestrel glider, which came to be known as the "Red Kestrel" on account of its colour scheme, was built from plans by Percy Pratt between 1936 and 1938. It was first flown in 1938. Thereafter, it was flown regularly by Pratt at Geelong, Victoria. At the national rally organized by the Australian Gliding Association in December 1939 – January 1940 at the Belmont Common, Geelong, Victoria, Pratt, in his Kestrel, recorded an exceptional 13 kilometre cross country flight of one hour 43 minutes reaching a height of approximately 5500 metres [Allan Ash, Gliding in Australia, p 86]. This Dunstable Kestrel glider represents a good example of a 1930s era sailplane. It is one of three of the type that currently exist in Australia. The aircraft is also important for Australian gliding history because it was built, owned and flown by gliding pioneer Percy Pratt.Wooden airframe covered with plywood and fabric. In course of restoration.australian gliding, glider, sailplane, dunstable, kestrel, bill manuel, percy pratt, belmont, geelong

The “Coogee” is an intermediate single seat sailplane designed and built by Tom Proctor in 1940. Only one was built. It was first flown at Stuart Hill near Bendigo Victoria in January 1941 and was maintained in flying condition until 1967. The aircraft was flown extensively by the Victorian Motorless Flight Group (now the Melbourne Gliding Club) and Geelong Gliding Club and several subsequent owners. This exhibit is a "one off" Australian designed and built glider similar in some respects to the Hutter H17. Its usage is relevant to the history of gliding in Victoria in the post war years. Also the aircraft provides an insight into gliding technology in Australia in the 1940s. Wood and fabric single seat glider sailplane with strutted wings and strutted tailplane – features metal framed perspex canopy, central fuselage skid and wheel, small tail skid, instruments include airspeed, turn and bank indicator; variometer and altimeter. Metal parts include struts and fairing covering wing joint. All surfaces are pink doped – awaiting painting.australian gliding, glider, sailplane, coogee, tom proctor, victorian motorless flight group, geelong gliding club

The Geelong Glider Club was formed in June 1929 at a meeting held at the Belmont Common hangar of Percy Pratt. The club built a Zogling (Primary Glider) based on plans obtained from Germany and flew it off nearby hills at Lovely Banks and other places in the Geelong region. The checked rudder design (without logo and markings) is evident in a picture of a Geelong Glider Club Zogling flying at Tower Hill near Warrambool, Victoria, at Easter 1931 and this lends support to the conclusion that the rudder was part of the Club’s first glider. The logo and markings appear to be a more recent elaboration to the design. Exhibit is a historical link to the earliest gliding activities of the Geelong Glider Club.Fabric covered wooden framed primary glider rudder with metal levers decorated with silver and dark red checkered design. The item has a cat logo on one side and markings on the other of places where the Geelong Gliding Club flew in its early years.On port side – Cat logo. On starboard side – Geelong Glider Club; and place names including Geelong Aerodrome, Batesford, Ceres, Lovely Banks, Tower Hill, Koroit, Mount Moriac; and years, 1929-1933 australian gliding, glider, zogling, primary glider, rudder, geelong gliding club, lovely banks, tower hill. koroit

This aircraft, the first glider built by Schneiders after they immigrated to Australia, was test flown on 3 January 1953 by Dave Darbyshire and Owen Lewis. It is the only machine of its type. It is essentially a Grunau Baby 2B with a Perspex enclosed cockpit, wing airbrakes and a landing wheel. However, the wing design came from an existing Grunau 3 type that was being built in Germany. The glider has given extensive service for a number of owners – including the Gliding Club of Victoria, Sunraysia Gliding Club, Millicent Gliding Club, Max Bugler of Morwell and Garth Hudson of Brighton in Victoria. Prior to being donated to the Australian Gliding Museum in January 2001 the glider had logged over 2200 hours flying time from over 9000 flights. The glider is an improved Grunau Baby design that Edmund Schneider built after coming to Australia.Single seat glider of wood and fabric construction, with steel wing struts. Currently painted crème with yellow details. Underside of fuselage is painted orange.australian gliding, grunau, grunau baby, schneider, gliding club of victoria, sunraysia gliding club, millicent gliding club, darbyshire, lewis, bugler, hudson

The “Northrop” is an American copy of the “Zogling” which was designed in Germany in the 1920s as a training glider. Apparently, the Northrop primary glider takes its name from a Marvin Northrop of Minneapolis who imported a Zogling from Germany and from that glider had plans drawn and published in a magazine called Modern Mechanics in 1930. The Australia Gliding Museum’s Northrop was built over the period of 1970 to 1974. The project was conceived by a pioneer of Australian gliding, Ken Davies, about 1969, as a hobby project and to experience afresh gliding flight of the early years. By that time, few primary gliders, which performed a fundamental role for gliding clubs in the 1930s and 1940s, remained in Australia. Ken began construction and was helped to finish the project by two old time Gliding Club of Victoria members, Dave Darbyshire and Rudi Feil. The glider was test flown on 8 March 1975 at Benalla. The glider was stored at the Gliding Club of Victoria and flown on special occasions in the 1980s. Later it was damaged at the 1996 vintage glider rally at Ararat as a result of a heavy landing. Storage was then provided for the glider by the Victorian Motorless Flight Group at Bacchus Marsh until it was returned to Dave Darbyshire for restoration in 1998. Fully restored, the glider was donated by Iris Davies and Dave Darbyshire to the Australian Gliding Museum in April 2001. This exhibit is the type of machine that formed the basis of the sport of gliding from 1929 to about 1945. The glider consists of an open (uncovered) wooden framed fuselage (painted blue) with a brown vinyl covered seat, fabric covered wooden framed wings of constant chord (painted silver) with provision for attachment of semi-circular cane wing skids, and fabric covered wooden framed tailplane, elevators and rudder (painted silver). When assembled the airframe is wire braced.australian gliding, glider, northrop, zogling, davies, darbyshire, feil, gliding club of victoria, victorian motorless flight group

The Schreder HP 14T is a variant of an all metal single seat sailplane designed by Richard Schreder of USA in the 1960s. The HP14T featured a ‘T’ tail in place of ‘V’ tail of the HP14V. The design was marketed to home builders in kit form. The Museum’s Schreder HP14T (VH-GIB) first flew on 31 August 1974. It has recorded 280 hours in the air from 239 launches to 28 January 1989, the date of its last flight. It is understood that VH-GIB was partly constructed in North America and completed in South Australia by C.G.M. Coxon. Ownership passed to the Georgeson Syndicate of Rockhamption, Queensland and later to Warren Mayfield of Victoria. Warren Mayfield donated the glider to the Museum in April 2002. All metal single seat glider sailplaneRegistration lettering on rudder and fuselage sidesaustralian gliding, glider, sailplane, schreder, coxon, georgeson, mayfield, slingsby, bache, waikerie gliding club

The T35 Austral was developed by Slingsby Aviation from the Slingsby T31 with the wing span increased and a larger rudder to improve performance. This was done in response to an order from an Australian gliding club. The Museum’s glider was built from a Slingsby kit imported from the UK in 1952 and assembled by the Waikerie Gliding Club. The glider came on the Australian register as VH-GFX in May 1956. It was later transferred to the Renmark Gliding Club. In 1968 it was acquired by the RAAF Gliding Club at Laverton, Victoria. The existing log book records for the Museum’s T35 Austral are incomplete. Nevertheless the information at hand shows that it was launched over 17000 times and spent about 2400 hours in the air. It would appear that the glider has not been used for many years, the last flight recorded by the RAAF Gliding Club for this aircraft being in September 1971. As far as is known VH-GFX is the only example of the type to be built. The Slingsby T35 is a modified Tandem Tutor two seat glider that had extensive service at a number of Australian gliding clubs over a period of approximately 15 years from the mid 1950s. The Slingsby T35 is an open cockpit, tandem, two-seater glider with high, pylon mounted two piece wing supported by double, wire braced, steel tube struts. australian gliding, glider, sailplane, slingsby, waikerie gliding club, renmark gliding club, raaf gliding club

This Grunau Baby 2B glider, often referred to as the “Blue Grunau”, was built by Australian Sailplanes in 1946 and acquired by a syndicate consisting of Norm Hyde, Rob Dowling, Leo Dowling, Dick Duckworth and Ted Desmond of the Gliding Club of Victoria. Piloted by syndicate members and other GCV members the glider performed well in soaring and cross country flights at the various sites used by the GCV in 1947, 1948 and 1949. The glider went to Sydney for a while and then returned to be operated by another syndicate at the GCV. Pat Burke and Bob McAliece bought the glider in the 1950s and then sold it to Keith, Jack and Bruce Hearn of Melbourne. In 1957 the Blue Grunau moved to Western Australia and was added to the Glider Register as VH-GLC. Thereafter the glider had a series of owners. The glider has come to the Australian Gliding Museum via the RAAFA (WA) Division. The flying record of the Blue Grunau has been logged for the period of 28 December 1957 to 17 September 1975: Time in air – 559 hours 37 minutes from 1513 flights. Single seat glider /sailplane of wooden construction with plywood and fabric covering.australian gliding, glider, sailplane, grunau, blue grunau, australian sailplanes, hyde, dowling, duckworth, desmond, burke, hearn, gliding club of victoria, gliding club of western australia, narrogin gliding club

The Ka 2, a tandem two seat training sailplane of 15 metre wing span, was designed by Rudolf Kaiser for Schleicher in 1953. It was a versatile craft due to its good cross country soaring capability. With the Ka 2B, the design was improved in 1955 by lengthening the wing span to 16 metres and increasing the dihedral and tip washout. The fuselage was lengthened slightly as well. Schleicher built 42 Ka2s from 1953 to 1955 and 75 Ka 2Bs from 1955 to 1957. In addition Schleicher supplied kits for construction of the sailplane by independent builders. The Australian Gliding Museum’s example is the single Ka 2b built in Australia from plans and is designated as GFA-HB-47. The club concerned was the Illawarra Soaring Club of Sydney. The glider registered as VH-GHO and first flew in October 1960. However, within a short time it was badly damaged and needed major repairs which took over a year to complete. After lengthy service at Illawarra Soaring Club it was transferred to the Stirling Gliding Club in Western Australia in August 1976. Again it suffered damage in a landing accident in 1978. The damaged glider was put into storage at Northam where it remained for approximately 11 years. It was acquired by Mike Valentine in 1989 and brought back to flying condition at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. The last entry in the log book is dated January 1997 at which time it had accumulated 1170 hours from 2446 flights. The last owner prior to transfer to the Australian Gliding Museum was John Ashford of the Geelong Gliding Club. The Museum's Ka 2B sailplane is a potentially airworthy example of this German 1950s sailplane type. It is a rarity in Australia as the only Ka 2b appearing on the Australian register.Tandem two seat sailplane of wood and fabric construction finished in cream and red colour schemeRegistration VH-GHO (with "HO" letters painted on the fin / rudder) Serial number - GFA HB 47 australian gliding, glider, sailplane, schleicher, kaiser, ka 2, illawarra soaring club, stirling gliding club, valentine, ashford

The ES49 glider / sailplane was designed by Edmund Schneider in Germany before he migrated to Australia in the early 1950s. In Germany the ES49 was put into limited production by the Schleicher factory from 1951 to 1953 (8 produced). In Australia the ES49 is commonly referred to as the “Wallaby”; two were built by the Adelaide Soaring Club with assistance from Edmund Schneider Ltd and one independently from plans by Eric Hader and members of the Cooma Gliding Club. The Museum’s ES49 – serial number GFA-HB-36 - was built at Gawler from 1955 to 1958 and registered as VH-GLL on 15 January 1959. It was the second of the ES49s built by the Adelaide Soaring Club. Originally it had a rather distinctive appearance due to the use of a sleek P51 Mustang canopy to enclose the forward seating position of the cockpit. The glider, together with its sister VH-GDK, was used at the Gliding Federation of Australia National Gliding Schools at Gawler. In 1964 the glider was transferred to the Newcastle Gliding Club, Newcastle, in New South Wales and then in 1966 it went to the Albury and District Gliding Club, Albury, New South Wales. The Snowy Mountains Gliding Club, Khancoban, New South Wales acquired the glider in 1968 where it remained until 1974. In 1974 the glider transferred into private hands at Wodonga, Victoria, for two years and then to interests at Albury until 1985. At that stage the glider was acquired by a private owner at Bathurst, New South Wales, who undertook a restoration that included, amongst other work, the fitting of a more conventional cockpit canopy. The glider was at Warkworth, New South Wales in 1992 and became to be owned by Eric Oates who preserved it until he donated it to the Australian Gliding Museum. According to the logbook for VH-GLL held by the Museum, the glider was last flown in November 1990 and at that time had logged 2758 hours and 57 minutes from 15775 launches. The fuselage is currently under restoration at the Museum’s Dave Darbyshire workshop. The ES49 – VH-GLL – is an example of the state of wood and fabric dual place sailplane design in the late 1940s. The glider served the Adelaide Soaring Club and subsequent owners well as a training and general purpose sailplane over many years. It is a rare example of the type (one of 4 existing in the world). Tandem two seat high wing strut braced glider-sailplane finished in silver grey colour scheme.australian fliding, glider, sailplane, schneider, es 49, wallaby, oats, adelaide soaring club, hader, cooma gliding club, newcastle gliding club, albury & district gliding club, snowy mountains gliding club

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