Airport workers and people visiting the airport on June 28 were treated to the sights and sounds of the historic Convair airliner’s massive engines starting up and running.
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Parkes Aviation engineers are required to keep the engines in good order to maintain them, switching them on every so many months.
The Convair was retired to Parkes in March after operating for 10 years flying cargo and freight all over Australia and into New Guinea.
The aircraft came from Canada where it flew freight for many years after being converted from a passenger aircraft and having the huge cargo door added in 1967.
The aircraft is being reconfigured back to a passenger aircraft by Parkes High School students, who are removing the cargo pod rollers and tracks from the cabin floor and installing the passenger seats back into the aircraft.
“This is another tourist attraction for Parkes,” Parkes Aviation Museum volunteer Bill Barber said.
“There’s plenty happening out here.”
The Convair, other aircraft and other exhibits are available for inspection on Thursdays and Sundays from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Admission to the museum is adults $5, children $2 and families $10.
The following Sunday, July 2, Parkes residents enjoyed a visit by an historical DC3 aircraft that refuelled enroute to Broken Hill and other major centres.
The DC3 is well known in the Central West as Butler Air Transport operated the type for many years before becoming Airlines of NSW.
The aircraft overflew the town before landing, which prompted a lot of people to come out to the airport to have a closer look.
On departure the aircraft overflew the Dish and Northparkes Mines.
This aircraft last visited about two years ago and is operated by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), the parent organisation of Parkes Aviation Museum.
This aircraft was delivered to the RAAF in Australia in 1945 and travelled to Japan during the occupation and was the first RAAF aircraft into Saigon in 1963, bringing in medical supplies to the South Vietnamese.
“We plan to bring more historical aircraft to Parkes from time to time to support the Museum,” HARS member Mike De La Hunty said.
“The collection of aircraft and artefacts is growing and more volunteers are needed, not only in restoration work but as tour guides to inform visitors of the many exhibits on hand.
“Just come out on a Thursday or Sunday and talk to one of the tour guides on hand.”
