Page 114 - AA 2018_09

Journeymen

YESTERYEAR
ERIC ALLEN
Australia’s well-travelled Noorduyn Norseman bushplanes

he Noorduyn Norseman was the Cape York Peninsula with three by VH-GSE and finally VH-GSG in
designed for demanding lost. March 1965. They were modified to
Canadian bush aircraft After the war 10 Norseman cropduster configuration at Bathurst,
Toperations, able to load large aircraft were offered for disposal able to carry a 1,270kg load of
items such as fuel drums and seat up and were purchased for civil use superphosphate.
to nine passengers. The prototype, from the Commonwealth Disposals The fourth ex-GSA machine,
equipped with floats and powered Commission (CDC), and it proved an meanwhile, was VH-ASS, which had
by a 420hp (313kW) Wright attractive aircraft for budding post- been sold to Carsair of Port Moresby
Whirlwind, completed its maiden war operators wanting a rugged and in 1957 following an accident in
flight on November 14 1935 from the flexible aircraft. They went to a variety 1956. In the early 1960s VH-ASS
St Lawrence River at Pointe-aux- of operators and eventually nine was stored in the open at Bankstown
Trembles, Montreal. passed through the hands of Gibbes (wearing Carsair markings) until it
The Wright-powered versions were Sepik Airways (GSA) of Goroka, New was purchased by Pay and Williamson
underpowered and the later definitive Guinea, which had been founded by in 1964, with the airframe trucked to
‘This Norseman IV had the 550hp (410kW) RAAF fighter ace Bobby Gibbes. Scone for use as a spares source.
The exception was A71-14. Bought
On September 26 1966 VH-GSE
Pratt & Whitney Wasp.
Norseman by the USAAF in huge numbers by The Zinc Corporation (Aviation was destroyed by fire near Armidale,
It was this version that was ordered
failing to climb during cropdusting
Division) of Broken Hill, it became
came to grief following the outbreak of WW2. Some VH-BHF, and was written off in a with pilot Col Pay escaping unhurt.
ground fire at Mainoru Station south
746 C-64As (later UC-46As) were
Eventually the two surviving
suffering delivered from mid 1942, operating on of Darwin on September 17 1952. aircraft, VH-GSF and VH-GSG, were
The robust Norseman with its
sold to Skyservice Aviation, Camden
wheels or skis.
an engine arrangements 14 Noorduyn UC-46A welded steel tube fuselage with with the latter aircraft modified for
Acquired under Lend-Lease
aluminium and fabric covering proved
mineral survey work.
failure.’ Norseman MK VIs, serials A71-1 well-suited to lifting loads in the participated with other aircraft at
On March 1 1969 VH-GSF
to -14, were also delivered to the
demanding operational environment
RAAF. The newly-built machines of the New Guinea highlands served Camden in a symposium into aerial
flown from Noorduyn’s factory near by GSA. The company would make firefighting conducted by the Sydney
Montreal to Newark, New Jersey a unique modification to the aircraft Branch of the Royal Aeronautical
were shipped to Australia. Arriving following a series of engine failures Society, although it was never
at either Melbourne or Sydney in late – from February 1953 GSA fitted subsequently used operationally for
1943/early 1944 the aircraft were its Norseman with the geared this purpose. This Norseman came
assembled and tested at Laverton, R-1340-S1H1-G Wasp engine with to grief suffering an engine failure
Bankstown or Amberley and assigned three-blade propeller from the CAC off Queenscliff Beach, Sydney on
to RAAF communication units based Wirraway. January 18 1970, carrying skydivers
at Essendon, Mascot, Archerfield, Between 1951 to 1960 five of the who were to perform a mass
Garbutt, Pearce and Port Moresby. GSA Norseman aircraft were lost in parachute drop during a surf carnival.
Norseman VH-GSE at Scone, Two aircraft were lost in RAAF accidents, while the four survivors Fortunately pilot Ken Andrews was
November 28 1965. This aircraft service, A71-1 on August 21 1944 flying would be sold in Australia. (GSA wearing a parachute, and hastily
was destroyed in a cropdusting from Horn Island to Merauke with was sold to Mandated Airlines, later left the aircraft safely with his eight
accident on September 26 1966 three of six on board lost when the Ansett Mandated Airlines of Lae, in passengers, with the aircraft coming
with pilot Col Pay fortunately aircraft ditched at sea, and A71-4 on November 1958). down in the sea five miles off the coast.
uninjured. eric allen February 14 1946 near Iron Range on The Norseman’s ability to carry a The last remaining Australian
generous volume and load made it an Norseman, VH-GSG, was sold to Ed
attractive proposition for cropdusting. Fleming, who exported the aircraft
For this role three of the ex-GSA back to Canada. Cancelled from the
machines, VH-GSE, -GSF and -GSG Australian civil aircraft register on
were gradually acquired by Pay and July 21 1973 it became CF-ISM. Sadly
Williamson of Narromine, the aerial on June 16 1978 it crashed at Witchai
application company founded by Colin Lake, about 65km from Thomson,
Pay and Bruce Williamson in 1960, Manitoba with the loss of one
initially with two Cessna 180s. In passenger.
November 1961 the company relocated With all 14 Australian Norseman
to Scone and Col Pay took over the either lost to accidents or broken up,
company in 1966 and renamed it as just one relic of this pioneering bush
Pay’s Aerial Services. aircraft remains in Australia, the
Pay and Williamson’s first Wasp engine from VH-BHF, which
Norseman, VH-GSF, arrived on is now held by the impressive Darwin
October 9 1963, followed soon after Aviation Museum.

114 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION