Page 92 - AA 2018_09

issued everyone with ear plugs and TAVAS’s Fokker Dr.I triplane the first 25 years of aviation. The battle for control of the air was
told them to stand back – ‘don’t do this wears the vivid red livery of “We plan to give aviation history a well and truly on when the Eindecker
and don’t do that’ – and every single German fighter ace Manfred von future,” Carter states on the TAVAS was introduced in 1915, sparking
person bar one ditched the ear plugs, Richthofen. darren mottram website. what the Allies called the Fokker
stood there and said ‘this is what we His deep interest was sparked scourge because of the development
came for’,” Carter said. when a visit to the Omaka Aviation of synchronisation between guns
Rotary engines are a prime Heritage Centre in New Zealand and and propeller. That led, in turn, to
drawcard to both the Eindecker and its collection of WW1 aircraft triggered the rapid development of faster,
another unique, castor-oil sucking a realisation that there was nothing more manoeuvrable, better armed
aircraft in the TAVAS collection, a similar in Australia. aircraft on all sides as opposing forces
Fokker D.VIII powered by an original According to Carter, entrepreneur, attempted to outdo one another.
160hp (120kW) Gnome. That engine self-confessed aviation nut and now Some of the names from the period
was purchased as surplus after World Boeing 737 freight pilot, the original are familiar to enthusiasts and history
War 1 and subsequently salvaged from TAVAS ambition concerned what buffs alike: the Sopwith Triplane,
its unlikely use as powerplant on an he perceived was a gap in the WW1 Nieuport 24, the Bristol F.2B, the
airboat, the wreckage of which was centenary commemoration. While S.E.5a, the D.VIII and, probably best
discovered languishing in a barn. New much of the nation’s attention was known if not most famous of all (along
Zealand-based Wytenberg of Classic focused on memories of sacrifice with the Sopwith Camel), the Fokker
Aero Machining Services, along with on the slopes of Gallipoli or the Dr.I triplane in the vivid red livery
TAVAS engineers Dave Walsh and trenches of the Western Front, there flown by German fighter ace Manfred
David Claes, soon had the engine in appeared to be little recognition of von Richthofen.
remarkable condition and up and the revolution that took place above They are names more than familiar
running, despite its age. ground. to TAVAS because true to life replicas
equally appropriate in describing the ‘What many in 1914, a huge shift in technological of each type (with the exception of the
Within a year of the start of the war
The superlative “remarkable” is
Camel), many of them in flying order,
not only Australia’s biggest collection miss is that development delivered a transition form the backbone of its collection
work of TAVAS in bringing to life
from lumbering, delicate recognisance
alongside other extraordinary aircraft
of Great War aircraft but also pre these people machines with pilots armed with from the pre and post-war period.
and post-WW1 types to illustrate revolvers, even bricks, to relatively Led by Carter, his partner Nathalie
civilian flight. It is all about a focus on were clever.’ sophisticated, machine-gun firing Gochel, engineer Dave Walsh, and a
the pioneering years of military and
group of dedicated volunteers, TAVAS
fighter aircraft.
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