Waves of former defence aircraft will stage a flypast over eight locations along the NSW coast in an aerial Anzac Day tribute organised by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS).

Subject to availability and conditions on the day, the waves will comprise an Orion AP-3C, Neptune SP-2H, Spitfire Mk IX, Grumman Tracker S-2G, Dakota C-47, two Caribou DHC-4 and Iroquois Huey UH-1B.

Flying in a loose trail (long line astern) the aircraft will fly over Anzac services at Shellharbour, Wollongong, Kiama, Kangaroo Valley, Bundeena, Cronulla, Coogee and the city of Sydney:

Wollongong, Kiama, Kangaroo Valley (from 10.05am)

Orion, Neptune, Spitfire, Huey.

It will be the largest ANZAC overflight ever staged from the HARS Aviation Museum.

After their salute the aircraft will return to HARS Aviation Museum where they will be on show to visitors, along with other aircraft of significance to aviation in Australia.

Other warbirds in the massive HARS display include a former RAAF supersonic F-111C swing-wing bomber, additional 1960s Neptune and Trackers maritime patrol aircraft, additional Dakotas, a Winjeel trainer, a PBY Catalina, a Sea Fury, a former RAN Wessex helicopter, Sabre, Vampire and Sea Venom jets plus airliners including the Lockheed Super Constellation ‘Connie’ (itself a former USAAF transport aircraft from 1955), a Douglas C-54/ DC-4 which in its USAAF service took part in the Berlin Airlift  and the only Boing 747-400 remaining in Australia.

Open every day, HARS Aviation Museum offers visitors a hands-on and interactive opportunity with the aircraft in tours conducted by informative guides.

HARS Aviation Museum is open from 9.30 to 3.30 daily for guided tours (last tour 2pm), located at Shellharbour Airport, just off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail and a short walk from the railway station. 

Visitors can make a meal of it when they drop into Café Connie (9.30am to 2pm) where the menu offers a value selection of hot and cold foods plus excellent coffee.

Details of check-in at www.hars.org.au.

The former RAAF maritime patrol Orion will form part of the Anzac Day fly-past salute from HARS Aviation Museum.

It is fitting that former RAAF Caribou, which served in Vietnam, will be part of the Anzac Day flypast along the NSW Coast. Howard Mitchell photo.

Now part of the HARS Navy Heritage Flight, a Grumman Tracker will take part in the Anzac Day flypast from HARS Aviation Museum.

Aircraft details

Orion

While Lockheed Orion AP-3C continue operating with the RAAF, HARS has the only one flying under civil registration (VH-ORI). Maritime patrol duties with this aircraft included searching for the missing  MH370 airliner in the Indian Ocean.

Caribou

Built in Canada by Hawker de Havilland, HARS has two of the amazingly short field take-off and landing transport aircraft (A4-234 and A4-210) with A4-234 the last RAAF aircraft to leave Vietnam. They are a flying memorial to all Australian Service personnel who served in the Vietnam War.

Dakota

More than 16,000 of the type, known variously as the C-47 or Dakota. HARS has four of this type in our collection. A65-94 was built for the USAAF in 1945 then quickly entered service with the RAAF. In 1964 it conducted the first RAAF flight into Vietnam, bringing food and medical supplies for refugees. 

Neptune

Powered by two piston engines with auxiliary jet engines the Lockheed Neptune SP-2H at HARS  entered service with the RAAF in 1962, conducting long range maritime patrol and submarine hunting duties with No 10 Squadron.

Huey 

Huey 898 is one of seven legendary Iroquois UH-1B to serve with the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm and now serving with the HARS Navy Heritage Flight.

Spitfire

Associated with HARS at Shellharbour Airport, the Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX model served during World War II.

Tracker S-2G

Twin engine anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft with a four man crew that operated from aircraft carriers and land bases.

Ian Badham BSc OAM

Co-ordinator, HARS Media & Marketing Team

Rescue helicopter & aeromedical pioneer