Tracker Flies Again

[Martin Edwards]

Tracker N12-152333 (844) now operated by HARS returned to the skies today.
Great effort by all concerned.
I wonder why the Navy titles have been covered over?

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[richardavn]

G'Day Martin,
Would likely be that the Navy would not want to be associated with it if it was to bingle, a bit like the Qantas and Connie set up.
But as you quite rightly say, well done to the crew to get it back in the air where it belongs.
Kind Regards
Richard Siudak

[Luig]

Nice one HARS - what a great bunch. Many thanks for a smile on me dial.

[Martin Edwards]

I don't want to distract too much from the great news that the Tracker flies once more.
However the covering over of the Navy titles and the reasons behind it worry me a little.

The problem with using the Connie/QANTAS argument is that Connie never flew with QANTAS.

John Travolta's B707 wears QANTAS titles however it did fly with the airline.

This is the first time that I have heard of any military air arm not wanting its name on one of its former aircraft flying as a warbird.

I'm no lawyer but I think that if the Tracker crashed the fact it did or didn't have Navy titles would make very little difference in the legal repercussions.

Where does that leave all the other ex-RAN aircraft that still wear Navy titles?

What about all the Furies/Sea Furies that never served with but wear RAN schemes?

Are they going to clamp down on this Auster that has never ever been to Australia

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[Invader26]

The Australian government idea on the use of our military colours on warbirds and other aircraft is that approval is sought from the relevant service with an explanation and that there aircraft are not current ADF inventory. Been like this for 30+ years. I was involved in the original approval process.

[Brenden S]

From what I have been told as the aircraft had not flown for 20 or so years they just wanted it covered for that initial flight. It is just one of those things these days that if something were to happen a certain CO does not want all the media attention.....

[Luig]

FACEmook postings by Tracker aircrew sent via e-mail (I'm no face booker T), last post Owen is the pilot (after twenty-one years - good oh).

This post has been edited by Luig on Sep 19 2019, 05:05 PM

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[Luig]

FAAAA FLYBY Magazine Dec 2019 has this 2 page (really three originally but reprinted PRN to get PDF under forum file size limit) article about the HARS Tracker flying written by the pilot Owen Nicholls. https://www.faaaa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads...cember-2019.pdf (5.5Mb)

844 Tracker Flies HARS FLYBY-December-2019 PRN pp2 forum.pdf

This post has been edited by Luig on Dec 2 2019, 04:40 PM

Attached File ( Number of downloads: 512 )
 844_Tracker_Flies_HARS_FLYBY_December_2019_PRN_pp2_forum.pdf

[Luig]

Graphic shows tight fit due wingspan making stbd wingtip close to island when on centreline aboard HMAS Melbourne. Various statements say ….

This post has been edited by Luig on Dec 2 2019, 05:02 PM

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[Invader26]

My memory tells me that there was 14ft [4.3m] clearance from the island. Pretty close in a dark and stormy night on a pitching and rolling wet deck...