The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) will stage a special aviation tribute to serving personnel, veterans and emergency responders as part of its April Tarmac Days event ahead of Anzac Day.
The event, titled Honouring Those Who Serve, will take place on Friday 10 April at Shellharbour Airport and will feature multiple historic military aircraft in both ground and flying displays.
Up to five former Royal Australian Air Force, Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy aircraft are expected to power up for a ground parade, with additional warbirds on static display.
Event organiser Professor Michael Hough said the day is designed to recognise service across both military and civilian sectors.
“Anyone wearing service medals will be admitted free to the Tarmac Day (the usual admission fee is $A35/head for the day),” Prof Hough said. “Any service as well as military is to be recognised.”
The program will begin with a morning tea from 10am, followed by a ceremony at 10.30am and aircraft ground operations between 11am and 12.30pm.
“At each stage anyone wearing military or service medals will have the opportunity to have a group photo taken with that airframe,” Prof Hough said.
Among the highlights will be a midday flight by the world’s only airworthy Lockheed Super Constellation, operated by HARS in a Qantas-style livery.
The aircraft, built in 1955 and originally operated by the US Air Force, was restored by HARS volunteers and ferried to Australia in 1996, where it continues to fly as VH-EAG.
HARS said it is the only organisation in Australia capable of operating and displaying a range of historic military aircraft spanning multiple eras, including the C-47 Dakota, Grumman Tracker, De Havilland Caribou, Lockheed Neptune and Orion.
Additional aircraft, including a Vampire, Avon Sabre and F-111C, will be available for static inspection.
The event also precedes HARS’ annual Anzac Day flyover program, which will see historic aircraft conduct aerial salutes over multiple locations along the NSW South Coast and into southern Sydney, subject to operational conditions.
The flyovers are expected to include aircraft such as the Caribou, Dakota, Iroquois “Huey” helicopters, Neptune and Orion.
Prof Hough said community support is critical to delivering the program.
“Due to the rapidly rising fuel costs, HARS is requesting donations towards covering the steep and still unpredictable fuel costs for the Anzac Day events,” he said. "If you can help please go to: https://hars.org.au/donations/,”
HARS Aviation Museum is open daily at Shellharbour Airport, with tours hosted by volunteer guides and access to a range of historic aircraft on display.