Heavy/Civilian Aircraft at the 2017 Air Show [05/03/2017]

[Mitch]

After a few weeks away jetting to different points of the country, I scored myself a ticket to the 2017 Australian International Air Show. Being a huge aviation geek, I jumped at the opportunity and spent the entire day there. Unfortunately, getting extremely sunburnt came with that. Here are some photos of the heavier military aircraft, and the civilian aircraft coming in and out of Avalon.



Qantas' Retro Roo II VH-VXQ (Boeing 737-838) idles on the tarmac.


Volga-Dnepr Airlines of Russia's RA-82043 (Antonov AN124-100) towers over the rest of the show.



The first of fifteen Boeing P-8A Poseidon to be delivered to the RAAF sits in the heavy aircraft area before taking off for a military show.


For Jetstar's VH-VGR, it's business as usual taxiing to the runway to take off on flight JQ632 to Adelaide.



And here is the same beast as it lands at Avalon from Adelaide on flight JQ633.



Starting out life as an Airbus A330 before being converted to a tanker in 2004, the Royal Australian Air Force's Airbus KC-30A (Airbus A330-200MRTT) being towed to a parking position before taking off to joining it's smaller Boing P8-A cousin on the military show.

As always – questions, comments and criticism is always welcome.

Cheers,
Mitch

[Mitch]

PART 2.


Royal Australian Air Force's one of six Boeing E-7A Wedgetail aircraft takes off to join it's P8-A and KC-30 cousins in the military display. This aircraft was developed by Boeing for the RAAF in 2000, and is now used in Turkey and South Korea as well.


Jetstar's VH-VGR (Airbus A320-232) before spooling up to take off for the Gold Coast.


In what seems like a rare visit to Avalon, Alliance Airlines' VH-NKU (Fokker 70) rests after a short flight from Essendon.


This 1955 manufactured Lockheed Super Constellation "Connie" is the one of only two operational Super Constellations left in the world. By the time production was stopped, there had been 858 produced.


As always - questions, comments and criticism is always welcome.

Cheers,
Mitch

[Leyland B21]

Admin: Unnecessary quote of previous post deleted.
The angles you got the runway shots from. I'd say you were standing near me. I was in front of the middle grandstand all day with the camera and tripod on Saturday if that's the day you shot these

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[Fleet Lists]

Thanks especially for the Constellation photo.

However from its history it does not appear to be a 1943 one, not being delivered until 1955. http://www.conniesurvivors.com/VH-EAG.htm

Current registration - VH-EAG
Delivered to USAF MATS Atlantic Division October 1955 as C-121C 54-157
To Mississippi ANG July 1962
To West Virginia ANG February 1967
To Pennsylvania ANG March 1972
Retired and flown to Davis Monthan AFB for storage March 1977
For sale at auction November 1983, August 1984 and February 1985
Due to a large amount of bird droppings covering the interior, scrap dealers were not interested in purchasing aircraft and it became the last Constellation stored at Davis Monthan AFB
To USAF Museum February 1985 and accepted by Travis Air Museum. Never delivered
Traded it to the National Aeronautic and Space Museum of Australia (NASMA) in November 1991 for a Bristol Beaufighter
Australia's Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) teamed up with NASMA to restore the aircraft
Moved from Davis Monthan AFB to the Pima Air and Space Museum April 1992 for restoration
Registered N4115Q August 1994
Ferried DMAFB to Tucson International Airport September 21, 1994 and N4115Q cancelled on September 22, 1994
Registered VH-EAG on September 23, 1994 and named "Southern Preservation"
Lockheed Aeromod Center at Tucson painted aircraft in Qantas color scheme, less Qantas titles, November 1994
Flown from Tucson, AZ to Sydney, Australia January 24 to February 3, 1996
Handed over to HARS by NASMA February 21, 1997
Based at the Illawarra Regional Airport near Wollongong and flies regularly on the Australian airshow circuit

[Mitch]

My mistake! I've confused the year Connie was produced with the year Lockheed started producing the aircraft.

The angles you got the runway shots from. I'd say you were standing near me. I was in front of the middle grandstand all day with the camera and tripod on Saturday if that's the day you shot these

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

No! I was there today!

Cheers,
Mitch

[Nugget]

After a few weeks away jetting to different points of the country, I scored myself a ticket to the 2017 Australian International Air Show. Being a huge aviation geek, I jumped at the opportunity and spent the entire day there. Unfortunately, getting extremely sunburnt came with that. Here are some photos of the heavier military aircraft, and the civilian aircraft coming in and out of Avalon.
As always – questions, comments and criticism is always welcome.

Cheers,
Mitch

No C-17? Did they not fly on Sunday. On Saturday they indicated that the KC-30 is the largest aircraft in the ADF inventory. Be interesting if the USAAF ever decide to bring out one of their C-5s.

[Mitch]

The C-17 was there but I was on the other side of the airshow when the display was on and completely missed it. Which is disappointing.

By length the KC-30 would be larger but the C-17 is huge.

Cheers,
Mitch

[stajourneyman]

Although not pictured, I am wondering whether the Boeing 707 and 737 shared the same front end exterior, as in cockpit are of the fuselage?

If not identical, they would have to be, at least, very similar.

[Mitch]

The 707, 727 and 737 all share the same front end design.

Thanks,
Mitch