Richard Webb of CameraStuff approached the Watsons in an attempt to host a photography workshop with a Great Gatsby Theme. He hoped to include a photo shoot with models, a vintage car and a Tiger Moth. What was put on at Baragwanath was so much more… The photographs speak for themselves.
The car is a 1930s Alfa Romeo Monza Replica, the model Tanya de Lange, and the de Havilland Tiger Moth is ZS-UKW, previously ZS-BSF, and one of the JLPC Club’s aircraft in the 1950s.
You know what they say: “If you want bad weather over a weekend, organise a flying event long in advance and it’s bound to happen.” Well, the Weather gods didn’t co-operate with us this past weekend, throwing winds that neared gale force across the runway at Baragwanath. Despite this, however, the Cub Day was a resounding success.
Members came in their droves, and enjoyed the camaraderie that the new clubhouse provides. While the wind blew outside, flying stories were swapped over a cup of coffee, bacon and egg roll, or a tub of home-made curry and rice.
A number of brave and intrepid pilots manned-up to the weather conditions and flew in, which resulted in a gaggle of Pipers and other old aircraft parked in the front of the clubhouse. The boys from the St Stithians Aviation Club were marshals for the event as well as helpers in the kitchen and for a number of the intended events.
Unfortunately, after Jason Beamish tested the conditions and tried to bust a few balloons, dropped the flour bombs and tested his skills at a spot landing, we decided that the conditions were not conducive to holding the competition and it was therefore cancelled. The hand-crafted trophies and awards have been locked in the clubhouse display cabinet and it was decided to postpone the competition for a future date.
Many thanks must go to all of the volunteers who helped during the course of the day including Mike Gill, Dave Gill, Gretchen Maruggi, Don Lucas, the St Stithians Boys College Aviation Club, Courtney Watson, Patrick Watson, Renier van Biljon, Kelly McAuley, Jo and Mark Munro for all of their efforts.
Many thanks also to the pilots who flew in and displayed their aircraft on the day.
Courtney Watson
Visitors and locals included the following:
Make
Model
Registration
Cessna
140
NC72513
Cessna
140
ZS-BFI
Cessna
140
ZU-ECP
de Havilland
DH.82A Tiger Moth
ZS-CDJ
de Havilland
DH.82A Tiger Moth
ZS-UKW
de Havilland
DHC 1 Chipmunk
ZS-ULJ
de Havilland
DHC 1 Chipmunk
ZU-DXO
Evans
VP-1
ZU-ALT
Jabiru
J430
ZU-EPC
MicroWings
Cubby
ZU-CYB
MicroWings
Cubby
ZU-DLH
MicroWings
Cubby
ZU-DVH
Osprey
GP4
ZU-CLC
Piper
J3 Cub
ZS-AUY
Piper
J3 Cub
ZS-AWJ
Piper
J5 Cub
N35297
Piper
L-4 Cub
ZU-PJN
Piper
PA-11 Cub Special
ZS-VTT
Piper
PA-18 Super Cub
ZS-LHL
Piper
PA-18 Super Cub
ZS-PFZ
Piper
PA-18 Super Cub
ZU-ASI
Piper
PA-24 Comanche
ZS-WBN
The artwork on the advertising poster done by Kelly McAuley. Pictures thanks to the photographers of Avcom and John Austin-Williams.
Elsewhere I posted a photograph of a flying wing design, ZS-UEC. Regrettably, I do not have any good quality photos of this aircraft. We always treated it as a bit of a joke.
I cannot tell you much about the aircraft or of its owner other than he was a Hollander. In fact, I no longer remember his name!
We seldom saw him at the airfield but when he did show-up he was always assured of a lot of curious spectators. For the purpose of this story I am going to give him the name of Jan which rings a bell for me.
I believe the ‘Flying Wing’ was a Japanese design. It was not kept at Baragee and the reason for this will become clear as the story unfolds…
