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74-665: The Queensland Air Museum is a not-for-profit all-volunteer aviation museum located near the Caloundra Airport in Queensland , Australia . Its mission is to collect and preserve all aspects of aviation heritage with an emphasis on Australia and Queensland. The museum has the largest and most diverse collection of historic aircraft in Australia and it also has a large collection of aircraft engines, equipment, artefacts, photographs, uniforms and books. On 2 June 1974

148-647: A change to a Rotax 912 engine. A total of 61 were produced at which time it gained certification under the European Joint Airworthiness Requirements for Very Light Aircraft (JAR/VLA), the first Australian aircraft to do so. The next 10 aircraft produced after the certification in June 1993 were designated CA25. The final stage in the development of the Skyfox was the production of a model with tricycle landing gear to better cater for

222-533: A contract with the United States for the purchase of 70 AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Stand off Missile, for US$ 250 million. Also contained in the contract are upgrades to the fleet of Polish F-16s to be completed by Lockheed Martin. On 28 May 2019, the Polish Minister of Defence announced that Poland had sent a request for quotation for the acquisition of 32 F-35A aircraft. On 11 September 2019,

296-579: A further twelve Polish squadrons were created in the United Kingdom: The fighter squadrons initially flew Hurricanes, then switched to Supermarine Spitfires , and eventually to North American Mustangs . 307 Squadron, like other night fighter squadrons (such as 410 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force), flew Boulton Paul Defiants , Bristol Beaufighters and finally de Havilland Mosquitoes . The bomber squadrons were initially equipped with Fairey Battles and Vickers Wellingtons . 300 Squadron

370-921: A multirole aircraft from 1951, the An-2 from 1955 and subsequently the Wilga-35 P . Transport aircraft used by the Polish Air Force during this period included: the Il-14 (first in service in 1955), the Il-18 (first in service in 1961), the An-12 B (first in service in 1966), the An-26 (first in service in 1972), the Yak-40 (first in service in 1973) and the Tupolev Tu-154 . A number of helicopters were used by

444-471: A pedal generator to provide reliable power and the service took flight using a de Havilland DH-50 aircraft leased from Qantas which is another Queensland icon. The RFDS continues to operate a fleet of over 60 aircraft across every State of Australia. The Queensland Air Museum's RFDS display includes a DHA-3 Drover aircraft used by the RFDS and an example of a Traeger radio. The Drovers, VH-FDR named John Flynn after

518-638: A range of piston engine types ranging from a 40 horsepower four cylinder Continental A40 up to a 1,450 horsepower fourteen cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasp radial. The museum collection has many displays which highlight the aviation history of Australia, Queensland and the local Sunshine Coast. These include Charles Kingsford Smith , Women in Aviation, Pathfinder Force, Korean War , Vietnam War , British Pacific Commonwealth Airlines, Ansett Airlines , Qantas , Calair, The Flight Data Recorder and

592-533: A scrap metal dealer just days before their destruction. The aircraft were disassembled and successfully shipped to Australia, where they were restored and placed on display. The two hectare museum site has been steadily developed with the construction of a second hangar being completed in July 2004 which was later extended in 2006. A library, restoration workshops and storage facilities have also been constructed. In September 2006, Mr Allan Vial, DFC OAM OPR (Pol), become

666-605: A third of the aircraft were able to drop their bombs within 5 miles (8 km) of the target. In an effort to improve the accuracy the Pathfinder Force was created on 15 August 1942, under the leadership of Acting Group Captain Don Bennett, who was born in Toowoomba . The specialised squadrons in the Pathfinder Force had aircraft that were crewed by experienced crews who would lead the main bomber force to locate

740-1053: Is located adjacent to the F-111 strike aircraft which provides a link to the modern air force. As of January 2024. Cameron, Don G. Thirty Years On...Queensland Air Museum Major Collections. Queensland Air Museum, Caloundra QLD Australia, 2005. ISBN   0-646-45107-3 Cameron, Don G. Thirty Years On...Queensland Air Museum Major Collections Supplementary Material January 2005 to date. Queensland Air Museum, Caloundra QLD Australia. ISBN   978-0-646-50586-2 Cameron, Don G. The Calair Skyfox – Origin, Derivatives & Production Lists. Queensland Air Museum, 2009, www.qam.com.au/papers Wilson, Stewart. Wirraway, Boomerang & CA-15 in Australian Service. Aerospace Publications, Weston Creek ACT Australia, 1991. ISBN   0-9587978-8-9 Wilson, Stewart and Pittaway, Nigel. F-111 in RAAF Service 1973–2010. The Story of One of

814-644: The AIM-120C-5 and AIM-9X ). In the aftermath of the presidential Tu-154 crash in 2010 and later Polish-led investigation, the 36th Special Aviation Regiment , responsible for transporting the President and the Polish Government, was disbanded, while the defense minister resigned. A new unit, the 1st Air Base, replaced the 36th regiment. Between June 2010 and December 2017 most official flights were served by two leased Embraer E-175 operated by

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888-467: The Battle of Britain . Prior to the conflict Poland also bought 234 planes abroad. First of them were on delivery when the conflict started. These were Hawker Hurricane (14 planes), Morane-Saulnier 406 (120 planes) and Fairey Battle (100 planes). The ship SS Lassell with 14 Hawker Hurricanes on board left Liverpool on 28 August 1939, deliveries from France were also on way when the conflict broke out. After

962-1015: The Greater Poland Uprising . These planes were first used by the Polish Air Force in the Polish-Ukrainian War in late 1918, during combat operations centered around the city of Lwów (now Lviv ). On 2 November 1918 pilot Stefan Bastyr performed the first combat flight of Polish aircraft from Lwów. When the Polish-Soviet War broke out in February 1920, the Polish Air Force used a variety of former German and Austro-Hungarian, as well as newly acquired western-made Allied aircraft. Most common at that time were light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, among most numerous were French Breguet 14 bombers, German LVG C.V reconnaissance aircraft, British Bristol F2B scouts and Italian Ansaldo Balilla fighters. After

1036-635: The JAS 39 Gripen . The Polish Block 52+ F-16s are equipped with the latest Pratt and Whitney F-100-229 afterburning turbofan engines, and the avionics suite includes the APG-68 (V)9 terrain mapping radar system and the ALQ-211 (V)4 electronic warfare suite. All Polish F-16s can carry modern US precision ordnance, ranging from the JDAM/JSOW to the latest in export-certificate-authorized air-to-air weaponry (including

1110-649: The Junak-2 (in service since 1952), the TS-9 Junak-3 (in service since 1954) and the PZL TS-8 Bies (since 1958) were later replaced by a jet trainer, the domestically built TS-11 Iskra . Another Polish jet trainer, the PZL I-22 Iryda , was used for some time but, because of continuing problems, all machines were returned to PZL for modification and did not resume service. The Yak-12 was used as

1184-742: The LOT Polish Airlines . On 14 November 2016 the Defense Ministry ordered two Gulfstream G550 VIP planes. On 31 March 2017 a deal with Boeing Company was signed to supply two Boeing Business Jet 2 and one Boeing 737-800 for the head of state and the government transport. On 27 February 2014 Poland signed a €280 million contract with Alenia Aermacchi for 8 M-346 Master advanced training jets. The first two Masters arrived in Poland accompanied by Team Iskry on 14 November 2016. On 11 December 2014 Polish officials signed

1258-473: The PZL P.7a , was designed and produced, with 150 entering service. The design was followed by 30 improved PZL P.11a aircraft and a final design, the PZL P.11c , was delivered in 1935 and was a respectable fighter for its time; 175 entered service and it remained the only Polish fighter until 1939, by which time foreign aircraft design had overtaken it. Its final version, the PZL P.24 , was built for export only and

1332-557: The Pratt & Whitney types R-1340 Wasp , R-1830 Twin Wasp , R-2000 Twin Wasp and R-2800 Double Wasp , Bristol Hercules 634 , Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX , Wright R-975 Whirlwind and Wright R-3350 Turbo Compound Cyclone . Other piston types include the Allison V-1710 , Rolls-Royce Merlin 102 and de Havilland Gipsy Queen and Gipsy Major . The turbojet collection has some early centrifugal compressor designs such as

1406-589: The Pursuit Brigade , deployed in the Warsaw area. Despite being obsolete, Polish PZL-11 fighters shot down over 170 German aircraft. The bombers, grouped in nine escadres of the Bomber Brigade , attacked armoured ground columns but suffered heavy losses. Seven reconnaissance- and 12 observation escadres, deployed to particular armies, were used primarily for reconnaissance. Part of the Polish Air Force

1480-778: The Royal Flying Doctor Service . An important part of the development of the remote Australian inland area has been the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), which provides medical support to isolated communities. The Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service, which would later become the RFDS, was established by Reverend John Flynn on 15 May 1928 in Cloncurry, Queensland . Flynn had a vision to use radios and aircraft to connect doctors and patients in remote locations. He engaged Alfred Traeger to develop suitable two-way radios which used

1554-655: The Solomon Islands and Borneo areas against the Japanese in tactical reconnaissance, target marking, dive bombing and army co-operation roles. They were also used by the RAAF as an advanced trainer throughout the war and for many years after with their retirement from service in 1958. The example in the Queensland Air Museum collection is A20-652 construction number 1104. It was built in July 1944 in

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1628-700: The Yak-17 fighter came into service, as did the Ilyushin Il-12 transport and the Yak-18 trainer. From 1951 onwards, the Polish Air Force was equipped with Yak-23 jet fighters and MiG-15 jets, along with a training version, the MiG-15 UTI , and later, in 1961, the MiG-17 . As well as Soviet-produced aircraft, from 1952 onwards Soviet MiG-15 and later MiG-17 fighters were produced under licence in Poland as

1702-663: The de Havilland Goblin and Ghost and the Rolls-Royce Nene and Derwent . Other turbojet types include the Rolls-Royce Avon and Armstrong Siddeley Viper . The turboprop engines are represented by the Rolls-Royce Dart , Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 and Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba . The museum also has an Operational Engine Collection, which has a number of engines mounted on running rigs, that are run in regular public displays. They include

1776-622: The 1st Mixed Air Corps, consisting of a bomber division, an assault division, a fighter division and a mixed division. After the war, these returned to Poland and gave birth to the air force of the People's Republic of Poland . In 1949, the Li-2sb transport aircraft was adapted into a bomber and in 1950, Poland received Petlyakov Pe-2 and Tupolev Tu-2 bombers from the Soviet Union along with USB-1 and USB-2 training bombers. In 1950 also,

1850-792: The 1st and 2nd Aviation Units of the 2nd Corps, the aerial fleet of the 4th Rifle Division , as well as the Samodzielny Polski Oddział Awiacyjny (Independent Polish Aviation Squad) in Odesa . Poland was under German and Austro-Hungarian occupation until the armistice , but the Poles started to take control as the Central Powers collapsed. Initially, the Polish air force consisted of mostly German and Austrian aircraft, left by former occupiers or captured from them, mostly during

1924-538: The Department of Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that Poland had been cleared to purchase 32 F-35A fighters, along with associated equipment, for an estimated cost of $ 6.5 billion. On 27 September 2019 the US Congress approved the sale. On 31 January 2020, Poland signed a $ 4.6 billion deal for 32 F-35A fighters. On 8 March 2022, the Polish government offered to transfer its entire MiG-29 fleet to

1998-574: The Finest Strike Aircraft in Aviation History. Aero Australia Special Edition, Chevron Publishing Group, 2010. Not-for-profit A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization ( NFPO ) is a legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives. An NFPO does not earn profit for its owners, as any revenue generated by its activities must be put back into

2072-557: The Italian made RAT-31DL a AESA system, and the Polish made NUR-15 radar which provides a 3D picture of the controlled airspace. The NUR-31 a mobile unit, employing a medium-range airspace control radar. Armed Forces Operational Command , in Warsaw The current aviator badge of the Polish Air Force has been in use since the 1920s. The badge is called gapa and represents silver eagle in flight with gold laurel wreath in

2146-521: The Karas was outdated. In 1938 the Polish factory PZL designed a modern twin-engine medium bomber, the PZL.37 Łoś (Elk). The Łoś had a bomb payload of 2580 kg and a top speed of 439 km/h. Unfortunately, only about 30 Łoś A bombers (single tailfin) and 70 Łoś B (twin tailfin) bombers had been delivered before the Nazi invasion. As an observation and close reconnaissance plane, Polish escadres used

2220-813: The Lim-1, Lim-2 and later the Lim-5. A domestic ground attack variant of the Lim-5M was developed as the Lim-6bis in 1964. The only jet bomber used by the Polish Air Force during this period was the Ilyushin Il-28 , from 1952 onwards. Poland used only a small number of MiG-19s from 1959, in favour of the MiG-21 from 1963 onwards, which became its main supersonic fighter. This aircraft was used in numerous variants from MiG-21F-13, through MiG-21PF and MF to MiG-21bis. Later,

2294-683: The Patron of the Queensland Air Museum, he is also Life President of the Pathfinder Force Association in Australia. A plan to relocate Caloundra Airport placed an uncertain future on the museum for many years. But on 2 September 2010 the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced in Parliament that the airport would continue to operate on its present site and she said this would provide "certainty for

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2368-565: The Polish Air Force has three squadrons of F-16s: two stationed at the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznań and the 10th Tactical Squadron at the 32nd Air Base near Łask . The acquisition of the US F-16 was not without fierce competition from European aerospace companies; the sale was hotly pursued by the French company Dassault, with their Mirage 2000 and by the Swedish company Saab, with

2442-531: The Polish Air Force received 37 MiG-23s (1979) and 12 MiG-29s (1989). The main fighter-bomber and ground attack aircraft after 1949 was the Il-10 (a training version, the UIl-10 , entering service in 1951). From 1965 onwards, Poland also used a substantial number of Su-7Bs for bombing and ground attack, replaced with 27 Sukhoi Su-20s in 1974 and 110 Sukhoi Su-22s in 1984. Propeller-driven training aircraft,

2516-796: The Polish Air Force was merged with the Air Defence Force, creating the Air and Country Air Defence Forces ( Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Przeciwlotniczej Obszaru Kraju   – WLiOPL OK), a military organisation composed of both flying and anti-aircraft units. In 1962, the WLiOPL OK were separated back again into their two original component bodies: the Air Force ( Wojska Lotnicze ) and the Country Air Defence Force ( Wojska Obrony Powietrznej Kraju ). After political upheaval and

2590-461: The Polish Air Force was the SPAD 61 and its main bombers were the French produced Potez 15 and the Potez 25 , which was eventually manufactured in Poland under license from Aéroplanes Henry Potez. The first Polish-designed and mass-produced aircraft to serve in the country's air force was a high wing fighter, the PWS-10 , first manufactured in 1930 by the Podlasie Aircraft Factory. In 1933, Zygmunt Pulawski's first high wing, all-metal aircraft,

2664-441: The Polish Army: the SM-1 (a Mil Mi-1 manufactured under licence), which was a multirole helicopter, in operation since 1956; the Mil Mi-4 , multirole, since 1958; the PZL SM-2 , multirole, since 1960; the Mil Mi-2 and Mil Mi-8 (later also Mil Mi-17 ), multirole, since 1968 and the Mil Mi-24 , a combat helicopter, since 1976. Also the Mil Mi-14 , an amphibious helicopter, and the Mil Mi-6 , both used as transports. In 1954,

2738-418: The Polish-Soviet War ended in 1921, most of the worn out World War I aircraft were gradually withdrawn and from 1924 the air force started to be equipped with new French aircraft. In total in 1918–1924 there were 2160 aircraft in the Polish Air Force and naval aviation (not all in operable condition), in which there were 1384 reconnaissance aircraft and 410 fighters. From 1924 to 1930 the primary fighter of

2812-408: The Queensland Air Museum was inaugurated with the official unveiling of a Canberra bomber (A84-225) that had been purchased from a Government disposal. The aircraft was moved by volunteers from RAAF Base Amberley to be displayed at the Pioneer Valley Park, which was a museum at Kuraby in Brisbane's southern suburbs. The park was eventually closed and the aircraft was moved to a leased site at Nudgee on

2886-407: The Soviet Union. Military aviation in Poland started even before the officially recognised date of regaining independence (11 November 1918). The first independent units of the Polish Air Force, in service to the re-emerging Polish sovereign state, were actually formed before, in 1917, before World War I had come to an end. When the Russian Revolution began and the tsardom gradually lost control of

2960-457: The US government via Ramstein Air Base as lethal aid to the Ukrainian air force against the ongoing Russian invasion in return for aircraft of corresponding operational capabilities (most likely F-16s). The exchange was eventually not carried out. Note: Three C-17 Globemaster IIIs are available through the Heavy Airlift Wing based in Hungary . The 3rd Wrocław Radio Engineering Brigade has several radar types under its command including

3034-408: The United Kingdom, some of whom returned to Poland in 1989 after the fall of communism. Along with the Polish People's Army ( Ludowe Wojsko Polskie ) in the USSR , the Polish People's Air Force (Ludowe Lotnictwo Polskie) was created, in defence of the Soviet Union against Nazi invasion. Three regiments were formed in late 1943: During 1944–5, further regiments were created, coming together to form

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3108-515: The United States under section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code as social clubs. Common ventures for which NFPOs are established include: Charities, as NFPOs, function under the premise that any revenue generated should be used to further their charitable missions rather than distribute profits among members. This revenue might come from donations, fundraising, or other activities undertaken to support their charitable cause. Polish Air Force The Polish Air Force can trace its origins to

3182-417: The WLiOP were the MiG-29 and the Su-22 . As of 2010, the fleet of Su-22s is in need of modernization to retain any value as a combat aircraft and its future is unclear. In 2002, the F-16C/D Block 52+ from the American company Lockheed Martin was chosen as a new multirole fighter for the WLiOP, the first deliveries taking place in November 2006 and continued until 2008 under Peace Sky program. As of 2011

3256-461: The aircraft that established a viable Australian aircraft industry. The Wirraway was essentially a license built North American NA-16 which was simplified to suit Australian industrial capacity & capabilities of the time, and manufactured between 1939 and 1946. With 755 manufactured it is the second most produced aircraft type in Australia. Deliveries to the RAAF began just months before the outbreak of World War II and they served in New Guinea ,

3330-423: The bill. Navigator/Observer badge (below) represents the same eagle, but in gold with added lightning bolts. The gapa is worn in the usual place on the upper left breast above the pocket, but unlike other air forces it is suspended on a chain. It adorned the uniform of Polish Air Force officers in the RAF during World War II along with their RAF wings. In the combat version (for at least 7 flights in combat conditions)

3404-469: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and a consequent reduction in the state of military anxiety in the whole of Europe, the Polish Air Force saw reductions in size. On 1 July 1990 the Polish Air Force and the Air Defence Force were merged again ( Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej  – WLiOP or WLOP). The attack capability of this force consisted primarily of MiG-21s , MiG-23s , MiG-29s , Su-20s and Su-22s . The remaining Lim-6bis were withdrawn in

3478-450: The country, Polish pilots took advantage of the chaos and formed spontaneous aerial units in areas of present-day Belarus, south Ukraine, and by the Kuban river. Up until that point Polish pilots had only flown as members of Russian, German or Austro-Hungarian militaries. The first known air force units in service to the re-emerging Polish state were: I Polski Oddział Awiacyjny (1st Polish Aviation Squad) in Minsk formed on 19 June 1917,

3552-433: The early 1990s, followed soon afterwards by the withdrawal of the remaining Su-20 aircraft. The small number of remaining MiG-23s were withdrawn by 1999. Throughout the 1990s, Poland had not purchased any new combat aircraft and only managed to acquire further MiG-29s from the Czech Republic in 1995 and from Germany in 2004. MiG-21s were finally withdrawn from service in 2003. In 2004, the only remaining combat aircraft flown by

3626-406: The fall of Poland, the Polish Air Force started to regroup in France. The only complete unit created before the German attack on France was the GC I/145 fighter squadron , flying Caudron C.714 light fighters. It was the only unit operating the C.714 at the time. The Polish pilots were also deployed to various French squadrons, flying on all types of French fighters, but mostly on the MS-406 . After

3700-427: The final production batch which had the designation of CA-16. The museum purchased the aircraft with a grant from the John Villiers Trust in October 2010. It was flown from Adelaide , South Australia to Caloundra and placed on display in a flyable condition. The aircraft is maintained to preserve it in an operational condition and it is run in the regular Operation Engine Collection public displays. The F-111 aircraft

3774-419: The founder and VH-FDS named Norman Bourke, were used by the Queensland Section between 1951 and 1968. As a tribute to the local aircraft producer Calair Corp / Skyfox Aviation the museum has a major display, which features a CA21 Skyfox aircraft representing the prototype VH-CAL. This aircraft is restored using parts from several Skyfox aircraft with the wing being from the original aircraft. Calair Corporation

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3848-431: The iconic air museum". The museum's situation further improved when the Sunshine Coast Regional Council granted the museum a 30-year lease extension and on 28 March 2013 a Caloundra Aerodrome Master Plan was adopted. The Plan recognised the museum's tourism potential and its importance as a heritage organisation. In August 2013, former Australian Defence Force Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepard AO (ret) became

3922-417: The north side of Brisbane. The collection began to grow when a Meteor TT20 was donated to the museum by the British Government and a Vampire and two Sea Venoms were acquired. Due to the construction of the new Brisbane Airport nearby, the collection was forced to move to a temporary holding area on the airport site. Exorbitant rental costs at this location eventually lead to the museum being evicted and

3996-454: The organization. While not-for-profit organizations and non-profit organizations (NPO) are distinct legal entities, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. An NFPO must be differentiated from a NPO as they are not formed explicitly for the public good as an NPO must be, and NFPOs are considered "recreational organizations", meaning that they do not operate with the goal of generating revenue as opposed to NPOs. An NFPO does not have

4070-445: The outbreak of the war. On 1 September 1939, at the beginning of the invasion of Poland , all the Polish combat aircraft had been dispersed to secondary airfields, contrary to a commonly-held belief, based on German propaganda, that they had all been destroyed by bombing at their airbases. The aircraft destroyed by German bombers on the airfields were mostly trainers . The fighters were grouped into 15 escadres; five of them constituted

4144-1277: The patron of the museum. Upon his retirement, Air Vice-Marshal (ret) Julie Hammer AO became QAM patron in August 2023. The museum's aircraft collection is made up of a large variety of aircraft types that represent many aspects of aviation. Military aircraft represent the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army , Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy (RN), Republic of Singapore Air Force and Polish Air Force . Passenger aircraft types represent Australian and Papua New Guinean airlines, such as Ansett Airlines , Trans Australia Airlines , Bush Pilots Airways, Queensland Airlines, Queensland Pacific Airways, Airlines of NSW, Airlines of Tasmania , Ansett-MAL and Mandated Airlines. Australian designed or produced aircraft are represented by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Wirraway, Winjeel and Sabre, de Havilland Drover and Vampire, Government Aircraft Factories Jindivik, Turana and Canberra, Kingsford Smith Aviation Service Cropmaster, Transavia Airtruk, Victa Airtourer and Calair Skyfox. Other aircraft represent agricultural aircraft, training aircraft, helicopters, naval aircraft and de Havilland Aircraft Company types. The first powered aircraft to be designed and built in Queensland

4218-460: The pilot training market. This was called the CA25N Gazelle and would take over the production run. A total of 66 would be completed before production ceased in May 1998 when the company under financial difficulties was placed under voluntary administration. During World War II the British Bomber Command was engaged in night time area bombing of Germany. In 1942 these operations were resulting in an aircraft loss rate of between 4 and 5 percent and only

4292-434: The pilots were battle-hardened and Polish flying skills had been well learned from the invasion of Poland . The pilots were regarded as fearless, sometimes bordering on reckless. Nevertheless, success rates were very high in comparison to UK and Empire pilots. 303 Squadron became the most efficient RAF fighter squadron at that time. Many Polish pilots also flew individually in other RAF squadrons. As World War II progressed,

4366-419: The resultant publicity resulted in an offer of a permanent home on the Sunshine Coast by the Landsborough Shire Council. On 14 June 1986 the collection was relocated to a site at Caloundra Airport with a newly built hangar . The official opening of the museum took place on 4 April 1987 by Mrs Ly Bennett, museum patron and widow of the museum's first patron , the late Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett. Don Bennett

4440-458: The same obligation as an NPO to serve the public good, and as such it may be used to apply for tax-exempt status as an organization that serves its members and does not have the goal of generating profit. An example of this is a sports club , which exists for the enjoyment of its members and thus would function well as an NFPO, with revenue being re-invested into improving the organization. These organizations typically file for tax exemption in

4514-423: The second half of 1917 and was officially established in the months following the end of World War I in 1918. During the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, 70% of its aircraft were destroyed. Most pilots, after the Soviet invasion of Poland on 17 September, escaped via Romania and Hungary to continue fighting throughout World War II in allied air forces, first in France, then in Britain, and later also

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4588-501: The slow and easily damaged Lublin R-XIII , and later the RWD-14 Czapla . Polish naval aviation used the Lublin R-XIII on floats. Just before the war, some Italian torpedo planes, the CANT Z.506 , were ordered, but only one was delivered, and it was without armament. The principal aircraft used to train pilots were the Polish-built high-wing RWD-8 and the PWS-26 biplane. In 1939, Poland ordered 160 MS-406s and 10 Hawker Hurricane fighters from abroad, but they were not delivered before

4662-453: The surrender of France, many of these pilots managed to escape to Britain to continue the fight against the Luftwaffe. Following the fall of France in 1940, Polish units were formed in the United Kingdom, as a part of the Royal Air Force and known as the Polish Air Force (PAF). Four Polish squadrons were formed: The two Polish fighter squadrons first saw action in the third phase of the Battle of Britain in August 1940, with much success;

4736-466: The target and mark it with flares. This would give the bomber force coming in behind an improved chance of dropping their bombs in the right place. To commemorate the Pathfinder Force the museum has a large display, which was established and maintained in conjunction with the Pathfinder Force Association of Australia. It includes uniforms, memorabilia, models and a reproduction of Don Bennett's office which contains many of his original possessions. The display

4810-404: The type on 3 December 2010. The aircraft is painted in its delivery camouflaged colour scheme with 1 Squadron markings on one side and 6 Squadron on the other. The museum has a large collection of aircraft engines many of which are displayed on stands beside the aircraft. They include piston engines , turbojets and turboprop types. The piston engines on display include radial types such as

4884-404: Was bought by four countries. A new fighter prototype, the PZL.50 Jastrząb (Hawk), similar to the Seversky P-35 in layout, was curtailed by the Nazi invasion and the PZL.38 Wilk twin-engine heavy fighter remained a prototype. As far as bombers are concerned, the Potez 25 and Breguet 19 were replaced by an all-metal monoplane, the PZL.23 Karaś , with 250 built from 1936 onwards, but by 1939

4958-509: Was created in October 1989 to produce a derivative of the Denny Kitfox at Caloundra Airport. The aircraft to be known as the Calair CA21 Skyfox was a two-seat high-wing monoplane with a tail wheel undercarriage for use in the training and recreational flying market. A number of changes were made to the Kitfox design to increase the loaded weight, which brought it up to the Australian CAO 101-55 standard. This allowed it to be commercial produced and be used for general aviation pilot training and it

5032-447: Was destroyed in the campaign; the surviving aircraft were either captured or withdrawn to Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia or Sweden, whose air forces subsequently employed these aircraft for their own use (in the case of Romania until 1956). A great number of pilots and aircrew managed to escape to France and then to Britain, where they played a significant part in the defence of the United Kingdom against Nazi invasion, during

5106-417: Was later assigned Avro Lancasters , 301 Squadron Handley Page Halifaxes and Consolidated Liberators and 305 Squadron, de Havilland Mosquitoes and North American Mitchells . 663 Squadron (air observation/artillery spotting) flew Taylorcraft Auster IIIs and Vs. After the war, all equipment was returned to the British, but only some of the pilots and crews actually returned to Poland, with many settling in

5180-403: Was popular at air shows, sporting events and firework displays, such as the annual Brisbane River Fire firework show and the 2000 Sydney Olympics closing ceremony. The Queensland Air Museum has F -111C aircraft A8-129 on display, which is on long-term loan from the RAAF. This aircraft was in the first group to arrive in Australia on 1 June 1974 and it also flew in the final operational flight of

5254-399: Was the Queensland-born founder and commander of the World War II Bomber Command Pathfinder Force. In honour of this, the road in front of the museum was named Pathfinder Drive. Now with a permanent home, the collection continued to grow and in 1989 it was bolstered by an ambitious recovery expedition to Sentosa Island, Singapore where a Sea Vixen , Meteor and Hunter were purchased from

5328-547: Was the RAAF's premier strike asset for 37 years until the type's retirement in December 2010. It was operated by 1 and 6 Squadrons for all of that time from the RAAF Base Amberley near Ipswich, Queensland . The aircraft had the ability to perform a " dump and burn " which involved dumping fuel from an outlet between the engine jet pipes and igniting it with the engine's afterburners . The spectacular flame produced

5402-606: Was the Wicko Cabin Sports. It was a wood and fabric monoplane designed and built by Geoff Wikner and it first took to the air in January 1931 from Archerfield Airport in Brisbane. The Queensland Air Museum obtained copies of the original plans of this significant aircraft and constructed a replica , which went on display at the museum in 2007. The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation's Wirraway has been described as

5476-531: Was the first aircraft in Australia to be so certified. It was powered by a 2.1L, 58.2 kW (78 hp) Aeropower engine built in Perth, Western Australia , which was essentially a Volkswagen adaptation. 33 CA21s were produced between July 1990 and August 1991. In 1991 the company was sold and the name was changed to Skyfox Aviation Ltd. Production then switched to the CA22 which incorporated numerous changes including

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