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Showcasing the aviation photography of Mick McKean, based in Brisbane, Australia.

23/08/2026

Beech D18S VH-FID performing its handling display at Pacific Airshow Gold Coast 2026. I think this was my first time seeing the type in flight, I was impressed by the bank angles the pilots put this classic machine through and running two smoke trails made for some nice photos.
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
This aircraft flew was built 1948 and flew in the USA as N628B until 1961. It was imported to Australia and flew with Flinders Island Airlines from June 1961. Later it was operated by the Melbourne Herald Group, used for delivering newspapers. In 1979 it became part of the Malcolm Long collection and was made airworthy with Panama Jacks Vintage Aircraft at Canning Bridge, WA. Passing through several owners around Australia, from 2020 it is currently owned by Doug Hamilton of VIC. Although this airframe never served with the RAAF, it is currently displayed with WWII RAAF roundels as a tribute, although I can find no reference to the type serving with the RAAF.
Airshow Gold Coast 2026

22/08/2026

U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon 169547 of Patrol Squadron 47 (VP-47) “the Golden Swordsmen” performing its handling display at Pacific Airshow Gold Coast 2026.
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

19/08/2026

The Southern Knights Formation Team performing their formation display at Pacific Airshow Gold Coast 2026. They put on an excellent display of close formation aerobatic manoeuvres in their Harvards/T6/SNJs, with that distinctive drone from the two-bladed prop tips breaking the sound barrier.
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Sony A7RV + Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM + Sony 1.4X TC

17/08/2026

Warplanes Pty Ltd's North American T-28B Trojan VH-RPX taxiing for takeoff at the Watts for Breakfast August 2026 fly-in event.
Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield, Cressbrook, Queensland, Australia.
Sony A7RIV + Sony FE 24-105mm F4
1/80sec | f/18 | ISO 160 | 54 mm (effective FL)
Queensland Warbirds and Vintage Aircraft Association

13/08/2026

Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk VIII VH-A58 in action at the Watts for Breakfast August 2026 fly-in event. This beautifully restored machine carries the markings of RAAF A58-484 CR-C, one of the three Spitfires assigned for personal use of 1st Fighter Wing Commander Clive "Killer" Caldwell, DSO, DFC & Bar who was the leading Australian air ace of World War II.
Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield, Cressbrook, Queensland, Australia.

11/08/2026

Kennedy Aviation's recently-acquired North American P-51D Mustang VH-AK5 at the Watts for Breakfast August 2026 fly-in event. At the time I photographed it was under tow from the fuel station, with towbar attached. Looking fantastic in a highly polished finish, it is on the list of performers at next weeks' Pacific Airshow on the Gold Coast - I can't wait to see her in flight.
Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield, Cressbrook, Queensland, Australia.
AIRCRAFT HISTORY
===============
This airframe was built 1945 by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) as a CA-18-Mk 22 and served with RAAF until decommissioning in 1958. It was owned for several years by Fawcett Aviation of Bankstown, NSW. In 1968 it was relocated to the USA, restored as USAAF s/n 45-11483 c/r N4674V and raced at various US air races over several years. In another guise in the 1970s it was used as a chase plane for the Piper Enforcer close air support aircraft development. In 1991 a change of markings applied the name "Best Years of Our Lives" and rego change to NL286JB. It was then relocated to France 1991 and was badly damaged there in a forced landing incident at Dijon. In 1994 it was given a new livery (presumably after post-accident repair) as "Short-Fuse Salle" with markings of AJ-T 415622. transported back the USA in 1996, through a few more owners before being acquired by Kennedy Aviation in 2025 and relocated to Australia.

26/04/2026

For ANZAC Day 2026 my wife and I once again travelled to Toowoomba for their ANZAC Day march. Local aviation company Aerotec organises a formation flypast over commemoration ceremonies around the Darling Downs region. I planned to capture them at takeoff but arrived just as they blasted off the the flight so missed out there. I waited for them to return to Toowoomba City Aerodrome and captured them on approach. Following this we went to Queens Park in Toowoomba CBD for the ANZAC Day parade, and caught the formation as they went up for another overflight of that ceremony. Many thanks to owners and pilots of this trio of CAC CA-25 Winjeels ; Matt Handley (VH-XXD A85-436), Stephen Bowtell (VH-NSJ A85-404) and Peter Thompson (VH-XXD A85-455) for performing this valuable contribution to our national day of remembrance.
Lest We Forget.
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.

30/03/2026

Bleriot XI-2 (replica) "Britannia" on static display suspended from the ceiling of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. The display recreates the original Britannia on its exhibition flight with Joe Hammond at the controls, and actress Esme McLellan as his passenger on the first passenger flight.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand , Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE ===
Bleriot XI-2 ‘Britannia’
This aircraft is a replica of Britannia, New Zealand’s first ‘military’ aircraft.
It was a larger and more powerful version of the Bleriot XI, the aircraft in which inventor-turned-aviator Louis Bleriot had famously become the first person to fly across the English Channel, in July 1909.

The XI-2 was presented to the New Zealand Government in 1913 by a group of English businessmen known as the Imperial Air Fleet Committee. After an embarrassing start – it arrived in New Zealand without its propeller – Britannia’s first demonstration flights took place above the Auckland Showgrounds in January 1914. It was flown by official Government Pilot, Joe Hammond, one of the few New Zealanders who held a pilot’s licence at the time.

When the time came to choose a passenger, Hammond picked pantomime actor Esme McLellan rather than one of the many dignitaries present. It was an unconventional choice that probably humbled some of the officials, but there is no evidence to support the popular story that Hammond lost his job because of it.

Damage and equipment problems meant that Britannia’s later flights were cancelled, and it went into storage. Following the outbreak of World War One, the Government decided that the aircraft would be of more use in Britain, and Britannia returned there in October 1914, having flown in New Zealand for only about two hours. It was written off in May 1915 after being involved in a fatal crash.

The Museum’s replica Bleriot XI-2 was constructed by David Comrie at his home in Dunedin in 1985. While under construction, it was discovered that the aircraft being built was not the military version. Hurried changes were necessary to ensure the correct configuration, and finishing touches and fitting of the replica engine were undertaken at the Air Force Museum in time for its opening in 1987.

25/03/2026

Auster T.7 Antarctic NZ1707 (WE563) on static display suspended from the ceiling of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand , Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE ===
Auster T.7 Antarctic NZ1707
This aircraft was manufactured by Auster Aircraft Ltd at Rearsby, England, in November 1950 as a dual-control trainer for the Royal Air Force. It served in this capacity (possibly in the Middle East) before being allocated to the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition in November 1955.
WE563 was purchased from the UK Air Ministry for the use of the NZ Antarctic Expedition, arriving in Lyttelton on 28 May 1956. It was left in the paint scheme it arrived in, except for the addition of the RNZAF serial number, ‘NZ1707’, on the rear fuselage. During cold weather training for the Expedition in 1956, the aircraft was damaged while landing on the Tasman Glacier and had to be hurriedly repaired before traveling to the Antarctic for the summer season. It had two tours of duty ‘on the ice’, the first from December 1956 – March 1958, and then from December 1959 – March 1961.
After returning to Wigram, NZ1707 was overhauled and put into service as a trainer at RNZAF Hobsonville in 1963. In 1965 it was transferred to No. 3 (Battlefield Support) Squadron RNZAF, before being eventually written off following a crash in the Kaipara Harbour in August 1966.
Initially disposed of to the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland, NZ1707 was later returned to the Air Force Museum at Wigram.

20/03/2026

Cessna O-2A Skymaster 69-7639 on static display in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand , Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE ===
Cessna O-2A Skymaster 69-7639
The Cessna O-2A was flown by a number of RNZAF pilots seconded to the United States Air Force (USAF) in South Vietnam.

The O-2A was commissioned by the USAF in 1966 and developed as a forward air control (FAC) aircraft. It entered production in 1967 and went straight into operational service in the Vietnam War. With none of their own combat aircraft deployed to South Vietnam, the RNZAF sent 14 pilots to be attached to the USAF as forward air controllers between December 1968 and February 1972. FACs were responsible for carrying out visual reconnaissance, marking targets on the ground, and calling in and controlling attacks by strike aircraft.

This aircraft, 69-7639, served with various Tactical Air Support Groups of the USAF Reserve and Air National Guard between 1970 and 1986. It was loaned to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand by the National Museum of the USAF in 1990, and is displayed in a FAC configuration.

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