The exciting news for Warbird enthusiasts is that the work to build the new Warbird Aviation Attraction at Scone NSW is proceeding very well. This will be the first purpose built Military Aviation Museum facility built in many years in Australia and will be a significant boost to the Warbird movement in Australia.
So far the preliminary earthworks are under way and a professional company with many years of experience in Military Museum design and construction has been involved in the design and layout of the facility, including the content configuration.
The Warbird Museum will house a variety of over 14 Trainer and Fighter Aircraft from WWI to the present day, with most of them airworthy. All the aircraft on display will have some connection with Australian Military Aviation and the RAAF, especially those operated in or with a connection to the Hunter Valley. There is a wealth of documented history connecting the people of the Hunter Valley to the RAAF and defending Australia and this will feature prominently in the attraction.
Another feature of the Museum will be the ability to take rides in some of the aircraft on display, including some of the WWII fighters and trainers. There will also be two sophisticated simulators to enable visitors to try their hand at flying a classic fighter. Additionally there will be 2 or 3 aircraft dioramas to illustrate important Historic Aviation moments in Australia’s Military Aviation History.
Included in the building will be a gift shop and Café for the convenience of patrons as well as audio visual presentations and there will also an elevated viewing platform within the complex.
Warbirds Online news article Warbird Visitor Attraction for Scone NSW , 30 Sept 2019 provides the background on the initial concept.
Warbirds Online will continue to monitor the progress of the Warbird Aviation Attraction at Scone NSW with further updates as it proceeds. It is anticipated that the new Warbird Museum will open around November 2021 with a large Airshow planned to be held to mark the occasion.
Scone Airport Terminal & Warbird Aviation Attraction Project Concept
Scone Regional Airport Upgrade
In conjunction with the establishment of the Warbird Museum, the Scone Regional Airport upgrade work commenced in earnest on the 9th of November 2019 with the closure of the runway for a month for the earthworks to be carried out including removing 3 gilgais from the runway, full runway seal with a 10 and 7 bitumen spray seal, sub soil drainage being installed along the full length of the runway and new airport ground lighting being installed. Along with that work continue with the construction of new helipads, taxiways, apron, fueling apron, aircraft wash bay, and grass parking areas.
-
- Scone Regional Airport upgrade 2020
-
- Significant works on Upgrade
-
- Lime stabilizing for new asphalt
A gilgai is a mound and depression in the soil caused by the expansion and shrinking of the clay soil. They are like speed humps along the runway. There were 3 areas affected along the runway surface making the runway unsafe and getting to the stage of being unserviceable. These have been dug out and were filled in with new gravel material then lime stabilized and new asphalt put down. The contractors also put in sub soil drainage the full length of both sides of the runway to let water drain from under the asphalt so the clay stays dry and the issue wont re occur. A single 10mm bitumen spray seal was applied over the top of the asphalt to close up the cracks on top to prevent water going into the clay surface.
All the work proceeded extremely well with no unforeseen issues arising; this work has resulted in a fully renewed airport for the 21st Century. Airport users, Scone Township and the Upper Hunter community will benefit from this modern facility into the future, with safe and reliable infrastructure including the various Aviation Businesses operating out of the Airport, with Emergency Service access 24 hours a day and the vital the Firebombing aircraft base.
-
- Upgrade of drainage works
-
- Upgrade nears completion
The work on the airport runway was on completed in early December, 2019. The other works have followed on and were scheduled for completion at the end of 2020.
Warbirds Online would like to thank Joanne McLoughlin from the Upper Hunter Shire Council for some of the content provided for this news article.
© John Parker 2021
Warbirds Online