Bristol Sycamore
Walkaround Gallery

This Sycamore walkaround shows our Mark 3 down at Moorabbin Museum. I am in the process of (slowly) fixing up the interior of this one. It's a slow process as I am not much of a carpenter! It's interesting, though, and I'm learning a lot about how these things were put together in the late 40s and early 50s.

This particular bird, c/n 12894, was originally taken on charge by the RAAF, and served in several units including the ARDU (Aircraft Research and Development Unit) and I believe it served some time at Woomera rocket range.

It went on to a couple of different civilian owners as VH-GVR. During construction work hauling concrete at Falls Creek, in the Victorian snowfields, it was involved in a fatal accident and suffered considerable damage when it crashed and rolled. It was taken on by AARG (Australian Aircraft Restoration Group) at Moorabbin and brought back to static display condition. Some of the damage can still be seen. Note paticularly the cabin roofline and the port cabin door, which no longer opens. There is evidence of the tailboom being rebuilt just forward of the elbow too.

I have a feeling the starboard main undercarriage leg may be from a navy HR-50/51 as it has a fairing attached that I've not seen on any photos of the RAAF machines. We also have a personnel winch kicking around, which the RAN machines had fitted but the RAAF Mk-3 couldn't use as it doesn't have any back doors. Likewise, I haven't seen a photo of A91-1 with the rotor tips shown here, so they may be from a navy bird too. I believe they got swapped around a fair bit.

Anybody got a Sycamore chin bubble lying around in the shed?

Sycamore A91-1
Pic 1		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 2		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 3
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 4		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 5		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 6
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 7		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 8		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 9
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 10		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 11		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 12
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 13		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 14		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 15
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 16		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 17		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 18
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 19		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 20		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 21
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 22		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 23		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 24
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 25		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 26		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 27
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 28		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 29		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 30
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 31		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 32		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 33
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 34		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 35		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 36
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 37		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 38		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 39
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 40		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 41		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 42
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 43		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 44		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 45
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 46		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 47		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 48
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 49		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 50		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 51
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 52		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 53		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 54
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 55		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 56		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 57
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 58		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 59		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 60
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 61		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 62		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 63
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 64		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 65		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 66
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 67		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 68		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 69
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 70		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 71		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 72
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 73		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 74		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 75
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 76		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 77		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 78
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 79		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 80		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 81
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 82		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 83		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 84
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 85		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 86		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 87
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 88		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 89		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 90
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 91		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 92		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 93
Sycamore A91-1
Pic 94		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 95		Sycamore A91-1
Pic 96


References:

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft in Australia and New Zealand. David Eyre. Sunshine Books. isbn: 0 86777 272 7
  • The Aviation Factfile: Helicopters. Robert Jackson. Grange Books. ISBN: 1-84013-812-2
  • www.adfserials.com.au

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