Australia should have manufactured the Miles M20. It was perfect for the CBI and the Pacific.

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re post 71
Another try at the attachments
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This last one is an interesting file - I only opened a couple of pages at random to ensure it was a clean download and find on page 13 that in Jan 1940 Australia paid for two R-1830, plus accessories to be purchased and shipped to Bristol in England. I will have to read this file in full.
 
The outer panels were substantially different being cut away at an angle well before the tip and a whole new tip created plus the guns fitted. Modified Wirraway jigs could have been used. I will try and get photos next week as I pass through Brisbane. Airlines being on schedule that is possible,

My flight has been rescheduled so here is a page from the manual showing the wings and their tips

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The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation was one of the few aircraft companies in the world that could manufacture an entire aircraft (apart from the tyres), they had the most advanced machinery in Australia, an engine shop, a foundry and even the tyre manufactures (Olympic Tyre and Rubber) was close by.
 
If anyone is interested in the Australian Aviation industry, I can recommend this series of books by Keith Meggs, an ex Korean War veteran and CAC test pilot.
I have helped Keith with some information plus he has included some of the cartoons I did for CAC when I worked there in the 80s.

Australian-Built Aircraft, and the Industry by Keith Meggs
 

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If anyone is interested in the Australian Aviation industry, I can recommend this series of books by Keith Meggs, an ex Korean War veteran and CAC test pilot.
I have helped Keith with some information plus he has included some of the cartoons I did for CAC when I worked there in the 80s.

Australian-Built Aircraft, and the Industry by Keith Meggs

At $190 a volume that is well outside my budget but I am going to see if I can get it on inter library loan.

If people follow the link to this page SAMPLE PAGES | Australian-Built Aircraft & the Industry, by Keith Raymond Meggs OAM, DFM, AM (US) they will find an interesting comparison between the Boomerang, P-40 and P-39 with notes on the Buffalo.

This performance data is also covered in US archives but my copy is far less readable.
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At $190 a volume that is well outside my budget but I am going to see if I can get it on inter library loan.

If people follow the link to this page SAMPLE PAGES | Australian-Built Aircraft & the Industry, by Keith Raymond Meggs OAM, DFM, AM (US) they will find an interesting comparison between the Boomerang, P-40 and P-39 with notes on the Buffalo.

This performance data is also covered in US archives but my copy is far less readable.
View attachment 562359

Yes, It is expensive but it is comprehensive and has been compiled over 40 years, I will buy the CAC volume mainly because I worked there and helped with information, .... and the cartoons. The first two are cartoons of management meetings, to discuss economic problems, the second was when the phone line became entangled with the GM's chair during an international conference call, I was briefed by my spy who was present. The third is of the Material Review Board, discussing manufacturing problems, includes reps from McDonnel Douglas and Northrop during the F/A18 Project. I was present for that one, I am the one on the left. In my 55 years in the Aviation industry in three countries, CAC was the best place I worked, a shame when it was taken over by Hawker de Havilland, known as "Dirty Harry's" by those in the trade and by the RAAF at the time.
 

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I did work for short periods in NSW (Bankstown and RAAF Williamtown) and Queensland (RAAF Amberley) but was glad to get back to civilisation. :D

What - to Melbourne's famous upside down river - the Yarra - and infamous weather?

Seriously though Melbourne has a lot of good things like zoo and gardens, the state and National Archives, and plenty of roads elsewhere.
 
I did work for short periods in NSW (Bankstown and RAAF Williamtown) and Queensland (RAAF Amberley) but was glad to get back to civilisation. :D

One thing Wingnuts and I can both agree on is that our city-state national capital Canberra (also known and CANTberra as they are always telling the rest of Aus what they can NOT do) and the rest of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is the pits. For those outside Australia there is a great deal of interstate rivalry but universal contempt for Canberra/ACT.

To give you an idea of how out of touch with reality Canberra is you only need to look at two road related facts.

The first is that when you drive to Canberra on Barton or Monaro highways (two of the 3 roads in) you are driving along roads that are the bare minimum legal width, have no paved shoulders, are winding and undulating, have a poor road surface and a speed limit of 100kmh (60mph).

As soon as you hit the ACT border the roads widen to four lane divided carriageways with wide lanes and wide paved shoulders, all with perfect surfaces. Intersections are gigantic roundabouts and some of those have traffic lights because too many federal public servants cannot remember which side to give way to.

The speed limit at the border drops from 100kmh to 80kmh (50mph) because no federal public servants brains can safely process driving at any road speed above that.

The second, and related, fact is that ACT licence holders have the highest rate of fatal accidents when driving in all east coast and central states. Put them on a typical Australian road with a 100 or 110kmh speed limit and they are operating totally outside of their mental and driving abilities. Unfortunately they often kill real Australians with their accidents.

Incidentally a few years ago I saw a Ford F-100 with an empty tray and a large single axle trailer on the back. The heavy load was all piled in the front of the trailer so that the rear axle was on or near the bump stops and the front wheels barely on the ground making the drivers control marginal at best. Across the front of the bonnett/hood was a large bumper sticker - Public servant and proud of it. Although the vehicle had Qld plates the driver was obviously badly infected with Canberra disease.
 
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What - to Melbourne's famous upside down river - the Yarra - and infamous weather?

Seriously though Melbourne has a lot of good things like zoo and gardens, the state and National Archives, and plenty of roads elsewhere.

Our second day of summer today, we actually reached a top of 14 degrees!
 
One thing Wingnuts and I can both agree on is that our city-state national capital Canberra (also known and CANTberra as they are always telling the rest of Aus what they can NOT do) and the rest of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is the pits. For those outside Australia there is a great deal of interstate rivalry but universal contempt for Canberra/ACT.

To give you an idea of how out of touch with reality Canberra is you only need to look at two road related facts.

The first is that when you drive to Canberra on Barton or Monaro highways (two of the 3 roads in) you are driving along roads that are the bare minimum legal width, have no paved shoulders, are winding and undulating, have a poor road surface and a speed limit of 100kmh (60mph).

As soon as you hit the ACT border the roads widen to four lane divided carriageways with wide lanes and wide paved shoulders, all with perfect surfaces. Intersections are gigantic roundabouts and some of those have traffic lights because too many federal public servants cannot remember which side to give way to.

The speed limit at the border drops from 100kmh to 80kmh (50mph) because no federal public servants brains can safely process driving at any road speed above that.

The second, and related, fact is that ACT licence holders have the highest rate of fatal accidents when driving in all east coast and central states. Put them on a typical Australian road with a 100 or 110kmh speed limit and they are operating totally outside of their mental and driving abilities. Unfortunately they often kill real Australians with their accidents.

Incidentally a few years ago I saw a Ford F-100 with an empty tray and a large single axle trailer on the back. The heavy load was all piled in the front of the trailer so that the rear axle was on or near the bump stops and the front wheels barely on the ground making the drivers control marginal at best. Across the front of the bonnett/hood was a large bumper sticker - Public servant and proud of it. Although the vehicle had Qld plates the driver was obviously badly infected with Canberra disease.

I have only been to Canberra twice in the 34 years I have been in Austalia, once to drop off two UK tourist friends and the second time to do my COMSEC security course, three boring days. It is a nightmare driving around, you can see where you want to be but very difficult to actually get there.
 

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