What promises to be the biggest warbird show in the Southern Hemisphere this season will take place at Scone, New South Wales, Australia. Warbirds over Scone is set for the weekend of March 28–29 at Scone Airfield, around a 3½-hour drive from Sydney Airport, and the home of Pay’s Airservices since 1959. One of Australia’s leading warbird operators and restorers, Pay’s is also a major provider of firefighting and agricultural aircraft. More recently, Scone has become the home of the Hunter Fighter Collection, a superb museum of static and flying aircraft that opened in 2022. Over the past couple of years, parts of the Paul Bennet Airshows fleet have also moved in and gone on display at the Hunter Fighter Collection. The collection has expanded so significantly that a second building is currently under construction.
These three organizations—Pay’s Airservices, Hunter Warbirds, and Paul Bennet Airshows—are the principal partners in Warbirds over Scone, supported by many others and, of course, a large team of volunteers. The lineup will feature the biggest gathering of Spitfires in Australia since just after World War II, with three already confirmed: The recently re-imported Spitfire Mk.VIII MV154, VH-A58 (formerly G-BKMI/D-FEUR, painted as MT928), now finished as A58-454, as flown by Australia’s top WWII ace, Clive Caldwell. They also recently imported Spitfire Mk.IX SL633, VH-RAF, formerly N633VS/G-CZAF. This aircraft was restored at Duxford between 2002 and 2010 in its original Czech Air Force colors and previously served with the Czech, Israeli, and Burmese Air Forces. Spitfire Mk.IX MH603, which served with RAF No. 331 (Norwegian) Squadron and has been restored in those markings. After operating with several RAF units, it was transferred to the South African Air Force in 1949, serving until 1955, when it was sold for scrap. Rescued by the SAAF Museum, it later passed through various owners in the UK and US before being acquired by Pay’s in 2009. A full restoration was completed, and the aircraft flew again in 2021, though it has not been seen outside the local area since.
It is also hoped that RAF No. 100 Squadron’s Spitfire Mk.VIII VH-HET/A58-602 will be available, although participation at the March events has yet to be announced. If luck is truly on our side, they may also be joined by Pay’s newly completed Spitfire Tr.IX BS548, restored by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford and, as of January, awaiting its first flight. Three flying P-51D Mustangs are confirmed: VH-TF8/NZ2415 in RNZAF colors, VH-FST “The Flying Undertaker,” and VH-LUI “Dove of Peace.” In addition, the former RAF Museum static example is on display in the Hunter Fighter Collection, along with Pay’s original CA-18 Mustang A68-107/VH-AUB, acquired in 1978 and currently nearing the end of an overhaul, though it will not be flying in time for the event.
There should also be two other flying CA-18 Mustangs present: VH-BOB/A68-104, which returned to the air in 2023 after a long restoration, and RAAF No. 100 Squadron’s CA-18 A68-170. A strong selection of P-40s is also expected, including Pay’s locally based P-40E VH-KTY, Arthur Aero’s P-40N VH-ZOC, and Judy Pay’s P-40F VH-HWK. But that’s not all. A great selection of rarer warbird types will be present, including: Lockheed Hudson from No. 100 Squadron, Vought F4U-1D Corsair VH-NQW, Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 VH-HPB, Grumman TBM Avenger VH-MML.
There will also be a couple of vintage jets: de Havilland Vampire T.55 VH-T55 and BAC Strikemaster VH-AOE. HARS will also be bringing their Grumman S-2 Tracker VH-NVX. Several trainer types will be represented, including T-28 Trojans, CAC Wirraway, CAC Winjeel, Stearman, and Tiger Moth, as well as a Bristol F2B Fighter replica. Perhaps the most unusual participant will be the firefighting Transall C-160D. It is hoped that a “Heritage Flight” with RAAF F-35s will take place again, and there will no doubt be the spectacular mixed warbird formation “Balbo” finale. More information is available at https://www.warbirdsoverscone.com.au/
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Nigel Hitchman is an Aviation enthusiast, pilot and aircraft owner (RV6, J3 Cub) from England. Now retired from flying a Boeing 777 and other types, where he spent most layovers visiting fly-ins and museums around the world, he now travels extensively visiting aviation events and enjoying the scenery. Main interest is vintage aircraft. He has supplied photographs and write-ups for Light Aviation (formerly Popular Flying) and Pilot Magazine in the UK for many years with occasional contributions elsewhere.
