Warbird flyover

By Lia Bichel
A CESSNA Bird Dog shot down in Vietnam will be making its appearance at the Dandenong RSL this weekend, to commemorate five years of the Vietnam War Memorial.
The wartime aircraft, which was used for forward air control, still contains bullet holes from when it was shot down during the Vietnam War.
Graeme Dennerstein, who was a group captain in the air force reserve and a consultant in the Royal Australia Air Force medical branch, will be doing the special honours of flying the airplane over the Dandenong RSL during the celebrations on Saturday.
Dr Dennerstein retrieved the aircraft after an engineer who restored it died of a heart attack, and has since had it upgraded.
“It was a little bit different to fly,” he said.
“It has some fairly unique features.”
Dr Dennerstein, now retired from the reserve, continues to fly regularly from Melbourne to Echuca as a medical consultant.
Dandenong RSL’s President of the Vietnam War Memorial John Filmer said the Cessna Bird Dog would be an important feature on Saturday.
“The aircraft is a symbol to all those who served at Vietnam. Its main purpose was to observe at very low altitudes and to call in air strikes against the enemy,” he said.
“It will mean a lot to anyone, Vietnamese or our own veterans, who served in Vietnam.”
Residents are welcome to attend the event on Saturday. The ceremony will be held from 11 until 12, and there will be plenty of entertainment to follow, including food stalls and bands.
The Cessna Bird Dog will be flying over the Dandenong RSL at about 2pm.