By NARELLE COULTER
IN an Australian first, members of the defence forces killed in training accidents will soon have a permanent memorial in Cranbourne.
A dedicated band of volunteers has quietly been restoring a Macchi MB-326 in a shed off Station Street.
When it’s finished, the aeroplane will be mounted on a pylon outside the Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL. The memorial will also feature an original Howitzer cannon, a garden and plaque.
Branch president John Wells said the memorial would honour those who had died in training accidents on home and foreign soil.
“There is no memorial to all those killed in training accidents. Accidents happen every year. You don’t hear about the the jack that collapses in a workshop and a guy is killed.
“They die in the uniform of this country and in the service of this country and should be remembered.”
Mr Wells said the “flimsy” Macchi seemed an appropriate symbol when the idea for the memorial was first mooted eight years ago.
Inscribed on the side of the plane will be the names of seven RAN pilots who died flying Macchis in Australia.
The aeroplane was recreated using parts from the skeletons of three Macchi MB-326s bought by the RSL.
While predominantly used as a training aircraft for the RAAF, the Italian-designed Macchis were also employed for training by the navy. During the 1960s Australia built its own Macchis at Fishermans Bend.
Leading the restoration project is Cranbourne’s Robin Hiern. “He’s an absolute artist. Some of the bolts he made for us slide in firmly. It’s just amazing,” Mr Wells said.
Mr Hiern has worked closely with fellow volunteers Kevin Deen and John Richardson.
Mr Hiern was busy spray-painting the fuselage of the Macchi in the blue and white of the RAN when the Weekly spoke to him.
“This is certainly the largest project I’ve taken on in size. I’m used to working on cars and model aeroplanes. However, I do love aeroplanes.”
Australia had 97 Macchi MB-326h aircraft, Mr Hiern said. The first was handed over to the RAAF in October 1967 and the last in September 1972.
They had a wing span of 10.57 metres and a maximum speed of 806km/h. The RAAF’s aerobatic team, The Roulettes, based at East Sale, flew the MB-326 until 1989.
“Our Macchi will probably weigh about 1200 kilos as it has no internal gear or engine,” Mr Hiern said.
“The engine was a Bristol Sidderly Viper jet engine from England. We also made those under licence.”
Mr Hiern has aviation engineering in his blood. His parents met while making parts for Bristol Beaufort bombers at the Newport railway workshops during World War II.
Mr Wells said the Macchi would be a “book-end” to the UH-1 Huey DustOff medevac helicopter mounted outside the Dandenong RSL. Discussions are in train with the Pakeham sub-branch for a third memorial.
For Mr Wells the opening of the memorial will mark the end of the eight-year project. It will also be an intensely personal moment.
“After I came home a friend in Vietnam was killed in an accident. He got two lines in that morning’s paper. He was a great bloke and would have been PM. I’ve been bitter and twisted ever since.
“It’s very important that these victims are remembered.”
For all the latest breaking news, stay with this website. Also, follow the Weekly at facebook.com/dandenongjournal or on Twitter @DandyJournal.
