South Australian Aviation Museum

SAAM has 27 significant Aircraft on display, all of them under cover in our display hangars. Several of our aircraft are the only examples of their type on display in Australia. Most of the aircraft have flown in South Australia at some point in their life and every one has a story and a history. Six of SAAM's aircraft have done service in the RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU). Visitors can enter the cabins of 7 of the aircraft. To find out more about our aircraft, click on the photos (or links) below.
On this Page:
Aircraft on Display
Current Restoration Projects
Aircraft in Storage

Aircraft on Display

Aermacchi
Aermacchi MB-326H/CAC CA-30 (RAAF A7-026)
Manufactured in Australia by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in 1968.
Central Flying School (RAAF East Sale) 1968-1970.
RAAF Roulettes 1970-1985.
For more information, click here.
Aero 145
Aero 145 VH-ZCL/ZCL
Manufactured at Kunovice, Czechoslovakia in 1961.
Imported into Australia in 1962.
Used by Commodore Aviation at Port Lincoln for tuna spotting.
Also used for supplying remote lighthouses.
Withdrawn from service around 1979.
For more information, click here.
Aero Commander
Aero Commander 680 VH-PSG
Manufactured in Oaklahoma USA.
First registered in Australia in 1961 for use in the Snowy Mountains.
Brought to Adelaide in 1967 and had several owners.
Used by Skytours Air Charter.
Children can sit in the cockpit.
For more information, click here.
BAe146
British Aerospace BAe 146-300 VH-NJL(Forward Fuselage)
Manufactured in UK by British Aerospace in 1992.
Leased to National Jet Systems in 1994 and flown as VH-HJL.
National Jet Systems became Cobham Aviation Services in 2009.
Retired in May 2017 (donated to SAAM by Cobham).
Visitors can sit in the passenger cabin.
For more information, click here.
Bell Kiowa
Bell 206B-1 / OH-58A Kiowa
Build at Fort Worth Texas (later serials built by C.A.C.)
Delivered to RAAF January 1972.
Served with 161 Sqn. Darwin & 162 Sqn. Townsville.
Retired 2005.
For more information, click here.
Cessna CC1
Cessna CC-1 Replica
Built by Rossair, Adelaide.
Displayed at Parafield and Edinburgh during the 1966 National Air Show.
In February 1968 it was on display at Australia Square, Sydney.
Location unknown for more than 40 years.
For more information, click here.
Mirage
Dassault/Government Aircraft Factory Mirage IIID A3-115
A3-115 was part of an order for six extra 2 seat versions placed in 1970.
It was delivered to RAAF in December 1973.
Served with 2OCU and 77 Sqn. Williamtown.
Also served with ARDU before being retired in 1986.
This mirage was the gate guard at Edinburgh.
For more information, click here.
GipsyMoth
deHavilland DH-60G Gipsy Moth VH-ULJ
First Registered in 1929 as VH-ULJ for Holden's Air Transoprt.
Based at Salamaua, New Guinea, servicing the Bulolo goldfields.
Sold to Guinea Airways in 1937 and evacuated to Adelaide in 1942 (WW2).
Used by Education Department of S.A. for instructional purposes.
For more information, click here.
Sea Venom
deHavilland DH-112 Sea Venom WZ931
Purchased by RAN Fleet Air Arm in 1956.
Ferried to Australia on HMAS Melbourne.
724 Sqn. HMAS Albatross at Nowra (also 805 Sqn.)
For more information, click here.
Vampire
deHavilland DH-100 Vampire FB.31 A79-202
Delivered to the RAAF in November 1951.
Allocated to RAAF Base Williamtown.
Damaged in a wheels up landing in 1953.
CAF 23 Sqn., 21 Sqn., and ARDU (at Laverton)
Gate Guard at ATC North Adelaide.
For more information, click here.
Caribou
deHavilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou A4-225
Accepted by RAAF in June 1965.
38 Sqn. Richmond & New Guinea from 1965-1971.
Retired in 2009.
Visitors can enter the main cabin.
For more information, click here.
Dakota
Douglas C-47B-35-DK Dakota A65-114
Delivered to the RAAF in June 1945.
Returned POWs from Singaopore (ww2) and served in Korean War.
VIP transport for several Prime Ministers.
Served in ARDU at Laverton & Edinburgh.
Visitors can enter the main cabin.
For more information, click here.
Fokker Friendship
Fokker F27-109 Friendship VH-CAT
Served with Department of Civil Aviation from 1959-1978.
In 1978 it was transferred to CSIRO for atmospheric research projects.
In 1993 it was purchesd by Australian Flight Test Services (Parafield)
Visitors can enter the main cabin.
For more information, click here.
Canberra
English Electric Canberra B2 WK165
Built at Woodford, UK. Delivered to RAF March 1955
Transferred to RAAF and in 1956, to Weapons Research, Edinburgh.
Used for aerial photographs of atomic bomb tests.
Also used for flying radar calibration tests at Woomera.
For more information, click here.
Canberra-FF
English Electric Canberra T4 WD954 (Forward Fuselage)
Built at Woodford, UK as a B2 Version and delivered to the RAF in December 1951. Converted to a T4 trainer and used by the RAF. Transferred to WRE for trials at Woomera. WD954 was used as a weapons target for the Karinga cluster bomb trials.
For more information, click here.
Jindivik
Government Aircraft Factory Jindivik N11-752y
Delivered to the Royal Australian Navy in 1987.
Crashed on take-off Nowra in 1992.
Aquired by SAAM 2004.
For more information, click here.
F-111
General Dynamics F-111C A8-132
Delivered to RAAF Amberley (1 Sqn.) July 1973.
ARDU Edinburgh 1979-1988.
Its primary role at ARDU was testing and clearance of new systems and weapons for service use, completing over 30 trials programs including a range of guided and unguided weapons including the Harpoon missile.
For more information, click here.
Cherokee
Hall Cherokee II Glider VH-GPR
Built at Deniliquin, NSW in 1966
Flown out of Locheil SA by Lloyd Stewart.
For more information, click here.
Orion
Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-756
First RAAF Service 1968 (10 Sqn.).
92 Wing operational & training including maritime surveillance.
Acquired by SAAM 2017.
For more information, click here.
Hornet
McDonnell Douglas / Boeing F/A-18A Hornet A21-32
Built 1981 (one of 2 fitted with flight test instrumentation)
3 Sqn. then ARDU (including numerous Woomera Tests).
Delivered to SAAM 2022.
Accepted by S.A. Premier Mr. Peter Malinauskas for SAAM.
For more information, click here.
Pilatus PC9
Pilatus PC-9/A A23-032 (in ARDU A23-045 livery)
A23-032 received by RAAF in September 1990.
Served with CFS/Roulettes
77 Sqn. & 4 Sqn. Forward Air Control Aircraft
Retired 2019.
Repainted as ARDU A23-045 before relocation to SAAM
For more information, click here.
Piper Comanche
Piper PA-24-250/A1 Comanche VH-DOL
Manufactured by Piper Aircraft Corp. US in 1959.
Brought to Australia in 1962.
Competed in 1969 London to Sydney Air Race.
Retired from service 1992
For more information, click here.
Sheppard
Sheppard CS2
Designed and built in 1930 by Clem Sheppard.
Powered by a Henderson motor cycle engine.
Had fold back wings so it could be towed behind a car.
Flown at Virginia by Bill Maddocks (an RACSA instructor).
For more information, click here.
Tobago
Socata TB-10 Tobago
Manufactured in France in 1992.
Flown by Flight Training Adelaide.
Retired in 2018.
Wings have been clipped and it is now an interactive display where visitors can sit in it.
For more information, click here.
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire MK Vc EE-853 UP-O RAAF A58-146
Constructed in 1942 by Westland Aircraft Ltd. in UK
Arrived in Australia in 1943.
Allocated to 79 Sqn. at Goodenough Island & Kiriwina Island PNG.
Damaged at Kiriwina Island and abandoned.
Retreived by Langdon Badger in 1973 and restored to display condition.
For more information, click here.
Twister
Twister 134 Hang Glider
Flown extensively by local paraplegic Wayne Blackmore.
Wayne was a founding member of the Hang Gliding Association of South Australia and inaugural president of the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia.
For more information, click here.
Vans RV4
Van's RV-4 VH-NOJ
Kit plane built by Jon Johanson. Completed in 1992.
Three round-the world flights. Many records broken.
First fixed-wing aircraft to go over the South Pole.
For more information, click here.
Wessex
Westland Wessex HAS31B N7-224 (WA224)
First flew in 1963.
Served on HMAS Melbourne & HMAS Stewart.
Acquired by SAAM 1998.
For more information, click here.

Current Restoration Projects

Anson
Avro Anson I EF954
EF-954 was delivered to No2. AP Bankstown in 1942.
Transferred to No.6 SFTS Mallala in 1944.
Sold after the war for scrap.
Donated to SAAM in 1984. For more information, click here.
Victor Air Tourer
Victa Airtourer 100 VH-BWT
Originally registered to Victa Ltd. in 1964 (VH-MRG)
Sold to Royal Aero Club SA 1966. Reregistered VH-BWT.
Sold to Chris Sperou March 1973 to use as an aerobatic aircraft.
Also flown by Ted Acres.
Withdrawn from use 1980.
For more information, click here.
Fairey Battle
Fairey Battle N2188
Built in UK. Delivered to RAAF in 1939.
Shipped to Australia 1941.
No.2 BAGS Pt. Pirie (air gunnery training).
Recovered from mangroves 1975.
For more information, click here.

Aircraft in Storage

Gipsy Moth
deHavilland DH-60G Gipsy Moth VH-ULO
Assigned to Australian Aero Club (SA section) in 1929 at Parafield
Crashed at Kapunda 1937.
Possibly the aircraft that Jimmy Melrose first went solo in.
Received from Birdwood Mill Museum 2012.
Nomad
G.A.F. Nomad N22 VH-SUP
VH-SUP was the first Nomad Prototype (N-22 Military Variant)
First Flight was at Avalon in 1971.
In 1986 the airframe was painted as VH-MSF for a TV Series.
SAAM purchased VH-SUP from the Ballarat Aviation Museum 1977.
For more information, click here.
Percival Proctor
Percival Proctor RAF NP184
Built at Trafford Park, Manchester by F. Hills & Sons Ltd as a Proctor IV.
Taken on RAF charge as NP184
Registered G-ANYP by Wiltshire School of Flying Ltd, Thruxton.
Brought to Gunnedah (Aust.) 1990.
Stored in a shipping container at Gawler (SA) 2020-21
Acquired by SAAM 2022.
For more information, click here.
Hornet 130S
Hornet 130S Flying Wing
SAAM's hornet was the plywood prototype that first flew at Noarlunga in 1979. It was designed and developed by Mr David Betteridge of Free Flight Gliders of Adelaide, SA. Later models were compsite construction.
Fokker Dr1
Fokker Triplane Replica (7/8 scale)
Grunau
Scneider Grunau IV Glider VH-GDV
Prior to 1963 at Dubbo, Armidale in 1963
Newcastle in 1966, Camden in 1978.
971 hours, 2,457 landings.
Terrafly
Terrafly Ultralight 10-0571
A one off Ultralight built by Kevin McLeod.
Designed to meet the provisions of ANO 95-10
It was never flown.
26-kw (35-hp) Rotax 377

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