Flt. Lt. Murray Adams
 

I met Murray a couple of years ago and interviewed him for the Temora Aviation Museum's Unsung Heroes project.
Murray learned to fly on Tiger Moths, then Wirraways and was posted overseas to the Western Desert where he flew Tomahawks. He was shot down but managed to put his aircraft down in the middle of nowhere. He removed the aircraft's clock to use as a sun compass and had to evade a German patrol before being picked up by a lost British patrol who he was able to assist back to their base.
Checking his logbook I saw he flew A20-10 a Wirraway which has been preserved at the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin. I introduced him to the Museum and his son Richard brought him to visit the Wirraway, first in it's unrestored form and a year later after it had been restored. I shot a short video of both occasions and you can see the result here:

https://vimeo.com/141610020

Keith,

What can I say? OUTSTANDING! Made me smile, made me, well, you know.

My hat's off to the master....

Mike

I believe the soul of the country resides in these old folk.
Beautifully done Keith.

Dave

Well done Keith, a lovely piece and I am sure Murray enjoyed seeing the aircraft again.
You even managed to get in the shot of one of your own videos!

regards, Richard

Video
 

Thanks for your kind comments gents. This was one of those things I just 'had' to do. And yes I do have my 'Hitchcock' moment in this one.

The Australia Aviation Museum where this was filmed are, like the Temora Aviation Museum are very supportive of veterans and others associated with their aircraft.

For those of you in Melbourne I'd really like to recommend the Australian Aviation Museum

They have an excellent collection of Warbirds and civilian aircraft but more than that have recently been completely invigorated under the leadership of Ashley Briggs. The Wirraway is just one example of this, with many of their aircraft undergoing restoration not just to static display status but to ground running or at least systems running capability.

They have also instigated a number of special events - there's one this weekend where the cockpits of many aircraft in the collection will be open including the magnificent Beaufighter.

MLU member Matt Austin is part of the management team at AARG.

GREAT SHOTS at 2:14 to 2:24! RIP Murray.

I'll second that :thup2:

H.

Fabulous work Keith and vale Flt. Lt. Murray Adams. I notice he trained "early 1941" at Wagga - presumably the course preceding dad's which ran May through August '41. Some pics below for general interest (possibly including A20-10).

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