75th Anniversary - 1934 Mac Robertson Centenary Air Race 

The Australian National Aviation Museum and the City of Albury (AlburyCity) are working together to mark the 75th anniversary of the 1934 Mac Robertson "Centenary Air Race" on the weekend of 24th - 25th of October 2009.

The Original Race took place from Mildenhall UK to Melbourne Australia in 1934, and remains a major event in the history of world aviation, ushering in the use of stressed metal airliners such as the KLM DC-2 "Uiver", and demonstrating the speed and reliability of aircraft for international transport. In Australian aviation history the night time landing of the DC-2 at Albury, and the role of the community in its safe landing is a key element of the story.

The AlburyCity is holding a dinner, dance and play at Albury airport on Friday evening 23 October to commemorate the unscheduled landing of the KLM DC-2 “Uiver” at the adjacent Albury race course.

The Museum is holding a Lecture at the museum on Saturday evening 24th of October to celebrate the pioneers of England to Australia flights and the 75th anniversary of the race completion in Melbourne.

To link the two celebrations the museum and the AlburyCity have combined efforts to operate a number of historic aircraft in a reinactment flight from Albury to Melbourne on Saturday 24th of October.

The Reinactment Flight launches a number of other events and displays that extend for the entire week to celebrate the 75th Anniversary as part of Victoria's "History Week 2009"

"The Uiver Landing" - 75th Anniversary Dinner
(Commencing 6.30pm Friday 23th October at Albury Airport)

The AlburyCity and KLM-Air France are celebrating the remarkable story of the Uiver landing at Albury at the 75th Anniversary Dinner being held at Albury Airport

The KLM DC-2 "Uiver", competing in the London to Melbourne Centenary Air Race became hopelessly losty in a fierce storm and was saved only by the car headlights which lit a makeshift landing strip on the Albury racecourse.

Tickets for the celebration dinner are $90 per person which includes a banquet dinner, a radio-play reinactment , and a surprise visit by some of aviations most colourful characters. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks and nibbles served airside as you witness a little aviation magic.

Dress in your favourite lounge suit or 1930's costume and enjoy the unique atmosphere of an aircraft hangar.

Book now at the Albury Entertainment Centre Box Office (02) 6051 3051
or online at http://www.alburycity.nsw.gov.au



75th Anniversary "Uiver" DC-3 Commemorative Flight
(Depart Friday 23rd October, overnight in Albury and return Saturday 24th October)

The Australian National Aviation Museum and the AlburyCity are operating the historic "TAA" DC-3 VH-AES, (with the support of Qantas volunteers), Departing Tullamarine and travelling to Albury on Friday afternoon 23rd of October and departing Saturday 24th October late morning to return to Moorabbin to reinact the flight of "Uiver" and other race participants into Melbourne.

The DC-3 has been has been "dressed" in "Uiver" livery for the commemorative flight to Albury on Friday night and the reenactment flight back to Moorabbin on Saturday - see attached pics. The "dressing" is to commemorate "Uiver" rather than replicate it, and there are some compromises due to the existing TAA livery of AES, however it will look the part.

A full complement of museum members and friends are travelling up and back on this historic event, being joined by the son and two grandsons of the navigator of the original "Uiver", who are travelling out from the Netherlands just for the anniversary events.

The DC-3 is departing Melbourne Airport on Friday afternoon 23rd of October and undertaking a flyover of Albury on arrival and an "emergency approach" over the Albury Racecourse prior to landing at the adjoinging Albury airport at 6.20pm.

On Saturday 24th of October it is on static display at Albury Airport for the opening of the "Uiver" cafe at the Airport Terminal, providing a 30 minute display at 10am before commencing its reinactment flight back to Melbourne, at 11.30am.

The DC-3 will be undertaking a flyover of Air Race landmarks in Melbourne including the Flemington Racecourse and RAAF Base Laverton before arriving at Moorabbin at 3.30pm in the afternoon.

The DC-3 will be in static display for the public from 4pm Saturday afternoon 24th of October through to 3pm Sunday afternoon 25th of October when it returns to its home base at Melbourne Airport .

"1934 Air Race " Commemorative Lecture
(Commencing 7pm Saturday 24th October at Australian National Aviation Museum Moorabbin Airport.)

On Saturday evening the Museum will be holding a Commemorative Lecture to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the 1934 Mac Robertson Centenary Air Race.

A Presentation will be provided by famed Adventurer Lang Kidby on the two England to Australia reinactment flights he has undertaken to commemorate the 1919 Vimy flight by the Smith Brothers, and the 1928 solo flight by Bert Hinkler in an Avian.

Following a short interval, museum historian John McCulloch will provide a presentation on the history and events of the 1934 Air Race.

The Evening will formally commence at 7pm with drinks and finger-food, with the presentations commencing at 7.30pm and concluding at 9.30 with closure at 10pm.

The Museum will be open from 6pm for early arrivals to view the museum collection, and a special display of 1934 Air Race memorabilia and photos.

The museum's rare Douglas DC-2 is being repainted and "dressed" in "Uiver" markings for the weekend, and will be on public display.

This lecture is open to the general public, as well as members of the museum.

Entry to the Lecture is at a cost of $20 per head, with payment on entry at the night, (the museum would appreciate RSVP’s by Sunday 18th of October to allow for provision of sufficient catering and seating etc)


Enquiries and more information, please contact Mark Pilkington Secretary of the Museum via email at info@aarg.com.au on mobile on 0418 174 957


"History Week 2009"
(Commencing Sunday 25th October to 1st November at Australian National Aviation Museum Moorabbin Airport.)

The Museum is proud to participate in the Royal Historical Society's History Week celebrations and opens History Week at the museum with its Sunday celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the 1934 Centenary Air Race.

The Reinactment Flight DC-3, dressed in "Uiver" markings, will be in static display for the public from 4pm Saturday afternoon 24th of October through to 3pm Sunday afternoon 25th of October when it returns to its home base at Melbourne Airport .

Come and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the greatest air race event the world has seen, the 1934 MacRobertson "Centenary Air Race" held to celebrate the then centenary of Victoria and Melbourne through a pioneering air race from England to Australia - see displays and artifacts from the race. See the museum's rare Douglas DC-2 presented as the famous KLM airliner "Uiver" that came second overall in the race, and first on handicap, along with the wider story of Australian Flight with rare engines and aircraft dating from 1910 through to the moden jet age.

Note: The Museum is operating special extended opening hours for History Week consisting of:
Monday - Friday 12 midday to 4pm
Saturday - Sunday - 10am to 5pm

Normal Entry fees apply - see here for directions and further details> http://www.aarg.com.au/aboutus.htm