It was another great event at Omaka this evening as the Fokker E.III Eindecker that arrived in the country just four months ago, was fired up for the first time as a complete, intact aircraft.
Four the past few months, both the airframe and the engine have benefitted from some intense scrutiny by engine specialist Tony Wytenburg, along with Wayne Tantrum, Dan Coleman and Aaron Patchett. This engine was actually built on this airfield and supplied to Andrew Carter from the Qld-based TAVAS organisation as a part of the mission to get this aircraft airborne in our part of the world.
Test pilot Dan Coleman, who has flown many of the heritage aircraft on the field, enjoyed the first engine run today, before sharing the experience with a number of other local pilots. He is seen here leaning into the cockpit providing guidance to Graham Orphan (Classic Wings). Then we see Wayne Tantrum, regular pilot of the rotary powered Sopwith Pup on the airfield, running up the Monosaupape engine, followed by Aaron Patchett whose day job sees him building these engines with Tony Wytenburg's CAMS organisation.
This Eindecker reproduction was built in Germany by Fokker-guru Achim Engels who is responsible for the emergence of numerous Fokker aircraft that now fly all around the world. This Eindecker, along with a D.VIII and D.VII, all of them in structurally advanced condition, was shipped to Queensland, Australia on long term loan to the TAVAS. In April this year, the trio arrived at Omaka to commence the next chapter in their colourful lives.