Visitors to the Hinkler Hall of Aviation can celebrate Bert Hinkler’s birthday today by virtually taking to the skies in the newly upgraded flight simulators.
The Sopwith Camel, de Havilland Puss Moth and F/A-18 Super Hornet simulators were first installed in 2015 and have been a popular attraction for all age groups at the tourism facility.
All three simulators have recently undergone a thorough redesign to ensure for easy operation, upgraded control hardware, faster loading times and updated graphics and location models for a better visual experience.
The upgraded simulators are officially open to the public from today, Friday 8 December, and those who visit the Hinkler Hall of Aviation to mark Bert Hinkler’s 131st birthday during the day will also receive a free souvenir pin per family admission.
The Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a pivotal aircraft used during World War I during which Bert Hinkler was attached to the Royal Naval Air Service Number 28 Squadron in Italy for the last three months of the war.
He completed a total of 93 hours and 5 minutes of operational flying, much of them in the Camel.
The de Havilland Puss Moth
The de Havilland Puss Moth represents the later pioneering and exploration age of aviation.
In 1931 Hinkler flew in a de Havilland Puss Moth from Canada to New York, then non-stop to Jamaica, then to Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and then across the South Atlantic to Africa and lastly on to London.
His efforts saw him awarded with the Segrave Memorial Trophy, the Johnston Memorial Silver Plaque, his fourth Oswald Watt Medal and the Britannia Trophy for the most meritorious flying performance of the year.
This was the first ever solo flight across the South Atlantic and he was also the second person to cross the Transatlantic solo, after Charles Lindbergh in 1927.
A decommissioned Puss Moth is on display in the Hinkler Hall of Aviation bearing Bert Hinkler’s aircraft registration CF-APK.
F/A-18 Super Hornet
The F/A-18 Super Honet represents today's digital age and has been an important aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force.
Other news:
Dear Bert, recently found was an article about Dr. McKeon and the Bundaberg Mayor meeting a Pilot by the name of Mr. Butler who broke Bert’s record. soon after, an Italian pilot, Captain Robbiano proposed to fly a similar route and visit Bundaberg. he also was a follower of Bert Hinkler.