History : Ansett Anecdotes
BELT UP?
Pat Ralph (Thompson) remembers a dear old lady on the Adelaide - Port Lincoln – Minnipa – Ceduna run.
They were about to take off from Port Lincoln, and Pat went down to the old dear and asked her if she would like a little assistance with her seat belt.
I don't think I'll worry about it, dear, she announced, 'I'm getting off at the next stop'

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

BRANDY FOR BREKKIE
Dale Martin remembers- 'One morning after a 7.00 am departure from Glen Innes in a DC3, a woman passenger demanded a brandy rather than a cup of tea. She looked a bit of a wreck, and was nervously chain smoking. I thought the brandy might calm her nerves and gave it to her.
My attention turned to other passengers, when suddenly there was a load bang, and three men who had been sitting in the lady's vicinity, leapt from their seats and darted up the aisle.
To my horror she had undone the emergency exit handle, and the window was banging as the air rushed past.
The First Officer came quickly into the cabin to investigate the noise. He pulled the lady out of the seat and tugged at the window to close it. He almost lost his watch, which had an expandable band, as the air rushed across his arms.
Finally, he won the battle, closed the window and turned to the woman saying, 'What on earth did you do that for, Madam? Did you think of jumping out?'
'Don't be shilly!' She replied, 'I was just trying to ash my shigarette!'

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

B727
New Flagship of the Ansett-ANA fleet – the 3 million pound Boeing 727 Fan-Jet VH-RME begins scheduled inter-capital services this month, on November 2nd.
The magnificent three-engine jet which provides the greatest passenger comfort of any aircraft of its type in the world, arrived in Australia from the United States on Friday, October 16th 1964.
The cabin is so quiet that the pilot has an indicator light to tell him when the engines have started. He also has some Sperry-made equipment which tells him of the almost imperceptible engine vibration level.

Reproduced from Panorama November 1964

AFTERNOON DELIGHT
On an afternoon flight between Adelaide and Melbourne, I was serving afternoon tea about 3.00 pm and had almost reached the front of the DC4 cabin. 'Would you like tea or coffee?' I asked the lady in the third row. She jumped up, stood on the seat and fossicked around in the hat rack where she found a small parcel wrapped in brown paper tied with string. She handed the parcel to me and said one word, 'tea'.
I took the parcel down to the buffet, and unwrapped it to find a matching cup, saucer and plate. I arranged the sandwiches and cake on the plate, poured the tea into the cup and took it to the passenger, who promptly drank the tea, removed the sandwiches and cake from the plate and wrapped them in a large handkerchief. She then handed the crockery back to me. I took it to the buffet, washed and re-wrapped it before returning it to her. She then stood up on the seat again, and placed the parcel back in the hat rack, where she scrambled about to come up with yet another parcel which she took down to the toilet with her.
Moments later out she came, dressed in a pink swami nightie!
The other passengers almost fell off their seats, as the vision in pink 'swanned' down the cabin aisle. (After all it was only a two and a half hour afternoon flight!)
We were coming in to land in thirty minutes time so I approached the lady and said, 'we'll be landing in about half and hour; would you like to change back into your clothes again?'
She looked at me for a moment then made up her mind. 'No, I live near the airport so I don't think I'll worry,' she said.
So at 5:30 pm at busy Essendon Airport, the lady in the pink swami nightie made her way across the tarmac, through the crowded passenger lounge and into a taxi.

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

B727
That 34 ft. high tail! It's so tall that Ansett-ANA had to increase the height of two of its hangars in Melbourne to accommodate the jet. Meanwhile in Sydney, the hangar program involves the construction of additional space at a cost of more than 200,000 pounds.
See how the air hostess opens and closes the front door to the aircraft so easily? It's because Ansett-ANA had the door equipped with special spring assistance to make the job easier for her.

Reproduced from Panorama November 1964

CONFESSION On one flight to Perth on the DC4, we had only three passengers. One studious gentleman read his book all the way, and ate his way through three spare meals, while we played poker with two sailors on a rug on the cabin floor. We finished two bottles of sherry and won ten pounds from them during the flight.
Our three passengers tottered off in Perth, declaring it, 'the best flight they'd ever had!'

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

KING KONG
On a breakfast flight from Adelaide to Melbourne, King Kong was a passenger; he had received much publicity about his wrestling and the large amounts he ate, giving breakfast as an example. From memory it was twenty-four eggs plus steak, toast, bacon, etc. The armrest was taken out so that his large frame could be accommodated, and we proceeded to serve him with this tiny amount of scrambled eggs. Feeling he was being poorly done by having read the report in the newspaper, we gave him all the spares on board after having fed the other passengers. I think he went through about six serves, and I'm sure it hardly touched the sides!

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

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HOSTESSES JOIN 'JET SET'
Among the many attractive features of the new Boeings are the Ansett-ANA air hostesses in their new 'jet set' summer uniforms. They are being worn exclusively by the airline's Boeing hostesses.
Ansett-ANA's Hostess Superintendent, Miss K. Clark, said the new uniform is lightweight and is ideal for all summer conditions.

Reproduced from Panorama November 1964

B727
The Boeing flight engineer need not glance at his watch. A special extra clock has been provided for him on the flight deck

Reproduced from Panorama November 1964

FLY BY NIGHT
Dale Martin told me of one of her more memorable trainees. She was blonde, pretty and enormously enthusiastic.
Dale says, 'I happened to mention to her that soda water was very good for removing wine or food stains from people's clothing.'
Imagine my amazement, when returning up the aisle I found her busily tipping soda water onto a gentleman's fly and rubbing it vigorously. He was grinning, and the businessman sitting next to him looked as though he would fall apart!
I suggested she left the cloth with the gentleman and allowed him to attend to it himself!

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

DON'T LOOK NOW
In 1939, a DC2 crewed by Captain Norm Croucher and Arthur Lovell with hostess Mavis Matters struck trouble between Melbourne and Adelaide.
Arthur slow spoken as usual said, 'Don't look now "skids", but I think the engine's on fire'.
It was! They dropped height and the engine fell off. The boys landed the aircraft in a paddock without further mishap, and rumour has it that Mavis later received a Silent Knight refrigerator from a grateful passenger for her courage during the ordeal.

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

Spirits of Ansett

Spirits of Ansett

Spirits of Ansett

Photos courtesy Colin Watt

DRY CLEAN
Trudy Ross told me of a hostess, who after a fumbling six months on B727's, was still rather inept at pouring coffee.
On one memorable occasion, she managed to miss the passenger's cup altogether. The hot liquid soaked the gentleman's trousers as she kept pouring from the coffee pot, oblivious to his extreme discomfort.
Quite unabashed, she told him to follow her down to the toilet where he could remove his trousers and she would wash them for him.
The poor man, obviously still in a state of shock, allowed himself to be led to the toilet, where he removed his 'dacks' and handed them to the bumbling hostess.
She did indeed wash them, neatly folded them, and squashed them in the oven, where they burned to a crisp!
The passenger was given a rug to hide his nakedness and allowed to leave the aircraft first, to spare him further embarrassment.
He was last seen scurrying across to the terminal, hairy legs, socks and boots showing beneath the rug's fringe.
Yes! – Ansett stood him in a new suit and the Hostess is no longer with us!

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

MUD CRABS
Shortly after take-off from Brisbane on a flight to Melbourne, a male passenger summoned the hostess. He asked her to put some Queensland mud crabs on ice during the flight.
The aircraft landed in Sydney. Passengers embarked and others disembarked. The hostess could not remember who had given her the parcel of mud crabs to her in Brisbane.
Her announcement over the intercom was as follows:-
'Would the gentleman who gave me the crabs in Brisbane, please identify himself by pushing the hostess call button'. Needless to say, no one claimed the parcel!

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

THE LAST THING I'LL EVER SEE
Some names have been changed in this story to protect the crew involved, but other details are faithfully reported as they were told to me.
The DC6 was flying into Adelaide Airport from Perth; it was just before dawn. Light drizzle gave the street lights a blurred orange, fuzzy effect, not unlike the runway lights at the new West Beach Airport.
A senior Check Captain was checking out Captain X. As the aircraft descended, the slow speaking Check Captain noticed that they were approaching the seaside end of Anzac Highway.
'Eh, don't go landing on the highway,' the Checkie drawled. (He spoke at about the same speed as actor James Stewart!)
Down they came, still heading for the highway.
'I said don't go landing on the highway,' the Check Captain repeated.
Hostess Gwen was sitting in the horse shoe-shaped lounge at the rear of the DC6. She had resigned after some years of flying, during which she had risen to the position of Check Hostess, and this was her very last flight with the Company. She glanced out of the window. In the grey light before dawn, the aircraft bore down just above the roof tops. Gwen found herself looking through a lighted window, where a man stood next to his bed taking off his striped pyjama jacket. The Anzac Highway was coming up to meet them at an alarming rate.
Gwen said afterwards, 'I thought how strange! The last thing I'll ever see is a man taking off his pyjamas!'
Then the Check Captain speeded up his speech, for possibly the first and last time in his life.
'I said, don't go landing on the bloody highway!' he shouted.
Captain X pulled back on the controls and the DC6 responded. The aircraft zoomed up into the air, circled and came safely in to land on the airport runway at West Beach.

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

P.A. ANNOUNCEMENT
On an army charter from Brisbane to Townsville, the hostess was asked to make a P.A. announcement regarding the soldiers' rifles and their stowage during the flight. This was her announcement.
'Gentlemen, as you are aware, you are holding a dangerous weapon between your legs. Would you please drop it onto the floor, and slide it under your seat? Thank you.'
(Comments from the 'fellas' - very funny – but unprintable!)

Reproduced from 'Up here and Down there' by Nan Witcomb

Emergency
Emergency Services were rushed to Whyalla Airport on Wednesday afternoon when a crippled DC-3 airliner returned a few minutes after take-off.
The aircraft, with one of its two engines feathered, landed safely with its 14 passengers and crew of three.
Three ambulances, police cars, and the fire brigade were alerted, and police blocked main intersections as the emergency services sped to the airport.
The drama began when the Airlines of South Australia plane was over Spencer Gulf on the return flight to Adelaide.
The captain, Capt. Ray Weston, said later that there had been indications of falling oil pressure in the port engine. He had feathered the motor and returned to the airport for a 'routine precautionary landing'.
The plane was nine miles out when it turned back. After landing the aircraft was halted on the main runway and DCA men and the fire brigade went to it. A DCA truck later towed the plane back to the tarmac and the crew and passengers alighted.
The plane was one of two DC-3s on the run to Whyalla on Wednesday afternoon because the normal Convair aircraft was being serviced.
The disabled aircraft was the first to take off for Adelaide, about 4:15pm. The other left a few minutes later.
Arrangements were made by the airline company for the passengers to dine at the hotel and wait until another plane came from Adelaide about 10:30pm.
It is expected that the plane will leave Whyalla today after the fault has been rectified

Spirits of Ansett
First Officer Jim Evans and Hostess Chris. Schulze relax at Whyalla Airport.
Spirits of Ansett
Captain Ray Weston telephoning Adelaide after his DC-3 had made a safe landing.

Spirits of Ansett
Ground staff at Whyalla Airport gathering round the DC-3 to speak with the flight crew in the cockpit after the plane had been towed from the runway to the tarmac.
Reproduced from The Whyalla News, Friday August 7th 1970


TOT GUN
Little tacker threw security into a spin when he commandeered a microphone on an unoccupied service desk at Adelaide Airport (Gate 14) and began to amuse passengers waiting for a Sydney flight by counting to ten and singing. The boy, aged about 5, was so small security men couldn't see him behind the counter. The battle between him and the flight announcer for air supremacy raged for some time before his embarrassed mum realised what was going on and dragged him away.

Spirits of Ansett
Reproduced from Adelaide Sunday Mail (Bill King column)


September 11th (1993)

Spirits of Ansett
From the memoirs of Kevin McCabe

(Refer Legends of Ansett)


I think around year 1946-47 Launceston Airport had become hopeless and dangerous for operations. There was no actual strip; it was in fact just a huge open paddock which in the winter months became a swamp so our operation was moved to Valley field some 50 kms distance from Launceston and near the locality of Epping on the Launceston - Hobart Highway. Two runways were laid down here during the War, bitumen surface which also served as an emergency area for the RAAF. The property was owned by Mr. R. J. Taylor well known for his excellent sheep breeding and production of superfine Merino wool. I feel that he was known world wide as a result of this.

This move saw us resident there for some months and the DC3 freighters were a common sight also, I recall many times unloading Peters Ice Cream from Melbourne with snow visible on the surrounding mountains. On many occasions sheep were transported from there in DC3s. There was no electric flare path, radio or telephone system – we had to rely on the aircraft radio to communicate with Launceston. The flare path was kerosene lantern power. But survive we did and it was grand to return to Western Junction with its beaut new concrete strip laid down by the Department of Works and Housing.

I would like to digress a little, I mentioned earlier the huge paddock which was Launceston Airport. For some time after Holyman's Airways commenced operations the pre-owner of the Paddock retained the right to graze his sheep on the property providing the aircraft could land there without risk of collision. So, come aircraft arrival time and he would check the wind direction via the windsock and herd sheep away from aircraft path. As time went by the sheep would look at the windsock and wander off unaided to a safe area of the paddock.

I recall the introduction of the Teleprinter system at the Brisbane Street office following WW2 (or was it Teletype?) This was a great boon to business and must have relieved the constant pressure on the telephone system.

Airfreight became "big time" during the 40s. I feel that ANA must have carried everything imaginable on the DC3s. Folk moving house to and from the Mainland, electric stoves, refrigerators including some huge shop models. Race horses, sheep strawberries the list could go on and on. For back loading to the Mainland they had a contract with Paton and Baldwin's knitting mills to transport cartons of knitting wool.

Often wondered just how many tonnes of these crossed the Strait? There seemed to be cartons everywhere – the hangar and offices bulging at the seams and any available space we could find elsewhere. Sadly, it has all disappeared from Launceston - was a great employer of manpower.

I feel that one of the greatest triumphs for ANA in that era was the carriage of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the Duke from Launceston to Melbourne using a DC4 aircraft. There was so much preparation weeks before, our mess room was modified to enable chefs from ANA Melbourne to prepare a meal for the flight and the aircraft was really a prize having spent many weeks in the workshops in Melbourne undergoing refit. There was also a standby DC4 used by the press for conveyance to Melbourne but in the event of a hitch it could easily have been utilised to carry the Royal couple. Anyway there were no hiccups and Capt Peter Gibbes with Arthur Lovell delivered Her Majesty safely to Melbourne.

One point I must mention – a point which lingers on and on in my memory. Whilst preparing for that Royal Flight our Launceston Manager Mr G I Holyman approached me one day on the tarmac and asked that something be done about the flag pole on top of the Hangar to enable the flag to the flown on that particular day. Now I hate heights, I go to pieces and sweat with fear when slightly elevated from the ground, but wouldn't admit to that and promised to do something about it. Eventually made it, replaced the old lanyard, even painted the mast and the flag was unfurled. A terrible feeling for me I must say and I doubt if the Queen even looked at it!

As the years went by it grew busier, we were confronted by a competitor in TAA and the Department Civil Aviation gradually came to grips with more modern airport flying aids. Fogs were the greatest problem and when Launceston Airport was closed due to poor visibility the flight would divert to Hobart. A couple of Captains come to mind, Captain Bob Howell, Frank Griggs and Bob Lewis. They seemed to be magic; as though it was a bright summer's day and they would give it a go, and always succeed in arriving at their destination when even the birds were walking. Was the same at the Hobart end. I reckon they must have made a very careful study of the area over the years.

Must mention an incident involving Bob Howell in a DC3 one evening over Bass Strait. There had been some problems with the DC3 engines overheating and dislodging cylinders and this is what occurred on that afternoon. He had difficulty in feathering the propeller and was losing height. The passengers were mainly members of Rotary going to Hobart for a conference and remained calm as the hostess issued life jackets. Anyway it was a happy ending, the aircraft landed safely at Melbourne where all boarded a replacement aircraft. Later I learned that upon arrival at Hobart there was a standing ovation for the crew as they left the cockpit and a gentleman thrust a massive handful of banknotes into Bob's hand. Naturally, he declined the offer and asked the passenger to send it to the Crippled Children's fund. Those post war crews were great and so easy to get along with.

I recall the introduction of the Bristol Freighter, I feel that they served ANA well and could lift one hell of a load. They were utilised in North West Australia when ANA was involved in the Air Beef Scheme with MMA and Blythe Bros. Their engines were a masterpiece sleeve valve with very short exhaust manifolds and they created such noise. Taking off into the South at Launceston they always seemed to fly directly over my home early mornings. A terrible awakening and usually unable to get back to sleep.

I developed a "quick fix" for starter failures whilst in Launceston well it would be wrong to say I developed it, the procedure goes back to WW1 and was known as the Armstrong Starter. It was just that it was rarely used in the modern post war period. It called for a chain of men one to grasp the propeller after the pilot had primed the carburettor, call out – 'switch on' then yell 'GO to the chain'. It usually worked - the engine would roar into life, he who had hold of the propeller would be catapulted free from the rotating blades by his mates. It saved the time involved in changing the starter that would be done upon arrival at Essendon. I recall a couple of the Captains tearing strips off me for this practice – one in particular Captain Neville Bruckhauser who always maintained that he would be taking me back to Melbourne "half fare". Neville who flew in New Guinea pre WW2 was a thorough gentleman. He has since passed away.

I recall a starter failure one day on a DC6 at Launceston and enlisted the aid of our Manger G. I. Holyman to be anchor man on the end of the chain, I felt that his physique would ensure my propulsion to safety. This was achieved and another delay eliminated.

Reproduced by kind permission of Kevin McCabe's family.

The Missing Rams
It was a particularly busy night at Launceston Airport, as well as the routine flights there was an engine change under way by a crew from Melbourne. Amongst the freight to be uplifted were three very valuable rams – extremely valuable. Porter Hedly Lewis was the leading hand and undertook to be responsible for these and decided it would be safer if they were secured in some sort of restraint. He quickly erected a small enclosure of pallets etc, and the rams were placed within. Hedly had years of experience with sheep – he was a shearer and spent most of his working life on farms in the Evandale district. I queried his enclosure in view of the value of the rams but he replied "don't worry boy, it's safe and anyway sheep never wander at night".

I thought we'll see about that. No one else around so I set about proving him wrong. Don't know how I managed but I grabbed each ram carefully and placed them one by one in the rear locker of a nearby Bristol and closed the door. When Hedly returned to the scene – no rams. He was in a dreadful state and in shock and quickly reported the matter to Mr Roach, they both set off on a quick tour of the area on a tug hoping that the lost would be found. I let it roll on for some time and then confessed. So another successful night and the aircraft all departed, that incident had a bad effect on Hedly, I'm sure.

Reproduced by kind permission of Kevin McCabe's family.

What a lot of bull!
We were awaiting the arrival of a DC3 from Melbourne via Wynyard. Onboard various cargo, including one bull.
The aircraft flown by Captain Joe Wasman and F/O Gordon Howe eventually arrived. As I approached the rear door Joe called out "don't open the door, there's a wild bull loose in the cabin". I thought that can't be right, animals are always secured and what would an airline pilot know about the habits of a bull, so I went ahead and proceeded to unlatch the door. Stone the crows – what a shock, the bull was crazy alright and made a charge at the near opened door. I did catch a glimpse of the stout, wooden pen which was splintered to matchwood and lying all over the cabin floor. It was obvious that the pen was smashed en-route Wynyard and Launceston. We thought it wise to wait for Ray Trinder who was on his way from Launceston with necessary transport. We then got more details, there was a plan to fire a dart with a sedative to put him under for a while, but they were unable to contact a vet.

However, Ray and I then approached the beast via the front entry door and on entering the cabin he made a charge at us. We retreated to the cockpit area and I released the overhead escape hatch and climbed out onto the aircraft roof to cling to one of the radio aerials.

After a lot of persuasion and skill Ray managed to get him down to the rear door where a truck was in position. By this time further assistance was at hand. One who really stood out was Joe McConville, a porter and loader from Ireland. Joe had experience on the land and I was so amused as he approached the mad bull with outstretched hand calling "come on Sooky, come on". The bull would have eaten him I'm sure.

Anyway, the drama had a successful ending and the bull was placed in the truck. Ray Trinder was a real specialist with animals and I recall him in the headlines years later when one of his horses won the Melbourne cup.

Reproduced by kind permission of Kevin McCabe's family.

Helicopter travel for one and all
ANA placed an order in 1955 with Bristol Co. in the UK for a Sycamore helicopter. A 10 month delay in receiving the import licence resulted in the machine not being delivered until May 1956. It was assembled in Hobart and test flown during May. May 19th it was used to fly a football umpire to a match in North Hobart for a publicity gimmick.

Captain Max Holyman was Chief Helicopter pilot and one day at Western Junction he agreed to a request from me to fly four of our staff to Evandale recreation ground and return to the airport with another four. There was much dashing hither and thither with ground transport, but to the delight of the local school the operation was a success. That night it was featured on the ABC news.
PS. The cost of the helicopter - £65,000

Reproduced by kind permission of Kevin McCabe's family.

Engine failure
The Bristol Freighter was introduced into Australia November 1948. This was the occasion when ANA leased the demonstration aircraft G-AICL on tour of the Pacific region. They were quick to realise its potential and placed an order for two additional aircraft which became VH-INK and VH-INL, these arrived in Australia towards the end of 1949. The demonstration Bristol, now owned by ANA became VH-INJ in April 1949.

An incident occurred at Launceston around the time of the Royal flight of HMQE2 from Launceston to Melbourne. A Bristol took off bound for Melbourne and included in the freight was a race horse with attendant Ray Trinder. Seconds after lift off one engine failed – I seem to recall that Captain Hughie Black was in command and that the aircraft lost some valuable height before turning back to land at Launceston. To me, it was a bit hairy and I felt that he just made it. Anyway, I was keen to know about the atmosphere in the hold and asked Ray T. if he noticed anything unusual. His reply, "No, just deathly bloody silence on one side".

Reproduced by kind permission of Kevin McCabe's family.

Spirits of Ansett