Wings Over Illawarra has a proud history of supporting local charity and not-for-profit organisations
As in previous years, Wings Over Illawarra will give back to our community through donations to Rotary nominated charities. These charities will be announced closer to the event.
The Combined Rotary Clubs of the Illawarra tirelessly provide community services to organisations and individuals in need throughout the Illawarra. Their committment to our local community has continued to provide much needed funds for various groups and organisations. They have been involved with offering volunteer services to Wings Over Illawarra for the past five years and in return receive much needed funds which are vital for the community services that they support.
Wings Over Illawarra is proud to be associated with the NSW Rural Fire Service, and provide a donation to the organisation to help them with their life saving effort throughout the year.
Over 100 years ago the residents of the south-western New South Wales township of Berrigan formed Australia’s first official bush fire brigade. The resident’s joined together as firefighters for mutual protection against the ever-present threat of bush fires. On 1 September 1997, The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS) was established by an act of Parliament as the successor to the first bush fire brigade, redefining the world’s largest fire service and building on a century of experience in protecting some of the most fire-prone areas on earth.
Today the Service comprises over 2,000 volunteer rural fire brigades with a total membership of just over 70,000. In addition, salaried staff are employed to manage the day to day operations of the Service at Headquarters, regional offices and district fire control centres.
Wings Over Illawarra is proud to be associated with HARS and have them showcase their aircraft at the Air Show. The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Inc (HARS) is a not-for-profit organisation and was formed in 1979 by a group of aviation enthusiasts interested in the preservation of Australian aviation history.
It was in this capacity that their members virtually traversed the Australian continent from Tasmania to Kalumburu in North Western Australia and from Cape Llewellin to Cape York in search of aviation artifacts. These expeditions resulted in providing considerable assistance to many restorations including many outside of the HARS itself.
Of significant importance was the recovery in the early eighties of two Beaufighter airframes from North Western Australia. One, a Mk1 Beaufighter aircraft, was exchanged after it had been restored by HARS for the Lockheed Super Constellation. This aircraft now resides in the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. The other airframe is central to the Mk21 Beaufighter currently under restoration by HARS.
HARS Mission Statement strongly expresses their emphasis and direction. “To recover, and where possible restore to flying condition, aircraft or types of aircraft that have played a significant part in Australian Aviation History both in the Civil and Military arenas”.
In order to achieve their objectives HARS recruited specialist people from within the aviation industry who were interested in the preservation of historical aircraft. The result is that they now have within their membership over 70 licensed aircraft engineers out of a total of 480 people. Their licenses cover virtually all of the skills recognised within the industry.
Since 1991, they have achieved significant milestones in their endeavours to preserve their aviation heritage. Their record to-date in aircraft restorations alone is there for all to see. It is an impressive record when one considers that it has been achieved solely by volunteers of HARS. It has been financed to-date partly by corporate sponsorship and from the general public.
In 1997 the International Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators awarded the Grand Master’s Australian Award to HARS in recognition of the outstanding restoration of the Lockheed Super Constellation. This was presented in London in December 1998 to their President, Mr Robert De La Hunty OAM, on behalf of HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.
