1925 - 1988

"Expansion of air services through Brisbane, already four times the pre-war number, is outstripping Government arrangements for the switch-over to Eagle Farm aerodrome. Already an average of 18 civil services in, and 18 out, is handled at Brisbane each day, compared with four before the war. In addition to these is the flow of Dutch and Australian air force transports. Now these developments are looming: — Aircrafts Pty., Ltd., which now operates services to Maryborough, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, and inland towns, will begin a daily service, non-stop, to Melbourne, this month. Lockheed Lodestars will be used taking about 4½ hours. The same company hopes to extend its Queensland services. Qantas Empire Airways is considering a step-up of its Brisbane-Darwin Douglas service, now four planes a week. Resumption of the Dutch K.N.I.L.M. service from the East Indies is projected, depending on development of the political situation in the Indies. Already the Dutch Army's No.19 Squadron in Brisbane has taken delivery of a Skymaster from America, and two more are coming soon, for use on the Indies run. These may become a temporary nucleus for a K.N.I.L.M. service. Although no new A.N.A. services, now averaging 11 a day both in and out, are planned at the moment, the company is expecting continued growth in air freight, especially in a new direction - carriage of livestock. A.N.A. officials predict that "flying stables" will soon be running, specially fitted with stalls for animals, which will be accompanied by attendants. Ansett Airways, operating from Melbourne, may ultimately extend Its new Sydney service to Brisbane. The National Airways Commission, which has indicated that its first scheduled service in Southern States may begin in September, can also be expected on the Brisbane route in a matter of months."

"Constitution of Eagle Farm as the main air terminal here, planned to cope with post-war air traffic growth, has, however, struck a 'snag'. Although the transfer of complete control of Eagle Farm from the U.S. Army to the Civil Aviation Department may occur in a matter of days, its occupation as Brisbane's airport is months away. The reason is that the original scheme to shift large 'igloo' hangars from Archerfield, to accommodate planes as big as Skymasters, has been scrapped. The Commonwealth Department of Works, which was to do the shifting, advised Civil Aviation that these hangars, with a normal 'life' of only five years, would not be worth the expense of moving. As the only other suitable buildings are on southern Air Force aerodromes, a protracted moving operation is now necessary. Meantime, what is regarded as the best capital city airfield in Australia lies idle except for a daily Skymaster service from Melbourne and an occasional American service from Manila and Guam.

"Eagle Farm has three concrete runways, each 150 feet wide — one 6985 feet (1.3 miles) long, running W.S.W.-E.N.E., one 5015 feet running S.E.-N.W., and one 5985 feet, running S.W.-N.E. Taxiways and tarmacs are ready for use, and good roads lead to the aerodrome, which has unobstructed air approaches, giving maximum safety. There are underground petrol storage tanks of almost 50,000 gallons capacity. Runway maintenance and drainage are the only two immediate problems concerning the field itself. Already Civil Aviation has its runway maintenance squad on continuous work, patching and levelling. The installation of sub surface drainage will begin soon. Although Eagle Farm is built on former marshy ground, only a few feet above sea level, drainage was regarded as non-priority by wartime American builders. Existing hangars at Eagle Farm, mostly of a medium sized 'igloo' type, will be useful only as workshops, being too small in most cases even for Douglas DC3's. The C.O. of the Pacific Air Service Command, rear echelon (Col. Jordan) said yesterday that the U.S. Army made its plane overhauls on open tarmacs, not in hangars, as is the practice of civil companies. Designs for the central aerodrome control and administrative building, which will incorporate modified principles drawn from big overseas fields, are being completed in Melbourne. A Civil Aviation headquarters official said in Melbourne yesterday that the Air Minister (Mr. Drakeford) would probably announce details of the plans soon. It is understood that the building will house modern rest rooms, refreshment room, and facilities for handling a big volume of air passengers from all services, in addition to full control, radio, weather, and admlnistrative offices. Air operating companies say they are in the dark about when they will have to shift to the new aerodrome. At present the only official forecast is: 'Some time this year— it is hoped.' Companies are therefore going ahead with expansion plans to operate from Archerfield.

Source: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Thursday 01AUG46
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49361608

"Attley, crack Melbourne sprinter, who shares favouritism with Shannon for the Doomben Ten Thousand, was safely transported by air from Melbourne to Brisbane yesterday. He had his first view of Brisbane from the jaws of the Bristol freighter, Merchant Venturer, at Eagle Farm. He then stepped lively down the plane's landing ramp after a 1200 mile flight. The nose of the Merchant Venturer opens like the doors of a cupboard to expose the full width of cargo hold for loading and unloading. The plane taxied to within 150 yards of the Doomben racecourse, where the Ten Thousand will be run on July 5. Attley came back to earth down the special ramp, which is a plane fitting, and is strong enough to load a three-ton truck. Attley travelled in a well padded collapsible box in the nose of the plane. The box was about 5ft. high and roomy, with his head well over the front. Attley was able to receive constant attention from his trainer, W. Cutler during the flight. No drugs were used to prevent Attley from taking fright. The plane left Melbourne at 9.30 a.m.. and arrived at Eagle Farm at 4.40 p.m. It stopped in Sydney from 12.30 until 1. Attley is the first racehorse carried by air from Melbourne to Brisbane. Cutler seemed more excited than Attley. He shouted to friends in the crowd, and invited well-known Melbourne jockey, A. Breasley, who will ride Attley in the Ten Thousand, to jump into the plane. He said Attley, whose legs were heavily bandaged, behaved splendidly during the trip. 'A few air pockets worried him a little, but otherwise he was as calm as if travelling in an ordinary motor float,' he added. 'This is a trainer's dream come true.' About 1000 people saw Attley landed. Applause from a few enthusiastic admirers was quickly stifled by aircraft officials, who feared he might become fractious. From the aerodrome Attley was taken to Athol Strong's Hendra stables by motor float. Attendants had a little trouble enticing him into the float. He just touched one when he lashed out with his hind legs. Attley has been nominated for the June Stakes, to be run at Eagle Farm on June 14, but Cutler said a decision about his starting would not be made until it was seen how he progressed in the next few days. The plane is on a demonstration tour, and Attley is the first horse it has carried in Australia. Officials said that when the seats were removed it could carry six horses. With the seats in it could carry two horses in the nose. A fire engine was was recently carried from England to France in a similar plane. A few years ago, Americans carrled a horse from Melbourne to Townsville in a military aircraft, and recently a Melbourne racehorse, Queen of the Fairles, was flown from Melbourne to Tasmania."

Source: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, 02JUN47
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49319181

Footnote: After a demonstration flight to Wau, PNG on 23OCT47 the "Merchant Venturer" rolled backwards down the sloping airstrip and was wrecked, having logged only 250 hours flying time.

"A north-bound DC3, owned by Australian National Airways, which left Archerfield yesterday, was the last heavy plane to fly from the aerodrome. From to-day all heavy aircraft will operate from Eagle Farm, and Archerfield will again become the quiet, light plane aerodrome it was in the early 1930's. Main reason for the change is that Eagle Farm, converted by Americans during the war into a first-class aerodrome, is suitable for use in weather that would close Archerfield."

Source: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, 30MAY49
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49678677

An earlier edition of the Courier-Mail on 12MAY49 reported the planned closure of Archerfield thus:
"With the complete change-over of A.N.A.'s heavy Brisbane services to Eagle Farm airport, Archerfield will become almost exclusively the light plane home it was in the early 1930's. Apart from some R.A.A.F. planes, the grass-surfaced Archerfield aerodrome will be restricted to light, non radio aircraft. In accordance with Civil Aviation Department policy. Eagle Farm, converted into a first-class airport, with bitumen runways, by the Americans during the war, will handle all commercial traffic. Skymasters, Douglas DC3's, Convairs, and occasional Douglas DC6's from the trans-Pacific run can land at Eagle Farm even in very wet weather, when Archerfield's bad drainage sometimes causes bogging. Completion of a maintenance hangar for A.N.A., and the company's conversion of an igloo into a comfortable passenger terminal has made the transfer possible. Since It began services to Brisbane, T.A.A. has operated from Eagle Farm, and Qantas shifted all facilities except maintenance to Eagle Farm in April. An A.N.A. spokesman said yesterday that the move would be a good one, because in some weather landings were possible at Eagle Farm when Archerfield was unsuitable. After the take-off of the afternoon Skymaster for Melbourne on May 29 all A.N.A. aircraft would land and take-off from Eagle Farm. Shifting of major maintenance facilities from Archerfield would be a big transport job, and the future of the A.N.A. terminal at Archerfield was uncertain. The Civil Aviation Department District Superintendent (Mr. Doubleday) said concentration of all commercial air line traffic at Eagle Farm would be a good thing for all concerned. Until facilities were available, the area control section, which plotted aircraft movements to Brisbane, would remain at Archerfield, and continue to work in conjunction with Eagle Farm flight control." Note that the last departure from Archerfield was reported the following day as a DC-3 not a DC-4 (see above).

Source: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, 12MAY49
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49686334

That Eagle Farm would replace Archerfield as Brisbane's airport was announced as early as 18JAN46 when the Courier-Mail reported:
"Eagle Farm aerodrome, regarded by civil authorities as one of the best in Australia, is to become the main commercial airport for Brisbane. Conversion will begin as soon as it is vacated by the Americans. It will be an important base and servicing centre for Government owned aircraft operating under the proposed Australian Airlines Commission. The airfield was constructed especially for the Americans, who are understood to be reluctant to leave it. It is suggested that the United States may apply to the Commonwealth for a 99 years' lease of the field, which would be used as the main Australian landing ground for Pan-American Airways, if extension of its trans-Pacific service to Australia is approved. No such application has yet been received by the Federal Government, and it is unlikely that it would be approved, as Eagle Farm holds a key position in the Government's proposed airlines scheme."

Source: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, 18JAN46
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50273456

Brisbane Airport was struck by a severe storm with high winds and damaging hail. Earlier in the day there was an unusual sight when all five bays at the Temporary ITB were occupied by Qantas Boeing 747s.

When the storm struck late in the afternoon, all of these aircraft had departed except the diverted VH-EBJ. Main casualties at the ITB were empty containers which were stored to the south of Bay 5. One 747 main deck container was seen blowing towards VH-EBJ but the aerodynamics were such that the container passed over VH-EBJ without striking it! The container was later located rolled up into a ball to the north of Bay 1. Skid marks on the ITB apron indicated that VH-EBJ had been moved several inches sideways by the force of the wind. Although the aircraft had suffered minor hail damage it departed for Nadi at 0622 on 19JAN. Ironically, it was only because of bad weather in Fiji that VH-EBJ was in Brisbane in the first place.