Museum Volunteer of the Year 2013...

[BradG]

Mr Andrew Willox is Museum Volunteer of the Year 2013. Andrew is building a full size replica BE2 for the RAAF Museum here in Melbourne. He was nominated by my dad for all the hard work he has put into the aircraft. As you can see it's not quite completed yet, but it's close and will be finished for hand over at the 2014 Point Cook Air Pageant. It's the ultimate LSP as Andrew has built this from scratch and had no skills in woodworking when he started. He spent alot of his own money on the project and taught himself the required skills to build it, even basket weaving to make the seats.

 

Well done Andrew, you truly deserved it.

[PAnderson]

Wow, the ultimate kit. Congratulations Andrew. That is a wonderfully beautiful example of fine craftsmanship.

 

Paul

[phoenixII]

Brad, thanks for posting.

 

Mr Andrew Willox take a bow, phenomenal amount of work, basket weaving aside. 

Grandad was a cabinet maker, Dad a carpenter (couldn't hack a 7 year apprenticeship so ran away and joined the army [in 1941!]) 

 

As a static exhibit it's great, but, was it built for static or is she going to be flown?

 

Paul

[BradG]

No it's not a flyer. The aircraft is being built to accompany the Deperdussin (this was also a replica built by a volunteer and donated) and the Boxkite which were the 3 aircraft that founded the RAAF. The Boxkite is an original aircraft owned by the RAAF and is airworthy, although I don't believe they will be flying that at all.