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Re: Roving ML417 and others

Posted by Brett on Wed Dec 12, 2001 02:01:24 AM

In reply top Re: Roving ML417 and others posted by Julian on Tue Dec 11, 2001 10:57:09 AM

There is an article in Flightpath magazine Vol 5 No. 4 (1994) from Bob Livingstone. Bob was employed by Doug Arnold to prepare the Bf109 for shiopping to the UK.

The 109 arrived in Oz immediately post war and was first displayed by the Australian War Memorial in 1955. In 1963 the AWM decided that it was taking up too much space, and sold it to Brian Wetless, who sold it to Sid Marshall. When Sid died, Jack Davidson sold it to Doug Arnold. Doug also purchased Mustang VH-BOZ. Both were to be shipped together.

The Mustang was granted an export certificate. As an aircraft on the Australian register, it needed one. The 109 was not classified as an aircraft for export, and on the export certificate it was classified as 'aircraft parts', being the normal discription for a dismantled derelict aircraft. It was never classified as an aircraft in Australia. It had never been registered or flown in Australia. You could not have legally flown the aircraft in Australia at that time (1979) because ex-military aircraft could not be legally flown. There was no 'warbird' movement as such. The Australian government had disposed of the 109 as scrap. The legal owner was Doug Arnold.

The 109 was moved to a panel beaters shop where the transport jigs were being made. There it was sprayed with a rubberised solution impregnated with silver in order to protect the metal from moisture and UV.

Then the Australian Customs Bureau moved in and confiscated the aircraft, claiming that the 109 was being disguised as the Mustang in order to be smuggled out of the country. Both the Mustang and 109 were seized.

The AWM has the aircraft back. Doug Arnold received no compensation.

That was the story put forward from the 'Doug Arnold' side of the arguement. The Australian government side paint Doug Arnold as a criminal and smuggler of precious historical treasures.

I doubt whether any side has sole rights to the moral high ground on this issue. It is interesting to note that the legislation which followed this incident, designed to prevent the export of historical artifacts (The Heritage Act) bans exportation of aircraft and components that were used by Australians prior to 1945, and aircraft built and used in Australia prior to 1960. The 109 does not fit this definition, so could possibly be exported today.

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