VH-BYW  Auster J/5R Alpine         (c/n  3136)

                        

                            This aircraft was first registered in 1955 and, as the nice contemporary shot above by Phil Vabre
                            shows, is still active. This photograph was taken at Echuca, Victoria in October 2002.      Greg
                            Banfield's shot (below) was taken some thirty years prior (on 28 January 1974 at Camden, NSW)
                            and depicts it looking pretty much the same except for the fuselage rego and fin flash of those earlier
                            times.  VH-BYW was originally built as a J/5L Aiglet Trainer but was converted to J/5R configura-
                            tion in 1966 when 36' ex Autocar wings were fitted to the Aiglet Trainer fuselage.  It is said that the
                            owner did not like the flight characteristics of the short span wings, but possibly the switch was made
                            to include the 16 gal wing tanks of the longer wing......Unfortunately, somewhere along the way the
                            type got changed  within DCA/CASA records and the aircraft now appears as a J/5P, which is the
                            Autocar.   An Autocar this aircraft is is not (the Autocrat is four inches wider, plus it has the distinct-
                            ive hump backed rear decking).  I shall, therefore, refer to this machine as a J/5R Alpine.