VH-CLT Tracy

The following is a report compiled by Ron Cuskelly on 2 June 2009 from notes taken on the dates shown below.


                                             The CycLone Tracy Heron

            <> It is widely reported that a Connair Heron survived Cyclone Tracy by being “flown” on the ground at Darwin
                   during the winds on 24 December 1974. The following research was undertaken in an attempt to identify the
                 Heron involved. On 28 June 2001, I spoke to David "Freddo" Fredricksen in Alice Springs. He was the pilot
                 who used a Heron radio to establish first contact with the outside world after Cyclone Tracy. He confirmd that
                   the aeroplane was VH-CLT .He called (as Charlie Lima Tango) to Katherine Aeradio who enquired: "Where
                 are you" to which he replied: "On the ground Darwin". After the cyclone, even the radio at the Navy base was
                   out of action and Mr Fredricksen claimed that there was a "queue" of people waiting to use CLT's radio (Police,
                 Emergency Services, etc). <>Also on 28 June 2001, I spoke to Ian "Nammo" Badman in Darwin and he confirmed
               that it was VH-CLT which survived Cyclone Tracy. He knew tha VH-CLX carried his nickname “Nammo” but
                   he did not know why. He describes the events as follows:

          The aircraft was inside a hangar with its tail into the wind as he was unable to turn it into wind. The controls
          were locked internally and externally. The brakes were set and all three wheels were chocked. The tail was
          anchored to a tug. There was evidence that the aeroplane had moved during the cyclone. He confirmed
         that the engines were NOT running, claiming that this story is an "embellishment" of the facts.

   <>On 30 June 2001, I spoke to Greg Foot who was an engineer with Airlines of Tasmania. He believed that it
                    was VH-CLX which had survived Cyclone Tracy and that the name "Nammo" was applied to VH-CLX on
                    the instructions of Dave McKenzie (then chief engineer with Airlines of Tasmania) to commemorate the event.

On 2 July 2001, I spoke to Dave McKenzie who was aware that “Nammo” had saved a Heron during Cyclone
Tracy but he could not recall why the name had been applied to VH-CLX.

On 16 July 2001, Graham Malcolm of the Moorabbin Air Museum confirmed that VH‑CLX still carried the
name "Nammo".

After being withdrawn from service by Airlines of Tasmania, the fuselage of VH-CLT was taken to the hills west
of Woodbury where it was used as a hunting lodge. It is believed to be still there at the time of writing.