Historical Aircraft Restoration Society

What does HARS do?

The HARS Aviation Museum is an all volunteer group of Aviation Professionals and Enthusiasts who have premises at Shellharbour Regional Airport (YSHL), Albion Park south of Sydney.  There is also another “branch” at the airport at Parkes, NSW. 

The museum is actually an operating aircraft restoration complex and a tour guide will escort visitors.  At HARS, visitors will be walking through operational hangars, able to get up close and personal with the aeroplanes and even explore some of them.

The Museum took a derelict Super Constellation from the Davis Montham aircraft graveyard and restored it from almost nothing to beautiful flying condition and flew it across the Pacific to the Museum in the 1990s.

HARS is well supported by ex-pilots and engineers and is home to the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame.

HARS aircraft 3

 

HARS aircraft

 

HARS aircraft open for maintenance

 

What activities can HARS offer?

 Open daily from 09:30 to 15:30 (except Christmas Day), the HARS Aviation Museum is unlike many others you may visit.  HARS staff can provide a guided tour through the premises, which owing to them being “working” hangars, requires an escort.  The advantage of this approach is that you will not be hampered by barriers and you will be able to experience the aircraft and other displays in a way that is just not possible elsewhere.

  • The Albion Park Aviation Museum has a variety of commercial airliners from the “Southern Cross II” (a faithful replica Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor) through our three flying C-47 / DC-3 aircraft, DC-4, Super Constellation and Boeing 747-438. They also have many military aircraft including a Catalina, Caribou, P-2 Neptunes (two flyable), AP-3C Orion, CA-27 Australian Sabre, Canberra, two Vampires, Mirage III and an F-111C, among others. 
  • The HARS Parkes Aviation Museum is located at Parkes Airport in a former RAAF Bellman hanger from the airport’s time as a World War Two air force base.
  • The first aircraft to land at Parkes was a Sopwith Camel in 1919.
  • During World War Two, Parkes airport became RAAF Base Parkes, accommodating No.1 Air Navigation School, No.2 Wireless Air Gunners School, No.8 Operational Training Unit (Spitfires) and after the war No.87 SQN (Mosquitos) operated from Parkes.
  • Aircraft on display include:
  • Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-759
  • Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune A89-302
  • Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune A89-272
  • De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou A4-275
  • Convair 580 VH-PDW
  • Westland Wessex HAS.31B 813 (N7-203)
  • Bell AH-1 Huey Cobra
  • De Havilland DH.114 Heron VH – AHB
  • Piston and turbine aircraft engines
  • Aviation memorabilia

The Australian Air Force Cadets acknowledges this country and its traditional custodians.

We acknowledge and respect the spiritual relationship between the traditional custodians and this country which is inspired by language of songs, dance law and dream time stories over many thousands of years and we pay our respect to the elders who have passed into the dreaming, those here today, and those of tomorrow. May we continue to peacefully walk together in gratitude, respect and kindness in caring for this country and each other.