Episode 119 – WOA – Matt Austin

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Guest: Matt Austin

Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly

Recorded: 22nd of November 2015

Duration:  1 hour 6  minutes 2 seconds

Whilst in rural New South Wales to attend the Temora Airshow during the Wings over Australia tour, Dave and James’ host for the weekend was Matt Austin in the historic town of Junee. They took the opportunity to interview Matt about his own interest in aviation, which goes back to his childhood.

Matt talks about his love of all things to do with Australian National Airways and the variants of Douglas’s venerable DC-3 airliner. He also discusses his involvement over many years as a volunteer and current treasurer of the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport in Victoria. And he talks about his mentors, about sacrifice in war, and his love for the underdog. The latter includes the Australian-built Beaufort, of which he owns a small portion that he’d love to restore.

Matt is one of life’s true gentlemen, and a wonderful friend of the Wings Over New Zealand Show.

Matt Austin, left, with James Kightly when visiting the Junee Railway Roundhouse Museum 
Matt is a lover of history and is in his element on the footplate of a steam locomotive

Matt and James chewing the fat in a historic railway carriage

Matt simulating a 1930’s Selfie

Matt’s Beaufort relic above and below. Matt has narrowed it down that this is either off A9-129 or off
A9-131 “Saucy Sue”

Above and below – The former Australian National Airways, and later ANSETT, Douglas
C-50 Dakota VH-ANH, as seen at the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin
in November 2015.

A hand carved 1/32nd scale wooden model that Matt made of Beaufort A9-131 (Matt Austin)

Matt’s ANA pepper and salt shakers in the left and other items in his ANA collection (Matt Austin)

Matt is a lover of the Art Deco era, and has an extensive collection of gramophone records. It
was from this collection that the theme music to the Wings Over Australia sub-series came
from, after a fun evening of listening to swing bands and selecting and recording the favourites
for the show.  (James Kightly)

Dave and Matt make a music selection  (James Kightly)

Dave recording the theme tune  (James Kightly)

Matt, Dave and James in a selfie  (James Kightly)

Photos all round (James Kightly)