Episode Details

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