State Library of South Australia

A20 CAC Wirraway and A46 CAC Boomerang. [PRG 247/143/7] • Photograph

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Summary

Three men standing by a CAC Wirraway (left) and a CAC Boomerang (right) at the CAC factories, Fishermans Bend, Victoria. The CAC Wirraway was a training and general purpose military aircraft and the word 'Wirraway' comes from an Aboriginal word meaning 'challenge'. The CAC Boomerang was the first combat aircraft designed and built in Australia.

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Physical description

Photograph (print)
black and white
Photograph (black and white print), 15.4 cm x 20.7 cm.

Dates / Publication details

Approximately 1943

Creator

Lewis (Family

Collection

Part of Lewis family

Subject

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (Australia)
Airplanes, Military -- Australia -- Design and construction
Aircraft industry -- Australia
World War, 1939-1945 -- Australia -- Technology
Wirraway (Training plane)
Wackett (Training plane)
Boomerang (Fighter planes)
Mustang (Fighter planes)
Bombers -- Australia
Fighter planes -- Australia
Training planes -- History
World War, 1939-1945 -- Australia
Defense industries -- Australia
Factories -- Victoria -- Fishermens Bend
Fishermens Bend (Vic.) -- Aerial photographs
Fishermens Bend (Vic.) -- Industries

Catalogue record

Return to catalogue

Historical information

Established in 1936, the CAC was an Australian manufacturer of military aircraft and engines. Essington Lewis, Chief General Manager of Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP), played a role in initiating the company, after a 1935 visit to Europe convinced him of the probability of war, and encouraged him to lobby the Australian Government to establish a modern aircraft manufacturing industry. The CAC was formed by a syndicate of business such as BHP, ICI and General Motors-Holden to manufacture aircraft for the RAAF. Aircraft were manufactured at the factories located at Lorimer Street, Fishermans Bend, in Port Melbournce, Victoria. Production began in 1938 with the first production aircraft test flight in 1939. In 1985 the CAC became a subsidiary of Hawker de Havilland Limited, and in 1986 changed its name to Hawker de Havilland Victoria Limited.

Digitisation information

Date

24/03/2014

Format

image/tiff

Resolution

5,085 x 3,863 pixels (19.6 MP)

Size

58.95 MB

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