IAN McDONELL COLLECTION
No. 7446. Fawcett 120 (VH-BQC c/n 1)
Photographed at the Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown Aerodrome, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, May 2007, by Ian McDonell

Fawcett 120

02/28/2008. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This four-seat all-metal aircraft was designed by Luigi Pellarini in 1952 to the specification of Fawcett Aviation, a fixed-base operator at Bankstown, for a trainer suitable for use by the Illawarra Flying School, a Fawcett subsidiary. The construction at Fawcett Aviation began in February, 1953 and the prototype flew for the first time on November 11, 1954.

In 1957 the aircraft was tested at the RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit and the Australian Army evaluated it for the AOP (Air Observation Post) role, eventually buying the Cessna 180A.

The aircraft was stored for many years till 1979 when its original 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major 1 Series 1 four-cylinder in-line engine was replaced by a Lycoming O-360 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine.

It has been donated to the Museum by the late Douglas "Doug" Richard Fawcett, and it is kept in airworthy condition."


Created February 28, 2008