Photo by Brett Brock David Greig with the Comper Swift at EAA AirVenture 2009. Larger view

The Klemm L25 D2 Swallow Larger view

August 1, 2009 - Oshkosh, Wisconsin  - Australia, as one would expect from any sovereign state, has a deep interest in preserving its heritage.

“You have to apply to the minister of arts to take anything that is historically significant to Australia out of the country,” said Roy Fox of Sydney. “Both this and the other plane are on the historical register, so I had to sign papers that I would bring them back.”

Fox is referring to the nearly original 1932 Klemm L25 D II and the equally original 1932 Comper Swift he brought here to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009.

Both airplanes traveled here inside a container, on a trek sponsored in part by the BBC and Fly for Life. Initially, plans included only the Klemm, but available room in the container allowed the Comper to also make the trip.

The Klemm is believed to be the oldest continuously flying humanitarian-mission aircraft in the world.

It was originally ordered from its German manufacturer as one of a pair of L25s, one named St. Peter, and this one named St. Paul. They were to support Catholic missionary transportation needs in Papua, New Guinea.

Having found evidence of patched bullet holes, Fox referred to the craft as a “plain clothes” warbird.

While it never fired a shot, it played a large part in evacuating children as the World War II Japanese invasion spread across Papua, New Guinea.

“They packed kids into the front cockpit and into the baggage compartment,” Fox said.

Ultimately the Klemm, along with an extraordinary effort by the Qantas air service, evacuated 210 missionaries to Australia.

The Klemm has flown continuously since its construction in 1932.

While it has passed through a number of different hands, it maintained an active status, a fact that along with the dry Australian climate, likely contributed to the craft’s longevity.

Other than a conversion to a more modern Continental engine, the airframe is substantially complete and original.

Fox did update the paint, though.

“When we got it, it had been painted with house paint and a brush,” he said. “You could see all of the brush strokes, so we rubbed it down and painted it properly.”

Fox’s other Australian heritage artifact here is the 1932 Comper Swift.

According to Dave Greig, a volunteer restorer and pilot who accompanied Fox to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the Comper is the only remaining example of three built with Gypsy III, 160-hp, inline, four-cylinder engines.

“This was built as a racer for the 1932 King’s Cup,” Greig said. The King’s Cup was a pre-war British air race.

“Only three were built with the Gypsy, and this is the only one left,” he said.

Nick Comper, an English World War I fighter pilot, was looking for a light, sporty, affordable plane. At the time most of the available aircraft were ex-military and could be a handful to fly.

According to Greig, “His goal was to make a plane that could be stored in the garage. So the wings on the Swift fold back.”

In another nod to the sport mission of the single-seater, the baggage compartment door was sized exactly to fit a popular overnight case used in Britain at the time.

Comper built about 60 radial engine-powered versions of the Swift. The Fox collection has one of those as well, though it currently is under restoration. Fox hopes to fly the two examples together in the not-too-distant future.

Like the Klemm, the Comper is close to original.

Other than the addition of brakes, conversion of the tailskid to a tailwheel, and a widening of the landing gear, the 404-hour airframe is as it was when it left its British factory. The engine is the original.

“We had to make some wing rib repairs,” Greig said. “But we are lucky that it has been kept in very dry climates.”

The idea of bringing the planes came to Fox during a visit to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh last year.

“We were chatting, and they mentioned that this year there would be a commemoration of missionary and humanitarian aviation,” Fox said. “And I said that we have the oldest missionary aircraft in the world over in Australia, at least we think so.

“It’s even been on a postage stamp.”

One thing led to another, and along with some generous support, Fox and the planes are here.

Although he has received a tremendous number of requests for the planes to visit other air shows while they are in the United States, Fox said schedules and other commitments will not allow for that. As was his promise, both aircraft will begin the return trip to Australia next week.

Until then both planes can be seen in the Vintage area.