Collaborative effort to restore an aviation legend
We are proud to be part of an aviation project in Victoria Australia which will see the restoration of a 90-year-old aircraft with a remarkable history.
The story begins in 1934, during the MacRobertson Air Race which saw 20 aircraft race from Suffolk in England to Melbourne, Australia.
One of the aircraft - a Douglas DC-2 sponsored by Dutch airline KLM and dubbed “Uiver” - was low on fuel and needed to land after getting lost in a thunderstorm flying over Albury, a town in New South Wales.
Aware of the problem, the chief electrical engineer of the Albury post office used the town’s streetlights to signal "A-L-B-U-R-Y" in Morse code to the aircraft. At the same time, a local radio announcer appealed for cars to line up on the racecourse to light up a makeshift runway.
Uiver landed successfully thanks to the help of locals, who also helped pull the aircraft out of the mud the following morning. The crew continued to Melbourne and won the handicap section of the race, placing second overall.
Now, 90 years later, a group of dedicated volunteers have joined forces to form the Uiver Memorial Community Trust, committed to restoring the world’s oldest Douglas DC-2 aircraft. Their aim is to make it a centrepiece at the Albury Plane Museum for future generations to enjoy.
Our Australian Security team, in collaboration with channel partner Watters Electrical, recognised the importance of safeguarding this project, and delivered a security solution to protect both the Uiver and the machinery and tools required in the restoration project.
Uiver DC2 Restoration Project Manager, Russ Jacob heard about Gallagher’s SMB solution through another happy customer, the Holbrook Men's Shed. Being impressed with the ease of SMB and its cloud-based functionality, Russ reached out to Gallagher.
“The need had grown to have a security system installed as we were consistently adding new machinery and tools to assist in the restoration project, along with all the materials and other valuables on site. Given the dollar value of all the equipment and materials, along with the memorabilia and the project itself, a way of protecting this was paramount,” says Russ.
Neil Jarvis, Sales Manager for Victoria and Tasmania, said, “The Uiver restoration project resonated with Gallagher and our appetite to support and give back to local associations and community groups.
“Watters Electrical had recently become a Gallagher partner and had already donated their services for the Holbrook Men’s Shed. They jumped onboard for another opportunity to team up with Gallagher to give back to the community by installing the Gallagher SMB solution at the Albury Hangar. Russ was very impressed with the team at Watters that completed the quality installation.”
Peter Copley, Watters Electrical General Manager, said, “Our involvement in the Uiver restoration project is driven by a deep appreciation for its historical significance. The project aims to revive the Uiver, and we are motivated by the desire to contribute to its restoration.
“Recognizing the need for enhanced security measures, we partnered with Gallagher Security to provide a comprehensive security system. This collaboration not only fortifies the project's success but also reflects our commitment to preserving and promoting important historical endeavours like the Uiver restoration at the Albury Plane Museum.
“Our partnership with Gallagher is crucial; they provide a range of high-quality, user-friendly products, some with remote access, at cost-effective prices.”
We’re proud to play a part in the Uiver’s restoration and bring its remarkable story to future generations of Australians.