AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AIRWAYS ENGINE OVERHAULS
FOR THE 81ST AIR DEPOT GROUP
IN BRISBANE, QLD DURING WW2

visits since 18 December 2002

Before the 81st Air Depot Group was activated, aero engines in Brisbane that needed overhaul were sent south. A number of local firms were interested in carrying out engine overhauls for the 81st Air Depot Group but had no experienced personnel, technical data, tools and suitable workshop equipment.

Australian National Airways decided to take on the task. The 81st Air Depot Group provided test benches, tools and any information they could provide. Australian National Airways erected new plants which were capable of pushing out 4 engines per day.

From 11 May 1942 until 11 May 1943, Australian National Airways in Brisbane carried out overhauls on 263 aeroplane engines.

Cleaning area in the single row shop

Cylinder overhaul - valve seating area

Assembling single row engines

Inspection Shop

Assembly area twin row shop

Crankshaft Assembly area - some completed engines can be seen in the background

Barrel Honing - Cylinder Reboring

Magnaflux part of inspection

Engines ready for testing

Using an improvised tool

Full size versions of the above photos are available on
my "Australia @ War" CD-Rom

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Bob Livingstone for his assistance with this home page.

REFERENCE BOOKS

 "The 81st A.D.G."

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 18 December 2002

This page last updated 08 July 2005