Being an ex-Southender, the Drover has a special place in my aviation memories, with G-APXX displayed around 1972 in the short-lived museum there. HARS's Mk.2 is the last of the 20 built, the only potential flyer of those surviving, built at Bankstown in 1953 and used as VH-AHZ to test modifications after the grounding of Mk.1 Drovers due to propeller failures. Sold to New Hebrides Airways as VQ-TAH in 1965 then VP-PAE next year. Returned to Australia becoming VH-PAB in 1968 and underwent long-term restoration to flight by Hawker de Havilland Australia at Bankstown from 1981, to VH-DHM in 1986

Ferried from Oakland, CA, to Cairns in 1975 as N5645K and registered VH-PDI in 1976, flying with Helitrans Australia, Sunbird Airlines, Eagle Airways, Airtransit/Air Kangaroo Island and a number of private owners.

Another ex-Polish MiG imported to Australia around 1990, registered VH-XIG then VH-BPG to the same owner as Lim-6 VH-ALG. Like that aircraft, this one was housed at Nowra before coming to HARS

A DC-3 with a long history in Australia. Douglas C-47-DL 41-18660 was delivered to the USAAF's 5th AF Australia in November 1942 named 'Shanghai Lil' and was leased to ANA Australian National Airways in September 1944. On conversion to DC-3C in August 1946, it joined TAA Trans Australia Airlines and was reregistered VH-SBA in 1960. Eventually retired in 1974, it was placed on display at Melbourne Airport form 1979 to 1987 reverting to VH-AES, but was restored to flight in 1988 and joined HARS in 2016

This Polish-built MiG-17F was imported to Australia by 1991 and appeared on the airshow circuit before entering the FAA Museum at Nowra where it was displayed for many years outdoors. By 2011 it was indoors having been painted in this glossy camouflage and was on show next to a Singapore Hunter, both of which have since been removed.

This S-2E was delivered aboard HMAS Melbourne in November 1967. It was among several damaged in hangar arson attack at Nowra but was not repaired for operation, instead being used as training airframe and later displayed outside the FAA Museum. After storage and maintenance work there it was flown to HARS at Albion Park in September 2019 where it is kept in flyable condition alongside S-2G N12-152333. S-2G N12-152812 is their third Tracker, also under long term return to airworthiness.

An overview of some of the gems in the main HARS hangar as the magnificent Super Connie is prepared to return to its place as the world's only flying example of the type

One of 30 Trackers supplied to the RAN using their USN BuNos as the main part of the serial, N12-152812 operated from April 1977 till August 1984. The 16 S-2Gs were replacement aircraft for 14 S-2Es, (several of which were lost in a deliberately lit hangar fire at Nowra in December 1976) and were often deployed by 816 Sqdn aboard HMAS Melbourne. In February 1990 it went to Qantas as a training aid, moving on to HARS in November 2006 where the long term aim is a return to airworthy condition alongside their flyable S-2E N12-153600 and S-2G N12-152333

One of 27 Wessex helicopters operated by the RAN between 1962 and 1989. It was damaged in a forced landing on a beach near Rockhampton in November 1974 and was airlifted out by a Chinook. Returned to service and lastly used as a training aid at Wagga Wagga, it entered the FAA Museum at Nowra in 2015 later moving on to HARS. N7-226 is now displayed instead at Nowra.

Built in Britain as Canberra T.4 WT492 in late 1955 but transferred from the RAF to RAAF in mid-1956, serving with 2 SQdn, ARDU ((Aircraft Research and Development Unit, Woomera) and 6 Sqdn before becoming a ground instructional airframe at Wagga Wagga in 1964. Stored at Australian Aviation Museum Bankstown from 1983 and to HARS here at Albion Park in 2010 where external restoration was undertaken.

In July 1954 A94-901 was the first Sabre to enter RAAF service. It was the second Avon Sabre built following the prototype and served with various squadrons. From 1961 to 1965 it was part of the 76 Sqdn 'Black Panthers' aerobatic team based at RAAF Williamtown and was struck off charge in 1966, then used as a gate guardian at Fishermans Bend. After being displayed at the Mildura Warbirds Museum, Vic, it was externally restored by Hawker de Havilland at Bankstown, moving to HARS in late 2006

The last of a batch of twelve SP-2H Neptunes supplied under MDAP to Australia in 1962, allocated BuNo 149081 and becoming A89-281 on arrival for service with 10 Sqdn RAAF Townsville. Flown to Amberley for disposal at the end of 1977 and taken in by the Chewing Gum Field Museum, QLD for static display. Trucked to Archerfield Airport in 1990. Although registration VH-NEP was reserved it was not taken up and was eventually dismantled between 2003 and 2005 having been donated to HARS, becoming the third Neptune in the collection and providing spares for their flying aircraft.

Previously displayed at Perth, WA and Bankstown, NSW then to HARS in 2007 in taxi-able condition. Like A79-637 alongside and a number of other preserved Vampires, in the mid-1960s flew with the RAAF 'Telstars' aerobatic team.

This Sea Fury arrived in Australia as deck cargo aboard HMAS Vengeance in 1952 and served the RAN till 1959 when it was installed in a test rig at the National Building Technology Centre in Sydney, used as a wind machine to test building materials. In 1986 it was placed at the Australian War Memorial near Canberra but next year went into store until trucked as a stripped airframe to Nowra in 1998 where it was used in the restoration to flight of Sea Fury VW623, then being placed on static display in the FAA Museum. Moved to HARS in 2020 where it is intended to return it to flight again.

Mounted near the HARS Museum entrance, this Macchi was used in the restoration to flight of A7-025 before being installed as a gate guard in its former 'Roulettes' team markings, colloquially referred to as the Fanta Can colours.

Parked alongside similar aircraft A4-210, 234 served the RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam from 1965 and was the last Australian aircraft out of Vietnam, flying home in February 1972. Both Caribous were retired from service in late 2009 with around 19,000 flight hours each. They were kept in open air storage at Oakey until 2011 when HARS successfully won the tender for the two aircraft plus spares. Both remain in flying condition.

This interceptor Mirage was delivered in1966 and served with 75 Sqdn at Butterworth , Malaysia until late 1969, next going to 76 Sqdn at Williamtown for a few years and then 2OCU. Converted to a ground attack variant, it served time with 77 Sqdn before retirement in October 1987 with 4,015 hr on the airframe (initial expected design life was 1,500 hr) and was used as an apprentice training aid at RAAF Wagga Wagga before acquisition by HARS in 2015. Although still in potentially flyable condition, the intention is to return it to taxiing.

This was one of a batch of 10 Neptunes supplied to the Aeronavale in 1959, serving 23F and 25F till transferred to 12S in Tahiti in 1983. Stored at Papeete from 1984, it was acquired by HARS and ferried to Australia in July 1999 under registration N8187Z, being allocated VH-LRR after arrival. After some airshow appearances, in September 1999 it flew from Tamworth to Bankstown and next in January 2003 to the then-new HARS base at the Illawarra Regional Airport where overhaul work continues pending return to airworthiness alongside P2V-7 A87-273 (which is once again flying).

French Navy SP-2H Neptune 556 receiving some TLC at the HARS museum. This airframe was to be burned, however was saved by HARS and restored to flying condition. This may be the most complete Neptune still to exist as its interior remains completely intact.