Houdini soars at new Diggers Rest Pavilion

A new Community Pavilion opened in Diggers Rest, Australia, last week. Inside, you can find this mural showing Houdni's Voisin biplane. Interestingly, this doesn't commemorate Houdini's famed 1910 flight but Ian Satur's model of the plane that flew during the 2010 centenary celebrations. Either way, it's good to see Houdini is still a star in Diggers Rest.

The Ian Satur model survives today and is still looking for a permanent home.

Related:

• Model of Houdini's plane is safe for now
• 10th Anniversary: Diggers Rest centennial festival
• New photos reveal Houdini's Voisin

Model of Houdini's plane is safe for now

Ian and Janice Satur with the model Voisin. (Melton City Council)

Back in February DiggersRest.com reported the distressing news that the model of Houdini's Voisin biplane created by Ian Satur for the 2010 Centenary celebrations was due to be scrapped. The article read in part:

Unfortunately, despite a number of open-ended promises by Melton City Council to accommodate the model within a permanent setting, it’s understood that the model will be destroyed in the coming days.

The good news is Australian Aviation Historian Graeme Minns has stepped forward and will provide storage for the model until a permanent and hopefully public home can be found in Australia.

Diggers Rest resident David O'Connor, who has been spearheading the effort to display the plane, recently interviewed the 81-year-old Satur about making the model and what he discovered about Houdini's original plane. It's an excellent interview that you can listen to at ©Melton City Council.

Thanks to David O'Connor.

Related:

• Building Houdini’s Voisin
• Houdini's plane has nowhere to land
• Diggers Rest gears up for Houdini celebrations

10th Anniversary: Diggers Rest centennial festival

It was 10 years ago today that Diggers Rest in Australia kicked off their centenary celebrations of Houdini's historic first flight on the continent on March 18, 1910. You can revisit the festival via my post about the lineup of events below:

Diggers Rest Houdini centenary celebration schedule

TEN YEAR UPDATE: The centenary came off as planned and a monument now stands at Diggers Rest (below). Gary Sunderland's model of Houdini's biplane, made especially for the celebrations, eventually landed at the local Houdini's Café e Cucina. However, despite the best efforts of the organizers to discover what happened to Houdini's historic Voisin biplane after he sold it in 1913, it remains a lost artifact.

Related:

• Welcome to our WILD 10th year
• When Houdini showed Australia that a man can fly

HOUDINI FLIES!

At dawn on March 18, 1910, Harry Houdini made the first powered controlled flight of an aircraft on the continent of Australia. The historic flight occurred 109 year ago today in Diggers Rest near Melbourne. Click below to read the details of Houdini's historic flight in a post I wrote back in 2010 commemorating the 100th anniversary.

When Houdini showed Australia that a man can fly

Related:

• Here's Houdini's rarely seen aviation trophy today
• Footage of Houdini's Australian flight (now with more goggles)
• New photos reveal Houdini's Voisin

New photos reveal Houdini's Voisin

While browsing the online archives of the National Library of Australia (via Trove), I discovered two terrific high resolution photos of Houdini and his Voisin biplane that I've not seen before. The photos reveal nice details of the plane with Houdini at the wheel. [Click all photos below to enlarge.]

This first photo shows the plane being tended to by a ground crew.

Here's a blowup of Houdini who appears to be calling out instructions from the cockpit. Notice how you can see the stitching on the plane.

This blowup shows nice details of the wheels and shock absorbers. Also notice the wheel blocks.

Below you can see Houdini's French mechanic Antonio Brassac inflating the wheel using a bicycle pump. I wonder who the man is with his hands with his pockets?

This next image shows Houdini either preparing for takeoff or taxing in his Voisin. This is credited to the Sydney Morning Herald and Sydney Mail and is captioned: "First controlled flight in Australia, made by Harry Houdini in a Voisin biplane at Diggers Rest, Victoria." Is this the historic moment itself?

I wonder what happened to the top of Harry's "H"? Also notice the Voisin's canvas was thin enough to be transparent in the sunlight.

You can view and zoom into the full resolution versions HERE (photo 1) and HERE (photo 2).

Related:

• Here's Houdini's rarely seen aviation trophy today
• Found! The man who bought Houdini's Voisin
• Photo of Houdini's Voisin reveals new detail

Diggers Rest historians hold fundraiser to buy Houdini rarity

Australia's Star Weekly reports that Diggers Rest historians are holding a fundraiser to secure a local autograph book containing a rare signed photo of Houdini.

The autograph book is from 1910 and has been in the family of Toolern Vale resident Wayne Johnson for more than a century. Mr. Johnson says the autograph book had been passed down to his wife, Kay, from her great-grandmother.

"Kay's great-grandmother used to live in a hotel and she used to collect the signatures of people who came into the hotel," Johnson told the Star. "A lot of the other entries in there are signed, 'a member of the Houdini company', which also helps to verify the authenticity of Houdini himself's signature."

Houdini spent four months touring Australia in early 1910. During this time he made the first successful airplane flight on the continent on March 18 at Diggers Rest.

Diggers Rest History Project members put out a call for donations to help buy the autograph book from Mr. Johnson. They've raised about $1500 towards the $2000 goal. Johnson said he was keen to ensure that the book stayed "close to home".

"You can't put a value on this," he said. "It's been in the family for generations and I'd like it to stay in Diggers Rest."

The Diggers Rest History Project, which began in 2014, shares its collection of artifacts and historic documents with the community through Houdini's Cafe and the Diggers Rest Medical Centre.

To donate and for more information CLICK HERE.

Photo of Wayne Johnson and David O'Conner by Marco De Luca.

Related:

• Houdini model plane lands in Diggers Rest cafe
• Diggers Rest gears up for Houdini celebrations
• 100 years ago Houdini showed Australia that a man can fly

Houdini model plane lands in Diggers Rest cafe

A scale model of Houdini's Voisin biplane now hangs at Houdini's Café e Cucina in Digger's Rest, Australia, site of Houdini's historic 1910 flight. The model was built by Gary Sunderland for the 100th anniversary celebrations in 2010.

Houdini's Café e Cucina is located at 52-56 Old Calder Hwy, Diggers Rest, Vic, 3427. You can check out the menu and more at their official website and Facebook.

Thanks to David O'Connor and DiggersRest.com.

Related:

• Houdini the pioneer aviator
• Houdini model lifts off at last
• Photo of Houdini's Voisin reveals new detail

106 years ago today

At dawn on March 18, 1910 Harry Houdini made the first powered controlled flight of an aircraft on the continent of Australia. The historic flight occurred 106 year ago today in Diggers Rest near Melbourne. Click below to read the details of Houdini's historic flight in a post I wrote back in 2010 commemorating the 100th anniversary.

HOW HOUDINI SHOWED AUSTRALIA THAT A MAN CAN FLY

Houdini's plane has nowhere to land

The Herald Sun Leader reports that the model of Houdini's Voisin airplane made by Ian Satur for the 2010 Centenary celebrations of Houdini's historic first flight in Australia is now "homeless." Here is the full article:

Houdini model plane left homeless until 2019
AMI HUMPAGE
MAY 09, 2014

DIGGERS Rest’s iconic Houdini model aircraft may have to wait until 2019 to find itself a permanent home in the town.

Originally funded by the Diggers Rest Lions Club, the plane was built by volunteer artist Ian Satur for the 2010 commemoration of 100 years since Harry Houdini flew into Diggers Rest.

Most recently the 3x3m plane has been housed at the Moorabbin Air Museum, but at the request of the Melton Model Aircraft Association, the plane was returned.

The association had asked Melton Council to permanently house it at one of its facilities, namely the Melton Library and Learning Hub.

That request was squashed when library staff raised concerns about potential vandalism and difficulty in cleaning the plane.

Council officers instead suggested it would be more appropriate for the plane to be housed in Diggers Rest.

But until a community centre is built as part of the town’s development, proposed for 2018/19, there is no suitable facility to house the plane in the town.

Council officers claim until then there could be potential temporary homes found in Melton or Caroline Springs, but have asked for more time to find the right location.

Melton councillors agreed to ensure housing of the plane is taken into consideration when designing the future Diggers Community Centre.

Let's hope they can find a place to land Houdini's plane. It would be a shame to see this vanish as did Houdini's original Voisin!

By the way, the Ian Satur model is not to be confused with another working replica made by Gary Sunderland. The Sunderland plane failed to fly at the Centenary celebrations, but it later did take flight at the Twin Cities Model Aero Club in May 2010. I don't know if the Sunderland model is displayed anywhere.

The Sunderland model in flight. (Twin Cities Model Aero Club)

Related:

• Building Houdini’s Voisin (Satur model)
• Houdini model lifts off at last (Sunderland model)
• 100 years ago Houdini showed Australia that a man can fly

Houdini photo exhibition on show in Melton Shire

The Melton Visitor Information Centre near Diggers Rest, Australia, has on display a photographic exhibition of historical images of Houdini and his first flight in Australia.

The exhibition runs from June 24 to July 30 and includes images of the small scale replica of Houdini’s Voisin biplane built by local resident Ian Satur for the 100th anniversary celebrations last year.

Also, forty-four paper planes created by Diggers Rest Primary school pupils will be on display during Heritage Week. The public is invited to vote for their favourite paper plane through the People's Choice Award. The award winning paper plane will be announced in Houdini: Paper Plane Flying Competition on Saturday July 23.

For more information visit the official Melton Shire website.

Houdini model lifts off at last

BACCHUS Marsh air enthusiast Gary Sunderland’s Voisin biplane has finally taken to the sky. After an unsuccessful attempt at Melton’s Centenary of Flight Airshow in March, the plane was airborne at the Twin Cities Model Aero Club meeting in Albury/Wodonga early last month.

The plane is a replica of Harry Houdini’s aircraft which took off from Diggers Rest 100 years ago.

And it appears Mr Sunderland encountered many of the problems experienced by Houdini back then.

“It was more difficult than I first imagined and certainly Harry Houdini and other pioneers of flying deserve our respect,” Mr Sunderland said.

“The model was persuaded to take to the sky and perform a number of circuits of the field and fly by the many spectators.

“Level flight proved to be the most difficult to achieve as it was unstable in pitch and wanted to dive.”

Mr Sutherland had previously flown the aircraft in early morning, calm weather at the Bacchus Marsh airstrip, but that was not witnessed by crowds.

He thanked friends and well-wishers for their encouragement.

By Liam McAleer
Moorabool Leader

When Houdini showed Australia that a man can fly

At dawn on March 18, 1910 Harry Houdini made the first powered controlled flight of an aircraft on the continent of Australia. The historic flight occurred 100 year ago today in Diggers Rest near Melbourne.

Ironically, Houdini said the world may well forget his feats as an escape artist, but it could never forget that he was the first man to fly a plane in Australia.

The origins of Houdini’s first flight may have been rooted in world politics. According to The Secret Life of Houdini, Houdini’s Australian tour was encouraged (backed?) by a British friend, Lord Northcliffe, who was eager to alert his county and her allies to the military potential of air power (Japan was already building an air corps). What better way to showcase flight than via the king of showmen, Houdini!

Seeing a chance to get in the record books, and receive full pay during his 12 weeks of ocean travel (which would be agony for the seasick prone magician), Houdini accepted the tour, despite telling a Bristol reporter in 1904 that he would never travel to Australia because it would put him too far away from his mother.

Houdini’s first attempts to fly his 60-horsepower French Voisin (which he purchased in 1909 for $5000 and had his name emblazoned on the wings) were hampered by weather conditions and mechanical problems. Worse was the appearance of a rival aviator, Ralph C. Banks, who setup his new Wright Flyer on the same field. With Houdini was his full-time French mechanic, Antonio Brassac, who worked tirelessly on the plane. “No mother,” said Houdini, “could tend her child more tenderly than Brassac does my machine.”

Group photo at Diggers Rest

Houdini performed at Melbourne's Opera House during the days and slept under his plane in the 40-foot hanger tent at nights (once being awakened by a poisonous tiger snake), waiting for the perfect conditions for flight. Less cautious was Ralph Banks, who attempted a flight in rough winds on the morning of March 1st. He crashed. Banks survived with a black eye and torn lips, but his plane was destroyed. Houdini helped Banks pick up what was left of his flyer.

Then on Friday, March 18, 1910, at around eight o’clock in the morning, the weather cleared and Houdini took flight in his Voisin. Houdini's historic first flight latest only a minute and reached a height of no more than twenty-five feet. But it was a controlled circuit of Plumpton's paddock at Diggers Rest witnessed by at least nine people (including Ralph Banks) who signed a witness statement. Reporters from The Argus and The Age were also present and verified the flight. Houdini would fly three times that day. On the second flight he nearly crashed on landing. The third flight was flawless, lasting three and a half minutes and reaching an altitude of 100 feet. “I know what it is to fly in real earnest,” Houdini told a reporter on the ride back to Melbourne. “I can fly now.”

Houdini flies!

Houdini’s name was officially entered into the record books by the Australian Aerial League (formed by George Taylor who shared Lord Northcliffe’s military ambitions). He was even presented with an impressive trophy, which he proudly displayed in his New York home.

But some controversy surrounded Houdini’s flight. A 19-year-old mechanic from South Australia, Fred Custance, claimed to have beat Houdini with a controlled flight in a Bleriot XI monoplane on March 17, a day before Houdini’s flight, at Bolivar. This may explain why in later publicity material Houdini always recorded his flight as having occurred on March 16, 1910 (a date that stood until the 1980s and still sometimes causes confusion today). But it turns out Houdini didn’t have to worry. According to Houdini expert Patrick Culliton, Custance’s flight was witnessed by only one man, his sponsor Frederick H. Jones, who years later admitted the flight was “mythic” -- they made it up.

Trophy awarded to Houdini

A more serious challenge was made after Houdini’s death on behalf of Englishman Colin Defries, who claimed he flew a Wright Model A aircraft about 115 yards at Sydney's Victoria Racecourse on December 9, 1909. The Defries claim created enough controversy (which may have more to do with regional rivalry) to prevent a special event for the 50th anniversary in 1960. While it is possible Defries flew four months before Houdini, it’s now generally accepted that Houdini’s flight was the first fully controlled flight (per the Aerial League’s criteria), and even Defries defenders admit that “Houdini flew the wings off Defries.”

After his Australia tour (which included several even more spectacular flight exhibitions at Rosenill racetrack near Sydney), Houdini put the Voisin into storage in England. Although he announced he would use it to fly from city to city during his next tour -- and even promised to leap from it handcuffed -- Houdini never flew again. Houdini sold the plane in 1913, but exactly what happened to Houdini’s historic Voisin has long been a mystery [See; Did Houdini’s Voisin land in the hands of Chung Ling Soo?].

Today Australia takes great pride in its association with Houdini and aviation history. The Perth Mint issued commemorative coins and stamps. A new monument has been erected at Diggers Rest. And Houdini’s historic flight was celebrated with a special ceremony featuring a Houdini-Centenary air-show, magic performances, a one-third scale model of Houdini’s Voisin.

While the world has certainly not forgotten Houdini the escape artist, it now appears Houdini accomplishments as a pioneer aviator will also be remembered.

Monument at Diggers Rest

Sources:

• Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss by Ken Silverman, pages 142-155.
• The Secret Life of Houdini by Kalush & Sloman, pages 239-245.
• Genii Forums - Diggers Rest gears up for Houdini celebrations - post #211243 by houdini’s ghost.

Diggers Rest Houdini centenary celebration schedule

The centennial celebration of Houdini's first flight in Australia kicks off this week at Diggers Rest. Here is the schedule of events.

Commemoration (Diggers Rest)
Join the Diggers Rest Community
In celebrating the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s first powered, controlled, sustained flight at Diggers Rest. The commemoration ceremony will include a talk on Harry Houdini, performance by illusionist Simon Taylor and presentation of a time capsule to the Diggers Rest Primary School. To close the festivities, we have local resident Anita Kennedy to sing the Australian National Anthem. 

Thursday March 18th 2010
11:00am – 12:00noon Stan Payne Reserve,
Old Calder Hwy, Diggers Rest 3427 (Melway Ref 352 C6)


Houdini – Centenary Air Show (Melton Airfield)
Experience the thrill of flying!
Displays, formations flying and aerobatics at the Houdini – Centenary Air Show. Visitors will have the chance to see a showcase of aircraft that have flown in Australian skies over the last 100 years including Sea Fury, Kittyhawk, Mustang, Tiger Moth, Winjeel aircraft and more. On the ground you will be able to walk around beautifully restored aircraft and meet the pilots who fly them, while the kids will be entertained with aircraft making and other activities. Joy flights will be available and prizes including aircraft models, aviation memorabilia and joy flights will be given away on the day. Come and see the displays and meet the people who make aviation what it is today, and be a part of Australia’s aviation history as it enters the next 100 years. 

Saturday 20 March 2010 :: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Flying Display :: 11:00am – 3:00pm
Melton Airfield Coburns Rd,
Melton 3337 (Melway Ref 330 H3)


Festival of Flight Celebrations (Diggers Rest)
Celebrate Houdini’s first circuit flight:
Sunday 21st March, 2010 at Diggers Rest
Featuring performances by Daryl Braithwaite, The Red Jane Show and master illusionist Cosentino. The Festival of Flight will have something for everyone, including carnival rides, live entertainment and kids activities such as face painting and kite making. Activities on the day will also include an auto and aircraft show and swap meet, magicians, circus performances, historical displays and talks and much, much more. 

Sunday 21st March, 2010
11:00am – 4:00pm (Free Entry)
Diggers Rest Recreation Reserve Plumpton Rd,
Diggers Rest (Melway Ref 351 K3)

For more visit the Diggers Rest "Festival of Flight" website.

Related:

• Diggers Rest gears up for Houdini celebrations
• Australia mints coin commemorating Houdini’s first flight
• New Houdini commemorative stamp and coin

Final update on next week’s Centenary events

Robert Mackay of the Lions Club has released his final newsletter update before the big Houdini Centenary celebrations to be held at Diggers Rest in Australia next week. Click below to download.

Houdini Flight Newsletter #8.doc

The celebrations commemorate Houdini’s historic first flight in Australia and will include a special ceremony, a Houdini-Centenary air-show, magic performances, a one-third scale model of Houdini’s Voisin, and more. More details can be found at the HERE.

Poster for Diggers Rest Houdini Centenary celebrations

The good folks at the Melton Shire Council have sent us an official poster for the Houdini Centenary celebrations to be held at Diggers Rest, March 18-21, 2010.

The celebrations commemorate Houdini’s historic first flight in Australia and will include a special ceremony, a Houdini-Centenary air-show, magic performances, a one-third scale model of Houdini’s Voisin, and more.

Details can be found at the impressive new Diggers Rest Houdini website as well as the Melton Shire Council website.

Diggers Rest gears up for Houdini celebrations

A new roadside billboard has gone up near the entrance to Diggers Rest, Australia, as part of the preparations for a massive celebration commemorating Houdini’s first flight on that continent 100 years ago.

Diggers Rest resident Steve Samagalski was asked by the town's Lions Club to design the roadside billboard to mark the event. Mr Samagalski, an IT manager, was keen for the challenge, despite not having much artistic experience.

The preparation of the 6x2-metre billboard involved about 40 hours of work, and took about six weeks to complete.

"The expectations of the billboard were on a scale far larger than anything I had created before," Mr Samagalski said. "I presented the design to the Lions club in August and it was enthusiastically received."

Mr Samagalski said it was great to be able to be a part of such a proud moment in history. "Houdini's flights in his Voisin biplane March 18, 1910, are recognized as the first officially recorded powered aeroplane flights in Australia," he said.

The Houdini celebrations are set for March 18-21, 2010, and will include a special ceremony, a Houdini-Centenary air-show, magic performances, a one-third scale model of Houdini’s Voisin, and more. Details can be found at the impressive new Diggers Rest Houdini website: http://www.houdini.diggersrest.com.

The search for Houdini’s biplane is on!

As part of the Centenary celebrations of Houdini’s first flight in Australia, the Lions Club and Diggers Rest are launching a serious attempt to locate Houdini’s lost Voison biplane -- or at least discover exactly what happened to it.

A “treasure hunt” has been launched at the impressive new Diggers Rest Houdini website asking readers to contribute information or tips that can help track the Voison following Houdini’s historic first Australian flight on March 18, 1910. A map and timeline is being created with the hopes of tracking the plane to its final destination.

Whoever is the first person to e-mail the location of the original biplane will win a bottle of Houdini Pinot Noir wine.

Regardless of the outcome (the Lions Club tried to find the biplane twenty years ago when they celebrated the 80th anniversary of flight), Houdini’s Voison WILL make an appearance at the Diggers Rest Centennial celebrations in the form of a one-third scale model constructed by local resident Ian Satur.