Flown by Australian businessman and adventurer Dick Smith on the first solo circumnavigation of the world in a rotary wing aircraft in 1982/3, in the process making an appearance at Farnborough SBAC in 1982

Exported from the USA to Australia in 1967 becoming the first air ambulance operated by the NSW Department of Health, accumulating 24,500 flight hours across nearly 4m miles by the time of retirement in 1985

Allocated BuNo. 44248 but given RAF serial JX630 prior to becoming A24-385 with the RAAF in 1945, this Catalina gained fame in 1951 as the first aircraft to cross the South Pacific between Australia and South America, from Rose Bay in Sydney to Valparaiso in Chile. It is one of only two surviving non-amphibious Catalinas. Accepted into the Museum of Applied Art and Sciences in 1961. The museum was renamed Powerhouse in the late 1970s and closed in February 2024 for three years of major redevelopment.

Flown by Captain P. G. Taylor on the first air crossing of the South Pacific, leaving Sydney in March 1951 for Valparaiso, Chile.

The Transavia PL-12 Airtruk was an unusual configuration, single-engined agricultural aircraft designed and built by the Transavia Corporation in Australia and first flown on the 20th of April 1965. In addition to the pilot there was provision for two passengers at the rear of the fuselage pod.

This Blériot arrived in Australia in April 1914 with French stunt pilot Maurice Guillaux. He used it for display flights and flew the first airmail from Melbourne to Sydney in July 1914. Because of the war he had to return to France but the aircraft stayed in Australia. In 1916 it was sold ro Robert Graham Carey of Ballarat, Victoria who flew it for his flying school and on exhibition flights. By the end of 1917 it was stored, until sold in 1920 to KJ Claffey. In 1939 it was bought by the Dept of Civil Aviation. In 1947 it was restored by MA Leech, the head teacher and his trainees at the Aircraft Construction Class of the Sydney Technical College. Later it was given additional facelifts until displayed in the Powerhouse Museum.

History of this aircraft from the Museum website copied below The Bell Jet Ranger III helicopter, Dick Smith Australian Explorer, was flown by Australian businessman and adventurer Dick Smith on the first solo circumnavigation of the world in a rotary wing aircraft in 1982/3. The flight was also the first solo helicopter flight across the Atlantic Ocean and the first solo flight from the U.S.A. to Australia by helicopter. The flight was taken over three stages from Fort Worth, Texas to London, London to Sydney and Sydney back to Fort Worth. Over 55,000 km was traveled in 260 hours of flying

This historic Catalina in the Powerhouse Museum is VH-ASA 'Frigate Bird II' (Australia-South America). Built in Canada in 1944 for the RAF as JX630, later RAAF A24-385). In 1951 it flew the first air crossing of the South Pacific Ocean, from Rose Bay Sydney to Valparaiso Chile, under legendary Captain P.G. Taylor GM. Also visible are DH-60X Cirrus Moth VH-UAU, Dept of Health NSW Beech B80 Queen Air VH-AMB and a Wheeler Scout on floats.

This Avro-built Cierva Autogiro was built in 1934 and imported into Australia, being registered on 14 June 1935. It was used by Engineer Andrew Thyne Reid for private flights, including between his properties in Sydney and Yass. Impressed during the war, it was used in trials for the development of a 'flying jeep' autogyro. Returned to Reid after the war, he continued to use it until 1949. Subsequently donated to the Royal Aero Club of NSW, later purchased by the Powerhouse Museum where it is on display.