Eight years ago, Ronald Gretton and Geoffrey Matthews decided to build a replica of the first military plane to take to the sky in Australia to mark the centenary of military aviation. They never imagined that their labor of love would lead to them receiving an Order of Australia Medal.
The Werribee residents were named in the Australia Day honours’ list for their services to the community through the preservation of military aviation history.
Mr Gretton and Mr Matthews said they were very humbled to receive the award.
“Geoff and I thought the best way to celebrate the centenary of the first military flight was to have a flying Bristol Boxkite available to the [RAAF Museum at Point Cook],” Mr Gretton said.
“No one else was doing anything to mark the occasion, so we thought we would.
“We did it because it was something we like doing.”
The men spent two years planning how to build the replica Boxkite and a further five recreating the historic plane, with the help of businesses and supporters of the museum.
On March 1 last year, their hard work paid off, with the plane taking to the sky during the Royal Australian Air Force’s centenary celebrations at Point Cook.
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