Australia Takes Flight: Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Soars

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) was formed in 1936 by an Australian industrial consortium led by BHP, driven by Essington Lewis's fear that Australia would be left defenseless if British aircraft did not arrive during a war. This concern led to the creation of Australia's first domestic aircraft manufacturer.

The company's first product was the Wirraway, a two-seat trainer and general-purpose aircraft built from the North American NA-16. It had its maiden flight in 1939 and went on to be produced in large numbers for both training and combat purposes.

CAC also designed the Boomerang, a fighter ordered off the drawing board before any prototype existed, which flew for the first time in 1942 and was built 250 times. The company's Avon Sabre was its finest product, with over 100 units produced from 1953 to 1961. It featured a Rolls-Royce Avon engine, offering more than double the thrust of the American J47.

After World War II, CAC diversified into producing other aircraft, including the Mustang and Winjeel trainers, as well as civilian vehicles like buses and even saucepans. In 1985, it became a subsidiary of Hawker de Havilland and was later absorbed into Boeing Australia in 2000.

Throughout its history, CAC produced over 1,700 aircraft, including almost 550 designs by the company itself. The Avon Sabre remains one of its most notable achievements, with a unique design featuring a Rolls-Royce Avon engine that offered more thrust than any other engine at the time.