HISTORY OF
MR J.J BANGE
AND HIS
PRIMARY GLIDER
Article by Scott Williamson
Photos courtesy of Mr. Trevor Bange
It may not have the status The Wright Bro’s first flight enjoys today, or the well documented flights of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, Amy Johnson, Bert Hinkler or the flight of the Vickers Vimy, which are all very significant events in our aviation history. However, this flight is a significant event in its own right.
What was this event? Well, we need to go back to the year 1932…………
On the property “Aviadell” approximately 5km west of Clifton Queensland, a young man by the name of Mr John J Bange, on the 13th of March 1932, climbed into the open cockpit of a frail looking aircraft with a 12 mtr wingspan- The Primary Glider. 11am with Mr J Bange at the controls, being towed by a Chevrolet vehicle driven by Mr John Falconer the craft named the “Azure Star” made its maiden flight.
Out of the logs he made of all his flights, this is how he described the first flight in “Azure Star”-
First Entry- March 13th 1932. (11am) Test flight with J.J. Bange at the controls. Entirely successful. Quick Take-off, beautiful to handle.
This was the pilots first solo. The landing as a stall and pancake from 10ft up. Max altitude 15ft. Distance of flight 100 yrds. She stood the pancake perfectly.
Wind 5m.p.h. landing speed 6m.p.h. Land speed nil-to 1m.p.h.
A young man from Clifton had a passion for aviation, flown as a passenger with the pioneer flyers Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith and Lester Brain respectively during the ‘Barnstormer’ days. He designed and built this machine in his spare time and test flew the “Azure Star” himself. He made many flights in the Primary Glider learning as he went and growing ever more confident with his aircraft. Many aircraft designs have the odd issue to overcome. However, from the first flight the glider was very successful.
1930 at the age of 22, when most of his peers in the district were enjoying the more social aspects of their lives, Mr Bange committed himself and started to build the Primary Glider. 
So began the dream and long association of his aircraft. Even with his background in engineering, the project took him two years drawing, cutting and gluing. The glider was based on the design of the Zoegling glider flying in Germany at the time, a typical ‘open skeleton’ fuselage of timber and rag. Even then in the early years of flight, gliding in Germany was becoming a popular sport. Knowing the design of the original glider had some problems; he modified the design so those problems could be over come and make the aircraft more durable. Such modifications included enlarging the rudder section, increased the length of the wings and also increased the height of the centre mast, which was positioned behind the seat, so he could employ extra wire bracing. Attaching this extra bracing to the wing strengthened the wing, so it was able to handle a higher shock load put upon the aircraft during the stress of a landing. The original Zoegling design found that a short Kingpost caused the stress and fatigue to the wings. Ultimately the wings would fall off during an impact of a landing. The new design was not that much different, and could be comparable to the centre mast design and bracing on a Drifter. And he also modified the design of the landing skid. As the Gliders that were flying at the time would have a tendency to run up on the nose during a landing and with the redesign the objective would be to eliminate that problem. Of recent times it has been discovered Mr Bange had been in contact with a University in Adelaide, South Australia during the construction period of the Primary Glider, gaining and collecting important engineering and technical information that he could, to use during the construction.
So in 1932 The Primary Glider, “Azure Star”, 2 seater Model Z-B-1 was airborne.
Mr Bange also went on to design and build the Z-B-11. It incorporated much of the design 
features of the Z.B.1, however, it had an enclosed cockpit with a nacelle that could be removed. The Z.B.11 was designed to be a single seat model.
This is what Mr Bange wrote about the test flight-
Model Z.B.11. October 27th 1935 Single seater. First Test Flight. Nacelle now fitted and machine a secondary. Flight Okay. Everything seems splendid. Lands easily. Pilots first flight in a secondary glider
Mr Bange loved his aviation, and wasted no time in wanting to share this experience with any that were willing. Soon after the testing period of the Primary Glider and becoming ever more proficient and comfortable with his aircraft flying higher and further, he got to the stage where he made the decision to share the experience of flight in the Primary Glider. So the Aviadell Gliding Club was formed where Mr Bange became both founder and Chief Flying Instructor. From that point, all of his work and that of the club was entirely for the benefit and advancement of gliding flight.
Mr Bange’s first student was a Mr T.E Glasheen, as recorded in the Log of his first solo-
April 22nd 1935(Easter Monday): T.E Glasheen = Distance 40yds.= Altitude 4ft.= landing poor. Skid. Wind 11mph. Remarks= A well controlled flight. A first solo. A severe skid at landing. A perfect settling. Instructor J.J Bange
April 22nd 1935: T.E Glasheen= Distance 80yds. Altitude- 25ft. landing- very good. Wind 0. A well controlled second solo. A steady climb and nice settling.
I had the privilege of talking to a Mrs. Bernie Stewart who has been associated with the family for many years, and would be remiss of me not to mention the help she has given me in providing some of the information contained in this article. One thing she mentioned to me was that Mr John Bange was a great advocate for promoting Women in Aviation, giving of assistance to any women who had any interest in wanting to fly his aircraft or aviation in general. This was a refreshing change to the general opinions and perception of that era of Women Aviators. This would be no real surprise then that his second student who went solo in the Azure Star was none other than his dear wife Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Bange, who affectionately was known as Bessie. She became known by this name early in her life and it was by this name that everyone knew her by. Bessie stood by John throughout the whole process from the construction to being part of, and many times, was the ground support as the operator of the launch vehicle to get the glider and Mr. Bange in the air. She also provided not just the physical, but emotional support and encouragement as well. Which Bessie Bange deserves the recognition for the contribution she made in the history of the Primary Glider and for the many successful flights the Glider made.
This was the Log entry of Bessie Bange’s solo flight-
October 26th 1935. Pilot = Mrs. J.J Bange. Distance 42yds. Altitude 12ft. Landing good. Wind 5mph. Remarks = A first Solo. Excellent for first solo. Best done yet out of three first solos on this ship. A faint sideslip during flight. Highly commended flight. Instructor J.J Bange. Aviadell Gliding club Instructor.
His third student that went solo was John Bange’s son Keith. He had previously been on flights with his father as a passenger, including one history making flight. Now at the age of 13 Keith was about to make his own piece of history-
August 17th 1948- Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 100yds. Height 80ft. Landing good. Wind 10mph. Remarks- Testing cord and wind prior to a first solo being carried out.
- further cord and wind checks before first solo. The wind is west and very true to direction and generally all is excellent to carry out early solos.
August 17th 1948- Pilot- Keith J.D Bange. Distance 30yds. Height 4ft. Landing Good. Wind 7mph. Remarks- A first solo.(instructor J.J Bange). Pupil aged 13yrs. Best first solo carried out on this ship to date. Very good handling.
The Azure Star Z.B.1 and Z.B.11 were at times quite a handful in the air under different conditions, even though his initial test flights and all the first solo flights were very successful. Throughout his logs he did report incidents that did occur and the conditions in which they occurred. These incidents though, failed to dampen his enthusiasm, he affected repairs and in some cases the down time also availed him the opportunity to make adjustments and make slight changes to the design to the craft. Nothing certainly remained a constant at Aviadell.
Out of his logs I have chosen a select few of the highlights of some of his flights. All flights conducted in the Z.B.1 unless specified-
May 7th 1939- J.J Bange. Distance 250 yds . Altitude 100ft. Landing wing down. Special Remarks- nice flight. Came in to land drifting. Banked over and failed to get wing up soon enough and hit wing tip skid on ground. Broke both spars.
This flight proved to be the last flight he made in over a six year period. The duration of World War II.
August 19th 1945- Pilot J.J Bange (145th flight in this ship). Distance 200yds. Altitude 50ft. Landing perfect. Special Remarks- A nice flight. First time off the ground since above flight. Flying indicated lack of practice during past 6 ¼ years. All during the period of World War II. The first glider flight in Queensland since war.
September 12th 1946- Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 20yds. Altitude 5ft. Landing-heavy. Wind 6mph. Remarks- First night flight for pilot and ship. Believed first ever in Queensland and definitely first since WWII in Queensland by a glider/and/or glider pilot.
John and Bessie had a second son Raymond. This was the record flight with Raymond and his Father-
September 15th 1946- Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 60 yds. Height 25 ft. Landing good. Wind 25mph. Remarks- Wind now very strong. Machine nearly “kites”. First passenger carried in this ship and in Queensland since WWII. Passengers name- Raymond Fabian Bange, aged 7 years. Weight 45lbs. First flight in his life
July 29th 1947. Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 50yds. Height 25 ft. Landing good. Wind 12mph. Remarks- Record. First time in Queensland that glider pilot wore parachute. . The pilot thus creates new record. Owned his own ‘chute.
July 29th 1947. Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 50 yds. Height 30ft. landing perfect. Wind 16mph. Remarks- Another record flight. First lady passenger carried in any glider in Queensland since WWII and first in this ship. Passenger’s name= Miss Rene Hornung. This pilot creates new record by carrying first lady passenger.
I mentioned earlier about Keith and a history making flight with his father John Bange. Here is the log of that flight-
September 26th 1947. Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 80yds. Height 20ft. landing good. Wind 12mph. Remarks- History making flight, Keith JD Bange, carried as passenger being the first passenger ever carried on the Darling Downs in a CLOSED machine and first in Queensland since WWII(in a closed machine). This pilot also makes the historic first passenger carrying flight in a closed machine as set out above in the single seat Z.B.11 machine with the pair crammed in together.
September 7th 1948 proved to be the last flight for some period until the 13th of March 1957. This date marked the 25th Anniversary of the first flight conducted of the Primary Glider. The same date, same time, same place and being towed by the same car, Mr Bange did a re-enactment of the first flight. To also witness the event that were not there at the first flight was the young lad Keith, and also was John and Bessie’s third son Trevor. Also present for this event was a representative of the Darling Downs Star, The regions local Newspaper, in fact the reporter headed the article”Hinkler would have loved it”. How true. This is his log of that flight-
March 13th 1957- Pilot J.J Bange. Distance 200yds. Height 150ft. Landing perfect. Wind 3mph. Remarks: Silver Jubilee Flight. After nine years of being idle. Great event. All past pilots present. Pilot wore original flying suit in which he test flew the machine 25 years ago, and flew over the same track in the same field, at about the same hour of the day as he did in 1932.
This was a fantastic achievement. But a bigger achievement was yet to come. In 1982, and at the age of 75, Mr J.J Bange, possibly the oldest pilot in Australia at the time in the oldest 
flying glider in Australia took to the air to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the initial flight. On the 13th of March the same pilot who conceived, built the Primary Glider took to the air towed by the same Chevrolet vehicle, the same time from the same spot where he originally left the earth. On this day quite a number of people were present to witness this event.
This 50th Anniversary flight of the Azure Star was a tribute to one man’s dedication to aviation. The Azure Star might be a far cry from the aerodynamic lines of today’s gliders, but this is a true testament to a design and quality of craftsmanship that has stood the test of time.
The glider, after 1982 continued and a numbered more flights was recorded. Mr John Bange’s youngest son Trevor soloed in the machine, and also Trevor’s son James also soloed in the Azure Star, and in March of 1992, John, Trevor and James all flew the glider on the same day. Making three generations of the same family flying the same machine that was designed and built some 60yrs earlier by their father and Grandfather respectively, and which all occurred on the same property “Aviadell”. That is a remarkable achievement indeed.
Unfortunately Mr J.J Bange is no longer with us. However, during his aviation career he also purchased and flew other types of powered aircraft. He purchased a Ryan STM, a DH 82a Tiger Moth and another was an aircraft that had been previously owned by another great pioneer of flight and owner of his own very successful Airline Sir Reginald Ansett, the Porterfield aircraft. Today, Mr Banges legacy remains, and continuing that Legacy is Mr Trevor Bange, the son of Mr John Bange, who has also dedicated his life to aviation, and has become a respected aviator and Chief Flying Instructor in his own right. And John’s Grandson James is also continuing in his Grandfather’s Footsteps flying both powered and glider aircraft.
The glider, which John Bange made 246 flights, carried 21 passengers and soloed 3 students, will be put on open static display during the Darling Downs Sport Aircraft Association and the Lone Eagle Flying School’s Annual Clifton Fly-in on the 11th March 2007 to mark the 75th Anniversary of Mr J.J Bange and his gliders first flight. Even though the Glider will not fly at this event, it still will be a fitting tribute to one man’s dedication to aviation. And an invitation has been extended to all, to come and enjoy a weekend of aviation history.
To those that knew Mr J.J Bange, and knew of him, knew a man who was a son, husband father a brother and a friend. But he will always be best known as the ‘flying farmer’, a designer, engineer, a dedicated, true pioneer of flight. He was an aviator.
It would be remiss of me not to make special mention of Mr Trevor Bange and his wife Janet. For without their kindness and generosity I would not have been able to put this information together. Freely giving of information and giving of permission to use this information, some of it up until now, has been quite privileged information. Allowing me to use extracts from the Logs of Mr J.J Bange and writing about the history of one man’s dedication to aviation has been a privilege.
