Join the VIC Branch Retirees for a virtual lunch. Virtual Lunch for RACI VIC Branch Retirees and friends.

We are privileged to have as our guest speaker Mr Derek Buckmaster.  Derek is a mechanical engineer who has worked in Australia and overseas in polymers, composite materials and product design.  He worked for over 17 years for GE Plastics in Melbourne, the Netherlands and China, and then for 7 years with SABIC in the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia in various senior management, commercial and technical roles.  He held the position of Director of Carbon Nexus (Deakin University, Geelong) for seven and a half years from mid 2014 to the end of 2021.  He is currently General Manager, R&D, WarpForge Materials.

But his passion is a lifelong interest in aviation.  This passion developed at a young age and in his spare time, Derek has researched the history of Australian designed aircraft for more than 30 years, publishing numerous historical articles and original line drawings.

Derek is a member of the Aviation Historical Society of Australia, the Antique Aircraft Association of Australia, Warbirds Australia and the American Aviation Historical Society.

In 2017 he published a substantial reference book:  “Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Ceres:  Australia’s Heavyweight Crop-Duster”.  The Ceres was produced by the CAC from 1959 to 1963.  Although only 20 airframes were produced, the Ceres was the first civil aircraft produced by CAC, which had previously built hundreds of military aircraft, and was developed from the Wirraway Trainer of World War Two.

All retirees and aspiring retirees are cordially invited to come and listen to what promises to be a fascinating story about Australia’s aircraft-building industry.

 
Dates: Tuesday 4 July
Time: from 12:00PM till 1:00PM AEST
Location: Microsoft Teams Conferencing

Cost: Free for Members, $10 for Non-Members.
 
For more information please contact:
Richard Thwaites: [email protected] (0407 862 367)
Melissa Johnson: [email protected] (03 9328 2033)
 

NB: Registrations will close Monday 3 July 2023 at 3:00 PM.