Ryan STM           VH-AGW                    (c/n  465)


                                 

                                    The Ryan Sport Trainer (STA) first came out in 1937 and hence, by definition, is not a Classic but an
                                    Antique.   However, most of the military derivation of it, the model STM were built in 1940 and hence
                                    qualify for inclusion in this collection.     A fairly large contract for this gleaming all metal trainer was
                                    placed by the Netherlands East Indies Army and Navy in 1940. When the Japanese invaded the Dutch
                                    East Indies islands (Indonesia today) in 1941 many of these machines escaped and fled to Australia.
                                    There they formed a Dutch East Indies training force in exile and, after the war, found their way on to
                                    the Australian civil register.  One such is the immaculate example illustrated above, seen at Moorabbin
                                    Airport, near Melbourne, in 1955.  Both the ST-A Special and ST-M were powered by a 150 hp
                                    Menasco C4S engine when new, although conversions to a less temperamental power plant (in this
                                    case a Lycoming) were often made as the machines aged..