Two historic planes from Nowra's Fleet Air Arm Museum were trucked to the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) for a facelift.
After 15 years of negotiations between the Fleet Air Arm and HARS, the DC-3 and Grumman Tracker are now in the hands of volunteers who will restore them and put them on display at HARS' Albion Park museum.
Chief pilot and president of HARS, Bob De La Hunty, said it had been a huge exercise just to retrieve them from HMAS Albatross base in Nowra, the home of the Fleet Air Arm.
"There was a lot of engineering required to get them on the trucks," he said.
"They had to be lifted over a fence by a 50-tonne crane."
Historical value
The DC-3 originally flew with the Australian Airforce in the 1950s and once flew the Queen while she was visiting Australia.
Restorers are hoping to get it back in the air.
The Grumman Tracker, which has also arrived at HARS, was one of only three in Australia not destroyed by a fire on HMAS Albatross in 1976, although it did sustain some damage.
HARS also has another Grumman Tracker, which is still in flying condition.
Volunteers said their hope for this one is to restore the inside and allow people to sit in the cockpit.
Project leader of the Navy Heritage Flight section of HARS, Michael Hough, said the Tracker is still used in various roles around the world, despite being retired by the Royal Australian Navy in 1984.
"There are still quite a few of them flying in a water-bombing firefighting role," Mr Hough said.
"Crews became fond of them because they operated very well."
Restoration on both planes will begin this week.
