Extensions to Australian War Memorial

A chronological compilation of footage shot during the building of the east and west wings of the Memorial. All stages of the construction and gallery fit out are depicted. The film shows the fitting out of Aeroplane Hall (now Aircraft Hall), including the moving and installation of the Wirraway (1:42:02), and panels of Harold Freedman's mural being moved onsite, and sawn into the sizes required for installation. It also covers the building of the Vietnam diorama in the studio led by Department of the Army modeller Juanita Feltham, the first female artist to work on dioramas at the AWM (1:36:43); restoration of dioramas by AWM staff artist Don Evans and official war artist George Browning; diorama backgrounds being painted/repainted by Browning (1:33:58) and Murray Griffin (1:35:54); the Japanese midget submarine being moved by cranes (7:53); a modeller working on a large ship model; and the removal of the Semakh diorama. The Deperdussin training aircraft and Messerschmitt Me262 jet fighter are also shown being moved into the building. Memorial Director WR Lancaster is shown inspecting the building works and the installation of the Wirraway. Other known Memorial staff in the film include: Assistant Director AJ Sweeting; carpenters Joe Moore and Ken Parker; Les Jordon; A Reeves; typist Mrs M Byrne. Also shown are: Citra foreman John Skinner; Clerks of Works L Kirchner and Ed Bulley; Pat Naylor of Wormald Brothers; Jeff Dean; Bill Thistlewaite; Board of Trustees Chairman Sir Edmund Herring.