parthian shot - gcca shot golden city collectors assoc. of bendigo inc. inside this issue...

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Parthian Shot GOLDEN CITY COLLECTORS ASSOC. OF BENDIGO INC. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Presidents Report ANNUAL SUBS payable by June 30, 2016 April Show & Tellwinners Book Review: World War One : a history in 100 stories. Johns Jokes—Im safer with my guns than my doctor! U.S. Navys new $13 billion air craſt carrier Commiee Report & Calendar of Events Bizarre Pistols— Pocketknife pistol Disposable pistol Arcle— Junior gun license numbers 274th Edition COMMITTEE MEMBERS Phil Brown Matt Carra Phil Smith Richard Arman Tim Fitzgerald Les Lewis Vic Lane May 2016 Approved Collector Status as per Section 28 (2) 1996 Firearms Act. EXECUTIVE President Greg Penna 03 5444 0093 Vice-President Chris Jolme 03 5474 2552 Firearms Officers: Richard Penna, Chris Jolme, Larry Kinross Phil Brown & Matt Carra Hon. Secretary Leighton Rawlings 03 5443 6315 Treasurer & Richard Penna 03 5443 3549 Membership Sec. Newsletter Editor Sue Rawlings 03 5443 6315 Meetings are held on the 2nd. Tuesday of each month at the Quarry Hill Community Hall, Hamlet St., Bendigo from 7.30 pm for 8pm start New Members and Visitors welcome. MISSION STATEMENT To work in a responsible and constructive manner with Government and the Community to explore innovative ways to achieve the Associations Aims and Objectives To promote and encourage a responsible preservation of collections of historical and antique artefacts for future generations. To foster and promote a public awareness and importance to preserve our heritage and history for all times. To preserve and promote a responsible maintenance and collection of Australian military memorabilia in particular and associated items in general. To encourage responsible collectors to maintain and preserve historical and antique firearms. To explore innovative ways of assisting collectors in the maintenance of their interests for the future. The Editor P.O. Box 3066 Bendigo Mail Centre. Vic. 3554 Telephone: 03 5443 6315 Fax: 03 5441 6595 Email: [email protected] Website: www.collectorsbendigo.com.au

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Parthian Shot

GOLDEN CITY COLLECTORS ASSOC. OF BENDIGO INC.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

President’s Report

ANNUAL SUBS payable by June 30, 2016

April ‘Show & Tell’ winners

Book Review: World War One : a history in 100 stories.

John’s Jokes—I’m safer with my guns than my doctor!

U.S. Navy’s new $13 billion air craft carrier

Committee Report & Calendar of Events

Bizarre Pistols— Pocketknife pistol Disposable pistol

Article— Junior gun license numbers

274th Edition

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Phil Brown

Matt Carra

Phil Smith

Richard Arman

Tim Fitzgerald

Les Lewis

Vic Lane

May 2016

Approved Collector Status as per Section 28 (2) 1996 Firearms Act.

EXECUTIVE

President Greg Penna 03 5444 0093 Vice-President Chris Jolme 03 5474 2552 Firearms Officers: Richard Penna, Chris Jolme, Larry Kinross Phil Brown & Matt Carra Hon. Secretary Leighton Rawlings 03 5443 6315 Treasurer & Richard Penna 03 5443 3549 Membership Sec. Newsletter Editor Sue Rawlings 03 5443 6315

Meetings are held on the 2nd. Tuesday of each month at the Quarry Hill Community Hall, Hamlet St., Bendigo from 7.30 pm for 8pm start

New Members and Visitors welcome.

MISSION STATEMENT

To work in a responsible and constructive manner with Government and

the Community to explore innovative ways to achieve the Association’s

Aims and Objectives

To promote and encourage a responsible preservation of

collections of historical and antique artefacts for future

generations.

To foster and promote a public awareness and importance to

preserve our heritage and history for all times.

To preserve and promote a responsible maintenance and

collection of Australian military memorabilia in particular and

associated items in general.

To encourage responsible collectors to maintain and preserve

historical and antique firearms.

To explore innovative ways of assisting collectors in the

maintenance of their interests for the future.

The Editor P.O. Box 3066 Bendigo Mail Centre. Vic. 3554 Telephone: 03 5443 6315 Fax: 03 5441 6595 Email: [email protected] Website: www.collectorsbendigo.com.au

Presidents Report May 2016 Hi Troops, Our annual show preparations are well on the way and we are now receiving bookings and enquiries. We have modified our Table and Floor Plan layout, so we have more tables available for those Displayers considering displaying their collections, and we are seriously considering opening up the fourth court and if that happens then there will be heaps more room. If you did not receive a show pack and would like to be a trader or displayer at our 2016 Show, please contact Sean Patton to request a copy, or better still log on to collectorsbendigo.com.au and download one. For members' interest, the 2016 Show dates will be Saturday and Sunday August 27th and 28th. Please mark your calendars as we hope to see many of you attending and/or helping. The new Venue has more space and also has more table room, so for members wishing to dust off their collections and display, there is a good opportunity to do this for this years show. May 15th will be our next Collectors shoot, The Ted Harvey Black Powder Shoot is the theme, so bring along any of your black powder firearms for a fun day. Plenty Big Boom and Smoke. We will have one, cannon, maybe two as John Bacon has confirmed he will have his there and Tony Wadsworth may be there if he can wangle things, so it promises to be a great spectacle. Annual Subscriptions fall due at the end of June. Firearms license holders and those members who collect prohibited or controlled weapons must renew their annual membership to retain their legal Collector’s Status. We, as a recognised collecting club may be asked to report ALL and ANY members who either resign or are not financial. This I assure you will be done if requested so we do not jeopardize our authorized club status. However, be aware, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure you are financial and lawful, NOT the GCCA’s. Remember - YOUR Responsibility! Sean Patten and Matt Carra have been busy lately making up a new web site, which is more user friendly and full of content. I must congratulate both of these members as it is a fantastic achievement, we may talk about this at the general meeting more but it would be better if you log into our website and see for yourselves! It can be found at the same address as always http://www.collectorsbendigo.com.au/

For those members who may need to contact me by email, my new email address is: [email protected] That’s all for this month, maybe I’ll see you at the shoot. Greg Penna. President

Book Review by Leighton Rawlings. The Club Librarian Sue Rawlings recently purchased a new book for the Club

library called ‘World War One: a history in 100 stories’. The library will be up and running soon and I highly

recommend this book. It was compiled by Bruce Seates, Rebecca Wheatley and Laura James. Being the ANZAC

Centenary year the stories contained within the book exhibit the undying loyalty, mateship, courage and sacrifice,

fortitude and endurance of our everyday Australian man and woman, whether in the field of battle, or on the home

front keeping families together and preserving the Australian way of life. The cover photograph depicts a family

photo of the two Australian Tovell brothers and their 4th Australian Flying Corps mascot ‘’Henri’’ pictured at

Bickendorf during Christmas celebrations. (Continued below ‘The little digger’’ story)

Book Review continued: This fascinating story of how little Henri

ended up living in Queensland is encompassed within this chapter

of the book and is only one of the 100 stories of happiness and

hardship endured by the Australian returned Soldiers and their

families. The stories within reveal the heartbreaking and deeply

personal results on ordinary people in extraordinary

circumstances, the broken, suffering men returning to their

families only to be confronted with an unbearable life, both for

themselves and their loved ones.

This is all outlined within this extraordinary book. This is an excellent read and very well written, after extensive

research by the three noted authors.

I congratulate them heartily and recommend this book to all interested in this time frame within Australian history.

My wife Sue said this book has also been purchased by Catholic College Bendigo for Year 9 students studying WWI.

These stories will give them a wonderful start in choosing one soldier from WWI to research. It is heartening to

know that students in Victorian Secondary Schools have this as part of their Curriculum on Australian History.

Golden City Collectors Assoc. Inc. of Bendigo May Committee Meeting held at the Golden Square fire Station hosted by Tim Fitzgerald – 5 May 2016

Present: Greg Penna, Leighton Rawlings, Chris Jolme, Les Lewis, Phil Smith, Phil Brown, Tim Fitzgerald Vic Lane, Richard Penna, Matt Carra & Show coordinator Sean Patten. Apologies: Sue Rawlings & Richard Arman M Carra moved that the apologies are accepted. 2nd. L Lewis Carried Minutes of the Previous Meeting: The minutes of the 7 April 2016 Committee Meeting were read P Brown moved that the minutes are accepted as a true record of that meeting. 2nd. L Lewis. Carried Business Arising:

1. Tim Fitzgerald to follow up on obtaining Mick Hanrahan of the ‘Western Front Association’ as a Guest Speaker on WWI at our September Meeting after the Annual Show.

2. Greg Penna reported that although he had sent a list of Members with a Cat 1 & Cat2 Firearms Licence who wish to be on the Permit for Collectors shoots to the LRD for processing it has not gone through yet.

3. Our ‘Permit to Sell Explosives’ needed for the 2016 Annual Show has been applied for but not back either. 4. Our Annual Show is now listed in the SSAA Events Calendar,

Correspondence In:

1. Bendigo Bank Statement No 336 Club Working Account 2. Bendigo Bank Statement No 209 – Ladies Committee 3. Bendigo Bank Statement – Term Deposit Review 4. New Member Application – Benjamin James Sawyer, Carrum Downs, Vic. Incl. paperwork & payment 5. New Member Application – Laurance Anthony Cronin, Eildon, Vic. Incl. paperwork & payment 6. Resignation from GCCA from Paul & Steven Atkins. 7. Newsletter – A & M Collectors of N.S.W. – April 2016 8. SSAA Arms & Military Shooting Club of Tas. Jan-Feb 2016 9. Show Return – Gordon Morgan, 3 Trade tables with payment $180 10. Show Return – Lakeside Sporting Goods, Harry Hussein, 6 Trade tables with payment $360 11. Show Return – Yvette Hutchinson, 1 Trade table with no payment 12. Show Return – Tony Noonan, 2 Trade tables with payment $120 13. Show Return – Crest Craft, Gary McCarthur, 3 Trade tables with payment $180 14. Show Return – Mick Hodkinson, 8 Tables with no payment 15. Newsletter - SSAA Military Collectors of Tasmania Vol 33 No. 2

Correspondence Out: April Parthian Shot newsletter. Emails re Club Business including L.R.D. & Work cover. Moved by T Fitzgerald that ‘Correspondence In’ is accepted & ‘Correspondence Out’ endorsed. 2nd. V Lane. Carried. Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer presented his report which will be available in detail at the April General Meeting

Membership Report: 2 new members – Benjamin James Sawyer, Carrum Downs & Laurance Anthony Cronin, Eildon who were accepted at Committee level, to be put forward at the general meeting. We have 212 members currently. General Business:

1. Flyers are now available for members to take to other Shows & A4 flyers available to put up on Notice Boards, especially as the show gets closer.

2. At the Ted Harvey Black Powder Shoot in May, John Bacon has offered to once again bring his cannon along. Matt Carra suggested that as black powder is expensive we make sure we cover John’s costs. (cost is $100 per kilogram)

3. With the upcoming Federal Election, Matt Carra reminded members that the Fishing/Shooting political party looks after our interests and suggested we give them a donation.

4. GCCA Website. Sean Patten has been working with Matt Carra on updating the visual impact of our website. They displayed a draft of the new concept with improved links but the same domain name and address. The Committee were very impressed and once the details and payments have been set in place the new look website will ‘go live’ in the very near future. Sean Patten also talked about setting up a Facebook page with a closed group able to access it. Surprisingly the new set up will cost less, not more in the long run.

5. Sean Patten. It was moved Tim Fitzgerald and seconded by Matt Carra that Sean becomes a member of the Committee. Carried.

6. The Ted Harvey Black Powder Shoot will be held on Sunday May 15th. Eight committee members interested in attending.

7. Member Brian Rosewall contacted the Club to request 2 tables for the Valkyrie group who put together ‘’goodie bags’’ for Cancer patients. He and wife Margaret would like to put on a display about the group. Money for anything sold would go towards purchasing material for the 200 volunteers they have to make more bags. The Committee agreed they could have 2 tables free of charge.

8. Annual Show. Coordinator Sean Patten is looking at increasing the size of our Show to promote the Club and interest the younger generation. If extra space available Sean will actively pursue more traders to fill same. 4 vendors interested already. Start set up at 12 noon on the Friday to help satisfy traders. Must have volunteers to achieve this. Advertising – Sean to liaise with Sue Rawlings & Karen Carr. Radio, look at other stations not just KLFM. The survey result published in last year’s October newsletter was discussed and some were surprised by the results – Word of Mouth 40, KLFM 35, Bendigo Advertiser & Bendigo Weekly 25 and other radio stations, websites, magazine adverts etc. very small results.

9. Tim Fitzgerald tabled some examples of an Event Management Plan and Emergency Management Plan, both which need to be implemented for our Annual Show. MOST IMPORTANT.

Members Report: Tim Fitzgerald reported on the 39th Battalion Banner and group associated with it were part of a rally in Melbourne on ANZAC Day. Independent march because the RSL banned all relatives of WWI & WWII veterans from marching in the parade this year. MEETING CLOSED: 9.10 pm

Calendar of Events.

15 May Ted Harvey Black Powder Collectors Shoot at the Shelbourne Quarry Range.

2 June June Committee Meeting – Held at the home of Richard Penna. (Committee to bring laminators to assist with 2016-17 Membership cards being laminated to lighten the load for Richard)

14 June June General Meeting – Quarry Hill Community Hall, Hamlet Street at 7.30pm. Theme: Coins, Badges and Medallions

Current until Eclectic Treasures: Bendigo’s private collections at Bendigo Post Office Gallery, 51-67 Pall Mall, opposite the Shamrock Hotel. Open daily. Gold coin donation. (incl. 3 GCCA members displays)

14 August

Disposable Pistols

Designed to be air-dropped to resistance fighters in World War II, a million Liberator pistols were mass-

produced from sheet metal for only $1.72 per unit over the course of just four weeks. The simple pistols

didn’t have the rifling grooves in the barrel that usually serve to keep the bullet’s trajectory straight, so they

only had a range of about 7.5 meters (25 ft). They were designed to be a temporary weapon that resistance

fighters could use to kill Japanese or German soldiers until they could scavenge a better gun.

The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the organization responsible for the United States’s covert ops, was

in charge of their distribution. While the Liberator was designed to aid rebels, the OSS also meant for it to

be used as a psychological warfare device. Most of the gun’s 23 parts were stamped so that, when they were

inevitably found by the enemy, they would worry about how the weapons had landed in the hands of the

resistance. Unfortunately, however, few Liberators saw action and most were either dumped off the sides of

cargo ships or melted down for scrap metal.

Another similar gun, the Deer Gun, was designed by the CIA to be used in Southeast Asia during the

Vietnam War. Produced for only $3.50 in 1963, it was made from an aluminum casting to save on costs; the

barrel was the only part made of steel. To load the weapon, the barrel was unscrewed and the ammunition

set inside. It was a three-shot gun with a length of only 12.7 centimeters (5 in). Like the Liberator, it was

designed to be air-dropped to rebels. Around a thousand were made, but after the Kennedy assassination and

the trouble it caused for the CIA, plans for the Deer Gun were scrapped.

MORE BIZZARE FIREARMS

ANNUAL SHOW TABLE RESERVATION FORMS

Please note that Table reservation forms are now available for our 2016 show which will be held on August 27 and

28. Forms were sent by post to previous traders and displayers and have begun to be returned with payment.

If potential exhibitors want to make a reservation but do not have a form, please download one from our Web site

http://www.collectorsbendigo.com.au/

Or contact our show co-ordinator Sean Patten (pictured left) on his Mobile: 0432 533 536 or by email:

[email protected] or Karen Carr who will be assisting Sean for this year’s show by phone (03) 5448 8906 or

email [email protected] and one will be posted.

Pocketknife Pistols

The Victorian era saw a boom in the popularity of gadgetry. Unwin & Rodgers, an English company,

manufactured a pocketknife that contained a tiny pistol and advertised it as a way to defend houses from

burglars. The gun’s trigger was built like a gimlet and could be screwed into doorposts and set to fire if the

door was opened. It would have made an effective security alarm that would have both alerted the house’s

owners to intruders and, hopefully, scared the burglars away at the same time.

The Unwin & Rodgers model, first built in the mid-1800s, originally used percussion caps to fire but was

converted to a cartridge model after that technology became standard. If used as a pistol, the percussion cap

fired breech-loader ammunition and was advertised to be able to kill at 45 meters (150 ft), while the later

cartridge ones increased the gun’s range to 118 meters (390 ft). Later companies also dabbled in pocketknife

pistols. Among the most popular were the U.S. Small Arms Company’s “Defender.” It was a small

pocketknife—only a little longer than 7.5 centimeters (3 in)—that could be loaded with .22 caliber bullets.

In the ’30s, it sold for $5, the equivalent of around $70 today.

APRIL MEETING THEME OF ‘MILITARIA’

The race continues for the 2016 Don McKinnon Memorial Show and Tell Award! The April theme was ‘Militaria’.

Pictured below left is David Dalgliesh who spoke about an array of items including grenades, M36 Mills Bombs, a

German Iron Cross developed in 1813 and was awarded during the 1914-18 war. He also

had a selection of English satirical items which were in the form of things like a large iron

cross made from cast iron that had ‘’BULL’’ on it & were one shilling each, with the proceeds

going to the war effort.

Sean Patten came second in the voting in this instance

with some 9mm 1940 ammunition.

The theme for this month (April) is Edged Weapons and next

month (June) will be Coins, Badges and Medallions.

J

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I’M SAFER WITH MY GUNS THAN WITH MY DOCTOR!!!!!!!!!

DOCTORS (A) The number of physicians in the U.S.: 700,000. (Yes, that's 700 thousand) (B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year: 120,000. (C) Accidental deaths per physician: 0.171 Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Now think about this: GUNS (A) The number of gun owners in the U.S.: 80,000,000. (Yes, that's 80 million) (B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups: 1,500. (C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner: .0000188 Statistics courtesy of FBI >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Therefore, 'Guns don't kill people, doctors do.' >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT….. Almost everyone has at least one doctor. This means you are over 9,000 times more likely to be killed by a doctor as by a gun owner! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Please alert your friends to this alarming threat. We must ban doctors before this gets completely out of hand! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Out of concern for the public at large, we withheld the statistics on Lawyers for fear the shock would cause people to panic and seek Medical Attention!

Junior gun licence numbers revealed • by: Christopher Gillett • From: Herald Sun • April 07, 2014

Bianca Weyermann took up shooting as a shared interest with her dad Alex. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: News Limited

SUBURBAN schoolchildren as young as 12 years old are applying for and getting gun licenses in their hundreds, new figures show.

The approved youngsters, including pre-teens, can legally shoot rifles, shotguns and handguns under supervision.

Victoria Police approved 1028 licenses in metropolitan areas last year — more than 270 were granted to children aged 12 to 14.

Junior gun owners live in some of the state’s most exclusive suburbs including Prahran and span as far as the Mornington Peninsula and Geelong.

Epping is Melbourne’s young gun capital with 211 permits given the green light to under 18s.

Victorian chief executive of the Sporting Shooters’ Association Jack Wegman said the legitimate use of firearms was not a concern to the community.

“First and foremost it is a legitimate sport, like any other sport, something that all ages and all walks of life should participate in,” Mr Wegman said.

“Our membership certainly is starting to reflect a younger demographic which we think is very good.

“We think 12 is a good age to introduce shooters (to the sport). Twelve is a recognised age for being on the brink of that youthfulness rather than childhood. It’s a good age.”

Mr Wegman believed numbers were increasing because more parents were deciding to arm their offspring for hunting and target shooting.

Presidents of rifle ranges and shooters are reporting stories about how gun culture in Australia is slowly changing.

In a strong sign that guns have become more accepted in the community, the Victorian Government lists a metro gun range on their website promoting school holiday activities.

And schools are signing up to shoot.

Lilydale High School takes year 7 and 8 students to the Melbourne Gun Club for target shooting while Geelong Grammar also participates in the sport.

The Herald Sun understands that at least five Scouts groups also shoot.

Junior gun licenses peaked in 2011/12 with 1107 granted to metro children under 18.

There were 273 licenses issued to the youngest applicants, aged 12 to 14, while older applicants aged 17 to 18 had similar numbers with 279.

It comes as gun ownership in Australia is back at pre-Port Arthur massacre levels.

The Sydney University school of public health found the number of firearms in the community was about 3.2 million.

Over the last three financial years junior licenses in the suburbs of Melbourne and Yarra went from three to nine, an increase of 200 per cent.

Numbers also jumped in Westgate, Brimbank, Fawkner, Moorabbin, Dandenong and Frankston while licenses fell slightly in Epping and Prahran.

A junior licence allows the applicant to use a gun on a shooting range and on private property for hunting under direct supervision.

All firearm users are required to complete a safety course before applying for a licence.

Across Victoria 5943 licenses were issued to people less than 18 years old in 2012/13.

Bendigo had the highest with 702.

[email protected]

Although this article was written and published in 2014, it was good to see a well written article about young people re relation to obtaining firearms licenses to enable them to pursue the sport of shooting, with reference to safe gun handling and storage, but it was the last line that made me decide to include it in this Newsletter.

Sue Rawlings, Editor

The U.S. Navy's new $13 billion aircraft carrier The shipbuilders are on track to deliver Gerald R. Ford to the U.S. Navy in 2016.

It's scheduled to be launched this month, and can support laser guns and dynamic armour.

A $13 billion U.S. aircraft carrier is about to hit the open seas. It's the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the most expensive and most advanced warship ever built. The ship was christened in November 2013 and is scheduled to be commissioned this month. The Naval behemoth can house more than 4,500 people and weighs 90,000 tons. The CVN-78 is the lead ship in the Ford class of aircraft carriers, replacing some of the U.S. Navy's existing Nimitz-class carriers. At first glance, both classes have a similar-looking hull, but the Ford class introduces a series of technical innovations designed to improve carrier's operating efficiency, and reduce operating costs and crew requirements. Instead of conventional steam catapults to launch jets, the supercarrier is outfitted with EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System), which is lighter and requires less space. It also needs less maintenance and manpower, and is more reliable and energy-efficient. EMALS can launch an aircraft every 45 seconds, 25% faster than its steam counterpart. Furthermore, since EMALS uses no steam, it's a suitable candidate for launching drones and other electric vehicles. The launch system is just a small piece of the CVN-78's puzzle. The ship has a redesigned and relocated island (the part of the carrier where air-traffic control and the bridge are located), three faster and more powerful elevators (compared with four on Nimitz-class carriers), an Advanced Aircraft

Recovery System (AARS) and design changes to the flight deck. Those changes are vital to increasing the number of sorties launched. The carrier's sensory array has received an overhaul with the addition of an integrated active electronically scanned array (AESA) search-and-tracking radar system. This new system has no moving parts, so it therefore minimizes maintenance and crew requirements for operation. Further, advanced AESA radars enable the ship and aircraft to broadcast powerful signals while remaining stealthy, which greatly improves combat effectiveness.

Speaking of combat, the carrier is more than capable of holding its own. The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) defends against high-speed, highly manoeuvrable anti-ship missiles, and the weapon system of choice is the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). One must not forget various Gatling and heavy machine gun mounts as well as 75-plus aircraft ready to be launched at any given time. The CVN-78 has another important advantage over its

equivalent Nimitz class carrier: Its power doesn't come with the price of increased hands on board. In fact, because of the aforementioned technologies, the USS Gerald R. Ford accommodates 2,600 sailors, 600 fewer than a Nimitz-class flat top. This alone saves the Navy more than $4 billion in ownership costs over each ship's 50-year life, when compared with contemporary Nimitz aircraft carriers. As expected, the CVN-78 has impressive power. The ship is powered by two Bechtel A1B nuclear reactors, each capable of producing 300 megawatts of electricity, triple that of Nimitz-class reactors. Those changes resulted in a two-thirds reduction of

watch*standing requirements and a big decrease in required maintenance. With great power comes great firepower. Only half of the power-generating capability on the CVN-78 is needed to run currently planned systems, including EMALS. The CVN-78 will thus have the power reserves that the Nimitz class lacks to sport even more futuristic armaments and systems, such as free-electron lasers and dynamic armour, at some point in the future. The lasers can be fired at just a few dollars per shot and consume around 10 megawatts of power.

As you can see, the USS Gerald R. Ford packs a serious punch — it's a massive investment in strategic dominance and innovation that, in spite of rising concerns, should provide the U.S. with the upper hand in 21st-century naval warfare.

GOLDEN CITY COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION INC. of BENDIGO Established 1981 ABN 79 255 236 574 Post Office Box 3066,

BENDIGO MAIL CENTRE VICTORIA 3554

Telephone (03) 5443 3549 Fax (03) 5441 6595 1st May 2016 Dear Member,

Re: 2016/2017 Annual Subscriptions - due 1st July, 2016 Your subscription is currently due, would you please circle the level of Membership required

and forward your payment to the above address-----by 1st July 2016 Please note, It is a legal responsibility that all firearms/edged weapon collectors and owners must be financial with the GCCA inc. by the due date. Please respond as soon as you get this renewal notice. Family Subscription $ 35.00 per Annum Single Subscription $ 30.00 per Annum Family Concession Subscription $ 30.00 per Annum (photocopy required) Single Concession Subscription $ 25.00 per Annum (photocopy required) Joining Fee for New Members $ 50.00 (At time of Joining) Following amendments to the Firearms, Controlled and Prohibited Weapons Regulations it is most important your subscription is current and paid up to date if you wish to remain a Member of an “Approved Collectors Association” The Golden City Collectors Association Inc. of Bendigo, holds approved Status, Section 28 (2) of the 1996 Firearms Act with the Chief Commissioner – Victoria Police, and GIC exemption under section 8B control of weapons act 1990. Yours sincerely, Richard Penna Treasurer.

We value your Membership and your continued support of our Association is indeed appreciated

For those members who wish to pay by Direct Deposit, include your name

BSB 633-000 Account No. 3021102 Golden City Collectors Association Inc.