Rigging Contractor: Rise Pacific
Client: Powerhouse Museum
Location: Ultimo, NSW
At Partridge, we love a good engineering challenge, especially when it involves a piece of Australian history. Recently, in collaboration with the talented team at Rise Pacific, we took on an exciting project to give visitors to the Powerhouse Museum an entirely new perspective on one of its iconic exhibits: the Catalina flying boat “Frigate Bird II”.
This historic aircraft, weighing an impressive 7 tonnes, has been a centrepiece of the museum’s transport exhibition for years. Previously displayed high above visitors’ heads, the curatorial team wanted to bring it closer to the public. The idea? Lower the Catalina to ground level, offering an up-close view of its size, design, and history.
Achieving this wasn’t as simple as it sounds. Our task was to ensure the aircraft could be displayed at ground level while maintaining its structural integrity and safety—not to mention, the move itself had to be carried out without a hitch.
Our approach started with designing a sophisticated structural steel suspension frame and cable system. The solution needed to work seamlessly with the existing steel trusses in the museum’s roof, enabling the Catalina to hover just above the ground, appearing almost weightless to the viewer. Behind the scenes, of course, there was plenty of serious engineering to make this happen, including meticulous load analysis to ensure the museum’s roof structure could handle the forces involved.
Rise Pacific’s expertise in museum and art installations played a pivotal role in this project. Their deep understanding of the delicate handling and precise positioning required for objects of cultural significance meant that every step of the move was carefully choreographed. Together, we coordinated closely with the museum’s curators and installation contractors to ensure the project met their vision.
Seeing the Catalina suspended at its new level, with visitors able to admire it in a way they never could before, was immensely satisfying. It’s projects like these that remind us why we love what we do. Combining structural ingenuity with collaboration and creativity allowed us to honour the past while enhancing the visitor experience.
If you’re visiting the Powerhouse Museum, be sure to check out “Frigate Bird II”. Now, more than ever, it’s a sight to behold.
