Air International 1974-03
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K.Isaacs - Australian air power
Dakota A65-118 flies over the man-made Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra; Dakotas will remain in service until 1979.
Typical of the 30 gift Airco D.H.9A day bombers flown by the AAC and RAAF in 1920 and 1921, with RAF serial numbers, was Berwick-built F.2776 which later became A1-16. It operated until 9 August 1929.
The RAAF's two principal trainers are shown together in this unusual formation as a piston-engined Winjeel leads two Aermacchi MB.326s. All three aircraft are from the Central Flying School, RAAF East Sale, and are flying over Lake Wellington, Victoria.
Dassault Mirage IIIO, A3-2, arrived in Australia aboard Hercules A97-216 on 3 August 1965 for trials at ARDU, RAAF Laverton. More recently it was painted green and yellow for calibration tests at Avalon airfield.
Two Mirage IIIOs peel off over the Pacific to begin the descent to RAAF Williamtown; nearest the camera is a two-seat IIID.
A camouflaged Mirage IIIO-A of No 3 Squadron at Avalon
Panthers that prowl no more - these Mirage IIIO-Fs (photo) carried the panther's head marking of No 76 Squadron, but the unit's aircraft now gather cobwebs following its disbandment late in 1973.
Panthers that prowl no more - these Mirage IIIO-Fs carried the panther's head marking of No 76 Squadron, but the unit's aircraft now gather cobwebs (photo) following its disbandment late in 1973.
A Lockheed P-3B Orion of No 11 Squadron crossing the South Australian coastline. The LRMP programme to replace the Neptunes has recently been re-activated.
"Cleopatra III", a Curtiss Kittyhawk IV of No. 80 Squadron, in 1944.
DAP Bristol Beaufighter 21, A8-1, first flew on 26 May 1944 and was the forerunner of 364 such aircraft built for the RAAF. The last Beaufighter retired from service in 1957.
A Lockheed SP-2H Neptune of No 10 Squadron on patrol off the North Queensland coast
As part of the RAAF's continuing assistance to neighbouring nations, a mapping survey of Sumatra, Indonesia, is conducted each year. A Bell Iroquois of No 5 Squadron is here seen over Sumatra.
A RAAF Lockheed C-130A churns up the dust while operating at a forward airfield during "Exercise Dark Moon” in September 1973. The scenario for this exercise assumed that the "enemy" had air superiority because of the current depleted state of the RAAF.
The first of 12 Boeing Vertol Chinooks to be delivered to the RAAF in 1974 is represented by this retouched illustration.
The GAF Canberra B.20 was the RAF's first jet bomber and camouflaged versions, such as A84-232, operated with No 2 Squadron in the Vietnam War, 1967-71.
Canberra B Mk 20s. built in Australia by the Government Aircraft Factories, continue in service with No 2 Squadron, now back in Australia after its service in Vietnam.
The General Dynamics F-111C, the first examples of which arrived in Australia on 1 June 1973.
One of the first of the RAAF's General Dynamics F-111C strike aircraft to arrive in Australia, seen on the hardstand outside the specially constructed maintenance hangar at Amherley.
Three of the first six F-111Cs to arrive in Australia - on 1 June 1973 - seen in formation over the coast en route to RAAF Amberley, Queensland. The ferry flight was made from the US by way of Honolulu. Pago Pago and Samoa.
A2-13 was one of 35 Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5A single-seat fighters of the RAAF in the 1920s. They were later silver doped, and A2-2 was converted to a two-seater as A2-36.
One of the eight Hawker Siddeley HS.748s used us navigational trainers at the School of Air Navigation, RAAF East Sale. Two C Mk 2 VIP versions are operated by No 34 Squadron from RAAF Fairbairn
No 34 Squadron from RAAF Fairbairn also operates the RAAF's three Dassault Mystere 20s
DHC-5 Caribou transports are operated by No 38 Squadron; this example was photographed while operating in Vietnam with No 35 Squadron, having been fitted with a replacement wing from a US Army CV-2B.
Most famous CAC Wirraway in the RAAF was A20-103 whose pilot shot down a Mitsubishi Zero-Sen on 26 December 1942. It is now preserved in the Australian War Memorial.
Forty-four RAAF Westland Wapitis operated during the 1930s as bombing and army cooperation machines, and A5-16 served on into the 1940s as a glider tug.
DAP constructed Bristol Beaufort A9-486 of No. 100 Squadron, RAAF, one of 700 torpedo bombers of WWII fame. This aircraft went on to complete 139 strikes as "Scotty's Hornin' Pidgin".
As WWII operations approached Australia some RAAF silver doped Hawker Demons received a ''panic” camouflage finish, and were later relegated to training units. One such aircraft was A1-59.
CAC Sabre, A94-101, was one of 112 locally built F-86F with Avon 26 engines. It is shown in the markings of No 76 Sqn "The Panthers" aerobatic team.