An Aussie's travels to air shows, aviation museums and more around the world
Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019
It was windy, dusty and hot, very hot, at Avalon this year! Temperatures pushed upwards of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and it was not for the feint hearted – heat stroke was apparently a problem in the crowd on the public days (March 1st to 3rd)!
I have been to many scorching shows in the United States where you stand on hot, heat reflecting concrete all day but at least at Avalon Airport you can watch the show whilst standing on grass or dirt. The Australian International Airshow organisers also set up shade, cooling and water stations around the vast static and crowd area but with so many people, there never seems enough of these things. As for me, although still a bit dehydrated, I drank plenty of water, wore a hat and slapped on plenty of SPF 50+ sunscreen and survived the two days I attended (Friday and Sunday of the three public days)!
Temora Aviation Museum Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI (S/N: TB863) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk (Serial Number NZ3125) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI (S/N: TB863) and Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk (Serial Number NZ3125) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Temora Aviation Museum RAAF CAC Boomerang and Lockheed Hudson bomber – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Lockheed 12RAAF Museum Heritage Trainer flight over Avalon 2019 (CT-4 Airtrainers, CAC Winjeels and a North American T-6 Harvard)
Avalon is primarily a military and fast jets show with aerobatic aircraft and warbird flying displays also thrown into the mix, along with numerous military, historic and civilian aircraft in the static displays. Modern military aircraft in both the static and flying displays were from the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm, Australian Army Aviation, Japanese Air Self Defence Force, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, United States Air Force and United States Navy.
Japanese Air Self Defence Force Kawasaki C-2 and Royal Malaysian Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas transports – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019The cool looking Royal Malaysian Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas transport – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Japanese Air Self Defence Force Kawasaki C-2 tactical transport – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019 – Introduced into JASDF service in 2016, the type has been offered to New Zealand to replace C-130’sJapanese Air Self Defence Force Kawasaki C-2 tactical transport deploying braking ailerons upon landing – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019An interesting profile comparison of a four engine USAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III and a two engine Japanese Air Self Defence Force Kawasaki C-2 transport – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Royal New Zealand Air Force Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Royal New Zealand Air Force Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Lockheed C-130J Hercules with extended range under wing fuel tanksRoyal Australian Air Force Lockheed C-130J Hercules transport preparing to take-off at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed C-130J Hercules transport – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF No. 35 Squadron Alenia C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifterRoyal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III airlifter on static display at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airbourne Early Warning & Control aircraft – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019End of the line – retired RAAF Lockheed AP-3C Orion and Pilatus PC-9 with ex-Australian Army Bell 206 Kiowa helicopters up for sale – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Republic of Singapore Air Force Boeing CH-47SD Chinook transport helicopter – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Republic of Singapore Air Force People Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft. The RSAF has operated training aircraft out of Western Australia for 25 years (these trainers sport commemorative tail markings) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019A new RAAF Pilatus PC-21 trainer alongside an outgoing RAAF Roulettes display team Pilatus PC-9 – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Australian Army Aviation Eurocopter Tiger ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) in the Australian Defence Force static display area at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Australian Defence Force helicopters – NHIndustries MRH-90 Taipan Multi-Role Helicopter (Navy), Bell 429 (Navy – final public appearance before being sold off) and the new training Airbus EC135 T2+ (Army)Australian Army Aviation Boeing CH-47F Chinook transport helicopter (note the side mounted minigun) along side an Australian Armoured Corps M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Australian Army Aviation Boeing CH-47F Chinook transport helicopter and an Australian Armoured Corps M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Australian Army Aviation Boeing CH-47F Chinook tactical demonstration – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Australian Army Aviation Boeing CH-47F Chinook transport helicopter – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019
Fighter, bomber, electronic attack, aerial refuelling, trainer, Airborne Early Warning & Control, maritime patrol and transport aircraft, along with numerous military helicopters were present. New and old alike could be seen across the Airshow site.
US Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) high altitude long endurance (HALE) drone mockup – seven of the real deal will be used in the near future for maritime patrol and other surveillance role alongside the P-8A Poseidon, based out of RAAF Base Edinburgh – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk long-range unmanned surveillance aircraft – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper “Hunter-Killer” Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber flown in from Guam – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber “Guardians of the Upper Realm” – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019The venerable USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019A look inside a USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019
Highlights included Fifth Generation combat aircraft in static and flying displays in the form of USAF Lockheed F-22A Raptor air dominance fighters and the first Australian based RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (A35-009 and A35-010). The formation of RAAF fighters accompanied by a USAF F-22A was pretty cool to see!
Fifth Generation comparison – USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor and RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Fifth Generation comparison – Same stable but very different designs and roles: USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor and RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor air dominance fighter – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor air dominance fighter – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor afterburner pass – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019 (Friday)RAAF No.3 Squadron Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (A35-010) takes off in front of the large crowd on the scorching hot Friday at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF No.3 Squadron Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (A35-010) showing off its internal weapons bays – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF No.3 Squadron Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (A35-010) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF No.3 Squadron Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (A35-009) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and a pair of McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets prepare for take-off at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019A unique formation – RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 A/B Hornets with a USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019 (Friday)RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 A/B Hornets with a USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019 (Sunday)RAAF Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 A/B Hornets with a USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019 (Sunday)
The four ship RAAF McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornet formation displays and the last major public displays by the RAAF Roulettes flying Pilatus PC-9 trainers were also great to see. Four of the more powerful replacement Pilatus PC-21 trainers also flew as part of the Roulettes performance (sporting the new darker demonstration team livery).
Classic Hornets – RAAF McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornet multi-role fighter formation – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019The old and the new – RAAF Roulettes Pilatus PC-9 trainers followed by their replacement PC-21’S at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Roulettes – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Roulettes – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019The topside livery of the new RAAF Roulette display team Pilatus PC-21’s – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019The darker underside scheme of the new RAAF Roulette display team Pilatus PC-21’s – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet two-seat combat trainer and BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainerRAAF BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainerAn RAAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III lifts off in front of the heat struck crowd during the Friday displays at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019An RAAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III lifts off at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Airbus KC-30A MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) taxiing out onto the runway at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF No. 33 Squadron Airbus KC-30A MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) refuels a pair of McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighters – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airbourne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft fitted with many sensors and an advanced Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar along the spine – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft have begun to replace APC-3 Orion’s – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019RAAF Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft open weapons bay pass at the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Australian Army Aviation Eurocopter Tiger ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk “Romeo” Anti-submarine/Anti-surface/Search and Rescue helicopter. 24 are in service (delivered between 2013 and 2016) and can be armed with Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and the Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedo – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk “Romeo” Anti-submarine/Anti-surface/Search and Rescue helicopter – Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019
Not everything flew each day due to heat, high winds, operational issues and even a bird being sucked into a USAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III but there was still plenty of flying each day! There was also a Friday night show which will feature in an upcoming post.
USAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III the day prior to sucking a bird in the far starboard engine at Avalon 2019!
Bring on Avalon Australian International Airshow 2021! That year will mark the Centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force (previously under the army as the Australian Flying Corps 1914-1919 and then as an independent force, the Australian Air Corps in 1920). In my next post I will highlight the RAAF “Classic Hornet” displays and their brethren.
4 thoughts on “Avalon Australian International Airshow 2019”
A lot of wonderful photographs there! I particularly liked the Airbus A400M Atlas transport. I didn’t realise that anything that big might have propellers !
Aces Flying High 
A lot of wonderful photographs there! I particularly liked the Airbus A400M Atlas transport. I didn’t realise that anything that big might have propellers !
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I enjoyed seeing that one too
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What an incredible post, Deano. I so enjoy seeing the contributions of other (friendly) countries. You’ll enjoy Pierre Lagace’s post too, from the Canadian side.
https://lestweforget2015.wordpress.com/2019/03/10/more-about-mat-ferguson/
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Thanks. We always appreciate seeing our allies drop by too!
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