At 11am on November 11th, 1918 the guns finally fell silent. The armistice to end The Great War, World War One, came into effect. 100 years later, Lest We Forget. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down… Read More 100 Years: 1918 to 2018 – RAAF Museum Remembrance Day WW1 Flying Display
The RAAF Museum Point Cook long-term restoration of a de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito PR Mk.XVI (A52-600) photo reconnaissance aircraft continues on as time and labour permits. Delivered to the RAAF in November 1944 this aircraft was one of 23 of this variant operated by the RAAF (A52-600 to 622). This is the only surviving PR… Read More Restoring an RAAF de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito PR Mk.XVI
DHC-4 Caribou in RAAF Service The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou was a legendary tactical transport aircraft with its incredible Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capability that served the RAAF admirably for 45 years from 1964 to 2009. Operated by No. 35 and No. 38 Squadrons they flew in and out of difficult to access… Read More RAAF DHC-4 Caribou STOL Tactical Transports – Survivors of 45 Years of Operations
RAAF Museum Strike/Recce Hangar at Point Cook, Victoria. The GAF (English Electric) Canberra Mk.20, McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II and General Dynamics F-111G Aardvark (a name that was never really used in the RAAF as they were affectionately known as “Pig“) make for an impressive display of former RAAF aircraft (photos taken during my February… Read More RAAF Museum Point Cook: Strike/Recce Hangar
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of Australia was incorporated on October 17th, 1936 under the direction of the Australian government and managed by Lawrence Wackett (1896-1982), the “father of the Australian aircraft industry“. By September 1937 a factory had been constructed at Fishermen’s Bend in Port Melbourne, Victoria to produce military aircraft and… Read More Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation: Cold War Flyers – Part II
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Under the direction of the Australian government the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of Australia was incorporated on October 17th, 1936 and by September 1937 a factory had been constructed at Fishermen’s Bend in Port Melbourne, Victoria to produce military aircraft and engines. Lawrence Wackett (1896-1982), the “father of the Australian aircraft industry”… Read More Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation: Cold War Flyers – Part I
The Australian aviation industry was in a fledgling state in the 1930’s. With the potential for war brewing in Europe, discussions between the Australian government and numerous companies such as BHP and General Motors Holden began in 1935 to establish a modern aviation company to produce military aircraft and engines. Within a few short years… Read More Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation: Aussie WWII Battlers & Aviation Pioneers
The Supermarine Seagull V was a 3 seat all metal hulled air-sea rescue / reconnaissance / maritime patrol amphibian biplane aircraft with a single Bristol Pegasus VI 9-cylinder radial pusher engine (775hp with a top speed of just 217 km/h). The Seagull V was also capable of carrying a military payload of 2 x 0.303 machine… Read More RAAF Supermarine Seagull V – When a Seagull became a Walrus
To commemorate the centenary of military aviation in Australia (1914 to 2014) I am writing a six-part series on the key stages of the RAAF: The Early Years – 1914 to 1939 (World War One and the interwar years), World War Two – 1939 to 1945, the Cold War Begins and the Korean War – 1945 to 1953, South East Asian Conflicts – 1950 to… Read More A Brief History of the Royal Australian Air Force: The Early Years – 1914 to 1939
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE The General Dynamics F-111 never had an official name other than F-111 but was known as the “Aardvark” in US service (all aircraft were retired by 1998 including the EF-111 “Raven” an electronic warfare version), it was called “Pig” in Australia but this had nothing to do with how it performed, it was a term of… Read More RAAF General Dynamics F-111 the Flying “Pig”
Aces Flying High 