Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Skyhawk N13-154908
Unloaded from HMAS Melbourne onto a Navy barge in Jervis Bay November 23, 1967, then by
road to Nowra. With VF805 01/06/68. With VF805 02/12/68.
One of the first, if not the first, A4G catapulted from HMAS Melbourne flown by LCDR John Da
Costa on the 13 Feb 1969. During this launch the radar panel with its long body extending back
into the instrument panel (being not properly secured) came out into the pilot's lap. Unable to eject
(because of the large size of the panel body length and weight) LCDR Da Costa skilfully flew the
aircraft with its trim buttons and limited control stick movement to an emergency straight in landing back at NAS Nowra. Being able to survive such a drastic mishap enabled many previously unexplained USN catapault launch accidents to be solved. Thereafter the radar screen in all A4s was
secured by a very large extra fittings, especially while at sea. With VF805 29/10/69. With VF805
1971-72. 27/10/71
Undercarriage lowered accidentally during pullup from an armament dive at 450 knots.
Location at the Kahoolawe Weapons Range nearby the island of Hawaii. 887 recovered at NAS
Barbers Point (near Pearl Harbour west of Honolulu Intl airport) by arrested landing onto a foamed
runway. The pilot was SBLT John Hamilton. 887 repaired within 2 weeks to fly onboard HMAS
Melbourne at sea, nearby Oahu. With VF805 13/05/74. With VF805 21/10/76. With VF805 07/12/76.
Wheels up landing, landed on the tanks (with foamed runway) at Amberley QLD after losing a
wheel on a touch and go off HMAS Melbourne, 22/05/78. The Pilot was LEUT Barry Evans. Ex.
Tasmanex '79, remained on the Melbourne for Port visit to Wellington (8-11 August) before Ex.
began, probably also onboard for visit to Auckland. Onboard Melbourne for Exercise Kangaroo 3.
Onboard Melbourne for Ex. Rimpac '80 (26 February - 17 March 1980) in Hawaiian waters, buddy
refueled USN T/A-4Js.
To RNZAF 07/84 as NZ6214, now A-4K. Birdstrike 10/01/92 Coromandel Peninsula while at 250ft
and 420kt, recovered OK and returned 12/92. Retired by RNZAF 2001/02.
No. 1 Wire
L
S
O
OOPs No.1
Wire Arrest
http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/
documents/Navy%20Today%205_opt.pdf
Albatross
Gliding
TargetNo.4 wirearrest
Sep 1970
887 graphic from Jim Winchesters book Douglas A-4 Skyhawk : 01 Sep 2005 | ISBN-10: 1844150852 | ISBN-13: 978-1844150854
http://i5.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/f4/4c/58d9_1.JPG
In 1968-69 the Red Mesh Engine Intake Guards (for protection against FOD) were
used during taxi to the arming point near the threshold of the duty runway (RW 21
here), once (practice bombs) armed the inlet guard is removed before flight. FOD =
Foreign Object Damage. Practice was discontinued by about mid-1969 because
removal of the guard was itself a potential hazard for FOD damage to the engine
the six
oclock
buttkicker
SAYS
The
Sydney
Daily
Telegraph
15 Feb 69
RAAF
RAAF
Port Melbourne
Pearl Harbour
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=Skyhawk+source:life&imgurl=deb92bacc95fd382
http://upload.wikimedia
.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/
HMAS_Melbourne_%28R21%29_
aerial_Pearl_Harbor_1958.jpeg
http://users.
qld.chariot.
net.au/~dial
abull/us_
visit.html
HMAS
Melbourne
&
Hawaiian
Reception
Committee
Pearl
Harbour
NAS Barbers Point, Oahu, Hawaii Dress Rehearsal for VF-805 arrival late 1971 NOT!
http://nanarchive.omnitecinc.com/19601969.aspx
VF-805
disembark
to NAS
Barbers
Point,
Hawaii
Late
October,
1971
http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/2259496/sn/374679257/name/A-4E+151184+and+150044+%28July+1971%29.jpg
VF-805 senior
LSO Leut Keith
Johnson & CO
Colin Patterson
being greeted
by CO of VC-1
Cmdr Stuart E.
Harrison.
VC-1 was formerly Fleet Composite Squadron One however over this
time new USN
naming conventions were
being used with
the old short
names
FleCompRonOne
being used also
MELBOURNE and
CAG Prepare for
First RIMPAC 1971
All cartoons by
Hank Caruso
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahoolawe
The
Kahoolawe
Weapons
Range has
since the
1970s been
turned into
a National
Treasure
"National
Park" that is
full of native
Hawaiian
artifacts and
other items.
Kaho olawe
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Haleakala_and_Kahoolawe.jpg
See
Next Page
Photo by
Wal
Nelowkin
Kahoolawe
Honolulu
USS Arizona
Memorial
USS Arizona
Memorial
HMAS Melbourne
Length: 213.97 metres
(702 ft) overall
Increased by 2.43
metres (8 ft) in 1969
Oahu
Click above for an RAN recruiting ad from the 1980s
http://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/d/d4/
Hawaii-Oahu-TF.jpg
http://www.15wing.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123187915
Pearl
Harbour
Honolulu
International
aka Hickam
AFB
CO LCDR D. Collingridge
SP LCDR B. Daly
SBLT K. Baddams
SBLT C. Tomlinson
SBLT M. Maher
HMAS
Melbourne
Cartoon
View
Famous
Malcolm
Fraser
PM quote
http://
www.
draw
quick.
com.
au/
ships/
pic34.
htm
From
Alan
McGoldrick
VC-1 USN
75 Sqdn RNZAF
199th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Hawaii ANG, Hickam AFB, Dec 1960 to Jan 1977. Operated Convair F-102 Delta Dagger longer than any other unit.
Current 199th
Fighter Squadron
Patch as worn
by the F-15 Eagle
drivers of the
Kukaiumoku
OAHU, HAWAII
htt http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/f102pics/55-3357.jpg
p:/ Met a pair whilst circling at 40,000 feet waiting
/
for the next recovery due arrestor gear problems.
w
Awesome.
My
A4G
must
have
broken
the
ADIZ.
w
w. [Air Defence Identification
mi Zone - of Hawaii]
lli
on
m
on
ke
Displayed at Hickam
Convair F-102A
yt
AFB, HI since 10/1978
http://www.millionmonkey
he
Delta
Dagger
theater.com/f102
at
pics/54-1373.jpg
er.
co
m/
F10
2A
.ht
ml
...199th
Fighter
Interceptor
Squadron,
Hawaii ANG,
Hickam AFB,
Dec 1960 to Jan
1977. Operated
F-102As longer
than any
other unit....
http://www.joebaugher.com/
usaf_fighters/f102_2.html
Nobuyoshi Koremoto, an ex-skipper of JDS Amatsukaze that participated in RIMPAC 1980, wrote in the
August 2010 issue of the Ship of the World that in the 1980 exercise a flight of Australian A-4G Skyhawks
from HMAS Melbourne playing an 'Orange' force carrier attacked USS Constellation, which was assessed
to be 'heavily damaged'....
US hosts world's largest naval exercises in Hawaii June 29, 2012 By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018560328_apusnavalexercises.html
-
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii Some 25,000 sailors and other military personnel from 22 nations are converging on
Hawaii starting Friday to practice hunting for submarines and catching pirates in the world's largest naval
exercises. The U.S. Pacific Fleet is hosting the Rim of the Pacific exercises, which take place every two years in
Hawaii and surrounding waters. Countries from Japan to Tonga and Russia to Chile are sending 42 surface ships,
six submarines and 200 aircraft to participate in the series of drills, which takes place over the next five weeks.
Participants will train to clear mines, dispose of explosives and come to the aid of civilians in natural disasters,
among other drills. Adm. Cecil Haney, the Pacific Fleet commander, said the drills help different nations prepare for
emergencies. "It provides an opportunity for naval forces of like-minded countries to work together so that as
things come up, we can more easily assemble and address things like humanitarian assistance, disaster relief,"
Haney told The Associated Press during a recent interview at his Pearl Harbor headquarters.
The exercises, known as RIMPAC, date to 1971 but have expanded in recent years. Eight nations took part in
2006, 10 in 2008, and 14 two years ago. This year's exercises come as the U.S. refocuses its attention on the AsiaPacific region. In January, the Obama administration announced a new defense strategy to boost the country's
presence in Asia because of the region's economic importance and China's rise as a military power. It aims to
maintain American military pre-eminence worldwide even as the U.S. cuts spending to reduce the nation's deficit.
As part of that strategy, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta earlier this month told a conference in Singapore the U.S.
would assign 60 percent of its fleet to the Pacific Ocean by 2020. Currently, the Navy divides its roughly 285 ships
equally between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum Center for Strategic & International Studies, a Honolulu-based think
tank, said the drills show Panetta and the U.S. Pacific Command - which oversees all American forces in the region are serious when they say readiness in the Pacific won't be affected by defense drawdowns. "What better way to
prove that than holding the world's largest maritime exercise," Cossa said. "That's putting your money and your
ships where you mouth is." One new part of the drills is the use of a cooking oil and algae biofuel blend to power
some of the U.S. vessels and aircraft. The Navy is spending $12 million to buy 425,000 gallons of biofuel for the
exercises. It's part of an effort to demonstrate the Navy can use biofuels to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels.
The Navy has been investing heavily in technologies for algae, sugar and other crops so that biofuels will meet half
of its fuel needs by 2020. The exercises end Aug. 3.
P.L. = Permanent
Loan (Items) such
as the A4G aircraft
George
Canciani
http://www.airliners.
net/open.
file/0485446/L/
Night
Capers
become
Day
Capers
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/
index.cgi?
board=Postwar&action=
display&thread=10581
Ohakea
November 1975 Tasmanex
http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz22/furyfb11/A4G%20SKYHAWK/IMG_0001-1.jpg
Subsequently Leut
Barry Evans was
awarded the AFC
(Air Force Cross)
for looking after
the aircraft
(Barry's own words)
Skyhawk T-A4F/J NATOPS Manual page gear problems AFTER opposite page
natops
changes
AFTER c.1975
O
L
Before c.1975
D
Reason 887 did not use gear at RAAF Amberley
Barry and
dem wheels
PE
LX
EP
Click
AL
graphic
SA
for the E I
AUDIO ! N
TO THE EDITOR
Dear Ed,
The October 1995 Slipstream had a photograph of a Sea Fury
landing on HMAS Sydney with one mainwheel departing the aircraft. The incident took place in the Hervey Bay area in 1949/50
and has similarities to another incident many years later.
I was the Assistant Flight Deck Officer on HMAS Melbourne
in 1979. We were conducting flying operations in the Hervey Bay
area at about 0800 one morning with Skyhawks in the pattern.
An A-4G piloted by LEUT Barry Evans lost the starboard mainwheel during a touch and go landing. The wheel continued up the
flight deck passing between the FDO (LCDR Rod Coles) and the
Fly 1 director. Barry was able to get the aircraft airborne again
safely. FLYCO decided that the best option was to attempt gear retraction and if successful launch the tanker aircraft to refuel the
damaged Skyhawk for a diversion ashore. This was accomplished
and Barry smoothly landed the aircraft on its drop tanks at
RAAF Amberley. Such was the sturdiness of the A-4G that it was
flown out to Nowra the following day! Had the gear not retracted
we had planned to take the aircraft into the barricade.
Barry was returned to the ship by Seaking and with the
Wardroom bar open that night a couple of the HS-817 aircrew
(Tony Haigh and one or two others) with guitar accompaniment
performed a song they had written which told the whole story.
It was to the tune of the Kenny Rogers song You Picked a Fine
Time to Leave Me Lucille but with the re worded chorus You
Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Loose Wheel! We had an ABC
television crew on board at the time filming the TV series Patrol
Boat and they were incredulous at the events. They none the less
got a great insight into the professionalism and camaraderie of
the Fleet Air Arm.
Click for song chorus Regards, Owen Nicholls (LCDR RANR)
SLIPSTREAM Vol.8, No.1 April 1997
E-mail
from
Nev
French
2011
E-mail
from
Nev
French
2011
This gear up landing on two 300 gal drops was done at NAS Roosevelt Roads, PR
after an entire wheel came off on the cat shot. [Pilot] Rocky Pratt was in our sister
squadron, VA-106. We were aboard Forrestal on the way to Vietnam. I was in
VA-46, but happened to be at Rosy Rds with a bad hook snubber and was
standing beside the runway with the station's Ops Officer. The airplane flew
back out to the ship in a few hours
with a new wheel.
Dave Dollarhide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Roads_Naval_Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States Navy base in the town of Ceiba,
Puerto Rico. The site is run today as Jos Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.
http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Navy_News-February-24-1978.pdf
http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Navy_News-April-6-1979.pdf
06 April 1979
Navy News
http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Navy_News-April-6-1979.pdf
06 April 1979
http://www.vostokstation.com.au/RAAF_aircraft_weapons.pdf
IPSWICH
Jump Back to
USAF / RAAF
Amberley
Arresting Gear
Pages End
BRISBANE
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/editions/4813/topstories/story01.htm
Top Stories
Touchdown
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/
editions/4813/topstories/story01.htm
By Andrew Stackpool
F-111
Event
DATE
WAS
18
June
2006
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
http://www.ukipme.com/down
loads/magazine/2008/tea_108.pdf
http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFI/afi_32_1043.pdf
A2.2.4. BAK-12. The BAK-12 (Figure A2.6.) is the standard USAF operational aircraft arresting
system. This bi-directional system employs 2 energy absorbers. Each absorber consists of 2 multi-disc
rotary friction brakes mounted on either side of the purchase-tape reel on a common shaft. The energy
absorbers are located on opposite sides of the runway, connected to a 32-millimeter (1.25-inch)
disc-supported pendant by the purchase tape. Ideally, the energy absorbers should be in a below-grade
pit with a minimum split distance of 15.24 meters (50 feet). (Split distance is a measurement taken
between the lead-on sheave of the fairlead beam or deck sheave, and the energy absorber.) Split distances of up to 91 meters (300 feet) are acceptable for all BAK-12 installations. You may also install
BAK-12 systems above grade in one of two configurations, the selection depending upon site conditions and operational requirements. These are the expeditionary installation for periods of up to 1 year,
and the semi-permanent installation, well-suited for long term use and typically selected when site
conditions will not allow a pit-type installation. Siting and grading requirements are in section 3 of
USAF T.O. 35E8-2-5-1, BAK-12. Typical installation drawings for pit-type installations (drawing
number 67F2012) and semi-permanent installations (drawing number 67F2011) are available from
HQ AFCESA/CESC and WR-ALC/LESG.
A2.2.4.1. Originally, BAK-12 energy absorbers were fitted with a 60-inch purchase-tape storage
reel. This design allowed the maximum energy expected to be imparted during an aircraft engagement to dissipate within a runout of 290 meters (950 feet) plus the length of the aircraft. Designers
have since improved the BAK-12 to meet increased demands of heavier and faster aircraft. They
retrofitted the energy absorbers with larger 66-inch or 72-inch tape storage reels to accommodate
increased runout, thus increasing the total energy capacity of the system. Although some BAK-12
systems have 60-inch tape storage reels, new and upgraded BAK-12 systems (part numbers
52-W-2291-801, 52-W-2291-801A, 52-W-2291-901, and 52-W-2291-901A) have 66-inch reels.
These systems require 366 meters (1,200 feet) plus the length of the aircraft for maximum runout.
The 72-inch reel systems are special-purpose systems configured for 610 meters (2,000 feet) of
runout.
A2.2.4.2. The standard BAK-12 is configured for cross-runway separations of up to 61 meters
(200 feet) (distance between fairlead beams or deck sheaves). For installations with cross-runway
spans exceeding 61 meters (200 feet), replace the BAK-12 control valve cam to accommodate full
runout of the system. Refer to T.O.s 35E8-2-5-1 and 35E8-2-5-4 to identify the part number for the
correct replacement cam and installation procedures. Also, select a pendant length of between 80
and 90 percent of the distance between the fairlead beams to avoid adverse cable dynamics.
A2.2.4.3. Dual BAK-12 systems are special-purpose installations configured to accommodate
high-energy engagements of aircraft ranging from 27,200 to 63,500 kilograms (60,000 to 140,000
pounds). These configurations consist of 4 BAK-12 energy absorbers arranged in pairs on either
side of the runway. The energy absorbers may be standard BAK-12s or be equipped with 72-inch
diameter tape storage reels to accommodate 610 meters (2,000 feet) of runout. You need special
tape connectors and edge sheaves for these installations. For details of these components and other
special considerations, see section 8 of T.O. 35E8-2-5-1.
43
44
Figure A2.8. BAK-14 Cable Support System.
28
STEP FOUR.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
F
I-
1
1
1
-
F
i
n
a
l
F
l
y
B
y
JUMP BACK!
F-111B
USS Coral Sea July 1968
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/images/media/F111B_Carrier_30_43632_1267828237_8179.jpg
http://thanlont.blogspot.
com/2011/01/f-111b-versusf-14a-one-more-time.html
particularly constraining) 5.2 g. The result, however, is a somewhat lower structural weight for the F-14A.
According to the F-111B SAC, when it was loaded with full internal fuel and six Phoenixes, it weighed 77,566 lbs
and required 11 knots wind-over-deck on a tropical day for launch; the F-14A, not surprisingly, weighed almost 7,000
lbs less but, surprisingly, required 16 knots wind-over-deck. However, at its takeoff gross weight the F-111B was carrying
3,000 lbs more fuel than the F-14, making the difference in takeoff gross weight for the same fuel and weapons load
only 3,866 lbs, or 5%, not exactly the amount or percentage difference that most would have guessed given all
the negative publicity garnered by the Sea Pig. With that additional fuel, the F-111B could loiter on station for 1.5 hours
with the combat fuel allowance assuming an acceleration to 1.5 Mach; the F-14A with the two external tanks of
overload fuel, and with the same combat Mach number (one has to read the SACs very closely), could only loiter for
1.1 hours.
As for landing, they were both heavy. In fact, the maximum arrested landing weight limit of the F-14A precluded it
from landing back aboard with all six Phoenixes, whereas the F-111B had a 5,000 lb margin, all fuel, between its
maximum landing weight and the landing weight with the standard landing fuel load of 2,417 lbs of fuel and six
I recently had the incentive to revisit this diatribe in the process of responding to a request from another author about the Phoenix (56,980 lbs). One does not need to be a Naval Aviator to appreciate being able to land with three times
F-111B program. As before, this assessment was made using the respective Standard Aircraft Characteristics charts, the F-
the required fuel. On a tropical day at the standard weight, the F-111B needed 15 knots wind-over-deck for landing; the
111Bs dated 1 July 1967 and the F-14As, dated April 1977. While the argument can be made that the F-111B SAC did
F-14AA could only land with five Phoenix, and even then needed 17 knots wind-over-deck at its maximum landing
not reflect its final weight, I believe that that same argument can be made concerning the one used for the F-14A, so
weight of 51,830 lbs. The F-111B was also less of an handful following an engine failure since its engines were not
its at least a pretty close apples-to-apples comparison. Note: In the following discussion, the F-14A is penalized with the
weight of an internal gun and ammunition whereas the F-111B is penalized with the weight of the original Airborne
Missile Control System (AMCS) design, roughly the same.
This is not to say that the Navy didnt do the right thing in getting the F-111B program cancelled and replacing it with
the more versatile F-14, particularly since the Hughes AMCS wasnt ready for prime time. However, with respect to
Much has been made of how terribly overweight the F-111B turned out. And it was, compared to a totally
its Fleet Air Defense design mission, it got an airplane that could not loiter as long or land with its full complement
unrealistic specification. Many think that the F-14A was far lighter than the F-111B, primarily because most comparisons
of missiles, had a higher stall speed at a lower weight, required more wind-over-deck for takeoffs and landings, and
neglect to do so using the F-111Bs design mission for both aircraft. The F-14A is still lighter, of course, because the Navy
was more difficult to bring aboard with two engines running, not to mention with one inoperative.
changed its requirements so that it would be. Deleted were the escape capsule, bomb bay, and swiveling wing
pylon stations among other things. The Hughes Airborne Missile Control System, given a few more years of
development, was lighter. The structure was designed for 6.5 gs at 49,548 lbs, about 10,000 pounds less than the F-
My answer is neither of the above. The F-111B could do, pretty much, the mission that it was called on to do while
111Bs design gross weight at that g level. In effect, the six Phoenixes and 3,800 lbs of fuel were treated as an
weighted down with Air Force low-level supersonic mission and other requirements. The F-14 could not do that mission
overload for the design of the F-14A structure. At combat weight (13,800 lbs fuel and six Phoenix missiles) the F-111B
as well, but it did the Navys other, equally important, fighter missions better.
therefore had a load limit of 5.8 g and the F-14A (12,000 lbs of fuel and six Phoenix missiles), a lower (but not
SEE ALSO
http://thanlont.blogspot.
com/2010/11/f-111b-colossalweight-improvement.html
http://thanlont.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/a-brief-history-of-f-111b-flight-test.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/
dc/F-111B_CVA-43_approach_July1968.jpg
http://www.adf-messageboard.com.au/invboard/index.php?showtopic=1386
http://www.adf-messageboard.com.au/invboard/uploads/post-12-1264121700.jpg
... the highlight is the dump and burn. Thanks to the F-111s unique design the fuel jettison pipe is located between the nozzles of
the TF30 engines, but theres an art to creating the spectacular dragons tail torching effect, as Parsons explained to AIN: The fuel
comes out of the dump-pipe as liquid, but then it mixes with the air to
create a volatile mixture. You need to be in max afterburner or else it
just wont light. As we approach for the pass I push the engines to
full afterburner. When theyre in full burner I call Dump On, Fuzzy
activates the dump and the mixture ignites. We fly the pass, and at
the end call: Dump Off, before powering back from full after-burner.
F-111 Retires From [RAAF] Service By Eric Hehs - 3 February 2011 http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=65
The operational career of the F-111 came to an end on 3 December 2010 at RAAF Amberley near Brisbane, Australia, as a crew in
an F-111C (serial number A8-125) of the Royal Australian Air Force touched down for the aircrafts last landing. The RAAF had
operated the F-111 since 1973. A8-125 was the first F-111C to land at Amberley that year.
Australia ordered twenty-four of the swing-wing F-111s in November 1963, thirteen months before the aircraft was first flown.
Picking the F-111 was seen by many as a bold move by the RAAF, but the Australian government viewed the aircraft as the right
solution for its need for a long-range strike aircraft.
Delivery to the RAAF was delayed by a series of mishaps during the US Air Forces first combat deployment with the F-111 in
Vietnam in 1968. It was also delayed by structural problems. The first six F-111Cs arrived at RAAF Amberley on 1 June 1973,
making Australia the firstand, as history showed, the onlyinternational operator to ever fly the aircraft. The US retired its
F-111s in 1996.
The Australian F-111Cs were unique to the RAAF. They had the longer wings, sturdier undercarriage, and bigger brakes of the
FB-111 nuclear-capable bomber version of the aircraft ordered by the US Air Force. But the F-111C retained the inlets, engines,
and avionics installed in the F-111A. The RAAF also opted for the self-protection system equipment of the later F-111Es. Air
Combat Officersweapons systems officers who sat in the right seathad a control stick on their side of the cockpit and were
taught to land the aircraft in case of emergency.
Four F-111As were added to the RAAF fleet in 1982. These aircraft, all veterans of Vietnam operations, were modified with the
longer wingtips and heavier landing gear of the F-111Cs.
The RAAF acquired another fifteen US Air Force F-111s beginning in 1993. These aircraft, called F-111Gs, were all former
FB-111s operated by Strategic Air Command and modified in the late 1980s with digital avionics for tactical duties. The aircraft
were used by the Australians mostly for conversion training and spare parts. The F-111Gs were retired by the RAAF in 2007.
The F-111affectionately and universally known in Australia as Pig for its ability to conduct missions at night with its nose in the
weeds, thanks to the terrain-following radarwas continuously updated during its service.
Four aircraft were modified for reconnaissance in the early 1980s. These versions, designated RF-111Cs, used a wet filmbased camera suite with high- and low-scanning cameras and an infrared line scanner. The film cameras were later converted to
digital imaging equipment.
The Pave Tack infrared and laser targeting systems were added to the aircraft in the mid-1980s, along with the capability of
launching the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship standoff missile. In the mid-1990s, the Avionics Upgrade Program incorporated digital
flight controls, digital mission computers, multifunction displays, and a new terrain-following radar. In its last decade, the aircraft
received electronic warfare updates, including a new jamming pod. They were also modified for using night-vision goggles and
for firing the AGM-142 Popeye TV-guided standoff weapon.
The last RAAF unit to operate the F-111 was 6 Squadron at Amberley. The squadron flew the aircraft for the entire 37 years the
aircraft served in the RAAF.... Associate Editor Jeff Rhodes contributed to this article. Eric Hehs is the editor of Code One.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh121/mcmaster_02/mirageIIIOparasol.jpg
http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/albums/Mirage-III-A3-16/A3_16.sized.jpg
More importantly, the warning was ambiguous to visiting military aircraft and as a
result there were instances of USAF C-141s going around from short final at Sydney
and Alice Springs because the hapless crew thought the "Clear to Land Check
Wheels" was a warning that the Tower could not see their gear down.
http://www.qam.com.au/qam-content/aircraft/mirage/wheels-up.htm
At the time that Mirage A3-16 made its celebrated belly landing at Melbourne
International Airport (Tullamarine) on 24 October 1974, civil Air Traffic Control in
Australia had a requirement to issue a "Check Wheels" warning with landing
clearances to military aircraft and the pilot had to respond "Three Greens". It was
insulting to both sides and made no differentiation for aircraft with fixed gear, leading
to humiliating episodes when Tower Controllers, usually over-zealous trainees,
issued the "Check Wheels" instruction to something like an Airtrainer or Kiowa, the
pilot of which would usually respond with a mocking "Down and Welded".
In hindsight, the controller accepted that the situation was exactly what the "Check
Wheels" rule was designed for, but its misuse and annoyance over the years had
lulled everyone and he was more concerned with keeping radio instructions to a
minimum to reduce pilot distractions.
It was, according to the popular definition, a good landing because the pilot walked
away from it. Indeed it came very close to being a great landing as they probably
could have used the aeroplane again had not the Mirage been close to retirement
anyway! It was probably of little consolation to the pilot that he had successfully
pulled off a landing in circumstances under which the manual would have required
ejection.
The holes in several layers of the well-known Swiss cheese safety model aligned
that day!
http://www.adf-serials.com.au/3a3.htm
"A3-16 Mirage IIIO(F) Delivered 18/06/65. Served with 75 Sqn Williamtown NSW. Served with
76 Sqn Williamtown NSW. Served with ARDU. Served with 77 Sqn Williamtown NSW.
Damaged on wheels up landing at Tullamarine VIC. Written Off. Pilot; Nick Ford a FLTLT or
SQNLDR with ARDU. Under restoration at Classic Fighter Jets Museum, Parafield SA."
http://www.classicjets.com/c_Mirage.html
"A3-16 landed wheels up at Tullamarine Airport, Victoria, on 24 Oct 1974 and was converted
to components for disposal in 1986. The Mirage airframe has survived scrapping over the
years and was finally acquired by CJFM in 1992. It was brought to the CJFM hangar in 1996.
Despite enormous difficulties in finding Mirage airframe parts, sufficient components were
gathered to ensure the restoration of this beautiful aircraft. A3-16 saw service with the
Aircraft Research and Development Unit and is now painted in original RAAF Aircraft
Research and Development Unit colours and markings."
http://www.
classicjets.com/
c_Mirage.html
www.adf-serials.com (forum)
"the fireies later that day they said that the pilot was sitting on the wing tip before the aircraft had even stopped, and
when it slowed down enough he jumped and ran. One of the fire trucks had to chase after him. He was the only pilot in
the world to survive a Mirage belly landing, when any of our Mirages had undercarriage problems the pilots bailed out."
"Another incident involved a wheels-up touch and go, which was more embarrassing for the crew
as the damage was minimal. The aircraft touched down on the 374 gallon tanks and went around
after the horrible noise. The crew then lowered the gear and landed normally. The damage was
limited to a new set of tanks and inboard flaps, which were replaced the next day and after a few
ground checks, the aircraft was back in the air three days later. The F-4E was built like a truck."
(inadvertant)
(Tullamarine)
(24th)
http://www.qam.com.au/qam-content/aircraft/mirage/A3-16-08.htm
http://www.qam.com.au/qam-content/aircraft/mirage/A3-16-08.jpg
http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/
Navy_News-January-28-1983.pdf
In 1984, while on a night flight around Darwin during operation "Pitch Black", the aircraft suffered an
undercarriage malfunction and was not able to make a normal approach and landing. The crew, FLGOFF
J.F.Barden and PLTOFF J.P.Conlon, who was a student pilot, ejected at 3,000 ft at a speed of 200 kts
(very scary) and luckily neither man suffered any serious injury. In all, more than 40 of the RAAF's
116 Mirages crashed during the operational life of the aircraft, which was from to 1963 to 1989.
http://www.austradesecure.com/radschool/Vol21/page7.htm
Navy News
18 April
1980
http://
www.navy.gov.au
/sites/default/
files/documents/
Navy_NewsApril-18-1980.pdf
MELBOURNE RIMPAC List A4Gs Embarked (A4Gs Temporarily Disembarking NAS Barbers Point, then Re-embarking): Nov 1971; Aug
1972; Ex. Hula Girl Sep 1973; Mar 1975; Mar 1977; Jun 1978; Mar 1980
Vol.11 No.4
http://www.kaimanaaviation.com/sorp0603.html
http://www.
windsof
change.net/
archives/
chick_fighter
_pilots_asso
ciation.html
Lucy B. YoungVC-1
Skyhawk pilot 1978-80
click below
for sound
The code phrase chicks in tow used by a refuelling tanker is perhaps not politically correct today similar
to the HMAS Melbourne 25th Anniversary booklet comment on the right to the main photo shown here
http://nanarchive.omnitecinc.com/19801989.aspx
Naval
Aviation
News
July 1980
The Teeny
Tiny Tinker
Tanker from
Tinker Toy
Land
Touch & Go (Hook Up) with Speedbrakes coming in with Full Throttle
during Overshoot (Crash and Dash)
L to R: Leut John Bartels; Lcdr Gary Northern CO; Major Chuck Smith USMC;
Lcdr Peter Clark SP; Leut Gary Osmond; Sblt Dave Baddams; Sblt Paul Kalade
http://www.news.com.au/
heraldsun/story/0,21985,
24079709-2862,00.html
Dr Kane said the pilot Capt John
Bartels spoke to passengers after
the plane landed and thanked
them for being calm. He got a
standing ovation, she said.
http://www.news.com.au/
heraldsun/story/0,21985,
24079908-2862,00.html
John Bartels
in earlier times as an
Observer later an A4G
Pilot in the RAN FAA
(*see other pages
in this same PDF)
John
Bartels
with
Miranda
Kerr in
May
2014
John
Bartels
http://www.aircraftslides.com/Auction/AuctionDetail.aspx?ID=432891
Ferried from
Nowra to Ohakea
on 20 July 1984
This group of RNZAF Skyhawk pilots took part in a 18 Skyhawk formation flypast 08 April 1987 for RNZAF 50th Anniversary
RNZAF 50th
Anniversary Flypast 1987
Image reversed
Vanguard 1999
Kuantan Malaysia
BuNo. 154908 ex RNZAF Kahu NZ6214 = ex RAN FAA A4G 887 now DRAKEN N144EM