kalboy
11-28-2009, 10:42 AM
The RAAF's oldest aircraft, the iconic Caribou A4-140, has completed its final mission.
The last flight by an RAAF Caribou touched down at Canberra Airport on Friday on its way to a new home at the Australian War Memorial.
It was a moment in Australian defence history that brought tears to a few eyes.
RAAF air lift group commander Air Commodore John Oddie said it was an emotional experience that had been 45 years in the making.
"This is a remarkable aircraft. It was the second aircraft to be handed over to the RAAF in 1964 and first to touch down in Australia in April 1964," he said.
"It is the oldest Caribou remaining in RAAF service."
In Vietnam, Caribous flew 81,500 operational sorties and carried 42,000 tonnes of freight and nearly 680,000 passengers. Two were wrecked in landing accidents and one was destroyed on the ground by enemy mortar fire, although no crew were killed.
In peacetime, Caribous delivered hay for flood relief and disaster aid throughout the region.
As well as serving in Vietnam, A4-140 had one other distinction.
In September 1975 while delivering Red Cross aid into East Timor during the civil war, armed Timorese soldiers demanded to be flown to Darwin.
"Uniquely, A4-140 remains the only Australian air force aircraft to have been hijacked," Air Commodore Oddie said.
Sadly, age has wearied and the years condemned so the RAAF decided some time back to retire the Caribou fleet.
It has yet to find a suitable fixed wing replacement, although Chinook helicopters perform the task of moving troops and supplies around the battlefield.
Piloting the A4-140 on her final flight was 38 Squadron commanding officer Wing Commander Tony Thorpe who acknowledged that he was older than this aircraft, but not by much.
"Most of these aeroplanes are definitely older than most of the people who are flying them," he said.
"They are a lovely old aeroplane. It requires a bit more of old fashioned pilots skills - it is all hands and feet."
Retired Air Commodore Kevin Henderson of Canberra was one of the RAAF's first Caribou pilots, flying extensively in Vietnam.
He said Friday was a sad day.
"I saw this one arrive in April 1964. Now I have seen it arrive on its last scheduled flight," he said. "I am very proud to have been part of the Caribou operation right from the beginning.
"It's the most versatile aircraft that the air force has had.
"They can go almost anywhere. It didn't matter what the weather was like, what the airfield conditions were like, within reason."
A4-140 will spend the next six weeks in the Qantas hangar at Canberra airport, being drained of fluids and dismantled in preparation for the move to the war memorial facility in the Canberra suburb of Mitchell.
© 2009 AAP (http://news.smh.com.au/action/displayCopyrightNotice?sourceOrganisation=AAP)
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Would of been nice to see them re-engined to turbo-prop.
Im sure many here remember the distinctive sound of these girls engines.
The last flight by an RAAF Caribou touched down at Canberra Airport on Friday on its way to a new home at the Australian War Memorial.
It was a moment in Australian defence history that brought tears to a few eyes.
RAAF air lift group commander Air Commodore John Oddie said it was an emotional experience that had been 45 years in the making.
"This is a remarkable aircraft. It was the second aircraft to be handed over to the RAAF in 1964 and first to touch down in Australia in April 1964," he said.
"It is the oldest Caribou remaining in RAAF service."
In Vietnam, Caribous flew 81,500 operational sorties and carried 42,000 tonnes of freight and nearly 680,000 passengers. Two were wrecked in landing accidents and one was destroyed on the ground by enemy mortar fire, although no crew were killed.
In peacetime, Caribous delivered hay for flood relief and disaster aid throughout the region.
As well as serving in Vietnam, A4-140 had one other distinction.
In September 1975 while delivering Red Cross aid into East Timor during the civil war, armed Timorese soldiers demanded to be flown to Darwin.
"Uniquely, A4-140 remains the only Australian air force aircraft to have been hijacked," Air Commodore Oddie said.
Sadly, age has wearied and the years condemned so the RAAF decided some time back to retire the Caribou fleet.
It has yet to find a suitable fixed wing replacement, although Chinook helicopters perform the task of moving troops and supplies around the battlefield.
Piloting the A4-140 on her final flight was 38 Squadron commanding officer Wing Commander Tony Thorpe who acknowledged that he was older than this aircraft, but not by much.
"Most of these aeroplanes are definitely older than most of the people who are flying them," he said.
"They are a lovely old aeroplane. It requires a bit more of old fashioned pilots skills - it is all hands and feet."
Retired Air Commodore Kevin Henderson of Canberra was one of the RAAF's first Caribou pilots, flying extensively in Vietnam.
He said Friday was a sad day.
"I saw this one arrive in April 1964. Now I have seen it arrive on its last scheduled flight," he said. "I am very proud to have been part of the Caribou operation right from the beginning.
"It's the most versatile aircraft that the air force has had.
"They can go almost anywhere. It didn't matter what the weather was like, what the airfield conditions were like, within reason."
A4-140 will spend the next six weeks in the Qantas hangar at Canberra airport, being drained of fluids and dismantled in preparation for the move to the war memorial facility in the Canberra suburb of Mitchell.
© 2009 AAP (http://news.smh.com.au/action/displayCopyrightNotice?sourceOrganisation=AAP)
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Would of been nice to see them re-engined to turbo-prop.
Im sure many here remember the distinctive sound of these girls engines.