Aviation Center Australia

1:72 Scale

HM UH-1B Iroquois RAAF "A2-1020"

#HMA1010

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Battle of Long Tan 1966

L: 242mm W: 60mm H: 60mm

There were 766 Bell UH-1C helicopters built in several equipment modified variants. One was the "Frog" equipped with side-mounted XM-158 twin rocket pods each holding seven 2.75 inch rockets. The "M-5" fitted the gunship with a nose turret mounting an M-75 40 mm automatic anti-personnel grenade launcher that held 300 anti-personnel grenades. The crews referred to these as "Chunkers" because of the sound when the grenades were fired. The infamous "Shark" gunships were created in 1966 when permission was granted to use the fearsome looking "Tiger Mouth" on the front of the Hueys.

RAAF A2-1020 is an UH-1B Iroquois that was delivered to No 9 Squadron at RAAF Base Fairbairn in Canberra on December 12, 1962. A2-1020 joined No 9 Squadron at Vung Tau Vietnam in mid-1966 where it was used for medevac, troop insertion as well as extractions and re-supply. On August 17-18 1966 Australian troops were surrounded by overwhelming numbers of enemy troops. As night was falling they were running low on ammunition and the only method of re-supply was by helicopter. During a tropical storm and at tree-top level A2-1020 and A2-1022 managed to fly over enemy troops and find a smoke flare placed by the Australian troops. The 2 helicopters off-loaded their 520 kg of ammunition and successfully returned to base. This ammunition made it possible for the Australian troops to hold on until an artillery barrage and armoured vehicles arrived, driving the enemy soldiers into a retreat. A2-1020 is now on display at the RAAF Museum in Point Cook, near Melbourne.

HM F-111C RAAF "Final Flight"

#HMA3008

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The General Dynamics F-111 entered service in 1967 as a medium-range aircraft designed for interdiction and tactical strikes. The F-111 was used as an all-weather attack aircraft capable of low-level penetration of enemy territory. It also could be used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Some unique features are variable geometry wings, the 2 crew members sat side by side in an escape capsule, internal weapons bay; terrain following radar and after-burning turbofans. The USAF retired their last F-111 in 1998 but the RAAF continued to use theirs until 2010.

The RAAF had ordered 24 F-111C’s and on June 1st 1973 the first F-111C (Pig) A8-125 landed at RAAF Amberley, Queensland. A8-125 was formerly designated USAF 67-125. The aircraft was flown by GpCpt J W Newham (later CAS) and WgCdr (later AirCdre) T C Owen. On December 3, 2010 A8-125 completed its last flight with 6 Squadron. It was piloted by CO 6 Sqn WG Cdr Michael Gray and marshaled by Daryl Mackiln, the same man who marshaled A8-125 37 years earlier when it first arrived at Amberley.

HM F-111G RAAF "60th Anniversary of 6 Sqn" (A8-274)

#HMA3004

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General Background

RAAF F-111G “A8-274” originally was USAF F-111A s/n 68-0274 that had been upgraded. This aircraft along with 14 other “G”s were purchased by the RAAF in 1993 to complement or replace some of their existing “C” variants. One squadron to receive the F-111 was 6 Squadron based at RAAF Amberley, Queensland. The 6 Squadron was formed on December 6, 1917 and disbanded in 1919. On January 1, 1939 the 6 Squadron was reformed so in 1999 to celebrate 60 years service aircraft “A8-274” was selected to receive the special 60th Anniversary paint scheme. The RAAF affectionately refer to their F-111’s as “Pig” because using the terrain-following radar the aircraft can hunt at night just like a pig can by using its nose.

The Aircraft

The General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” or "Pig" as the RAAF called it, entered service in 1967 as a medium-range aircraft designed for interdiction and tactical strikes. The F-111 was used as an all-weather attack aircraft capable of low-level penetration of enemy territory. It also could be used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Some unique features are variable geometry wings, the 2 crew members sat side by side in an escape capsule, internal weapons bay; terrain following radar and afterburning turbofans. The USAF retired their last F-111 in 1998 but the RAAF still use theirs.

HM F-111C Royal Australian Air Force (A8-127)

#HMA3002

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6 Squadron, 82 Wing - The model includes workable swing wings, crew, landing gear can be displayed up or down, display stand, selection of weapons, drop tanks and a PAVETACK pod that can be shown open or closed.

General Background

The General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” entered service in 1967 as a medium-range aircraft designed for interdiction and tactical strikes. The F-111 was used as an all-weather attack aircraft capable of low-level penetration of enemy territory. It also could be used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Some unique features are variable geometry wings, the 2 crew members sat side by side in an escape capsule, internal weapons bay; terrain following radar and afterburning turbofans. The USAF retired their last F-111 in 1998 but the RAAF still use theirs.

The Aircraft

The F-111C basically is an F-111A with strengthened landing gear and the longer wings of the F-111B and is the export version for the RAAF. Aircraft s/n A8-127 formerly was USAF 67-0127 delivered to the RAAF on June 1, 1973 by the crew of Squadron Leader Ian Westmore and Flight Lieutenant John Bushell.

HM F-4G Skyhawk RAN 805 Sqn HMAS Melbourne

#HMA1414

General Background

805 Squadron Motto – Over Sea and Sand, Call Sign "Checkmates" Battle Honors – Crete 1941, Libya 1941-42, Korea 1951-52 After being disbanded for 5 years 805 Squadron reformed for the third time on 10 January 1968. This time they would fly the McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk lightweight strike fighter. For 14 years 805 Squadron was based at NAS Nowra and operated from the carrier HMAS Melbourne for operational missions. In 1982 RAN's sole carrier was decommissioned so once again the 805 Squadron was disbanded. The RAN received several A-4G Skyhawks that had been assigned to VF-805 “The Checkmates” and operational training school squadron the 724 Squadron at Nowra. VF- 805 was the primary combat-squadron stationed on HMAS Melbourne for operational duty and shore-based at Nowra. The RAN received A-4G at Nowra on August 11, 1971. During the early 1970’s aircraft N-13 155051 served time with the “Checkmates” aerobatic team. From April 1977 to October 1977 the aircraft was onboard HMAS Melbourne for “Spithead Deployment”. During this time aircraft 870 took part in the Greenham Common Air Tatoo as part of a static display and in July was involved in exercise “Highwood” in the North Sea.

HM Beaufighter RAAF 455 Sqn

#HMA2310

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The Bristol Beaufighter was designed as a two-seat long-range fighter. To speed up production many parts of the older Bristol Beaufort were used. The tail, landing gear and wings of the Beaufort were transplanted to the Beaufighter and most units were equipped with airborne radar located in the nose for night-fighting. The Mk. IF was the initial production and fitted with four 20 mm cannons in the nose along with six 7.7 mm machine guns in the wings. The Beaufighter TF Mk.X was the last major version with 2,231 built.

No. 455 Squadron RAAF was formed on May 23, 1941 in Williamtown, NSW. Late in 1943 Bristol Beaufighters replaced the aging Hampdens so RAAF 455 Sqn stationed along side the RNZAF 489 Sqn were formed into a strike force and developed new tactics. This force was known as the ANZAC Wing and moved to Langham on April 12, 1944.. From this base the ANZAC Wing conducted operations in an effort to clear the English Channel of German vessels in preparation for D-Day and during the D-Day landings. A photograph was taken of Beaufighter UB-E NE548 firing a salvo of rockets has become the iconic photo of a T.F.X or perhaps of any Beaufighter.

HM Beaufighter RAAF 93 Sqn "Green Ghost"

#HMA2305

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General Background

The Bristol Beaufighter was developed in about 8 months by using sections from the earlier designed Bristol Beaufort. It was given more powerful engines and a variety of modifications making the aircraft capable of many tasks. It was a night fighter, fighter bomber and torpedo bomber performing anti-shipping duty as well as ground attack and long range interdiction. The different variants, 14 in all, were capable of carrying bombs, torpedoes, rockets, canons and machine guns. The Beaufighter was operated by 11 countries.

The Aircraft

The 93rd Squadron was formed on January 22 1945 without an official name or motto. So unofficially it became the “Green Ghost Squadron” and the unofficial motto was “Spookus Sneakinus”. Mid 1945 the squadron transferred to an island off Borneo called Labuan. Their task was to disrupt Japanese shipping and airfields. In August 1945 the squadron was tasked with destroying a Japanese oil tanker. The ship was destroyed but turned out to be the 800 ton private yacht of the Rajah of Sarawak. The 93rd Squadron was disbanded on 22 August 1946.

DW P-51 RAAF 3 Squadron, 238 FBWing

#DW50052