mroz
Flying Officer
Posts: 59
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Post by mroz on Nov 30, 2021 2:37:20 GMT 12
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Post by Mustang51 on Nov 30, 2021 10:47:21 GMT 12
Very nice indeed. Eastie did the last display yesterday and Mr Hallen reports that the remaining Hornets are drifting into Williamtown with some of the latest arrivals flying in without serial numbers. End of an era.
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Post by colford on Nov 30, 2021 16:11:33 GMT 12
RAAF has posted a little over 10 minutes of the 'raw' footage used in their "end of an Era" short video on their YouTube channel. No music, no commentry, just the raw background noises of the Hornets in the scenes shown.
Enjoy.
ABC Regional News also had a short news piece about the ceremony at RAAF Williamtown for the retirement of the 'Classic' Hornet, which included some footage of Easty's final display in the Hornet over the airbase. In a couple of scenes he is hidden behind the hangars as he gives his Hornet a final workout. Have not been able to find a copy of it online, yet.
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Post by mcmaster on Nov 30, 2021 16:21:30 GMT 12
The FighterWorld FB page says ...
Seven F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets will conduct a final transit into RAAF Base WLM from RAAF Base TDL today at approximately 3pm - 3.30pm. After nearly 408,000 flying hours, and more than 30 years of service, Classic Hornet aircraft will land at RAAF Base Williamtown for the last time.
In a show of thanks to the local Hunter community for their support, the aircraft will conduct a low-level coastal flight along the Worimi Conservation Lands to Newcastle foreshore and Strezlecki Lookout, before landing at the base.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 30, 2021 18:20:06 GMT 12
So what is the plan for them next? Are they off to Canada? To museums? Or being broken up?
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Post by Mustang51 on Nov 30, 2021 18:22:41 GMT 12
Guessing all three Dave. Would love to know the name of the pilot and serial number of the last Hornet to land.......
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Post by mcmaster on Nov 30, 2021 23:03:08 GMT 12
Guessing all three Dave. Would love to know the name of the pilot and serial number of the last Hornet to land....... Believe it was A21-12 going by a video I saw. Can’t help with the pilot. The Magpie bird called in a Pan and landed a bit earlier than the rest. Dave Canada has received their 18 a/c and a number already active. Seems a good lot going to museums. Of the rest 40 odd were to be going to AirUSA but not sure if that deal is off. Interestingly Malaysia is looking at some Classic models to supplement their fleet and Kuwait’s C models were touted as possibilities. Given the existing Malaysian Hornets were to be upgraded at Williamtown you’d think they might look at ours also if there are airframes available. Scramble article here on last flight www.scramble.nl/military-news/australia-says-goodbye-to-classic-hornet |
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Post by colford on Dec 3, 2021 15:23:47 GMT 12
RAAF notification posted a couple of hours ago today, about the last of the last.
A single F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet, A21-117, is flying from RAAF Base Tindal to RAAF Base Williamtown today.
The final transit of the F/A-18 A/B Classic Hornet aircraft will be flown by Wing Commander Leon Cossins, the Commanding Officer of No. 75 Squadron.
The single jet will conduct a low initial and pitch over the Base and land between 2pm and 4pm.
This is the last flight for an F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet in Australia.
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Post by Mustang51 on Dec 3, 2021 18:39:18 GMT 12
News from the Front !!! ........Hornet in Townsville and won't arrive in Williamtown until tomorrow morning due to weather. That news via Mr Hallen. Guessing a nice night in the Garbutt Officer's mess and brekkie in the Sgt's mess (better grub in there !)
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Post by colford on Dec 3, 2021 18:50:23 GMT 12
Sgt's Mess was always my go to for grab and go meals or better range of choices for meals, plus always seemed to have a better range of liquid refreshments to imbibe.
I guess there were a few disappointed photographers and spotters along the fenceline at Williamtown this afternoon.
Now, will he have a 'technical issue' enroute tomorrow which will require a quick visit to Amberley?
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Post by Mustang51 on Dec 3, 2021 19:28:21 GMT 12
Colford....you suspicious bast*rd.....Personally had many meals in both the Officer's and Sgt's Mess at Garbutt and Sgt's better by far. Had a very interesting meal on the deck there with the USAF pilots and maintainers for the Pacific Air Forces F-16 Display Team that came down to Townsville from Yakota for the show. It was made more interesting in that they were not supposed to arrive until the following day !!! Was sitting in a meeting ref the show very late in the day when a guy came in and whispered in the Air Commodore's ear. Expletives deleted, the gist was that the F-16s would be arriving in an hour....in company with an RAAF KC-30.... and all the entourage...all a day early. Bugger ! How did that happen...didn't matter. Fact was that it did. Problem. The customs guys had gone home, transport had to be organised, rooms etc. Much rushing around, the F16s flew in, KC-30 followed. 13 refuellings between Japan and Oz as no overflights of any foreign nations. Customs guys dragged back in, people processed and rooms assigned, transport organised as required....took hours and I helped as I could...Ohhhhh both Officers and Sgt's mess closed so no food. Nil Desperandum ! Senior Officers including Air Commodore grabbed a van, took off to the local pizzaria and completely bought them out of product then while waiting for the mountain of pizzas to be cooked, off to a bottleO for beers and soft drink. Very pleasant night with the USAF folk sitting on the deck eating pizza and telling lies until very, very late. "Smudge", the solo F16 driver was extremely impressed even moreso that all the food and beers etc were paid for out of the pockets of the RAAF guys not to be reimbursed....nice to look back at things like that.
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Post by colford on Dec 3, 2021 21:16:35 GMT 12
Ando, comes with the grey hairs and having "been there, done that" a few too many times to recall (which may also be a side effect of what happened way back then).
Yes, sharing drinks with thirsty aviators can lead to some truly memorable sessions. Did a few in Darwin for a few Pitch Blacks, with USMC F/A-18 drivers, French "knucks" and assorted others. Introducing a USMC Colonel to Coopers Pale Ale was fun as he had built up a mighty thirst on the flight down from Okinawa. Downed the first and liked the taste, had a couple more in quick sequence, then went to stand up from the poolside table where we had been seated drinking and talking. I think his gyros toppled and he came within a whisker of ending up in the pool. Ah, memories!
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Post by Mustang51 on Dec 3, 2021 21:32:08 GMT 12
Damn right Col.......remember some truly memorable nights at the "Jackass Junction" bar - an old Wells Fargo stagecoach station between Stockton and Manteca, California. Jack McDonald and I were there to prep and fly the Ventura back to Oz. The place was the local hang out for the Stockton Cal ANG. They mainly drank Coors Light or Bud....one night, immediately before their monthly formal parade, there was a challenge for a drinking contest. Of course international relations meant that we had to accept. Now I am not a huge beer drinker by any means and Jack is well seasoned. Coors light to me was like making love in a canoe. Rest is history. One of my best memories of the Ventura. Next night the Col of the ANG was there - remember this was also a bikie hang out. He shook our hands as the guys who wrecked his parade.....wonderful memory. I have been so lucky in what I have been able to do in aviation and what I have seen as well as the people I have met. Will not be looking for my money back on the last day !
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Post by Mustang51 on Dec 3, 2021 21:33:21 GMT 12
Sorry for the memory lane stuff..........well off topic..........
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Post by mcmaster on Dec 4, 2021 20:04:58 GMT 12
/ A21-117 made it back at last after weather delays. 75sqn CO WgCdr Cossins had the honours. Going to miss these birds. 😢 |
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Post by Mustang51 on Dec 5, 2021 9:00:10 GMT 12
Very nice to see....now perhaps as the last chapter is almost closed (here I mean we need to know the exact disposal of all machines), we can look forward to a tome on the FA-18 Hornet in the RAAF in a similar vein to "Mirage III-O Colours and Markings"
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