CAC Mustang – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB27/04/202204/06/2023

The Aircraft Projects of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation

This new book by author and AHSA member Joe Vella has just been published (April 2022). Joe began writing this book in 1983 when...

DerekB29/09/202027/12/2022

Australian-built Aircraft and the Industry (Vol 2) by Keith Meggs

The latest book released by author Keith Meggs Volume 2 of this encyclopaedic work (containing only one chapter, being chapter 15, spread across two...

1945 No. 460 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force was disbanded on 2 October 1945. Initially equipped with twin-engined Wellingtons, the Squadron was formed in England in November 1941 as a Unit of the Royal Air Force's Bomber Command. After briefly converting to Halifaxes, the Squadron was re-equipped with Lancaster heavy bombers in October 1942. Lancaster operations began in November with the majority of missions being flown against heavily defended targets in the Ruhr Valley and Berlin. In June 1943, the Unit dispatched twenty-seven Lancasters against Dusseldorf - setting an Bomber Command Squadron record. Two months later, No 460 Squadron became the first Bomber Command squadron fly 1,000 sorties in Lancasters. This extraordinary rate of effort was only possible through the dedicated efforts of ground staff, who maintained one of the highest serviceability rates within Bomber Command. The Squadron flew its last mission of the War in April 1945 when twenty Lancasters destroyed Hitler's mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden. After Germany's surrender, the Squadron flew Allied POWs from Germany and dropped food to starving civilians in The Netherlands. Source: airforce.gov.au

1994 Rockwell Aero Commander 690B VH-SVQ operated by Seaview Air crashed between Williamtown, NSW and Lord Howe Island, 2 October 1994. The flight was planned as a regular public transport flight from Williamtown to Lord Howe Island. After departure, the pilot reported to Sydney Flight Service that he intended climbing to flight level 230. However, as the aircraft passed flight level 200 the pilot advised flight service that he was now climbing to flight level 210. The pilot did not report at the first scheduled position code named 'Shark' on time, but subsequently advised that he was descending to flight level 130. Shortly afterwards, the pilot reported having crossed 'Shark' and provided an estimate for the next scheduled position, 'Shrimp'. He also stated at this time that the aircraft was maintaining flight level 160. No further communications were recorded by Air Traffic Services from the aircraft. However, during the above period the pilot was in radio communication with two other company aircraft, both bound for Lord Howe Island. One aircraft was crewed by the company managing director and the company chief pilot. When Sydney Flight Service did not receive the 'Shrimp' position report communications checks were commenced, and following the failure of these checks to establish contact with the aircraft, a search-and-rescue uncertainty phase was declared. After the managing director arrived at Lord Howe Island he contacted Melbourne Rescue Co-ordination Centre in response to a request from that centre and inquired about the aircraft. The crews of both other company aircraft subsequently reported hearing a radio transmission from the pilot of VH-SVQ stating that he had 'lost it'. An extensive air and sea search failed to locate the aircraft or its occupants. Only a small number of pieces of the aircraft were found floating on the sea surface. The investigation determined that the flight was not a regular public transport flight as the company did not hold the required approval from the New South Wales Air Transport Council to operate such flights over the Williamtown to Lord Howe Island route. There were 9 fatalities. Source: ATSB investigation number 199402804; aviation-safety.net website

2019 The new No. 36 Squadron C-17A hangar facility at RAAF Base Amberley was officially opened on 2 October 2019 by Senior Engineering Officer, SQNLDR Evan Smith with ribbon-cutting assistance by LAC Douglas Lovett. Following project approval in 2015, construction of the hangar began in March 2017 and was one of many significant infrastructure projects underway on base regularly awarded to local Defence Industry partners. Source: Official RAAF Facebook.