DC-3 – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB10/03/202511/05/2025

Ticket sales have closed for the DC-3 flights from Essendon to Ballarat 17 & 18 May 2025

The Ballarat branch of the Air Force Association (BAFA) is chartering the Shortstop Jetcharter (SJC) Douglas DC-3 VH-OVM to operate Essendon-Ballarat return flights on...

1947 Bristol Beaufighter TT Mk 21 A8-356 operated by TT&SD Flight RAAF crashed near Clarendon, NSW, 3 miles from RAAF Richmond, New South Wales on 29 July 1947. The aircraft was on a radar calibration flight when problems developed in an engine. Whilst returning to Richmond NSW at about 4pm, the aircraft entered a spiral dive from 4000 feet, one engine detached and the aircraft crashed near Clarendon. Pilot WOFF H.R. Stevens was killed. This was the last fatality in a Beaufighter (Parnell p.76). Sources: ADF-Serials, aviation-safety.net website

1951 RAAF No. 77 Squadron flew the RAAF’s first combat jet mission, in the Korean War on 29 July 1951. Originally deployed with Mustangs in July 1950, the Squadron quickly found that with the introduction of the Russian MiG 15 jet fighters after China entered the war, they would need an equivalent jet aircraft. In May 1951, the Squadron transitioned to the Gloster Meteor Mk8 jet fighter. While it was an older aircraft than the MiG-15, it was thought the Meteor could hold its own in combat. On 29 July 1951, 77 Squadron conduted its first operational missions with the new Meteor aircraft with sixteen aircraft, comprising two flights of eight aircraft each, conducting a fighter sweep parallel to the Yalu River in the region of Sonch’on and Chongju led by SQNLDR Dick Cresswell. The aircraft remained in the area at a height of 30,000 ft to 33,000 ft for 30 minutes and although enemy MIG 15’s were reportedly in the area at the time, no sightings were observed. By late August, the Meteors were engaging the MiG-15 aircraft and were quickly becoming outclassed by the more capable Russian built fighter. The MiG-15s were faster, had a better rate of climb and were more manoeuvrable. By the end of 1951, the 77 Squadron Meteors were withdrawn from air defence missions and re-rolled into a ground attack role. Source: RAAF