021 2 WINTER WINGS NO.2 73 VOLUME SHOOTING STAR PHANTOMS IN VIETNAM AMERICA’S FIRST SUCCESSFUL JET AN AUSSIE PILOT'S EXPERIENCE MASTERY OF THE AIR THE RAAF IN WORLD WAR II SECRET FLIGHTS CATALINAS ON THE DANGEROUS 'DOUBLE SUNRISE' ROUTE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE defencebank.com.au Special 1800 033 139 edition AF100 Visa Debit card. To celebrate the 100 Year Anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force, we have launched our special edition Defence Bank AF100 Visa Debit card. Scan the QR code or visit our website for full details. Defence Bank Limited ABN 57 087 651 385 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 234582. CONTENTS. defencebank.com.au ON THE COVER 1800 033 139 Consolidated PBY Catalina Flying boat VH-PBZ wearing the famous RAAF World War II Black Cat livery. Special Photo: Ryan Fletcher / Shutterstock.com 38 WINGS TEAM WINGS MANAGER Ron Haack EDITOR Sandy McPhie ART DIRECTOR Katie Monin SENIOR ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE CONTENTS Sue Guymer ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Phil Whiteman wings WINTER 2021 volume 73 / NO.2 edition ASSISTANT EDITORS Mike Nelmes (history) 4 WELCOME MESSAGE John Kindler AO AFC (industry news) 5 MANAGER’S MESSAGE & LETTERS Bob Treloar AO MiD (military aviation) 6 MILITARY AVIATION AF100 Visa Debit card. 12 PRESIDENT'S DESK & CONTACT ASSOCIATION NEWS E [email protected] W wingsmagazine.org 16 INDUSTRY NEWS A RAAFANSW Publications Pty Ltd 22 A GLOBAL WAR To celebrate the 100 Year Anniversary Salamander Bay LPO, PO Box 656 History of the RAAF, part 2 Salamander Bay 2317 30 COMBAT EXPERIENCE of the Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Phantoms in Vietnam PRINTED BY: WHO Printing, Regional Printer we have launched our special edition of the Year, National Print Awards 2020. 35 MCNAMARA VC: A HEROIC RESCUE WWI Victoria Cross recipient Defence Bank AF100 Visa Debit card. DIGITAL EDITION 36 AUSSIE PILOT NUMBER ONE To read this publication online, or subscribe Australia’s first aviator 30 to the print issue, go to wingsmagazine.org 37 A LONG WAY FROM MULLEWA Scan the QR code or visit Flight Sergeant George Olsen FACEBOOK 38 CENTREFOLD our website for full details. Wings on Facebook, go to facebook.com/ Pull out and keep WingsMagazineRAAFAPublications 40 GUARDING THE NORTH RAAF Base Townsville DISCLAIMER 42 ANZACS, SUNBEAMS & DEWDROPS Information in the articles in this magazine was current at time RAAF Apprentice Training Scheme of publication but more recent developments should be checked 45 AMERICA’S FIRST SUCCESSFUL JET with the relevant Defence and other authorities for currency and Lockheed’s Skunk Works, part 3 any changes to conditions. Content appearing in this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or have the endorsement 50 SETTING THE AUSTRALIAN RECORD of the Department of Defence or the publisher. While every effort Land speed record attempt, part 2 has been made to ensure accuracy and currency in the articles presented, reliance should not be placed on the information 54 QANTAS AT WAR contained without reference to the relevant authorities. No part Qantas history, part 3 of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent 60 INSPIRING STORIES of RAAFANSW Publications. No responsibility is accepted by the Qantas Founders Museum publisher for the accuracy of advertisements or information. 64 MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP 67 PERSONAL FINANCE 70 CADETS NEWS 73 LAST FLIGHT AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION 74 BOOK REVIEWS Defence Bank Limited ABN 57 087 651 385 42 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 234582. WINGS VOLUME 73 NO.2 | 03 WELCOME. SADFO RAAF BASE TOWNSVILLE MESSAGE FROM We continue to serve and guard the north. While we acknowledge the service and sacrifice of those who came before us, we could not RAAF Base townsville achieve our daily mission if not for the dedication of the 1,500 women and men of the RAAF, Army, Australian Public Service and contractors who call HIS IS A SIGNIFICANT RAAF Base Townsville home today. YEAR for the Air Force as All these people are a reflection of the we celebrate 100 years of community we serve and represent. service to our nation. Wing Commander Mat Green TThe theme of our celebration is Then, Senior Australian Defence Force Officer Now and Always. RAAF Base Townsville In 1939, the Townsville City Council gifted the airport to Defence and in 1940 Air Base Garbutt was formed, officially known today as RAAF Base Townsville. THE AUSTRALIAN AIR Our traditional custodians, the Bindal FORCE ASSOCIATION and Wulgurukaba people, also played NATIONAL PRESIDENT a crucial role in the establishment of Carl Schiller OAM, CSM the RAAF base and it is important NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT to acknowledge the assistance and Sharon Bown support they provided in that process NATIONAL SECRETARY Peter Colliver OAM and that they continue to provide. [email protected] The air base grew quickly in the NATIONAL TREASURER early years as the war in the Pacific Robbie Robertson intensified. At one point, there were SPECIAL PROJECTS five separate airfields in Townsville, Peter McDermott AM, CSC with aircraft and maintenance hangars located all around the town. Townsville played host to the largest detachment JOIN THE AIR FORCE of US aircraft outside of the United ASSOCIATION States. General MacArthur regularly To join the Association, visit raafa.org and flew in and out of the base. follow the JOIN US link. For assistance, Many of our main city roads were contact the Association by phone or email. See page 15 for contact details. once runways and access points to large aircraft hangars and tarmacs. - WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN - PLEASE CONTACT PHIL WHITEMAN 0434 524 473 / [email protected] 04 | WINTER 2021 LETTERS. MANAGER'S MESSAGE Readers, a belated mea culpa to correct a few omissions and errors in the RAAF Base Wagga feature (‘Home of the Airman’) published in our Summer 2020 edition. SQNLDR Nigel Webster bought the errors to our attention and a close colleague also lamented our omission of the RAAF Apprentice Scheme and promised to prepare an article on the scheme for future publication (see his letter to the editor, right). A brief description of the apprentice scheme was included in WAGGA the draft material but overlooked in the editorial process. We have included APPRENTICES Your Summer 2020 Edition of Wings the promised article in this edition, turn (Volume 72 No.4) included an article to page 42. the RAAF School of Administration and on RAAF Base Wagga ‘Home of the Other errors in the RAAF Base Wagga Logistics Training, not RAAF School of Airman’. The article detailed the early feature readers may wish to note are: Technical Training as published. use of RAAF Wagga during World War ll • No.5 Operational Training Unit was We appreciate our sharp-eyed audience and post-war development, including formed on 26 October 1942 not bringing errors and omissions to our the establishment of the RAAF School 26 January as published. attention and encourage all readers of Technical Training in 1950. However, • The network of World War II bases to contribute letters to the editor and nowhere in your article is the RAAF in the Riverina should have included offer suggestions for development and Apprentice Scheme mentioned. More Cootamundra. improvement of the magazine. than 5,000 aircraft apprentices trained at • Static display aircraft at the Aviation Please enjoy our latest edition. RAAF Wagga between 1948 and 1993 Heritage Centre include Canberra and moved on to aircraft depots and Bomber, Macchi Trainer, Meteor, Ron Haack squadrons as fitters and technicians. F-111C fighter/bomber and a Wings magazine manager A couple of my apprentice mates have Mirage fighter. agreed to write a history of the RAAF • Heritage Centre opening hours are • Please send letters to Apprentice Scheme for your next Wings Saturday to Thursday 10am-4pm; [email protected], magazine. Should you run our article, closed Fridays unless by appointment. including your name and details. your oversight will be forgiven. • Training for Airforce specialists in Letters may be edited for length logistics and personnel capability and clarity. Harry Howard, Cowra, NSW management is provided through (No.19 apprentice intake) THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AND WINGS GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF VIRGIN AUSTRALIA SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE WINGS VOLUME 73 NO.2 | 5 MILITARY. AVIATION EDITED BY Bob Treloar Royal visit QUEEN ELIZABETH COMMEMORATED the 100th anniversary of the Air Force by visiting the Commonwealth War Grave Commission Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede, Surrey, UK. A wreath was laid on the Queen's behalf, followed by a viewing of displays in honour of the Australian airmen who gave their lives in the two World Wars and a meeting with RAAF personnel. The Queen acknowledged RAAF's contributions over the past 100 years, One of each RAAF aircraft in service, represented at RAAF Base Amberley. including the loss of 3,486 Australians who died fighting in the skies over Europe during World War II. Centenary In a formal statement, she said she was delighted to congratulate the RAAF. “As one of the oldest Air Forces in the world, it is fitting to pay tribute to commemorations the efficiency, skill and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in its ranks, in Australia and overseas, ON 31 MARCH, the Air Force celebrated during the past one hundred years,” its centenary. The milestone was marked she said. “Throughout my reign, the with a range of events at bases around Royal Australian Air Force has shown the country and a ceremonial parade immense dedication to duty and on the grounds of Government House defended our freedom in many conflicts in Canberra to present a new Queens around the world.” Colour in company with all the individual The Runnymede memorial unit colours and banners.