RAAFcv2

Royal Australian Air Force

Newest data shown in red February 17, 2018

RAAF Caribou Overseas

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EAST TIMOR

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Map of East Timor

During the 1999 conflict in East Timor, 35 & 38 Squadrons provided aircraft and personnel to form a short range tactical transport unit under INTERFET control known as 86Wing Detachment 'C' (86WGDETC). Using 4 aircraft, 86WGDETC demonstrated the outstanding versatility and capability of the Caribou once again by continually completing missions in appalling weather conditions that often kept other air assets grounded. Crews flew full crew duty days and drew high praise from 'customers' for their attitude, skills and professionalism. Of course none of this would have happened without the tireless support of our groundcrew and support staff who performed miracles under the most austere conditions. With the transition from INTERFET to UNTAET on 23Feb00, 86WGDETC was reduced in size to 2 aircraft and will continue to operate in East Timor until at least February 2001 and possibly beyond. (All the photos on this page were provided by Warrant Officer Rod Cairns of the RAAF 38 SQN.)

<<< A4-152 (c/n # 152) & 236 (c/n #236) share the hardstand at Suai on the south coast of East Timor.

>>> A4-152 and a Landrover 110 on 'Pad Charlie', 86Wing Detachment C's operating base at Comoro Airport Dili East Timor.

<<< A4-152 on 'Pad Charlie"

>>> A4-152 & 236 on 'Pad Charlie' against the hills of Dili

<<< A4-236 at Cakung Airport Baucau East Timor

>>> A4-236 on the loading apron at Comoro Airport awaiting another load. The mud on the fuselage is typical of wet season operations into the dirt strips at Maliana, Los Palos and the Oecussi Enclave

<<< A4-152 delivers mail and passengers to Maliana airstrip in East Timor. The M113A1 providing security is operated by 5/7 Bn Royal Australian Regiment who were based in the township

>>> A unit photo of 86Wing Det C, February 2000

<<< 3 Caribou form up to join a flypast saluting MAJGEN Peter Cosgrove departing Dili East Timor (on board HMAS Jervis Bay) marking the transition from INTERFET to UNTAET 23 Feb 2000.

>>> Short finals to the strip at the Oecussi Enclave

<<< A mixed load from Suai to Dili East Timor including passengers, mail and 2 local children suffering serious illness. They are attended by tri-service ADF aeromedical staff enroute to the UN hospital in Dili

>>> Rod with some local kids prior to engine start at Oecussi

**Click on map to enlarge**
Map of East Timor

<<< RAAF Caribou landing at Maliana, East Timor date unknown. (Jeff Heggaton)

>>> RAAF A4-199 (c/n # 199) in East Timor date unknown (RAAF)

SGT Andrew "Budge" Newman sent these photos of the early deployment days to East Timor with RAAF, in October 1999

<<< "Budge" next to Caribou A4-285 (c/n # 285) at Baucan airfield in East Timor

>>> Caribou being unloaded with RAAF UH-60 landing

<<< RAAF Caribou parked next to runway 03 at Baucan

RAAF Caribou refueling (hose in the grass) at Baucan >>>

<<< Aircraft maintenance tent at Baucan >>>

A massive storm approaching Baucan airfield with a RAAF C-130 on the ramp

Indonesia

A4-204 photos taken at dawn February 10, 1982 on Manado airfield in Indonesia - volcano in the background. Crew - S/L Rags Redman, F/O Julian Bowditch, SGT Charlie Ramsay, Ken McGowan, Nigel Vonberg (steward). We were transporting the then Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rawdon Dalrymple & party.

MALAYSIA

<<< RAAF Caribou A4-204 (c/n # 204) on the ramp at the Butterworth, Malaysia with a RAAF Mirage and UH-1H in 1981 (Wal Nelowkin)
>>> RAAF Caribou A4-204 (c/n # 204) on the ramp at the Butterworth, Malaysia with a RAAF UH-1H in 1982 (Wal Nelowkin)

<<< RAAF Caribou A4-204 (c/n # 204) on the ramp at the Butterworth, Malaysia in 1982 (Wal Nelowkin)

>>> Top view of Unidentified Caribou operated by Transport Support Flight RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia. Wal took this photo with a Pentax with 5x telephoto lens, during a Base Air Display on 30 Apr 1981.

No 478 Maintenance Squadron, RAAF Butterworth, Malaysia had a Commanding Officers 'Change of Command' parade on 16 June 1981. Aircraft maintained by the Squadron were used as a backdrop to a Squadron Photo taken that day. The aircraft included A4-199 operated by Transport Support Flight (TSF). Photos include SAR UH-1H A2-509, Mirage IIIO A3-38 and Mirage IIID A3-103. (Wal Nelowkin)

>>> Caribou on loan to support the 79 Squadron (Chas Van Hulsentop)

<<< A4-85 of NO. 35 Squadron RAAF in flight over Malaysia on July, 1964. (Australia War Memorial)

The 4 photos below were taken by Squadron leader Bob (Rags) Redman, OIC Transport Support Flight 1981/2. The Flight operated two Caribous, mainly for SAR and Head of Mission Tours in Malaysia and neighbouring countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The Flight's two UH-1H Iroquois helicopters provided SAR for the Base (including Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft.) The RAAF operated two Squadrons of Mirages (3 Squadron and 75 Squadron) at Butterworth at the time, in support of the Integrated Air Defence System (IADS), as part of the regional Five Power Defence Arrangement.

New Zealand

A4-275 (cn # 275) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 7, 2007 (Matt Hayes)

A4-275 (cn # 275) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 7, 2007 (Glen Reid)

<<< A4-210 (cn # 210) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 17, 2007 (Kevin Hayes)
>>> A4-275 (cn # 275) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 8, 2007 (Colin Hunter)      A bit more info on the photo you will see in the back ground the green vegitation of grape vines which have water piped to them and get 4 litres each per day hence there very green look. The hills in the back ground on the other hand have had no rain in many months. Marlborough is a very productive premium wine region in New Zealand and most of the produce is exported.

<<< A4-234 (c/n # 234) shares the tarmac with Andovers at RNZAF Whenuapi in Auckland New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

<<< Terry Barker was a Bou pilot with the RAAF who flow many times into the strip at Guari.

The strip is 600m long (about 2,000ft) and is almost 6,100ft above sea level.

>>> The one-way strip is 30 / 12, with a 6.4% slope down to the NW. It is on a spur line, at 8min 3sec South, 146min

52 sec East

. The aerial view (left) from the south gives you the overall perspective. (Terry Barker)

<<<Another shot of a RAAF Caribou landing at Guari. (Ian Sutherland)

>>> RAAF Caribou operating out of Mende, Papua New Guinea during famine relief operations, Oct. 1972   (Denis Hersey -Australian - DPAO)

While trekking the Kokoda Track near Efogi in Papua New Guinea around September 18, 2008 ,Warwick Duncan came across RAAF A4-285. 285 suffered severe damage to its left wing and upper fuselage in August, 2008. The aircraft was later cut up and shipped back to Australia.

Warwick son took these photos of A4-285

RAAF Papus New Guinea familiarisation flights would sometimes manage an overnight at the Bensbach Lodge. While fishing downstream from the lodge one day a Caribou flew low overhead heading down the Bensbach River at the same time as a flock of pelicans, a few hundred metres further downstream, took off into the Caribou's flightpath. You can see the damage to the right wing of A4-210 (upper right photo). Next day another Caribou flew up from Townsville and patched up the first Caribou and they both flew back to Oz. (Date and photographer unknown)

Philippines

Photos of A4-204 taken at dawn March 2, 1982 on Baguio airfield in The Philippines.   Crew S/L Bob "Rags" Redman, F/O Rohan Sharples, SGT Al Pickering, Greg Caroll, Pete Guetjes.   We were transporting the then Australian Ambassador to The Philippines, Richard Woolcott & party. (Photo taken by Bob (Rags) Redman)

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	<<< A4-152 (c/n # 152) & 236 (c/n #236) share the hardstand at Suai on the south coast of East Timor. >>> A4-152 and a Landrover 110 on 'Pad Charlie', 86Wing Detachment C's operating base at Comoro Airport Dili East Timor.
	<<< A4-152 on 'Pad Charlie" >>> A4-152 & 236 on 'Pad Charlie' against the hills of Dili
	<<< A4-236 at Cakung Airport Baucau East Timor >>> A4-236 on the loading apron at Comoro Airport awaiting another load. The mud on the fuselage is typical of wet season operations into the dirt strips at Maliana, Los Palos and the Oecussi Enclave
	<<< A4-152 delivers mail and passengers to Maliana airstrip in East Timor. The M113A1 providing security is operated by 5/7 Bn Royal Australian Regiment who were based in the township >>> A unit photo of 86Wing Det C, February 2000
	<<< 3 Caribou form up to join a flypast saluting MAJGEN Peter Cosgrove departing Dili East Timor (on board HMAS Jervis Bay) marking the transition from INTERFET to UNTAET 23 Feb 2000. >>> Short finals to the strip at the Oecussi Enclave
	<<< A mixed load from Suai to Dili East Timor including passengers, mail and 2 local children suffering serious illness. They are attended by tri-service ADF aeromedical staff enroute to the UN hospital in Dili >>> Rod with some local kids prior to engine start at Oecussi

SGT Andrew "Budge" Newman sent these photos of the early deployment days to East Timor with RAAF, in October 1999
	<<< "Budge" next to Caribou A4-285 (c/n # 285) at Baucan airfield in East Timor >>> Caribou being unloaded with RAAF UH-60 landing
	<<< RAAF Caribou parked next to runway 03 at Baucan RAAF Caribou refueling (hose in the grass) at Baucan >>>
	<<< Aircraft maintenance tent at Baucan >>>
	A massive storm approaching Baucan airfield with a RAAF C-130 on the ramp

	<<< RAAF Caribou A4-204 (c/n # 204) on the ramp at the Butterworth, Malaysia with a RAAF Mirage and UH-1H in 1981 (Wal Nelowkin) >>> RAAF Caribou A4-204 (c/n # 204) on the ramp at the Butterworth, Malaysia with a RAAF UH-1H in 1982 (Wal Nelowkin)
	<<< RAAF Caribou A4-204 (c/n # 204) on the ramp at the Butterworth, Malaysia in 1982 (Wal Nelowkin) >>> Top view of Unidentified Caribou operated by Transport Support Flight RAAF Base Butterworth, Malaysia. Wal took this photo with a Pentax with 5x telephoto lens, during a Base Air Display on 30 Apr 1981.

	No 478 Maintenance Squadron, RAAF Butterworth, Malaysia had a Commanding Officers 'Change of Command' parade on 16 June 1981. Aircraft maintained by the Squadron were used as a backdrop to a Squadron Photo taken that day. The aircraft included A4-199 operated by Transport Support Flight (TSF). Photos include SAR UH-1H A2-509, Mirage IIIO A3-38 and Mirage IIID A3-103. (Wal Nelowkin) >>> Caribou on loan to support the 79 Squadron (Chas Van Hulsentop)
	<<< A4-85 of NO. 35 Squadron RAAF in flight over Malaysia on July, 1964. (Australia War Memorial)

The 4 photos below were taken by Squadron leader Bob (Rags) Redman, OIC Transport Support Flight 1981/2. The Flight operated two Caribous, mainly for SAR and Head of Mission Tours in Malaysia and neighbouring countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The Flight's two UH-1H Iroquois helicopters provided SAR for the Base (including Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft.) The RAAF operated two Squadrons of Mirages (3 Squadron and 75 Squadron) at Butterworth at the time, in support of the Integrated Air Defence System (IADS), as part of the regional Five Power Defence Arrangement.

	A4-275 (cn # 275) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 7, 2007 (Glen Reid)
	<<< A4-210 (cn # 210) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 17, 2007 (Kevin Hayes) >>> A4-275 (cn # 275) at Omaka, New Zealand on April 8, 2007 (Colin Hunter) A bit more info on the photo you will see in the back ground the green vegitation of grape vines which have water piped to them and get 4 litres each per day hence there very green look. The hills in the back ground on the other hand have had no rain in many months. Marlborough is a very productive premium wine region in New Zealand and most of the produce is exported.
	<<< A4-234 (c/n # 234) shares the tarmac with Andovers at RNZAF Whenuapi in Auckland New Zealand

		While trekking the Kokoda Track near Efogi in Papua New Guinea around September 18, 2008 ,Warwick Duncan came across RAAF A4-285. 285 suffered severe damage to its left wing and upper fuselage in August, 2008. The aircraft was later cut up and shipped back to Australia.

Warwick son took these photos of A4-285

	RAAF Papus New Guinea familiarisation flights would sometimes manage an overnight at the Bensbach Lodge. While fishing downstream from the lodge one day a Caribou flew low overhead heading down the Bensbach River at the same time as a flock of pelicans, a few hundred metres further downstream, took off into the Caribou's flightpath. You can see the damage to the right wing of A4-210 (upper right photo). Next day another Caribou flew up from Townsville and patched up the first Caribou and they both flew back to Oz. (Date and photographer unknown)