Royal
Australian Air Force 
Newest data shown in red January 12, 2021
RAAF Caribou Overseas
Click to enlarge the photos
| During 1965, Caribous from the 38 Squadron were regularly, if temporarily, based in in Papua New Guinea (PNG) then an Australian Territory since the end of World War I. Mainly for flying duties and working with the Australian Army. On October 18, 1965 the 38 Squadron had two Caribous assigned to Detachment "A" at Port Moresby, PNG. Detachment "A" stayed in PNG until late 1975 when PNG gained independence as a new nation. In the 10 years Detachment "A" flew 26,500 hours. During this time frame 3 Caribous were written off. |
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38 Squadron’s Detachment ‘A’ at Port Moresby,
PNG,
January 1967. (Gareth Kimberley) >>> The pilots at 38 Squadron’s Detachment ‘A’ at Jackson’s Field, Port Moresby, January 1967. |
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The attached map shows Papua New Guinea and the locations of the 3 Caribous that crashed there over the ten years between 1965 and 1975. |
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<<< A4-199 (cn# 199) in flight over PNG.
(Gareth Kimberley) |
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<<<An 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) |
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<<< 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.T he aerial view (left) from the south gives you the overall perspective. (Terry Barker) |
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Papua New Guinea (1976 - 2009)
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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. |
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| Warwick son took these photos of A4-285 | |||||
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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) |
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United Nations Service (1975 - 1978)
In February,
1975 Australia announced it would provide a Caribou aircraft to
support of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and
Pakistan (UNMOGIP). Aircraft from the 38 Squadron would get the duty
an operate as Detachment "B". The single Caribou detachment base
would alternated between Rawlpindi, Pakistan between May and
October) and Srinigar, India for the other six months of the year.
On March 4, 1975 A4-199 departed Richmond for India painted white
with blue United Nations marking. The Caribou sortie was flown On
April 1, 1975.
Three Caribous were involved in the UNMOGIP operation.
A4-199, A4-152, A4-264 . Each Caribou was assigned a four month
rotation.
Eeach Caribou serviced three tours with UNMOGIP .
A4-264 flow the last sortie on December 30, 1978. It returned to
Richmond AB in January, 1979.
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<<< Three
of the RAAF 38th Squadron that were painted white for United Nation
duty. ( Date and location unknown) >>> 38 Squadron Detachment "B" UNMOGIP patch |
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EAST TIMOR (1975)
| The story of the hijack of RAAF Caribou A4-140. Click on this to see the article from Radschool Association Magazine, Volume 58 |
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<<< A4-140 on the tarmac
at Dili airfield, East Timor with Red Cross markings. >>> A4-199 the replacement for A4-140 in white paint with Red Cross markings. |
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| You are on RAAF Caribou Section 6 - page 1 | ||
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