History:
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06APR51
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Allotted serial number A89-694. |
15AUG52
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Renumbered A89-309. |
DEC52
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Received at Richmond on delivery from the USA (exact date not shown on E/E88). Starboard prop shaft has excessive movement. |
23DEC52
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Dakota A65-104 departed Pearce for Richmond with a replacement prop for A89-309. |
06FEB53
|
Received 11SQN ex USA. |
29APR53
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Received 3AD Archerfield for storage. |
29JUL53
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11SQN requested return of aircraft. |
04SEP53
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Held at ARDU. |
18DEC53
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Issued 11SQN ex ARDU. |
18DEC53
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Under the command of FLTLT R.E. Graham, A89-309 departed Laverton at 1930 for Pearce. After approximately 90 minutes, the port engine suffered a complete loss of power. The prop was feathered and the engine was shut down. The aircraft turned back for Laverton but was unable to maintain altitude on one engine with a heavy fuel load. The aircraft was then 40 miles south of Nhill, Vic so the captain decided to make a forced landing and requested an emergency flare path. The aircraft landed safely at Nhill at 2200. (Source: 1) |
20DEC53
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Dakota A65-102 departed Pearce under the command of FLGOFF A.A. Swinbourne AFC carrying technical musterings to repair A89-309. (Source: 1) |
27DEC53
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Dakota A65-102 departed Pearce under the command of WGCDR E.C. Saunders for Forrest and Nhill with a replacement engine. On arrival in Nhill it was found that there was no suitable equipment to unload the engine so the aircraft departed for Laverton where the engine was unloaded and trucked to Nhill. (Source: 1) |
04JAN54
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A89-311 departed Pearce for Laverton under the command of FLTLT G.R. Cullen carrying a spare crew led by FLTLT C.A. Voges to ferry A89-309 back to Pearce. (Source: 1) |
06JAN54
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A89-309 (FLTLT G.R. Cullen) and A89-311 (FLTLT C.A. Voges) departed Laverton for Pearce. (Source: 1) |
MAR55
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At this time A89-309 was the only aircraft fitted with ADRIS. (Source: 1) |
18MAR55
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The aircraft was allotted to 2AD for Neptune Modification 40, the trial installation of a British sonobuoy system. However 11SQN requested that the allotment be deferred pending a conference on Neptune fitment at Department of Air on 08MAR55. (Source: 1 & 2) |
14APR55
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Above allotment cancelled. (Source: 2) |
26MAY55
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"Verbal advice received from W/Cdr Barrett at Department of Air that this aircraft has been selected for operations in Malaya." Aircraft selected were A89-303, 309, 310, 311 and 312. There is no further mention of Malaya so evidently these plans were dropped. (Source: 2) |
22MAR56
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Wing tip nacelles damaged in a storm at Richmond. |
25JUL56
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Port undercarriage retracted prior to engine start. Propeller damaged. |
Mark
2 Conversion
|
|
23APR57
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Received at 2AD ex 11SQN for "servicing, retro mod and painting" |
29OCT58
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Received at 11SQN ex 2AD. |
Mark
4 Conversion
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|
24AUG59
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Departed for USA for Jet Pod Mod. |
29DEC59
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Returned from the USA. |
05MAR60
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Received CAC, Avalon for Mod 208. |
11APR60
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Despatched to 11SQN ex CAC. |
28JUL61
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Received CAC, Avalon for Mod 201. |
18AUG61
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Received 11SQN ex CAC. |
JAN65
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The name "Pussy Galore" would have been applied to the aeroplane around this time. |
18MAY66
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Four Neptunes departed Richmond for NAS Sangley Point in the Philippines via Townsville, Port Moresby and Guam for SEATO Exercise SEA IMP. The aircraft were A89-304, 306, 307 and 309. |
30MAY66
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The four aircraft flew from Sangley Point to Butterworth to continue Exercise SEA IMP. |
07JUN66
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A89-306, 307 and 309 departed Butterworth for overnight stops at Cocos Island and Pearce returning to Richmond on 09JUN66. A89-304 departed for Bangkok for the SEA IMP debrief departing for Butterworth on 09JUN66 returning to Richmond via Cocos Island and Pearce on 12JUN66. |
10MAR67
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Three aircraft departed Richmond for Darwin (overnight) and NAS Sangley Point, Philippines for SEATO Exercise SIYASAT. The aircraft were A89-309, 311 and 312. The aircraft arrived at Sangley Point on 11MAR67 with A89-309 making an emergency landing with main hydraulic system failure. |
16MAR67
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A89-311 and A89-312 participated with other nation's aircraft in a flypast for President Marcos. |
17MAR67
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A89-309, 311 and 312 departed Sangley Point for Darwin (overnight) returning to Richmond on 18MAR67. |
25SEP67
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A89-309 and 307 participated in the search for the pilot of Mirage III A3-52 which crashed at Gloucester, NSW. The pilot ejected and was rescued with only minor injuries. These are amongst the last recorded Neptune operation in the 11SQN ORB but evidently not all flights were recorded as the Squadron was preoccupied with the introduction of the P-3B Orion. |
15DEC67
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Received at Hawker de Havilland, Bankstown for storage pending a disposal decision. |
19APR68
|
Hawker de Havilland advised to convert aircraft to components and declare residue for disposal. |
12FEB69
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Aircraft was 65% converted by this date. |
JUN69
|
Tenders closed for the removal of the aircraft ex Hawker de Havilland. The aircraft was subsequently scrapped at Bankstown. |
Notes
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SOURCES
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|
1
|
NAA, Series A9186, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 11 Squadron Nov 50 - Jun 67 |
2
|
Aircraft Record Cards (aka Status Cards) Form E/E.88 |
Issue | Date | Remarks |
---|---|---|
13 | 09AUG22 |
Added
an image thanks to Eric Allen.
|
12 | 02NOV21 |
Added
a reference to operations in Malaya at 26MAY55 and other references
at 23APR57 and 29OCT58.
|
11 | 10JUN19 |
Added
a reference to Exercise Sea Imp in MAY-JUN66.
Added a reference to Exercise Siysat in MAR67. |
10 | 09JUN19 |
Added
a reference at 25SEP67.
|
9 | 29JAN19 |
Added
details of the forced landing at Nhill on 18DEC53 from Source:
1. Note: This incident was previously shown incorrectly as
18SEP53.
|
8 | 04JAN19 |
Added
a glorious air-to-air portrait
thanks to Maurice Ritchie.
|
7 | 02MAR16 | |
6 | 27FEB16 |
Added
an image thanks to Maurice Ritchie.
|
5 | 20NOV15 |
Added
a reference to the Malayan Emergency 1950-60.
|
4 | 05NOV15 |
Added
return date from the Jet Pod Mod.
Added an image thanks to John Bennett. |
3 | 30JUL14 |
Added
an image thanks to Les Golder.
|
2 | 17JUL13 |
Added
a reference to a double engine change at Nhill on 18SEP53.
Thanks to Bob Wylie.
|
1 | 24NOV02 |
Original
issue.
|