Mirage 111 at Wangaratta

[nomorecatering]

Droped in to Wang the other da and saw a Marage 111 Ex RAAF parked there. here seems to be a kero smell comming from the jet pipe so i assume it has at least been run recently.

Does it fly

Who owns it,

Whats its future.


Seems it would be quite a hot ship for a plaything.

[PLovett]

Cannot imagine anyone short of the Loweys having the cash to run a Mirage 111, nor can I imagine CASA giving approval either. :{

[VH-XXX]

Why would CASA not give approval for a Mirage to operate considering that they allow L39's etc ? (serious question)

[training wheels]

There's a company that does vintage aircraft restorations out at Wangaratta aerodrome, so it was probably there for that.

[gassed budgie]

It's been sitting at Wang for a while now.

[Tiger35]

The Mirage has been there since my last visit in the 1990's. I've got photos of it there in about 1993, but not on this computer.

It won't fly again and the engine is unlikely to be run again because of the high chance of a fire in the burner can from an "over-rich" start, a regular occurrence in RAAF ops, hence the rubbish bin full of water on standby at every start.

The kero smell was probably someone washing some grease or oil stains off with kero, or an enthusiastic curator keen to keep the punters hopeful.

Why would you want to fly a complex military aircraft that was designed with an ejection seat, a drag chute and was required to be operated off an ATC manned and protected airfield with a crash barrier and full fire service......from a small civilian airfield with no facilities and no restrictions on which Tom, Dick or Harry could just cut you off in the circuit at 90kts when you are still slowing down to 210kts at high alpha on final?

The L39 flies at speeds similar enough to normal aircraft speeds in the circuit to be safe.

The Mirage doesn't start flying until way faster than normal aircraft and it stops flying while still well above normal aircraft speeds.

I'd love to see one fly again too, but it won't happen.

[Fantome]

ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING

History
Not since the era of the Spitfire, has any single aircraft captured the hearts and imaginations of fighter pilots like the English Electric Lightning. Undoubtedly Britain’s most charismatic and best-loved jet fighter, this supersonic cold war jet interceptor is powered by Rolls Royce Avon 302 afterburning turbojet engines and is capable of supersonic performance in most flight conditions.

The Lightning is known for its vertical climb performance and it still holds a number of world climb-to-altitude records. It is capable of Mach 2.2 (1500 m.p.h.) and an initial climb rate of 50,000 feet per minute.


In South Africa Thunder City operates the last two serviceable twin engined two-seater (side-by-side) supersonic cold war jet-interceptor Lightnings in the world, together with two single seater F6 that is primarily used for aerobatic displays at air shows.

This jet legend aircraft will change you forever – just as your perception of the earth will change when you see its curvature. Especially after climbing to 50,000 feet - in one minute!

Powerplant
Two 16,300 lb. After burning Rolls Royce Avon 30201 turbojets
Weights
Max. take-off 18,900 kg (41,700 lb.)
Maximum velocity
Mach 2 at 15,000 feet
Dimensions Wing span
10.61m
Length
16.84m
Height
5.97m
Crew
2
Ceiling
60,000 feet plus

From Thunder City's website. If you've got the money, sonny.

[Tiger35]

You can't compare a real fighter like the Mirage with a very limited capability and short range INTERCEPTOR like that pommy heap of rubbish, no matter how impressive its vertical performance is with next to no fuel in its guts.

[Wally Mk2]

"Tigs" is right it's been there for yonks! Shall never fly (although ya never know!:})
Can't imagine the boffins letting it fly without an escort ahead of, (like the first iron horse powered automobiles needing a flag waving person ahead of the infernal contraption) trouble is what's fast enough to escort it anyway?:) Amazing beast to look at though, me takes me hat off to the real fighter jocks that flew 'em.............man are they cramped & an ergonomic night mare in the cockpit compared to 2day's fighting machines.
What do you do with several tonnes of A/C (if you could fly it that is)& had to bail out over the mountains (which are close to WGT) on a hot summers day with all that jet fuel just waiting to burn our forests? I don't think so!!

Who recalls the Mirage that landed gear up at Tulla about a 100000 yes ago? Amazing stuff!!
Nope it's a looker for sure but that's about it!:ok:

Off topic here 'cause I can't be bothered starting a new thread. Spoke to the AV Twr the other day & asked what's with the B58 parked next to the 911 (gotta love that number!!!) DC10 water bomber? He says it flies ahead of the DC10 by about 150 meters to guide the big "10" to the drop zone.............SHEEEEZZZZ the Beech flies flat out & the 10 flies near on the stall (well almost!).............yep I know which plane I'd rather be in !:}
.....cockpit conversation during a drop run............Capt it's a lot bumpier today than usual that last bump was a doozey, ...........yeah it is rough the skipper says but don't worry about that what happened to the escort plane???:}


Wmk2

[VH-XXX]

At least they wouldn't have to be worried about wake turbulence from the BE58. 150 metres is damn close! (hence your comments no doubt)

[DBTW]

You can't compare a real fighter like the Mirage with a very limited capability and short range INTERCEPTOR like that pommy heap of rubbish, no matter how impressive its vertical performance is with next to no fuel in its guts.

Not sure why a ThunderCity website Lightning was brought up when talking about a Wangaratta parked up Mirage? Fairly sure there is no connection between the two aircraft, although it is certain the tragic crash of the two seat Lightning (belonging to ThunderCity) a little while ago will be considered if anyone ever tries to fly a Mirage in Australia on the civil register.

Even so, in terms of comparing two aircraft built in a similar era for exactly the same short range INTERCEPTOR mission, why wouldn't you? Both the Mirage and Lightning were hugely successful in their day, neither had long legs and both finished up performing missions beyond the original INTERCEPTOR role. Despite their high attrition relative to more modern types, I have never met a pilot who flew either who didn't love them. I have even met some who flew both and have never heard a preference given.

Personally, I just saw Lightnings and Mirages as targets...:ok:

[Jabawocky]

Personally, I just saw Lightnings and Mirages as targets...http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

That has got to be the post of the week! :D

[Capn Bloggs]

in terms of comparing two aircraft built in a similar era for exactly the same short range INTERCEPTOR mission, why wouldn't you?
You missed the point, ace. The Lightning and Pointy were being compared...and there is no comparison. :} As for kills:

In its time aloft, the Lightning was credited with only a single air-to-air kill - this being a "runaway" Harrier. The Harrier pilot had successfully ejected but his aircraft continued on course. A Lightning was sent to intercept and destroy the aircraft to which it did. :D

Personally, I just saw Lightnings and Mirages as targets...
I'll bite! What were you in, a YF12A? ;)

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

A 'Target' on a RADAR screen perhaps?????:}

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Weeellllll, there is this mural at Temora. Every aircraft depicted is flying there....except one:}

Realisticly, the 111-0 was built here so that gets it in the ballpark for consideration. There was one built with a RR Avon up its backside(City of Hobart..no A number)...so...same engine as the Sabre and Canberra...parts commonality and service expertise..not to mention a couple of pilots who may know a thing or three how to fly them...In answer? Temora has the expertise to put one in the air and keep it there. The limitation must be if TEM has enough runway to launch the thing.

[Dog One]

Doesn't the Pakistan Air Force still operate Mirages including some of ours.

[DBTW]

A 'Target' on a RADAR screen perhaps?????
or in the HUD. Either was satisfactory for a firing solution, along with several off boresight options :ok: (for training purposes only of course. Both types were on our side!)

Temora has the expertise to put one in the air and keep it there.
Indeed they do. Would they, though?

On comparing Frightenings and Miracles? I stick with my earlier comment Despite their high attrition relative to more modern types, I have never met a pilot who flew either who didn't love them. I have even met some who flew both and have never heard a preference given.

BTW I had a preference. It had to be the Lightning. Quite a bit bigger than a Mirage and with twice as many heat sources. This made it easier to detect on radar, easier to see and easier to get a WVR missile lock!:}

[Joker 10]

There is a Mirage III C on the Swiss Civil Register, but this is a quite different beast to the Australian III O I really doubt the central "avionics" would ever allow the beast to fly again, the Sperry Twin gyro platform we were forced to use is steam driven technology and never did quite integrate to the BEZU attitude system.

The auto command flight control system requires quite sopecialised "Analogue" knowledge and the general electrics on the beast are a French technological marvel, when they all work.

Navigation by the Canadian CDC box is at best guess work and without radar vectoring the aircraft is unlikely to find its way home !!! no reflection on pilot skills, just a statement of fact. This is quite a different beastie from the Sabre which is a gentlemans aircraft.

A Mirage III O VFR is a frightening thought.

[aseanaero]

short range INTERCEPTOR like that pommy heap of rubbish

As someone once said the Lightning was a fantastic aircraft for attacking your own airfield ...

[Joker 10]

At least the Smiths Attitude system on the Lightning was relatively reliable being a single source integrated system, the "speed tape" not so good, but backup suck and blow instruments reliable if somewhat lagging the acceleration and performance of the aircraft.

Late 60's 75 Sqn RAAF operated a detachment of Mirages at Tengah alongside 74 Sqn RAF Lightnings, the Mirages were more reliable even though the BEZU/ Sperry TGP system gave lots of trouble in the humid conditions.

[DBTW]

As someone once said the Lightning was a fantastic aircraft for attacking your own airfield ...

As everyone always said about the Mirage!:}

Nature of the beast I'm afraid. Them pesky European rocket ships were all short legged!

[Captain Dart]

In my experience, some RAAF Mirage pilots were self-opinionated windbags who flew an aircraft with about enough range to defend the outer marker. Our bombers, transports, helicopters and FACs (OK, FACs were fighter jocks and I take my hat off to them) were in Vietnam. At least our Navy Skyhawk 'knucks' had a carrier landing to cope with at the end of their sorties (also always 'training').

Yet the RAAF of the seventies and eighties had this bizarre culture of 'if you ain't a fighter pilot, you ain't sh-t'.

P.S. Is RAAF News still called 'F-18s and Doggies Monthly'?

P.P.S. Is it true that the only aircraft shot down by the British RAF since the end of World War Two have been their own?

[TBM-Legend]

The Israel Air Force thought the Mirage 111 was pretty good....

Operating a high performance jet for non-military purposes can be done. The Scandinavians fly a Draken, the Swiss operate this: Jet fighter rides, fly fighter jet, mirage III, fly mirage 3 | Jet Fighter Rides (http://www.jet-fighter-rides.com/2009/08/fly-the-mirage-iii-from-switzerland/)

[Fantome]

FLY A FIGHTER JET - THE ULTIMATE FLYING EXPERIENCE


Fly a fighter jet - Mirage III [Switzerland]


Fly the Mirage III. Unique experience in Europe. Flying the Mirage III in the Swiss Alps is as extraordinary as you can get in warbirds experiences. Fast and low in the valleys and along the mountains, glaciers and up into the clouds. The Mirage III is capable of reaching Mach 2.

Welcome at the airbase
Security briefing
Meet the team - your pilot, ground crew and the rest of the staff
Get dressed: g suit, helmet, learn to work the visor
Briefing and flight plan: The pilot explains the systems and how the Mirage works, the G force accelerations, weather conditions
Instrument briefing in the cockpit
You will be strapped in about 25 minutes before take off. Support crew show you how the ejection seat works and rehearses procedures with you.
Pre-start check. Engine start. Taxi. Then the take off!!!

Conditions and restrictions to this jet fighter experience :
Although no flying experience is required, some restrictions apply:
You must not have heart and/or neurological problems
You must be over 18 years of age
You must not be over 6.5ft tall
Participants are advised to be well rested for the day of the flight and to avoid alcohol the previous day.

Weather :
This fighter jet experience takes place in most weather conditions. Rescheduling due to weather conditions is rare. It is recommended that you book your flight on a Saturday so that your flight can be reschedule on Sunday if need be.

Dates :
There are just a few days during the year so book at least 5 months in advance.

Location :
Switzerland

Price: 15000 euros for 30/40mn

fly fighter jet, jet fighter flight, fighter jet experience (http://www.flyfighterjet.name) * fly a jet fighter, fighter jet flights, fly l39 albatros, fly migs, fly fouga magister, fly fighter jets (http://www.flyajetfighter.com) * Fighter jet flights, fly fighter jet France, fly fighter jets Europe, L39 Albatros, Fouga Magister (http://www.fighterjet.eu)
Fighter jet operators in France * Fighter jet operators in Europe

[dwarfhunter]

"P.P.S. Is it true that the only aircraft shot down by the British RAF since the end of World War Two have been their own?"

Not true.

Falklands War "Britain’s 21 air-to-air kills by Harriers carrying AIM-9L Sidewinders".

11 IAI Dagger A 9 by Sea Harrier
10 A-4B Skyhawk 3 by Sea Harrier
7 A-4C Skyhawk 2 by Sea Harrier
3 FMA IA 58 Pucará 1 by Sea Harrier

3 A-4Q Skyhawk Navy 3 by Sea Harrier.
2 Mirage IIIEA 1 by Sea Harrier
2 B.Mk62 Canberra 1 by Sea Harrier
1 C-130E Hercules 1 by Sea Harrier

[flighty puss]

Conditions apply - (to Mirage joyflight)

You must not have (a) heart and/or neurological problems.

Participants are advised ... to avoid alcohol the previous day.

I guess that cuts out most - the heartless, the nutters and the drunks.

[Captain Dart]

dwarfhunter, the Sea Harrier was operated by the Royal Navy, not the RAF.

[DBTW]

Hey Captain Dart, I think you are right. In an earlier post on this thread Capn Bloggs reported a Lightning once shot down an unmanned RAF Harrier (I had never heard that one!), and of course we all know about the famous RAF Phantom on RAF Jaguar over Germany back in the 70s!

To credit the RAF with some success because they do have excellent training, it is often brought up that Lt Cdr Dave Morgan of Sea Harrier fame was Flt Lt Dave Morgan when he was a Falklands War hero.:ok: Several additional Falklands aerial victories in Sea Harriers were achieved by other RAF pilots who were seconded to the FAA at the time.

BTW, is this Wang Mirage a 2 seater? I thought you guys were saying it's a Mirage 3O. It won't ever take a passenger anywhere, let alone over the Swiss Alps!:uhoh:

[Jabawocky]

Any RAF kills in the various sand pit skirmishes over the last 20 years?

[TBM-Legend]

The point about the Mirage in Switzerland is that it can be done. Good on those involved if they can get the Oz machine going..:D

[Wallsofchina]

The saddest part of this story is that the wonderful Museum left to Wangaratta by Joe Drage, of which this aircraft was a Star was dispersed by the local Council and is no more

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

3 FMA IA 58 Pucará 1 by Sea Harrier

Does that include the won that was "scared" out of the sky? My recollection is that it got zapped by a Harrier and took such violent evasive action that it crashed!

Dr :8

[Capn Bloggs]

Pretty hard to shoot down aircraft with AIM-9Ls that are operating beyond their normal range...:cool:

[Fris B. Fairing]

Wallsofchina

The saddest part of this story is that the wonderful Museum left to Wangaratta by Joe Drage, of which this aircraft was a Star was dispersed by the local Council and is no more

Hear hear :D

Rgds

[OZBUSDRIVER]

WallsofChina and Fris B. agree with your sentiments one hundred percent. Short sighted bureaucrats:yuk::ugh:

Could have been another Temora.

[Captain Dart]

Regarding the Wangaratta air museum, the building was taken over by a large 'warbird' restoring operation. The museum volunteers were kicked out, but the good news is that they are now busy setting up a smaller version at Benalla; Benalla Aviation Museum. It is also a memorial to 11 EFTS wartime training unit (some 80 Tiger Moths operated there).

The boys are restoring a Tiger to static, and arrangements are in hand for better accommmodation and more exhibits. There is also a Winjeel and a de Havilland Moth Minor operating from BLA, with links to the Museum. It will never be on the scale of Drage Airworld or Temora, but there is now more to Benalla than gliders, 'Weary' Dunlop and the rose gardens!

Not a lot to see at present but the BAM has a working day on Wednesday and is open on Sundays, and visitors are always welcome.

[dwarfhunter]

Sorry Captain, you may be correct. Can't recall them shooting anything down over Iraq.

Is that the same Mirage that took the top off a caravan whilst being transported by road?

[Wanderin_dave]

According to the current Flightpath mag she's gonna fly again. Good on the bloke behind it!! :ok:

[Wallsofchina]

Last time I saw it, inside Drage Airworld it had a wing tip bent up after a collision when it was delivered.

[Gnadenburg]

The RAF shot down or maneuver killed an Indonesian C130 loaded with paratroopers during Confrontation. The aircraft was a Javelin out of Tengah, Singapore.

Plenty of RAF pilots shot down Migs in Korea on exchange with the USAF.

[Naked_recommiting]

P.S. Is RAAF News still called 'F-18s and Doggies Monthly'?


Now 'F111 and Doggies Monthly'.

Unfortunately easier to get a picture of the dog airborne than the pig these days! No doubt soon to be replaced by that Super pig.

[Belgique]

Ferranti Mk6. Used to run it inverter driven in my super sailplane. Works well.
A$200 and it's yours.

PM me.

[GeeRam]

Not sure why a ThunderCity website Lightning was brought up when talking about a Wangaratta parked up Mirage? Fairly sure there is no connection between the two aircraft,

Actually.......pointless info, but ironically there is a tenuous link ;)

Depending where and when A3-42 served, there's a strong likelyhood that it may well have actually shared ramp space or even airspace with this Lightning F.6 that Thundercity operates, ZU-BEW (ex-XR773) served with 74 Sqn RAF at Tenagh from 1967 to 1971, and took part in many RAF/RAAF exercises at Butterworth and even to Darwin.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2007-12/9/8462.jpg

And 40 years before, XR773 (on the left) taking off from Tenagh, then being flown by Dave Roome, who is now a well known civvie Hunter and Gnat display pilot and MD of Kemble based DeltaJets.

http://www.lightningpilots.com/PairsTO8620.jpg

[Joker 10]

A3 42 was part of the 75 sqn detachment 1968 that exercised alongside 74Sqn RAF at Tengah.

[dogcharlietree]

In my experience, some RAAF Mirage pilots were self-opinionated windbags
WOW. Still holding some pent up hostilities. Geez. I got over mine nearly forty years ago!

[aseanaero]

So if the Mirage and the Lightning shared the same ramp in Malaysia it would be reasonable to guess there were some unofficial dogfights , which aircraft was superior ?

[alidad]

The last time I looked A3-42 was a single seater. One might have some time/space/motion issues advertising joyrides in it!:cool:

[GeeRam]

So if the Mirage and the Lightning shared the same ramp in Malaysia it would be reasonable to guess there were some unofficial dogfights , which aircraft was superior ?

Is that a serious question :E

Despite it’s ‘steam powered’ missile weapons system, in a guns only 1 v 1, the Lightning wasn’t really outclassed until the advent of the F-15/F-16 into service in the mid-late 1970’s.
I’m sure the Mirage boys gave a good account of themselves though at times, and fun was had by all back then.
Dave Roome, as mentioned above, wrote a good article for one of the Lightning books about his tour with 74 Sqn at Tenagh.
This is an amusing paragragh he wrote about the first of the 3 dets 74 did to Aus during this time.

“We also took the Lightning to Australia, the first time in June 1969 for an exercise called Town House which was mounted in the Northern Territory and we were based at Darwin. This provided some excellent flying as the rules were few – the Base Commander was quoted by the local press as saying that, if they were to practise the defense of the area realistically, then the aircrew needed freedom and the town should ‘expect to get boomed’. Darwin was still used by the major airlines as a staging base and one sight that sticks in my mind is of a 707 taking-off whilst being over-taken by an attacking RNZAF Canberra. Giving chase were one RAAF Mirage and one Lightning, which went either side of the 707 as it pulled into it’s normal steep, noise abatement climb. The complaint of the 707 captain was met by the RAAF ATC statement to the effect that didn’t he know there was a war on?”

:)

[Brian Abraham]

"Lightning From the Cockpit" by Peter Caygill

The production version, the Mirage HIC, was flown by Wg Cdr David Simmons during an exchange posting in 1960, a time when he was evaluating the Lightning with AFDS at Coltishall:

In July 1960 1 did a Lightning/ Mirage exchange with Cdt Franchi of CEAM at Mont de Marsan. 1 had three flights on the Mirage HIC, which included accelerating to 1.9 M at 36,000 ft. It turned out to be slightly disappointing as it was very noisy and shook like hell! Fuel could disappear more quickly than in a Lightning and flight times were only 25-35 minutes. In July 19611 flew to Istres to conduct a series of trials on the Mirage 1110 equipped with a Rolls-Royce Avon engine with a con-di efflux. The Australians were buying Mirages to replace their Avon-Sabres. The Avon had a better performance than the SNECMA engine (Atar), with superior specific fuel consumption. This forced SNECMA to over-speed their engines to try to match it. 1 also did one ferry trial with oversize underwing drop tanks. 1 felt as if 1 was balanced on a pinhead after take-off. 1 went round and round France and reck-oned that 1 could have flown from the UK to Cyprus without refuelling. This flight lasted 2 hours 25 minutes. The Lightning's reaction and time to height beat the lot for high-level targets, and its weapons system was better than the Mirage, but for low-level targets it had some limitations.

Trevor MacDonald-Bennett also had plenty of opportunities to assess the Mirage Ill during his first tour with 74 Squadron at Tengah in the late 1960s:

The Royal Australian Air Force at that time had Mirages based at Butterworth near Penang in Malaysia. This presented superb opportunities for reciprocal detachments with regular Lightning visits to Butterworth, and Mirages to Tengah. 1 was lucky enough to fly the two-seater a couple of times, and additionally we flew regular sorties against them. 1 found the Mirage to be a delight in terms of handling, but being a proper delta its low-speed drag characteristics were horrendous, making the need to keep speed and energy levels high in a turning scenario even more crucial than with the Lightning. This, of course, is because of the inefficient change of wing section with elevons deflected up, whereas the Lightning's separate tailplane eliminated this delta characteristic. 1 also found it a bit of a 'jack of all trades but master of none', and certainly found the huge power levels of our own steed very comforting. 1 also think our radar was superior, but they had the very real advantage of gun armament (before the reintroduction of guns on the F.6). Another surprising omission was the absence of in-flight refuelling capability, and 1 believe that the Australians found any form of significant deployment a major logistical nightmare. Notwithstanding all the above, it seemed a very simple, practical machine and was well liked by all who flew it. Maintenance-wise it left the Lightning for dead, with service-ability levels way ahead of ours in spite of the huge efforts put in by our groundcrews.
We flew everything from radar intercepts, 1 v. 1, 2 v. 2, and up to 4 v. 4 (when we had enough serviceable aircraft!), and overall we were pretty evenly matched. We had a theoretical advantage in out-and-out performance terms, but this could very easily be lost by superior flying by the opposition if we were not careful. They certainly enjoyed a better lookout, but one surprising factor was fuel consumption. Most high 'g' combat situations, even when started at high level, very quickly end up at medium levels in thicker air where more thrust is available. An unusual characteristic of the Lightning reheat system was a relatively small thrust increment of about 30 per cent above cold power. In comparison the cold power/reheat ratio of the Phantom was around 55 per cent, the Mirage being in the order of 45 per cent. Combining this with the delta-wing drag characteristics meant almost continuous use of reheat by the Mirage, whereas the Lightning could use it selectively in combination with cold power once the dogfight had reached these lower levels. The net result was very similar 'chicken out' times for both types in spite of the Mirage's apparent superior fuel capability with drop tanks fitted.

[Critical Reynolds No]

Is now at Essendon.

[Wally Mk2]

I don't suppose you know where a bouts at En 'crn'?
Only had a peek at it the other week up at WGT, how the hell those guys flew them in anger I'll never know!:ok:


Wmk2

[NOSIGN]

GAM paint shop Wally :ok:

[wessex19]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YvgGlXjY0&NR=1

[Capn Bloggs]

A few young faces in that lot! :D

I suppose they did a risk-assessment on that Finger 4 takeoff? :eek:

[patagonianworelaud]

Does it fly

Who owns it,

Whats its future.


No.

Maybe a publican, former airline pilot who didn't mind an inverted look at things.

Turning answer one into a positive

[John Eacott]

A previous lifetime ;)

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/4135-1/RAAF+Butterworth+Mirage+flight+line+1970_001.jpg

[PLovett]

Ahh..............Mirages in their natural habitat.................in close proximity to their refuelling trucks. :ok:

[Hot High Heavy]

Awesome pic although that video is awesome, especially with the cool 70's tune at the end, sounds like Tijuana Brass or something!? :8

[gassed budgie]

Especially with the cool 70's tune at the end, sounds like Tijuana Brass or something!?


I think it might be a hip (at the time) orchestral rendition of Elton John's 'Rocket man'.
I think it's really sad that I know that.

[catseye]

Now all we need is reruns of the Aeronauts.......:cool:

[T28D]

A3-42 was a 75 SQN aircraft and was temporarily based at Tengah alongside 74 SQN RAF in 1968 I was there !!!