Question on RAAF radio callsigns 1960

[Centaurus]

No 10 (MR) Squadron at Townsville had Lincoln Mk 31 Long Nose Lincolns.
Each aircraft was given a three letter radio call-sign. For example A73-61 may have been issued with JCT as its normal radio communication with ATC. Has anyone seen a list of RAAF issued radio call-signs that applied to each A73- series Lincolns? In particular which A73- was issued with Juliet Charlie Sierra (JCS).

[gerry111]

Centaurus,

Sorry, can't I help you with an individual identity. But apparently Lincolns (GR) Mk.31s converted to (MR) Mk.31s were:

A73-28,55,57,60,61,62,65,66,67 and 68.

Narrowing it down to 10 aircraft from a total fleet of 73.

(From Stewart Wilson's book: "Lincoln Canberra and F111 in Australian Service".)

As a nineteen year old, in 1977, I travelled aboard 11 Sqn P3B Orion A9-298 on an almost around Australia FISHEX. ( I was only aboard to "guard" the aircraft overnight at Learmonth. But it was quite a fun adventure!)

The callsign was interestingly: Juliet Charlie Lima. Apparently that meant VM-JCL.

[Centaurus]

Thanks, Gerry,
Have emailed the RAAF Museum at Point Cook to see if they have required info. Cent.

[tail wheel]

Interesting. Australia's ITU Prefix allocations are AX, VH–VN and VZ. ITU prefix allocations are used where radio transmissions are international.

Aircraft are allocated VH, amateur radio VK etc.

Interesting the military are allocated VM as I think that prefix is also allocated to the Volunteer Coast Guard?

[OpsNormal]

AVCGA used to use "VMR" but that may have changed in the 15 years since I was involved.

[Iron Bar]

My source has had a look at his log book but the RAAF convention was to record the A73 - xx number and not the JC call sign. Apparently the "J" or "JC" prefix was specific to the Townsville (Garbutt) base. DC3 and Wirraway had similar "J" prefix.

In addition to Jerry's list A73-46 was a short nose Lincoln used for training.

My source also has many stories of buzzing the sugar refinery in Ingham and the nurses/teachers quarters in Townsville. . . . . . .

[Bell_Flyer]

Hmmm, interesting, didn't know about VK; learned something new today.

Usually mil aircraft radio callsigns on VHF are say... WOMBAT 123... or MAPLE 10...

[Ascend Charlie]

It's only relatively recently (1970s) that a mil call sign was allowed in civil airspace- when we were operating the Hueys from Amberley, we used Albatross XX when in mil airspace, but had to use a civil call sign in civvy airspace. One of the birds was VH-HEN, and when asked to squawk, the usual response was "Buck buck bacawwwwww!!"

The Hercules were Juliet Lima whatever, and one of Frank's best stuff ups (only RAAFies would know who Frank was) was on departure out of Richmond in VH-JLP, and his departure call to Syd Radar was (in Frank's very imitable gentlemanly style) "Sydney, this is Juliet Lima uhhhhhhhhhh........(forgets what Papa is)...Pineapple!":8

[Centaurus]

My source also has many stories of buzzing the sugar refinery in Ingham and the nurses/teachers quarters in Townsville. . . . . . .


Didn't know about the sugar refinery at Ingham. Certainly one of the pilots flying a Lincoln from Townsville to Darwin via Thursday Island, beat up the nurses quarters on Thursday Island. He was a Flight sergeant and it cost him a two year delay to promotion to commissioned officer. Also the female open air changing rooms at Townsville swimming baths on the foreshore were occasionally the visual pinpoint for practicing steep turns over the top for the 10 Squadron Wirraway circa 1953. Guilty as charged. :E

[Iron Bar]

Haha brilliant, fun times indeed. He had a history in Ingham, certainly got a kick in the rear
for it but I don't think any worse than that. Fortunately for me the "low pass"at the teachers quarters was a more successful exercise ;)

[trashie]

Frank also forgot Strathbogie as a reporting point and called over that Boogie Woogie place at ----

[Pinky the pilot]

Fortunately for me the "low pass"at the teachers quarters was a more successful exercise

Ok Iron Bar, You must know that you can`t leave us hanging on like that!:=:D
Come on, let`s have the story.:ok:

[Iron Bar]

Tis an innocent story of young love. Suave aviator sweeps the young school teacher off her feet and everyone lives happily ever after. Well perhaps not ever after but for a good while anyway.

Were it not for the low pass, the fine lines of the long nose Lincoln and the seductive roar of Rolls Royce Merlins, I may have only ever been a twinkle in the old man's eye.

Lincoln Mk 31, I owe it all to you :)

[Pinky the pilot]

Ah So desu.:ok:

[bankrunner]

Aircraft are allocated VH, amateur radio VK etc.

It's a bit more general than that in practice, for example NSW Police are VKG and there are land mobile, scientific, outpost etc callsigns all over all of those prefixes (including VH).

[junior.VH-LFA]

As a budding young RAAFie, I'd love to keep reading these Lincoln warries. I have a real love for the Lincoln.

Keep em coming!

[FlexibleResponse]

International allocation (at least at that time) as:

VH-xxx Australian Civil aircraft
VJ-xxx Australian RAN aircraft
VM- xxx Australian RAAF aircraft

Each military aircraft was allocated its own reg by Dept of Def(?).
Don't know about Army aircraft...perhaps an old Bell Sioux pilot can help...

You can see a picture of VM-JCS cockpit at:

www.radschool.org.au/magazines/Vol40/Page7.htm

[Old Fella]

FC was a "legend in his own Lifetime" and a sheer joy to have operated with. Don't think he ever came to grips with operating an aeroplane that could fly for more than a couple of hours without having to refuel. Another of his memorable comments was his admission that he "Took my eye off the I" which was later found in a phone box at Oakey. RIP Frank.

[QSK?]

Centaurus

The military used civil type VM-xxx callsigns during the '70s and early '80 for domestic and international flights, although "Ausy ***" (figures) was also commonly used for international military flights.

From memory, the VM-JM* (e.g. JMQ) series was for the Caribous, the VM-JL* series was attributed to C130s; VM-HL* series for Canberras, VM-NL* series for the HS748s and BAC111s, VM-JC* series for the Neptunes/Orions. When these callsigns were used for international radiotelephony, the callisgns were usually abbreviated to "Victor Mike Quebec" (to use the first callsign as an example) after first contact with ATC.

Eventually these radio callsigns were replaced with names like Dingo (Caribou), Trojan/Stallion (C130s), Shepherd (P3s), Falcon (F111), Buckshot (Mirage), Calibrator (DC3 navaid testing) etc.

Hope that helps. Probably a few I have forgotten there.

[gerry111]

Adding to QSK?

The call signs: "Stallion" was 36Sqn; "Trojan", 37Sqn; "Despot", 77Sqn; ARDU, "Tester". Back in the 1980's at least.

I think that they may still be applicable as I've sometimes heard an ARDU PC9 using "Tester" on flights over S.A. and NSW in recent years.

[Paul C]

I believe that JCS is A73-66. I'd appreciate it if anyone has a good photo of a Mk 31 pilots instrument panel they can share with me (other than the well known one available on the net).
Thanks Paul

[JetRangerJunkie]

Can the Gent who was enquiring about the Military VJ/VM- radio callsigns used before the current format please message me. I am currently working on a database containing all known (now obsolete) Australian military aircraft radio callsigns of the period.

[Centaurus]

I believe that JCS is A73-66

Not sure about that but I flew many hours on A73-66. Our CO was Wing Commander Cy Greenwood and I checked him out on Lincolns. Wonderful character who was CO of the RAAF contingent during the Berlin Airlift and was also a former POW of the Japs.

He was attacking Jap floatplanes in Timor when his Beaufighter was shot down. His navigator was killed. Cy ditched the Beaufighter and the Japs machine gunned him in the water but he ducked under the water each time they came at him. He eventually swam to shore but was betrayed by a local native and was captured by the Japs.

When we flew together, I noticed he always shortened the words "Juliet" as part of the squadron call-sign, to "Julie" After that, he was referred to by our crews as Big Julie. Not to his face, of course.
After he left the RAAF with the rank of Group Captain, Big Julie became the manager of the then TAA Flight Simulator Training Centre next to Essendon Airport. He later died at age 84.

[propnut]

Winjeels also had "VM" as A85-457 was

VM-HFE

Bigslim

[OLDRADTECH]

A bit late, very late, on the scene. I was a Radtech at Garbutt with 10 MR Sqdn Mk 31 long nose Lincolns for three years mid '50's. A lot of work experience and remote tech-passenger hours up in them. I can supply only one call sign although I probably used a lot of them. I can remember seeing them stuck on the top edge of the pilot's instrument panel. The one I can pass on is that used by the Lincoln involved in the Mt Superbus terrible tragedy. I have a copy of the proceedings of the Court of Enquiry which investigated the crash. It is now in the public domain. The call sign of A73-64 was JCB. Jig Charlie Baker. I probably had worked on the aircraft at some time. Also listed in that report are the call signs of two Lincolns from Amberley which were involved in the immediate search. The aircraft serial numbers are not listed but their call signs were JBH, and JBA. Other aircraft were also immediately involved in the search.
John Laming's published write-up of the tragedy is very accurate as he was directly involved very soon afterwards. I hope that helps this discussion here. As I say I am very late joining in.