Tomago Airstrip
Thread Starter
KR, the news letter was an interesting input, thank you, though see they have trouble with proof readers as well.
Once again, thank you all, amazed at the search skills evident, even secret maps, good lord. 
The Mirage was Australia’s front line fighter aircraft until it was superseded by the French designed Dassault Mirage
More photos. The first couple show how rough the strip was. No external tanks other than supers, so the aircraft would have been 'relatively' light. (Those tanks and the sidewinder rails were removed for the tow, along with the canopy.)
I suspect the second photo is of the aircraft being towed from where the aircraft came to rest at the south-eastern end of the strip back towards the north-western end near the Pacific Highway. Either that, or there was some passable road from the south-eastern end through to Tomago Road.
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I suspect the second photo is of the aircraft being towed from where the aircraft came to rest at the south-eastern end of the strip back towards the north-western end near the Pacific Highway. Either that, or there was some passable road from the south-eastern end through to Tomago Road.
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Last edited by Clinton McKenzie; 23rd Nov 2023 at 19:47.
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Good photos. Interesting having the Dodge truck behind with rope attachment to the MLG.. I have seen bogged/rough ground tow equipment used before with thick heavy cables to the MLG running through a pulley at the tow motor. The NLG is then only offering steerage and no forces of the tow are applied to the NLG.
Perhaps they thought they might get into a spot of bother and have to reverse.
Perhaps they thought they might get into a spot of bother and have to reverse.
I doubt whether that would have been the reason for the truck remaining connected after the aircraft was on the road. I think the more likely explanation for it remaining connected once the aircraft was on the road was to mitigate the ongoing risk of the shear pin in the nosegear towbar connector breaking. If that shear pin breaks and the aircraft brakes don't work the aircraft will continue rolling wherever the surface slope and gravity take it. It didn't take much to shear that pin. (Most of us groundies usually had a few spares in our ear muffs. Don't tell anyone, but I've heard from a mate that he was told some people used to slide a standard Dassault screw driver in to replace the shear pin...)
The third photograph shows the aircraft in a spot of bother, where the level of the road is obviously much higher than the level of the tow point on the nose gear, such that the towmotor couldn't be directly connected. Would be interesting to find out how they got the aircraft over that 'lip'.
The third photograph shows the aircraft in a spot of bother, where the level of the road is obviously much higher than the level of the tow point on the nose gear, such that the towmotor couldn't be directly connected. Would be interesting to find out how they got the aircraft over that 'lip'.
I have friends in low places ...
(The photos were posted by Peter Taylor on the Friends of the Mirage Facebook page, with an attribution of the overhead shot to ex-knuck Roger Lowery and the rest to RAAF Official records.)
(The photos were posted by Peter Taylor on the Friends of the Mirage Facebook page, with an attribution of the overhead shot to ex-knuck Roger Lowery and the rest to RAAF Official records.)
I had to check the internet:
"In Australia, front-seat seat belts became compulsory in 1969, and belts were required on all seats by 1971. It's also been compulsory to wear a seat belt since 1971."
I wonder what laws there are NOW about the need for seat belts when sitting on aircraft wings while towed on a public road?! 😜
"In Australia, front-seat seat belts became compulsory in 1969, and belts were required on all seats by 1971. It's also been compulsory to wear a seat belt since 1971."
I wonder what laws there are NOW about the need for seat belts when sitting on aircraft wings while towed on a public road?! 😜
Thread Starter
I wonder what laws there are NOW about the need for seat belts when sitting on aircraft wings while towed on a public road
Thanks for the reply Clinton.
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I was a high school student out at Cessnock (not very far away) at the time. The photos in this thread are just absolutely wonderful recollections of some of my memories from the time .... even down to the motorbike copper uniforms (I was a bikie type at the time and had my share of being pulled over for discussions on this, that and the other ....)
It's interesting you say that, Mr T, as I was trying to work out the type of motorcycles in the photos. I'm guessing that in that era the police would have been riding Triumphs or BSA's from 'the mother country'? Equipped of course with the latest technology in front wheel drum brakes and a luxurious sidecar...
(My apologies for the thread drift. I'm hoping the mods will forgive me...)
(My apologies for the thread drift. I'm hoping the mods will forgive me...)
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Triumphs or BSA's from 'the mother country'? Equipped of course with the latest technology in front wheel drum brakes and a luxurious sidecar...
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You mean something like this
1965 TRIUMPH 6T THUNDERBIRD. NSW POLICE BIKE TRIM. | eBay
I had a few Beezers. God, how I lusted after the T-birds. ... but, of course, then I discovered girls.
1965 TRIUMPH 6T THUNDERBIRD. NSW POLICE BIKE TRIM. | eBay
I had a few Beezers. God, how I lusted after the T-birds. ... but, of course, then I discovered girls.
Agreed. Something like this one, which was an actual NSW Police bike of the era:
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Last edited by Clinton McKenzie; 25th Nov 2023 at 20:50.
Thread Starter
Triumph Bonneville by any chance, looks like it? Remember bouncing down the road and scraping off skin when thrown off riding pillion on one, gravel on the corner apex, fortunately not with any great speed.
Hope you didn't take me too seriously... but given the thread drift, have messed around with my dad's BSA both without seat belts or a helmet!
If a pilot managed to get an F35 down on a strip without an operating engine today, there is no way it would be returned to base on its own wheels. A crane and low loader would be brought in... or a Chinook. Sitting on the wing on the trip just wouldn't be permitted after a hazard assessment, no matter how slow the low loader may be moving.
Anyway, loved those photos shared by Clinton.
If a pilot managed to get an F35 down on a strip without an operating engine today, there is no way it would be returned to base on its own wheels. A crane and low loader would be brought in... or a Chinook. Sitting on the wing on the trip just wouldn't be permitted after a hazard assessment, no matter how slow the low loader may be moving.
Anyway, loved those photos shared by Clinton.
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Triumph Bonneville by any chance, looks like it?
The Bonnie was a generic model term applied to several production runs of different specific models over the years. Did I mention that I lusted after them before I discovered those girl creatures ? All just an increasingly vague memory, now ..... must be 35-odd years since I've been sat on a grid.
The Bonnie was a generic model term applied to several production runs of different specific models over the years. Did I mention that I lusted after them before I discovered those girl creatures ? All just an increasingly vague memory, now ..... must be 35-odd years since I've been sat on a grid.
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Thread Starter
Hope you didn't take me too seriously
JT, being circa 1964 would have been the original run T20.
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would have been the original run T20.
Good sir, now you're really stretching the memory cells. If I recall anywhere near correctly, I vaguely remember the T20 as being the Tiger Cub 200cc single pot machine ? rather than the 650 Bonnie ? Perhaps you are thinking of the T120 ?
Then again, with advancing decrepitude, I could be thinking of a totally different bike.
Good sir, now you're really stretching the memory cells. If I recall anywhere near correctly, I vaguely remember the T20 as being the Tiger Cub 200cc single pot machine ? rather than the 650 Bonnie ? Perhaps you are thinking of the T120 ?
Then again, with advancing decrepitude, I could be thinking of a totally different bike.