The tatty old RAAF planes sit sadly at Point Cook
Friend of mine and wife visited RAAF Point Cook today. Sign at guard gate says stay in your car until a security honcho walks over. Big line of cars lined up but no security man. Long wait and no one appears. Friend gets out of car walks across the five metres to security hut and Chubb security bloke with big wide brimmed hat growls at him and says "Mate" can't you read the sign" and points at sign which says stay in car until called. Security guard says Point Cook on Amber Alert. Friend thought, Christ - terrorist attack maybe? What the stuff is an Amber Alert? Is that one notch below Red or Green or Pink Alert?
No so. Amber Alert means one RAAF aircraft in the circuit for landing! Friend finally signs the visitors register and drives down the road to Museum area. Sees a dirty looking HS 748 outside static display with what appears to be green stuff over it - maybe salt water from southerly wind from sea but it looked pretty tatty. Hercules on static display for years and one of its tyres flat and obviously neglected. Mirage seen on a parade ground near the guard gate. It has a dirty brown sun shade over it. Usless place to have a Mirage almost out of sight of the public and even if you see it no one allowed to have a closer look.
Media reports a Caribou is going to be donated to Point Cook for a static display. What a waste of a good aeroplane. The static display former RAAF aircraft are a disgrace. They are covered in grime from the elements and seem never to get washed. The RAAF top brass have obviously no interest in keeping the aircraft cleaned and one wonders who is ultimately responsible for this run-down operation. The rudeness of the civilian security guards at the entrance to the base is well known and this information comes from museum staff who get complaints from spectators. Despite lots of visitors you can't even get a coffee or fast food. Been like that for years.
RAAF Base Point Cook has a long and proud history yet overseas visitors must shake their heads in amazement when they see how run down and tatty the outside exhibits have been allowed to become. The Commanding Officer of the base has a lot to answer for.