Raaf Williamtown Air Show, September 2010

from the Port Stephens Examiner:

http://www.portstephensexaminer.com.au/new...ow/1847403.aspx

The word "infamous" has got to be a typo!

Is anyone planning to go?


Williamtown RAAF to host big air show
BY NICK HANSEN
02 Jun, 2010 11:23 AM
SKYWATCHERS across the Hunter are in for the time of their lives with Williamtown RAAF Base due to host the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Air Show in September.

Defence is remaining tight-lipped about the event until its official launch later this month.

But previous ADF Air Shows indicate the region's aircraft enthusiasts will get a feast of aerial acrobatics involving elite pilots and their hi-tech machines.

Last year's show was held over Townsville with tens of thousands of people packing the city's river bank for the event.

The event included a host of the nation's top fighter jets, including F/A-Hornets and the F-111's infamous Dump and Burn sequence was also part of the schedule.

A Defence spokesperson said the details of the show were still being approved by senior RAAF staff.

The gesture of goodwill for Port Stephens residents comes at a time when the Department of Defence is under public pressure and scrutiny over aircraft noise issues, most relating to the introduction of the Joint Strike Fighter in 2017.

Well, no date is yet listed but am going to try very hard to get there.

Dimwitted journalists always balls things up especially when they write about Navy P-3's and Army C-130's as well as the F1-11.

Not even the US F-111's did the Dump and Burn at airshows which makes our more special.

Morons

This post has been edited by Dean on Jun 4 2010, 03:28 AM

Hi Folks,

Tickets to the show are now available at:

http://www.proticket.com.au/event.asp?eventid=669

Details as follows:

Defence Force Airshow

RAAF Base Williamtown - Sat 18 & Sun 19, September 2010
Flying Displays: 12:00PM to 04:00PM
General Displays: 08:00AM to 04:00PM
Exhibit Access: 08:00AM
Car Park Access: 07:00AM

The Defence Force Air Show will be biggest event ever at RAAF Base Williamtown with two days of action and entertainment for the entire family. The morning will feature a wide variety of Navy, Army and Air Force active and interactive ground displays ranging from security dogs to cutting-edge technology. From midday, visitors can expect more than three hours of the thunder of the fast jets, war-birds, helicopters and the range of ADF aircraft. We are also expecting special appearances from our allied Air Forces.This will also be the last opportunity for people in the Newcastle area to see the exciting F111 dump and burn, and the first opportunity to see the new Super Hornet.

Parking areas open at 7am, gates at 8am. Full catering facilities will be available all day at reasonable prices. Come prepared for the outdoors with your cameras and comfort aids. Everyone should note that there are no public telephone or ATM facilities available and there will be no alcohol on sale or permitted at the venue.

For detailed information visit the RAAF Airshows website.

Adult Child Family
General Admission Advance Sales $20 $5 $46
Ticket Booth Sales at the Event $25 $5 n/a

BC

I am going on both days to farewell the Pig, anyone else going?

I'd love to but can't.

:(

We'll be relying on you for some great photos!

;)

BC

I've heard some rumours that there is going to be a reasonable US contingent at Williamtown as well as a F-22 Raptor and a F-35. I dunno how true these are but I'm going anyway.

Nope. Perhaps a USAF tanker, that may be about it from overseas.

Seems pointless though to bring just a tanker when it can refuel an F-22 for a trip to Australia as well.

Well, finally got back a short time ago and loaded all the photos onto my computer.

It appeared to be a good day out for everyone with some good aircraft on show. Billed as the Australian Defence Force Airshow it was the last public display for the F-111's trademark Dump and Burn. Both days started out great but became cloudy on Sunday afternoon.

However, items such as the KC-30B, S-70A Blackhawk, MR-90, ARH Tigers, Chinook, Kiowa and M1A1 Abrams tank were all notibly absent.

There was a US presence there but only in the form of a KC-135R.

This post has been edited by Dean on Sep 20 2010, 05:53 PM

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I kinda wish the Roulettes were flying these but great flying guys.

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One of the four Rhino's in action. 208 was on static display for the two days.

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Nice art work on the tail of a 3 Squadron Classic Hornet.

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Rhino 207 in action.

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What a great show.
The bomber formation of F-111, Super Hornet, Hudson, Meteor and Mustang was superb (although calling the last 2 bombers was a bit of a stretch but I guess we are a bit short on pure bombers, pity Temora's Canberra wasn't there)
The fighter formation of Hornet, Sabre, Mustang, Boomerang, Spitfire and Hawk was also stunning despite the no show of the Kittyhawk.
The star of the show of course was the Pig, no take offs from WLM but multiple appearances over the 2 days but it missed its final dump and burn departure on Sunday. I was lucky enough to see A8-113 depart on Monday.
For me the highlight was the 4 Hornets blasting over the crowd at very very low level in full burner, quadrophonic aural ecstasy!
Noticable by their absence was any form of Army Aviation participation.
The Navy flew a Seahawk and 2 Squirrels and static displayed Sea King, Augusta and the Historic Flight Huey
I have photos of all aircraft participating and they will be appearing in the image gallery over the next few days.

Yes, it would not have been too hard for Army to send up a Blackhawk and Kiowa from Holsworthy. They are just being pigheaded.

Navy Seahawk is staying for the week on ASW training off the Newcastle coast.

The heritage formations were a great sight and sound, Martin.



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The 'F' Troop !

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And a Tiger ARH was spotted at Garden Island on the Kanimbla earlier in the week.

Mick

Nice piccies, well done guys. ;)

List of aircraft in September updates below

Ok, here's a full-ish log of the aircraft noted during the two days of the airshow. Hope it's not too controversial. Squadrons are as marked on the aircraft, which is not neccecerily the same as the unit actually using it at the time. Serials in brackets are assumed/looked up.

RAAF Williamtown NSW, 18-Sept-2010

A funny airshow this one. Parking was on the civil side of the airfield, and you had to walk across the main runway to get to the military part where the airshow was. This meant that once flying had started, it was virtually impossible to get in/out. There were a few busses to take you back and forwards, but no where near enough, so the queues were huge.

Also, no 2 OCU jet in static, even though there were several in plain view in the sun sheds. And both Hawks were 79 Sqn marked machines (from Pearce). I think the heat (or possibly all that VB) has pickled their brains. However.

Static
A3-103 Mirage III Fighterworld
A7-062 MB-326 pres
A8-113 F-111C 6 Sqn
N16-239/21 Sea King 817 Sqn
A19-062 CT-4 VH-CTQ
A19-074 CT-4 VH-APV
A21-013 F-18A 3 Sqn hi viz tail art
A21-046 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-053 F-18A 3 Sqn
N22-020/820 Squirrel 723 Sqn
A23-032 PC-9 4 Sqn
N24-009/878 SH-60 816 Sqn
A27-08 Hawk 79 Sqn
A27-14 Hawk 79 Sqn
A30-004 Wedge Tail 2 Sqn
A30-005 Wedge Tail 2 Sqn
A32-349 King Air 32 Sqn
A32-670 King Air 38 Sqn
A37-003 CL-604 34 Sqn
A42-510 A-109 723 Sqn
A44-208 F-18F 1 Sqn
A84-223 Canberra pres ex Temora
A65-94 DC-3
VH-YCM CT-4 BAe
VH-YCR CT-4 BAe
63-8022 KC-135R 22 ARW
??-21407 O-2 VH-OII
A16-211/6430 Hudson
A17-111 Tiger Moth VH-RNI
A24-362 PBY-5
A46-63 Boomerang VH-XBL
A58-802 Spitfire VH-HET
A85-422 Winjeel
A85-439 Winjeel VH-FTS
KH622 Mustang
A68-118 Mustang VH-AGJ
A68-750 Mustang VH-SVU
A68-769 Mustang VH-MAT
VH-KEE/43 L-39
VH-IOT/66 L-39 c/n 332516
VH-MTP CT-4 ? Williamtown flying club

Central Static/Flightlines
A9-658 P-3C 11 Sqn, Shark Tail Mkgs
A23-12 PC-9 Roulettes
A23-50 PC-9 Roulettes
A23-52 PC-9 Roulettes
A23-58 PC-9 Roulettes
A23-59 PC-9 Roulettes
A23-61 PC-9 Roulettes
A23-64 PC-9 Roulettes
A41-207 C-17A 36 Sqn
A77-851 Meteor
A89-273 SP-2
A94-983 Sabre VH-IPM
A97-468 C-130J 37 Sqn

Helecopter Flightlines
N9-3104/898 UH-1 VH-NVV
N22-021/821 Squirrel 723 Sqn
N22-022/822 Squirrel 723 Sqn
N24-013/882 SH-60
VH-LXM Jetranger

Dumped under nets near tower
A7-074 MB-326

Hawk Sunsheds :ph34r:
A27-04 Hawk 76 Sqn
A27-05 Hawk 79 Sqn
A27-11 Hawk 79 Sqn
A27-20 Hawk 76 Sqn
A27-21/UP-U Hawk 79 Sqn Red c/s spcl mkgs
A27-23 Hawk 76 Sqn
A27-26 Hawk 79 Sqn
A27-27 Hawk 76 Sqn
A27-31 Hawk 76 Sqn

F-18 Sunsheds :ph34r:
A21-03 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-05 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-06 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-07 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-09 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-11 F-18A 2 OCU low viz
A21-16 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-19 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-22 F-18A 75 Sqn
A21-24 F-18A 75 Sqn
A21-26 F-18A 2 OCU low viz
A21-31 F-18A 75 Sqn
A21-50 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-57 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-105 F-18B 77 Sqn
A21-108 F-18B 2 OCU hi viz
A21-112 F-18B 75 Sqn
A21-113 F-18B 2 OCU hi viz
A21-114 F-18B 2 OCU low viz
A21-115 F-18B 2 OCU hi viz
A21-116 F-18B 2 OCU hi viz
A21-117 F-18B 2 OCU hi viz
A21-118 F-18B 2 OCU hi viz
A23-022 PC-9 4 Sqn
A23-031 PC-9 4 Sqn

Hangar near Sunsheds
At least 2 F-18's in here, one with 3 Sqn tail marks, but we couldn't get a serial from either aircraft.

North End Revetments :ph34r:
A21-04 F-18A 77 Sqn
A21-21 F-18A ? Sqn
A21-23 F-18A 75 Sqn
A21-37 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-39 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-44 F-18A 75 Sqn
A21-49 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-52 F-18A 3 Sqn
A21-56 F-18A 2 OCU low viz
VH-LAI S-76A RAAF Rescue
VH-LHN S-76A RAAF Rescue

Flying from elsewhere on base (north end bomb dump?)
A44-204/167960 F-18F 1 Sqn
A44-207/167963 F-18F 1 Sqn
A27-06/06 Hawk 76 Sqn
A27-22/22 Hawk 76 Sqn
A27-28/28 Hawk 76 Sqn

Flying from elsewhere (Amberley)
A8-125 F-111C 6 Sqn
A8-126 F-111C 6 Sqn
A8-135 F-111C 6 Sqn
Fantastic - a 3 ship fly by with wings at different sweep angles, and 2 separate dump and burn displays.

Outside BAe Systems
(A21-???) F-18 Fuselage under tarpaulin

RAAF Williamtown NSW, 19-Sept-2010
Additions
(A32-651) King Air Landed AM
A8-126 F-111C 6 Sqn
A8-134 F-111C 6 Sqn
A8-135 F-111C 6 Sqn
As above - fantastic. What we went to see.

Cheers,
Malcolm

Thanks for the listing Judwin ; it was very much appreciated.

Ditto that.

Thanks for going to the trouble to record, research and publish!

Brendan C