Evatts Field, N A A Images

Further to a post "over there",

Location is Evatts Field (Koolymilka), about 30k's N of Woomera.

Also of interest in those phots - the Lincoln and Valiant.


Edit: ....

I must admit to being somewhat uncomfortable with my claim that the location is (was) Evetts Field. Meteors flew regularly from there. Mustangs, Beaufighters, Bristol Freighters, Sabres and Canberras also operated from there from time to time, but I haven’t been able to find any reference to large aircraft like Lincolns or (especially) Valiants flying from Evetts.

The sequence of images from the NAA that Peter posted (from series D847) showed (variously) a Meteor F4 with unusual trim around the engine intakes and the gun muzzles, a Winjeel (not identifiable but likely either A85-364 or -618), a white Lincoln (also unidentified but without bomb doors) and Beaufighter A8-357 parked next to Mustang A68-187 (these in one image with a Valiant obscured in the distance and in another with the Meteor, Lincoln and Winjeel in the frame).

The image from that sequence that I attached shows an unidentified evidently white Lincoln without bomb doors taking off (not landing as the NAA caption suggests) and a Valiant whose serial is discernible as WP209.

Several of the shots from that particular sequence were annotated by NAA as being at Evatts Field with the date usually being given as 13FEB57. Despite the slight differences in the NAA information, the sequence can be tied together by the aircraft pictured.

The dates given by NAA don’t seem correct.

Valiant WP209 didn’t arrive in Australia until 11AUG55 (1ATU A50 p36/973). Mustang A68-187 departed 1ATU on 27NOV56 (1ATU A50 p119/973). So, the presence of A68-187 pre-dates the images to being at least several months before the date quoted by NAA.

According to 1ATU’s A50 (p76/973), Lincoln RA640 went down to Edinburgh on 26APR56 for [re]fitment of its bomb bay doors, returning the next day (evidently a simple job). Perhaps that fact also narrows the likely date down to between 11AUG55 and 26APR56 (but, being an evidently quick job to re-fit the doors, it is reasonable to assume that their subsequent removal would also only take an overnight trip to Edinburgh – however, I could find no mention of the doors being removed again).

Because of A68-187, the NAA dates must be wrong. The presence of both the Lincoln and the Valiant must count against the location being Evetts Field – so, yet another set of examples of incorrect captioning.

But I can’t reconcile the structures in the background. I assumed (I know, one should never assume) that they comprised some of the facilities of “E” Range which was adjacent to Evetts. If it is Woomera (as now seems more likely to me because of the Valiant), where was the image taken? Surely if it is looking back towards the tech area, then the hangars would be visible? If it is looking the other direction then, what are those structures?

I feel certain that it isn’t Mallala (had paved hardstandings, but was otherwise an all-over grass field) or Maralinga (single runway with a central main apron and a small dispersal loop at each end (the northern loop apparently was the arming/loading area) – all very well made and spotlessly clean) and I can’t picture the background as anything like Edinburgh. I guess Woomera it must be.

I know no one cares, but I wanted to correct myself.

This post has been edited by Shep on Nov 27 2022, 02:33 PM

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Nice photo and thanks for sharing.

Thanks Shep

The NAA descriptions were very minimal and potentially incorrect. Your info is useful and good input. Thank you.

Hi Peter,

Were you or a respondent to your posts able to confirm the location of that particular sequence of images?

That Lincoln RA640 features in more images on the NAA website. The attached images are dated Jan 1956 (but we know that may be not correct).

Also see images D874 NJ27 - 30 as it only allow me to attach one.

Now who has knowledge of what that heavily modified rear end is all about.

This post has been edited by Hornet133 on Nov 29 2022, 06:07 PM

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This is another of the images that was posted by Peter (this one: NAA: D874, NK475/1).

The infrastructure I was talking about is in the distance obscured by the Beaufighter. The apron area these aircraft are parked on seems to be of a reasonable size (perhaps it is actually near the eastern intersection of the northern (paved) SE/NW runway and the unpaved NE/SW runway? Neither of these runways exist now, just the main N/S runway) and the Lincoln (presumably RA640) is still interesting to me.

It seems to be overall white except for a dark anti-glare-like application (black?) from the tip of the nose back running back to just aft of the astrodome (this can just be seen on the image I posted earlier) as well as an expanse of the same (or similar colour) on the upper surface of the wings. One of the images in the sequence that Steve just referred to, NAA: D874, NJ29, shows a portion of the upper wings to be dark-ish, but not as dark as one would expect black to look, but darker and more even that just exhaust staining on a white or silver surface.

Another point of minor interest in this image (NK475/1) is the projection below the RH wing tip (camera fairing?).

I don’t know what the lumps and bumps were for but RA640 was often referred to as participating in bomb ballistics tests.


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This all ties back to the mystery Lincoln in the background of an image from the State Library of SA that was posted by Kas a few weeks ago. I’ve attached a cropped version below.

The original, evidently taken at Mallala in the mid-50’s shows four of 24 (City of Adelaide) Squadron’s Mustangs (I can’t be 100% sure, but I fancy that I can make out “164” on the nose of the Mustang in the middle of this cropped version of the image) with an apparently white Lincoln in the background.

Aside from the location (Evetts or more likely Woomera) for the images posted by Peter, it was the similarity of the Lincoln taking off in the distance to this Lincoln at Mallala that originally got my attention.

This Lincoln seems to be white (notice the difference in shade to the aluminium dope on the Mustangs), has no bomb doors and (despite the tarp over the canopy) has a squared off black-like anti-glare application running from the astrodome, forward. Then, there is the large expanse of a black-like application across the upper surface of the mainplanes running from the wing root out to the outer limit of the flaps (or the inboard edge of the ailerons) which the exhaust has stained a light-ish grey in those areas immediately aft of the exhaust stacks. On the image I posted above in my last post, notice that the black on the tops of the wings extends just outboard of the prop-disk of No’s 1 and 4 engines – the same with this image.

Now, just when I (and maybe others) thought we’d got the identification of the mystery Lincoln squared away – was there just one aircraft like this or two?

1ATU’s A50 says that Lincoln RA644 (not RA640 – a typo?) went down to Mallala to participate in Air Force Week activities on 18SEP56 (I am not certain of the date of the photograph attached here it might be of the same event, it might not).

The info from NAA for the sequence that Steve referred to says that the aircraft in those images is/was RA640 – but none of them show the serial number so, can that be relied on?

However - it might not be that complicated. All of these images might indeed show RA640. And I am increasingly of the opinion that it does.

Because of that Mustang on the right of this cropped image. I reckon the serial on the nose begins with “17”.

Three Mustangs in the 170 range served with 24(CoA)SQN; A68-171, -177 and -179.

A68-171 served from late March ’52 until mid May ’53.

A68-177 served from late July ’51 until late July ’52, and

A68-179 served from mid November ’51 until late May ’56

All predating RA644’s visit on 18SEP56.

This post has been edited by Shep on Nov 30 2022, 04:45 PM

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Shep

Geoff Goodall's amazing sites have details on both RA640 and RA644 in Oz. This is the link to Lincs:
https://www.goodall.com.au/australian-aviat...incolnsraf.html

Here are tables of both aircraft, which don't transpose very well.

Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RA640
45
Built by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd at Manchester and assembled by Avro at Chester

Taken on RAF charge as RA640

No RAF service, issued to British Ministry of Supply
13.8.52
Taken on RAAF charge as RA640. Received ARDU Trials Flight Woomera ex UK
20.1.53
Forced landing Woomera after engine failure due fuel starvation at 35,000 feet
19.10.53
Minor damage to mainplane at Woomera in ground collision with Lincoln RA644
15.12.53
Asymetric landing Woomera due loss of oil No.2 engine. pilot W/O W. Middlemiss RAAF
15.2.54
Engine failure due oil pressure at ARDU Trials Flight (renamed Air Trials Unit)
30.7.54
Incident report at Woomera
5.11.54
Incident report at RAAF Edinburgh, pilot W/C F. R. Schaaf
11.2.55
Incident report: heavy landing Woomera, Flt Lt. M. M. Heinrich
18.5.55
Asymetric landing Woomera with starboard outer engine feathered.
Pilot F/Sgt M.T.Richardson RAAF
19.10.56
Request allotment to Base Squadron RAAF Edinburgh for disposal action
14.12.56
Held u/s at Air Trials Unit Woomera
12.12.56
Approved for conversion to instructional purposes for fire fighting practice
57
Burnt for fire practice at Woomera
10.6.57
Final write-off action has been taken


Lincoln B.1 High altitude bombing trials RA644
45
Built by Metropolitan-Vickers Ltd at Manchester and assembled by Avro at Chester

Taken on RAF charge as RA644

RAF Bomb Balistic Unit, Woodbridge

Issued to Long Range Weapons Establishment, Australia
16.1.50
Taken on RAAF charge as RA644 on loan from RAF
19.1.50
Received ARDU Detachment A, Mallala
18.10.50
Received ARDU Traisl Flight, Woomera ex ARDU Detachment A
13.11.51
Incident report at Woomera, pilot by F/Lt T. A. Berry
11.51-10.53
held u/s at ARDU Trials Flight awaiting spares
19.10.53
Damaged in ground accident at Woomera. Tailplane of RA644 struck RA640. Both repaired
55
ARDU Trials Flight renamed Air Trials Unit
19.5.55
Serviceable with ATU Woomera
28.11.55
Issued Maintenance Squadron Edinburgh ex ATU for minor service
14.9.56
Serviceable with ATU
5.10.56
Request discontinue servicing and maintenance this aircraft pending disposal
1.2.57
Authorised for disposal action
23.5.57
Listed on Edinburgh disposal list as scrap metal including four Merlin engines
12.9.57
Disposal in progress

Sold as scrap metal at RAAF Edinburgh SA


cheers
JB

Thanks John,

Lots of very interesting info.

Aside from the NAA images being discussed, I haven't got/seen any other images of RA640.

The only images of RA644 that I have (also from NAA: D874 series) show it on the line at Woomera in Bomber Command type camouflage and the images date from 1950 and 1951 (wearing tail code "LOZ"). Presumably it was also repainted white at some later stage ...

Perhaps the strongest clue to this machines identity is the lack of bomb doors. The only documentary evidence for a lack of bomb doors on an ATU/ARDU Lincoln (so far) is for RA640.

Not conclusive, I know.

(I saw wot you did with the "links").

This post has been edited by Shep on Nov 30 2022, 01:42 PM

Nothing concrete Shep, although most would be Woomerano doubt and a couple may be Evatts. I have a few overhead views and maps, but can't see exactly where they are taken to confirm.

TITLE: Canberra jet bomber - Woomera



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TITLE: Canberra jet bomber - Woomera

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TITLE: Jindivik aircraft

(Yes it is - The NAA can't be wrong! ) ;)

This would be A85-618.

This post has been edited by ozhawk40 on Dec 2 2022, 10:47 AM

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TITLE: Jindivik MK II - TOARE

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Thanks, Peter.

An excellent image set (even if some of the titles are a bit ropey!)

Very interesting subject matter, too.

Cheers,

Yes, these are good pics.

Sabre is A94-922, notice faired over cannon port for Firestreak AAM trials.
One of the CA-22 Winjeel prototypes, A85-618.
The Canberra pics are great - B.2 from UK A84-2, with dark blue tail, same as A84-125 and A84-307.

Regarding A94-922, here is -922 with a Blue Jay (Firestreak) round under the port wing and the “Auto Observer” under the belly. This shot is captioned as being Evatts [sic – Evetts] Field, 13FEB57. [NAA: D874, NK469/1].

This post has been edited by Shep on Dec 2 2022, 05:29 PM

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This is the guts of the “Auto Observer”. Captioned 10DEC55. [NAA: D874, NH1845].



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Belly detail of the “Auto Observer”. Captioned 10DEC55. [NAA: D874, NH1846].

Was this pod designed for Photo Recon?

The number of images from this series that have been digitised is relatively small considering the size of that collection. Anyone willing to fling some cash to NAA to get more digitised?



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Just think back in the day this was cutting edge technology.
Thanks for sharing all these photos and information.

This would be Lincoln RA640 again perhaps. No visible serial, or markings. Does have framework in the bomb bay for some form of testing or trials.

That also must be Winjeel A85-618 in the foreground.

NAA Title - Lincoln Aircraft

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Interesting to see the fire truck, must have been yellow and red stripes.

I'm surprised at how small the upper wing roundels are on Winjeel A85-618.

Hi all.
The radar arrangement at the back end of the Lincoln in photos NJ28 to NJ31 reminded me of some of the American underwing pods, so I went to Jerry Proc's website and saw the Avenger with AN/APS-4 radar.
http://jproc.ca/rrp/rrp3/avenger.html
http://jproc.ca/rrp/rrp3/avenger_equipment_details.html
http://jproc.ca/rrp/rrp3/avenger_aps4.html

Quoting from Jerry: The APS-4 was a light-weight, pod-mounted airborne search radar which was suitable for either Airborne Interception (AI) or Air-to-Surface-Vessel (ASV) applications in the X band.

Originally the Lincoln when fitted with the rear turret could also be fitted with the AGLT radar, according to the manual, but I'm not sure that any of the RAAF aircraft were.

I am unsure about the reflector cones; if they are part of testing only, or if they were intended to be rudimentary prototypes for supplementing the pod unit.

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You can see some of the AN/APS-4 boxes in the Lincoln interior shots - see NJ26.
Attached image here again from Jerry Proc's website.

This post has been edited by Nicko on Feb 4 2023, 04:04 PM

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Hi Nicko,

You might be right. The AN/APS-4 pod looks very much like the pod mounted at the extreme aft end of RA640 (earlier image from NAA series posted by Hornet133). And the interior operator console shots are suitably “temporary” looking.

Don’t know if it was fitted to any other ATU Lincolns or not.

As Hornet133 questioned back in his post, I too wonder what the rest of the fittings were for – are these the reflector cones you were referring to in your post?

Cheers,

Yep, Shep. That's what I'm referring to. Two of them look to me like deep parabolic signal focusing shapes where the three radial arms hold the receiving 'thing' at the focal point. Maybe it is not receiving but sending? I'm just guessing now, well and truly. The fit-out doesn't seem complete there is a clamp at the top for something cylindrical. Maybe the parabolic unit on the centre-line just above the AN/APS-4 is incomplete.

This post has been edited by Nicko on Feb 6 2023, 07:38 PM

You were absolutely right about the radar – placard says: “MX-40/APS-4”. I don’t know what “MX-40” is (in this case it most certainly isn’t a Wescam IRDS!) but, since it’s on the viewing shroud, I’d speculate that THAT is an MX-40. [See enlargement of the image NAA: D874, NJ26]

I haven’t been able to find anything with regard to the installation on the back-end of RA640 other than the presence (as you identified) of the APS-4 radar.

The bottom “cone” (immediately above the radome) has had its lower section scalloped out. I would guess that this is to ensure an unobstructed path to/from the APS-4’s dish.

Some of the trials that were going on during late 1955 and early 1956 included:
Green Cheese – a proposed (heavy) anti-ship missile which was intended to have a nuclear warhead,
Red Shoes – which became Thunderbird (similar to Bloodhound),
Blue Sky – A-A guided missile Fireflash and,
Red Duster – which became Bloodhound.

The Lincolns were primarily used for bomb ballistic trials but there is no doubt that they were used for other trials also such as:

08FEB56, “Lincoln RA640 was ferried to Edinburgh to undertake an Edinburgh based Sea Slug trial” [RAAF Unit History Sheets 1 Air Trials Unit Jan 55 – Jan 65; NAA: A9186, 284 (p63/973)]. There was no further information supplied in the A50.

The APS-4 would have been useful for air-air work with other aircraft such as:

02MAR56, “Lincoln RA-640 was airborne in conjuction with the Sabre […] for Radar Ranging practice.” [p67/973]. {Sabre probably A94-915}.

The Lincolns were also used for VT Fuse drops. VT Fuses were radio proximity fuses for things such as missiles, so perhaps those “cones” might have something to do with a remote version of those to detonate missiles? (Just a guess which might be wide of the mark – I wouldn’t put any of my money on that theory but, who knows??).

I initially thought they might be photoflashes for photography of bomb drops or missile fly-bys (again, I’m only guessing).


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Thanks to those who commented on those images of the rear end of RA640. When I came across them I had never seen anything remotely like that.

Steve Mackenzie

According to Joe Vella, Aircraft Projects of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (2022) 193, the Auto Observer belly pod [see earlier post] used on CA27 Sabres for Blue Jay trials WAS actually designed for a Photo Reconnaissance adaption of the Sabre.

Apparently it was project, “P435 Sabre, Photo Reconnaissance, June 1960” and that it was designed to have, “[t]hree oblique mounted, forward facing and left and right side pointing model F95 four inch lens camera units”.

“The location for the front of the pod was fuselage Station 85 [and the] rear reference was Station 176”.

This post has been edited by Shep on Apr 6 2023, 03:05 PM

Not quite Evatts Field, but ...

Unusual view of a Meteor F4/U15 (with RAAF roundels – not sure if that was common?).

Camera aircraft was another Meteor but not certain which/which type – possibly T7 WN321 (since the aft fuselage is all white)?

The location cannot be Woomera or Evatts Field because they are located in the desert. I think it is more likely to be in the Edinburgh or Mallala area. Mallala was an all-over-grass field (runways) so, if that light-coloured vertical line at the “bottom” of the image, beyond the camera ships righthand wing tip is a runway, then it might be Edinburgh’s north/south runway with the aircraft travelling east. Sun aspect/shadows on the fuselage of the F4/U15 would support this.

I reckon the area would be built up by now, but does anyone recognise the road layout and intersections?

Image is from the National Archives of Australia (NAA: D874, N58/807) and is date captioned as 02MAY58.


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What a very interesting photo. Trawling through the NAA must be testing at times.