Amberley Questions

Firstly I would like to say great site.

My questions regarding Amberley are;

1. Where was 9 Squadrons flight line located? I've searched the web and found photos of the Huey's parked in different locations around the base, but these photo's were of individual choppers. The only group photo I've found was taken during the 1981 airshow and it has numerous choppers parked on the pads behind the 12 Squadron flight line, but the caption with the photo says they were only there due to the airshow.

2. Where was the Army Aviation flight line when they were based there?

3. What year was the 12 Squadron Apron and Hanger completed.? Was it completed before the arrival of the Chinook's?


Thanks in advance.

GAFA

I was at AMB between 1969 and 1977.
Doing this from memory, don't have a map handy, but have visited over the years.

2. Answer Quest 2 first as it flows into Quest 1. The main RW is 15/33, with hangars on the western side. If you use the Airmovement tarmac as the centre point, to the north was 2 SQN and 82 WG. This is now 36 SQN tarmac, perhaps 33 (not sure), and 82 WG carports. The apron area furthest north was built for 12 SQN, and later 38 SQN moved in. To the south of Airmovements is a fuel farm, and the firies section, then the tarmac that was Army Aviation. The hangars then curve around at the ATC tower to be parallel to the short cross runway 04/22 (was 05/23). The hangars continue up to what was 3AD, then 501WG, and now the Boeing hangar. Army Aviation moved out to Oakey in about 1972/73.

1. 9SQN came back in Dec71. Initially they used tarmac space and old WWII buildings beween the ATC tower and the the 3AD hangar, ie about the closest point of that hangar line and runway 04 - probably abeam the threshhold. Most of the aircraft were flown from PSP matting pads on the grass. When Army moved out to Oakey, 9SQN re-located to where the Army had been.

3. 12SQN came with their CH-47Cs in 1974. I am pretty sure that the hangar and most of the apron was complete (I think the apron was later enlarged), but the HQ building was still being finished with internal fittings. After 12SQN was disbanded (c 1989?), and 38SQN moved up (early 90s), the Caribous moved into this space.

This post has been edited by batman on Jan 2 2012, 03:36 PM

Thanks to TCW for this info and photo


1;- 16ALA, see red boxed area, these Lysaght sheds still have old paint ownership on them, the HQ has on the wall CO 16ALA, SSM, ADJT and so on.

2;- 9Sqn, blue boxed area.

3;- 12Sqn area was built on time prior to CH47's arrival and was nown locally as "Choppers North", something to do with when talking to the tower/ATC.

The 9Sqn Area was also used by 2Sqn while 9 was "away" but mainly 2Sqn used the Airmovments apron or 1/6 Sqn hardstand.

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Thanks for the quick replies.

Cheers

GAFA

I was at Amberley when 16ALA arrived. They used hangar space and tarmac buildings near the old cinema, just across the road from the hospital with the old Parade Ground nearby (to entertain the patients). They used Cessna 180 and Bell 47 at the time. Saw the Porter sales team takeoff from between the hangars, then dead stick back onto the tarmac which was the flight line. Before that the area was used by City of Brisbane CAF 23SQN with Meteors (and Wirraways). It was after my time but I think 9SQN moved into their tarmac area after some time on the south side (just beyond the original Wraffy compound). - not far from the AD Hangar. It was in this area that the last of the Lincolns and the Base Dakota used to operate. There could have been even a Winjeel operating from there for recency flying.
As a kid I used to ride a push bike around the base on Friday nights - I was well known at the guard gate and that was before the doggies. Gate from the Married Quarters was unmanned at night - needed access to the swimming pool.
I could even go back further to when the main road used to cross the runway from east to west, waiting for Ansons, Lincolns and Mustangs to depart.
Starting to sound like one of those old f..ts.


Lindsay

Here's a 1942 site map for Amberley via the Phantom (I can provide a larger version via email on request):

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Brendan, I could use the larger copy to do an update of what buildings remain and then post the updated version.

My email should be in my profile if you can access it.

Hi Aardvark,

No problems, I have sent that out for you today.

Let me know when it arrives at your end.

Cheers

BC

Got it, Thanks, will start work tomorrow.

Now for some more "Phantom Phots" of Amberley.

He writes:

I have larger copies of the photos which you can request from me at brendan.cowan@adf-serials.com.au .

Cheers

BC

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And here's the colour shot referred to above:

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And another Phantom Photo update.

AS ever, I can provide larger copies via email on request.

Cheers

BC

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Plus Macrossan:

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And Macrossan again:

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From the Phantom:

That would be HS748 c/n1720 ex VH-IMJ

Ah!! Brendan/Phantom you have assumed that because it is a 707 it is 624.

Look at the wing tips, no refuelling pods.

It was the other (not ex RAAF) Omega Tanker that was here then, it only has a single drogue from the aft fuselage.

Also of interest is an A330 on the taxiway adjacent to the carports.

This post has been edited by Aardvark on Jun 16 2012, 11:07 AM

Here is an aerial photo of Amberley in the 1940s, roughly the same time frame as the plan shown above
I can't explain the waterways seeminly across the runways or they have they camouflaged the runways

(Photo RAAF Museum via Sally Douglas)

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An aerial view of the newly completed Amberley RAAF Base in 1940.
No sign of the waterways



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A couple more photos taken after the war in 1947
Still plenty of aircraft to be seen

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..these two have been provided by Sally Douglas

When time permits I will create an album in the gallery for these base photos, I am sure that many will find them of great interest.

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