dinomartino1
Well-Known Member
These photos where taken at RAAF Willamtown, NSW in 1957 of Sabre Pilots from RAAF 77 sqn involved with the first Air Defence Course conducted after the commissioning of the RAAFs No. 1 Control and Reporting Unit radar station, Brookvale, Sydney, NSW.
Major Bill Willison USAAF, 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron patch [thanks Jerome], which had previously operated from Kimpo airbase Korea alongside 77 Squadron in1952.
Sqd Ldr Max Holdsworth CO 77 sqn, John Arthurson, Major Bill Wilson USAF, Sqd Ldr Fred Barnes, CO 3 Squadron
Major Willison on the far left
Flight jackets of the RAAF in the 1950s are incredibly hard to research as there are so few photos, USAF and US army clothing where worn in Korea alongside RAAf issue.
If that is a RAAF pilot wearing the L2 that is the first photo I have ever seen from the 1950s though they where RAAF aircrew issue in the 60s, 70's and 80s and maybe into the 90's. they had epaulettes for rank slides.
Sqn caps where worn but old ones would be incredibly rare now, I have never seen or heard of one outside of period photos .
Wing commander later Air Vice Marshal Jim Flemming, in the pilot's seat of a Mirage based at Williamtown RAAF Base and deployed to Malaysia in 1967. He flew on the first operational mission flown by 77 Squadron Mustangs over North Korea, he also became the first Australian pilot to destroy a T-34 tank.
Jim became the fastest Australian alive when he doubled the sound barrier in an F-104 Starfighter while on an exchange program with the United States Air Force in the late 1950s.
In 1958 when Jim was tasked with taking an F-104C up for a high altitude test to help determine why there had been a spate of nozzle failures resulting in engines failing to provide thrust.
"At 40,000 feet I tried a relight without success, at 35,000 I tried another with the same result, at 33,000 I managed to get a relight and was delighted to see the RPM and EGT start to rise but I knew something was wrong as an increased throttle movement produced the desired RPM but no apparent increase in thrust."
Jim was able to land safely with a dead stick on the world's longest runway at Muroc Lake.
Tri service pilots course Point Cook 1967, some of the guys are wearing what looks like MA-1's which I have never seen before.
USAF Sabre of the 354th TFS with air to air refuelling mod, Willamtown RAAF base.
Major Bill Willison USAAF, 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron patch [thanks Jerome], which had previously operated from Kimpo airbase Korea alongside 77 Squadron in1952.
Sqd Ldr Max Holdsworth CO 77 sqn, John Arthurson, Major Bill Wilson USAF, Sqd Ldr Fred Barnes, CO 3 Squadron
Major Willison on the far left
Flight jackets of the RAAF in the 1950s are incredibly hard to research as there are so few photos, USAF and US army clothing where worn in Korea alongside RAAf issue.
If that is a RAAF pilot wearing the L2 that is the first photo I have ever seen from the 1950s though they where RAAF aircrew issue in the 60s, 70's and 80s and maybe into the 90's. they had epaulettes for rank slides.
Sqn caps where worn but old ones would be incredibly rare now, I have never seen or heard of one outside of period photos .
Wing commander later Air Vice Marshal Jim Flemming, in the pilot's seat of a Mirage based at Williamtown RAAF Base and deployed to Malaysia in 1967. He flew on the first operational mission flown by 77 Squadron Mustangs over North Korea, he also became the first Australian pilot to destroy a T-34 tank.
Jim became the fastest Australian alive when he doubled the sound barrier in an F-104 Starfighter while on an exchange program with the United States Air Force in the late 1950s.
In 1958 when Jim was tasked with taking an F-104C up for a high altitude test to help determine why there had been a spate of nozzle failures resulting in engines failing to provide thrust.
"At 40,000 feet I tried a relight without success, at 35,000 I tried another with the same result, at 33,000 I managed to get a relight and was delighted to see the RPM and EGT start to rise but I knew something was wrong as an increased throttle movement produced the desired RPM but no apparent increase in thrust."
Jim was able to land safely with a dead stick on the world's longest runway at Muroc Lake.
Tri service pilots course Point Cook 1967, some of the guys are wearing what looks like MA-1's which I have never seen before.
USAF Sabre of the 354th TFS with air to air refuelling mod, Willamtown RAAF base.
Last edited:
