RAAF F-111C DELIVERY

OPERATION REPAND SUPPORT AIRCRAFT

 

The delivery of the 24 RAAF F-111C from McClellan AFB to Amberley was known as Operation REPAND. The deliveries were in four batches of six aircraft arriving at Amberley on 01JUN73, 26JUL73, 28SEP73 and 04DEC73. The ferry flights were supported by C-130E Hercules from No 37 Squadron based at Richmond, NSW. These flights were used to transport ground support equipment and personnel as well as F-111 aircrew.

The F-111 ferry route was surveyed by a P-3B Orion from No 11 Squadron based at Edinburgh, South Australia. Orions from 11SQN also provided SAR support for all four F-111C ferries and also for the leased F-4E Phantoms (first sector only) which were ferried back to the US by USAF crews accompanied by USAF KC-135 tankers.

 

C-130E HERCULES - 37 SQUADRON


DATE
C-130E
CAPTAIN
ROUTE
REMARKS
F-111 Ferry #1
23MAY73
A97-171
 CAPT T.A. Schmidt (USAF) YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-KMCC-PHIK-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 01JUN73.
25MAY73
A97-180
 FLTLT J.H. Maxwell YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 01JUN73.
27MAY73
A97-168
 FLTLT S.A. Bryce YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 02JUN73.
01JUN73
A97-167
 FLTLT D.K. Holbourn YSRI-YAMB-YSRI Carried AOC to YAMB for arrival ceremony. Ret YSRI 02JUN73.
F-111 Ferry #2
15JUL73
A97-181
 FLGOFF P.F. Moran YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-KMCC-KMGE-KMCC-PHIK-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI To Dobbins AFB in support wing mod program. Ret YSRI 27JUL73.
18JUL73
A97-189
 FLGOFF P.L. Philips YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-YSRI F-111 support equip to NSTU. Ret YSRI 20JUL73.
20JUL73
A97-168
 FLTLT A.A. Streeter YSRI-YAMB A/C change at YAMB.
20JUL73
A97-189
 FLTLT A.A. Streeter YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-NSTU-YAMB A/C change at YAMB.
27JUL73
A97-168
 FLTLT A.A. Streeter YAMB-YSRI A/C change at YAMB.
27JUL73
A97-168
 FLGOFF P.L. Philips YSRI-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 28JUL73.
F-111 Ferry #3
19SEP73
A97-168
 FLTLT H.A. Dreimanis YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-KMCC-PHIK-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 28SEP73.
21SEP73
A97-160
 FLTLT S.A. Bryce YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK Ret PHIK turbine failure #2.
21SEP73
A97-181
 FLGOFF J.R. Howie YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-NSTU-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 27SEP73.
29SEP73
A97-180
 FLTLT A.A. Streeter YSRI-NSTU-PHIK Rescue sortie for A97-160.
30SEP73
A97-180
 FLTLT S.A. Bryce PHIK-NSTU-YSRI Ret YSRI 01OCT73.
??OCT73
A97-160
 FLTLT A.A. Streeter PHIK-NFNN-YSRI Ret YSRI 13OCT73.
F-111 Ferry #4
21NOV73
A97-181
 SQNLDR P.N. Perrow YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK-KMCC-PHIK-NFNN-YAMB-YSRI Delayed 5 days at PHIK due fuel shortage NSTU and weather PHIK-NFNN. Ret YSRI 04DEC73.
22NOV73
A97-189
 FLTLT P.L. Jolly YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-YSRI Ret YSRI 24NOV73.
23NOV73
A97-190
 FLGOFF P.C. Tollemache YSRI-YAMB-NSTU-PHIK Delayed at PHIK due fuel shortage NSTU.
29NOV73
A97-168
 FLGOFF D.J. Hebiton YSRI-NSTU-NFNN-NSTU-NFNN-YAMB-YSRI Lifted Air Transportable Telecommunications Unit (ATTU) detachment from NSTU to NFNN due fuel shortage at NSTU.
30NOV73
A97-178
 FLGOFF A.P. Noordink YSRI-NFNN-YAMB-YSRI Ret YSRI 04DEC73.
03DEC73
A97-190
 FLGOFF P.C. Tollemache PHIK-NFNN-YSRI Ret YSRI 04DEC73.
06DEC73
A97-168
 FLGOFF J.R. Howie YSRI-NFNN-YSRI Ret YSRI 07DEC73.

 

P-3B ORION - 11 SQUADRON


DATE
P-3B
CAPTAIN
CREW
ROUTE
REMARKS
F-4 Ferry #1
24OCT72
?
 WGCDR G. Gunton
B
 YPED-YBTL F-4 Ferry #1.
25OCT72
?
 WGCDR G. Gunton
B
 YBTL-YPED F-4 Ferry #1.
F-4 Ferry #2
08NOV72
?
 FLGOFF G.R. Jennings
A
 YPED-YBTL F-4 Ferry #2.
09NOV72
?
 FLGOFF G.R. Jennings
A
 YBTL-YBMK-YPED F-4 Ferry #2.
Survey F-111 Ferry Route
10DEC72
?
 FLTLT J.V. Lambley
TF
 YPED-YAMB-YSRI With Training Flight Crew.
11DEC72
?
 FLTLT J.V. Lambley
TF
 YSRI-NSTU "To survey suitable aerodromes and alternate landing fields for the F-111 ferry."
13DEC72
?
 FLTLT J.V. Lambley
TF
 NSTU-PHIK As above.
16DEC72
?
 FLTLT J.V. Lambley
TF
 PHIK-NFFN Returned Barbers Point NAS with #1 engine fail. Test flown later same day.
17DEC72
?
 FLTLT J.V. Lambley
TF
 PHJR-NFFN Overflew Canton Is to assess as possible emergency field for F-111 ferry.
19DEC72
?
 FLTLT J.V. Lambley
TF
 NFNN-YSRI-YAMB-YPED With Training Flight Crew.
F-111 Ferry #1
27MAY73
A9-291
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
E
 YPED-NFNN F-111 Ferry #1. See Note 3.
27MAY73
?
 ?
F
 YPED-NFNN F-111 Ferry #1.
28MAY73
A9-291
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
E
 NFNN-PHIK F-111 Ferry #1. See Note 3.
29MAY73
A9-291
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
E
 PHIK-NFNN F-111 Ferry #1. See Note 3.
31MAY73
?
 ?
F
 NFNN-NFNN F-111 Ferry #1.
01JUN73
A9-291
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
E
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #1. See Note 3.
01JUN73
?
 ?
F
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #1.
F-4 Ferry #3
05JUN73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 YPED-YBTL F-4 Ferry #3.
06JUN73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 YBTL-YPED F-4 Ferry #3.
F-4 Ferry #4
17JUN73
?
 ?
E
 YPED-YBTL F-4 Ferry #4.
F-111 Ferry #2
21JUL73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 YPED-NFNN F-111 Ferry #2.
22JUL73
?
 FLTLT R.S.T. McLean
G
 YPED-NFNN F-111 Ferry #2. Standby until 27JUL.
22JUL73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 NFNN-PHIK F-111 Ferry #2.
24JUL73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 PHIK-PHIK F-111 Ferry #2. Ret PHIK when one F-111 went u/s.
26JUL73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 PHIK-NFNN F-111 Ferry #2. Escorting 6 F-111.
26JUL73
?
 FLTLT R.S.T. McLean
G
 NFNN-NFNN F-111 Ferry #2. Relieved Crew F.
27JUL73
?
 FLTLT A.J. Clancy
F
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #2.
27JUL73
?
 FLTLT R.S.T. McLean
G
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #2.
F-111 Ferry #3
25SEP73
A9-297
 FLTLT A.C.G. Maitland
B
 PHJR-NSTU Positioned from RIMPAC for F-111 Ferry #3. See Note 2.
26SEP73
A9-297
 FLTLT A.C.G. Maitland
B
 NSTU-NFNN F-111 Ferry #3. See Note 2.
28SEP73
A9-297
 FLTLT A.C.G. Maitland
B
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #3. See Note 2.
F-111 Ferry #4
24NOV73
?
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
A
 YPED-NFNN-PHIK Dep YPED at 0640. F-111 Ferry #4.
25NOV73
?
 FLTLT K.D. Feeney
C
 YPED-NFNN-PHIK Dep YPED at 0630. F-111 Ferry #4.
02DEC73
?
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
A
 PHIK-NFNN F-111 Ferry #4.
03DEC73
?
 FLTLT K.D. Feeney
C
 PHIK-NFNN F-111 Ferry #4.
04DEC73
?
 SQNLDR B.A. Wellington
A
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #4.
04DEC73
?
 FLTLT K.D. Feeney
C
 NFNN-YPED F-111 Ferry #4.

 

The 11SQN ORB does not record aircraft serials for Operation REPAND although it does record serials for many routine sorties before and after.

 

Briefing sheet for the first F-111 ferry departing Hickam AFB on 29MAY73.
Source: SQNLDR Wally Walters.

 

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE F-111 DELIVERIES

 

READ MORE ABOUT THE F-4 PHANTOM DELIVERIES

 

 

ICAO CODES
KMCC
 McClellan AFB, Sacramento CA
KMGE
 Dobbins AFB, Marietta GA
NFNN
 Nadi, Fiji
NSTU
 Pago Pago, American Samoa
PHIK
 Hickam AFB, Honolulu
PHJR
 Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii
YBMK
 Mackay, QLD
YAMB
 RAAF Amberley, Qld
YBTL
 Townsville, QLD
YPED
 RAAF Edinburgh, SA
YSRI
 RAAF Richmond, NSW

 

 

NOTES
1
 The fourth ferry was delayed at Hickam because fuel was not available at Pago Pago. Consequently the fourth ferry routed via Nadi.
2
 The 11SQN ORB does not record aircraft serials for these operations although it does record serials for other routine operations. FLTLT Maitland and Crew B operated A9-297 for RIMPAC 73 so it is likely but not certain that they operated the same aircraft for F-111 escort duties.
3
 A briefing sheet (see above) issued at Hickam AFB for the first F-111C ferry departing 29MAY73 shows the Rescue aircraft as "RAAF 291" and the pilot's name as "Wellington". REPAND briefing sheet courtesy of SQNLDR Wally Walters.
4
 Operation REPAND is mentioned in the 37SQN ORB from the beginning but the name does not appear in the 11SQN ORB until the fourth F-111 ferry.

 

 

SOURCES
NAA, Series A9186, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 37 Squadron Feb 66 - May 78
NAA, Series A9186, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 11 Squadron Jul 67 - Jan 88.

 

Compiled by Ron Cuskelly from sources shown.

 

Issue
Date
Remarks
1
13JAN19
 Original issue.