LOCKHEED L-285D AP-3C ORION A9-760
MSN 5676
(AA000111)

 

 

QAM thanks the following members
for funding the acquisition of this aircraft.

 

Barry Admans
David Bussey
Ron & Maureen Cuskelly
Cameron Elmes
Julie Hammer
Michael Hinsbey
Brian Lenz
Bob Livingstone
Bryan Matthews
Robert Phillips
Geoff Roach
Nick Sayer
Mal Sayers

 

 
30JUN77
   Number 10 Squadron held a parade in Townsville to mark the end of the Squadron's association with the city. With effect from 01JUL77, 10SQN will be based at Edinburgh, South Australia. Detachment Bravo will remain in Townsville with four Neptunes. (Source: 18)
31DEC77
   10SQN Detachment B disbanded at Townsville at midnight.
78
   A9-760 was built as a P-3C-185-LO Update II with the U.S. Navy Bureau Number 160760. (Source: 1)
    It is claimed that A9-760 was the first Orion to be fitted with wings manufactured in Canada under the P-3 offset program. (Source: 14)
27JAN79
   Customer acceptance date as per Data Plate.
28JAN79
   C-130E A97-190 (FLTLT J. Murphy) departed Richmond "in support of P-3C project". The aircraft routed Richmond, Nadi, Hickam, McClellan, Patuxent, McClellan, Hickam, Nadi returning to Richmond on 07FEB79. (Source: 19)
29JAN79
   A crew departed Australia by C-130 to collect A9-760. See above. (Source: 18)
02FEB79
   FLTLT Jabornicky and crew started flying A9-760 at Moffett Field, California. The flight was cut short after 0.8 hours when number 2 engine was shut down due to an illuminated chip light. (Source: 18)
Pete Jabornicky and his crew were the only 10SQN pickup crew not to travel to the USA by commercial aircraft, having flown to McClellan AFB by RAAF C-130 then found their own way to NAS Moffett Field. (Source: 33 p.193)
06FEB79
   Successfully test flown (4.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
08FEB79
   Flown again (6.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
12FEB79
   Departed Moffett Field for Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
13FEB79
   Departed Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii for Nadi, Fiji (8.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
15FEB79
   Departed Nadi, Fiji for RAAF Edinburgh, SA (7.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
22FEB79
   First recorded operation by A9-760 was a night TACEX departing Edinburgh at 2020 with 10 SQN CO, WGCDR Tayles and crew. (5.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
28FEB79
   FLTLT Ritchie and Crew 3 departed at 0805 for New Zealand on a NAVEX landing back at Edinburgh after 13.7 hours which was a P-3C endurance record for the squadron. (Source: 18)
07MAR79
   FLTLT Ritchie flew a photographic sortie (1.7 hrs) with an ARDU Macchi. (Source: 18)
08MAR79
   Crew 2 departed at 1400 on a TACEX/INSTEX sortie (7.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
11MAR79
   SQNLDR Thomas carried out a Route Captaincy check on FLTLT Vanbergen landing at Nowra, Richmond and Canberra where the aircraft overnighted (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
12MAR79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed Canberra with VIP Air Marshal Sir James Rowland, KBE, DFC, AFC, BE returning to Edinburgh at 0900 (1.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
12MAR79
   Crew 4 departed Edinburgh at 0900 on a coastal surveillance flight to Pearce instead of the usual Learmonth which was closed due to Cyclone Hazel (9.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
13MAR79
   Crew 4 departed Pearce at 0745 but was diverted for two hours on a SAR for a Taiwanese trawler missing off Learmonth. After an unsuccessful search the aircraft recovered to Pearce after 12.3 hours in the air. (Source: 18)
14MAR79
   Crew 4 departed Pearce at 1015 on the 7.6 hour return flight to Edinburgh. (Source: 18)
19MAR79
   SQNLDR Thomas flew an AIR TEST (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAR79
   WGCDR Tayles departed Edinburgh at 1500 with Air Vice Marshal J. Adams, CBE, DFC, AFC and Air Commodore L. Klaffer, AFC to Canberra (1.7 hrs).
21MAR79
   WGCDR Tayles departed Canberra at 0800 for Edinburgh with several ILS practices en route (2.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
23MAR79
   FLTLT Ritchie and Crew 3 departed at 0100 on a CASEX (7.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
26MAR79
   Crew 2 departed at 0330 on a CASEX (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
27MAR79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed at 0500 on a CASEX (7.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
28MAR79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 5 departed at 0100 on a CASEX (10.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
03APR79
   WGCDR Tayles and WGCDR Morris departed at 0830 escorting Mirages returning from an air display at Pearce. One Mirage experienced engine problems. After 4.9 hrs A9-760 landed at Adelaide because of excessive crosswinds at Edinburgh. (Source: 18)
04APR79
   FLTLT Jabornicky flew a PCT sortie and air display practice (0.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
05APR79
   WGCDR Tayles, FLTLT Jabornicky, FLTLT Ritchie and FLTLT Vanbergen flew a PCT sortie (2.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
06APR79
   WGCDR Tayles flew a formation rehearsal for an air display (1.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
07APR79
   WGCDR Tayles departed at 1330 to conduct a flypast to open the Edinburgh Air Display (1.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
07APR79
   Photographed at RAAF Edinburgh.
07APR79
   FLTLT Jabornicky departed at 1715 with Air Vice Marshal Trebilco, AFC and Mrs Trebilco for Laverton where A9-760 was on static display for the last air display of the year (1.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
08APR79
   Photographed on static display at an airshow at RAAF Laverton.
09APR79
   FLTLT Jabornicky returned to Edinburgh from Laverton at 1050 (1.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
22APR79
   WGCDR Tayles and crew departed for Nadi, Fiji (5.8 hrs) on a six day trip to the UK for the dedication of 10 Squadron's carved slate tile at St Clement Danes (the Central Church of the Royal Air Force) in London. The ceremony was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of 10 Squadron's arrival in England at the start of WWII. (Source: 18/33)
    For this trip, the aircraft became the first 10SQN Orion to be painted with the squadron's chimera emblem. A prototype version was designed by AEO FLTLT Alan Callaghan and Al Smith. Picture
Subsequently, a smaller, multi-coloured design was adopted and first applied to A9-754. By April 1981, A9-760 was also carrying the revised emblem. Picture (Source: 33 p.203)
23APR79
   Departed Nadi for Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii (7.7 hrs) and Moffett Field (5.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
25APR79
   Departed Moffett Field for NAS Brunswick, Maine (6.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
26APR79
   Departed Brunswick for RAF St Mawgan, UK. (7.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
29APR79
   A dedication service was held at St Clement Danes (the Central Church of the Royal Air Force) in London in the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra. Tiles bearing the crests of No 10 Squadron and No 461 Squadron were laid in the floor of the church. (Source: 18)
02MAY79
   WGCDR Tayles departed RAF St Mawgan at 1000 for NAS Brunswick (7.5 hrs). After refuelling, the aircraft departed for NAS Jacksonville, Florida (3.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
03MAY79
   The crew held discussions with VP31 the USN training squadron at Jacksonville. (Source: 18)
04MAY79
   Departed Jacksonville at 1000 for NAS Moffett Field. (Source: 18)
05MAY79
   Departed Moffett Field at 0930 for NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii (6.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
06MAY79
   Departed Barbers Point for Nadi, Fiji (8.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
08MAY79
   Departed Nadi for Edinburgh (6.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
17MAY79
   Crew 3 departed at 1330 on a GAY ROVER sortie arriving at Richmond after 1.8 hrs with the intention of departing for Cocos Island the next morning with the AOC Operational Command, AVM Adams but the aircraft incurred electrical problems. (Source: 18)
18MAY79
   FLTLT Vanbergen in A9-753 departed for Richmond with parts for A9-760 and returned to Edinburgh. (Source: 18)
19MAY79
   Departed at 0850 for Cocos Island (11.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAY79
   Departed Cocos Island for Butterworth at 0925 after a one hour delay while a leaking nose wheel strut was inspected. After 5.2 hrs arrived at Butterworth where it was decided to replace the nosewheel strut and carry out repairs to the APU. Parts and ground crew were flown from Edinburgh to Butterworth by C-130. (Source: 18)
23MAY79
   C-130E A97-190 (FLTLT F.D. Martin) departed Richmond "with spares for P-3C at Tengah." AVM Adams and his wife returned to Richmond on A97-190 arriving on 27MAY. (Source: 19)
24MAY79
   After cancelling the leg to Diego Garcia, the aircraft departed at 0930 for Tengah (1.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
26MAY79
   Departed Tengah at 0905 but shortly after take-off experienced electrical problems. FLTLT Ritchie declared a PAN, dumped fuel and returned to Tengah after 1.1 hours. The AOC Operational Command transferred to a C-130 for his return to Australia. The aircraft departed again at 1250 and arrived at Edinburgh after 8.7 hrs. (Source: 18)
29MAY79
   Crew 3 departed at 1145 on an INSTEX sortie to Richmond and return (3.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
07JUN79
   FLTLT Parsons and Crew 6 departed at 1100 on a TACEX (5.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUN79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed at 1530 on Exercise TAME OVATION involving HMAS Orion in the Great Australian Bight. (9.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUN79
   Photographed at Edinburgh wearing the original larger version of 10 Squadron's chimera emblem on the tail.
13JUN79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 6 departed at 1635 on Exercise TAME OVATION involving HMAS Orion in the Great Australian Bight. (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
15JUN79
   WGCDR Morris departed for Canberra at 0700 to pickup members of the LRMPA Project Team before transiting to the Sydney Maritime Training Area for trials on a videotape unit for the IDRS equipment. After the successful completion of the trial the aircraft returned to Canberra and Edinburgh (7.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
19JUN79
   FLTLT Jabornicky and Crew 1 departed at 1120 on a practice storepedo drop for the forthcoming mail delivery to Macquarie Island (0.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
20JUN79
   FLTLT Jabornicky and crew departed at 1300 for East Sale (1.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
21JUN79
   FLTLT Jabornicky departed East Sale at 0900 for Macquarie Island where mail and supplies were dropped successfully before returning to East Sale (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
22JUN79
   FLTLT Jabornicky departed East Sale at 1130 for Edinburgh (2.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
02JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 2 departed at 1000 for Pearce on a coastal surveillance sortie (8.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
03JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 2 departed at 0900 for Learmonth (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
04JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 2 departed at 1000 for Darwin (9.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
06JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 2 departed at 0700 for Townsville (12.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
07JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 2 departed at 1200 for Amberley (5.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
08JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas and Crew 2 departed at 1100 for Edinburgh (5.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
10JUL79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed Edinburgh at 1710 on Exercise TAME PURL (sic) in the Sydney MTA returning to Edinburgh (8.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
16JUL79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and minimum crew departed at 1300 for Mascot and return (3.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
17JUL79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed in A9-758 at 0900 on a high altitude drop trial of BARRA sonobuoys. Engine trouble forced a return after 0.8 hrs. The same crew departed in A9-760 at 1300 on a successful trial (1.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
18JUL79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed in A9-760 at 0930 on a further high altitude drop trial of BARRA sonobuoys (1.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
19JUL79
   FLTLT Jabornicky and Crew 3 departed at 1400 on a TACEX (5.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
25JUL79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed at 1400 for Canberra and return (3.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
26JUL79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed at 1400 on a TACEX (2.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
31JUL79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed at 1445 on a TACEX (6.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
01AUG79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed at 1440 on a CASEX in the Sydney MTA recovering to Williamtowm (6.6 hrs). OCEDN Air Commodore Klaffer was a member of the crew on this deployment. (Source: 18)
02AUG79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 carried out an INSTEX sortie and recovered to Williamtown (5.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
03AUG79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed at 0900 on a TACEX returning to Edinburgh via Sydney (7.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
23AUG79
   FLTLT Parsons flew an AIR TEST (2.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
28AUG79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed on a coastal surveillance sortie landing at Darwin (11.3 hrs). This sortie was aborted the previous day in A9-758. (Source: 18)
29AUG79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed Darwin for Townsville (10.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
31AUG79
   FLTLT Vanbergen and Crew 5 departed Townsville for Edinburgh (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
16SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed for Richmond for JUC101 Exercise SEA EAGLE 1. (Source: 18)
17SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Richmond at 1730 on a CASEX with HMAS Otama. After 3.5 hrs on task the crew discovered a disabled Australian trawler and guided Otama to its position. A Sydney Police launch was also alerted before the aircraft returned to Richmond (10.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
20SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Richmond at 1610 on a pre-strike reconnaissance (5.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
22SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Richmond at 0500 on a surveillance (8.0). (Source: 18)
23SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Richmond at 0300 on an air-sub co-operation (7.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
24SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Richmond at 0300 on a pre-strike reconnaissance of 9.0 hrs during Exercise Sea Eagle 1. After about 8.5 hrs the crew diverted 250 nautical miles north to a search area off Evans Head where the 40ft cabin cruiser Nocturn Two* was reported sunk. After an hour in the area the crew located wreckage scattered over a large area in mountainous seas. Subsequently three survivors were located in the water 12 miles off Ballina and a 9 Sqn Iroquois operating at Evans Head was guided to the area and rescued the three people. No trace was found of two other missing persons. The crew recovered to Amberley on minimal fuel resources. After refuelling, the aircraft returned to Richmond (13.5 hrs). (Source: 18)

Flight Lieutenant Geoff Jennings would later recall that after getting airborne from Richmond at 3.00 am:

"We were operating in the exercise area off the east coast of New South Wales, burning bulk fuel galloping around the ocean doing our task. Fortunately, we'd had full fuel at take-off to enable this flexibility. That's important, because it had a bearing later on. The SAR effort up north had been going on for roughly the same period during which we had been on task, using many civilian aircraft plus a C-130H. I was told that up to twenty plus aircraft had been involved. They had no success. Our first inkling was when we received a message asking if we could divert to help. We were down at 100 feet on four engines, causing confusion for the ships. I immediately went to two engines at 1010 degrees TIT (Turbine Inlet Temperature) and started a cruise climb towards the Evans Head area.

"We were well on the way when the revised tasking was confirmed. We were tasked, from my recollection, for a radar search with an altitude floor of 1000 feet, to stay clear of the Herc, which had already been there for some considerable time. The tasking was wrong in the face of the weather conditions. By radar altimeter, the waves were about seventy-five feet from trough to crest and the wind was south-easterly at about sixty-five plus knots, so we were unable to see any smokes that we dropped. We also dropped buoys, but they were almost useless because of wash over. Radar was useless at the tasked altitude. I coordinated with the C-130H captain. We went low. He went high - gladly!

"We tried to find a workable altitude for the radar. Mike Turton was on Sensor Station 3. He gained a very sketchy, intermittent contact at about seven nautical miles. Visual ID proved it to be a Chinese bulk carrier of approximately 50 000 tonnes, in ballast! We disregarded the radar search and relied on visual. Anton Stretch, my TACCO (Tactical Coordinator), got a flash of something different in his peripheral vision as it disappeared under number 2 engine. He dropped a mark on his screen. That action alone is what eventually resulted in the saving of three lives.

"Having re-established contact with the object, which was pale green - barely visible in the conditions - we searched around it. We found three survivors in the water. Angus Houston's crew had been pre-positioned at Evans Head earlier in the day. I called him to come out into the maelstrom to see if he could perform a rescue. I got him to hover in the general area, while I flew a racetrack pattern above him. We had to re-establish visual contact with the survivors on each lap. Then I would give Angus instructions such as 'move forward three hundred metres' or 'move one hundred and fifty metres to your left', and so on, lap after lap. By the time the job was done, we'd flown approximately thirty laps of our pattern referencing the original mark. Anton said he lost count."

Then Flight Lieutenant (later Squadron Leader) Mike Turton would later recall that:

"I was always amazed at Geoff's sense of spacial awareness, to be able to direct the helo so precisely to find those heads in that crazy sea."

Similarly complimentary about the role played by the Iroquois crew, Geoff Jennings remembered that:

"Angus was amazing. How he managed to comply in those conditions, I'll never know. We eventually managed to position him so that one young married couple who were part owners of Nocturne, and Mr Fred Markwell, the delivery skipper, were hoisted aboard the helo. The survivors were widely scattered. Angus departed for Evans Head while I recovered to RAAF Amberley. We were way past PLE (Prudent Limit of Endurance) by the time the rescues were completed. We were unable to search for the other young couple, who (despite continuing searches) were lost.

"We arrived overhead Amberley with 3000 pounds of fuel. I was threatened with a Court Martial for breaking Flying Orders (requiring arrival overhead for landing off an operational sortie with a minimum 6000 pounds of fuel). Eventually, commonsense broke out, and the saving of lives triumphed. I started the ball rolling to have Angus and his crew recognised for an incredible job, superbly done. The demonstration of skill backed by sheer unadulterated guts from Angus and his crew in those horrendous prevailing conditions was awesome, in the proper, literal sense of the word.

"We refueled at Amberley and then recovered to Richmond. After a total 13.5 hours flying that day, we consumed a few beers that night! Two asides to the above account: firstly, in the late 1980s through the auspices of 9 Squadron, I got to spend a day with Fred Markwell. Until our conversation, neither Fred nor the other survivors had any idea that the Orion had been involved. They neither heard, nor saw any aircraft apart from the helo. Secondly, at the [10 and 11 Squadron] seventy-fifth anniversary dinner in 2014, Ron Tayles sought me out to talk about this incident at length. He still found it incredible after all of those years that we'd pulled the rescue off." (Source: 33 pp.199-202)

The Iroquois was A2-377 flown by FLTLT A. Houston (later Air Chief Marshal Sir Allan Grant "Angus" Houston, AK, AC, AFC). (Source: 32)

(* There are several versions of the name of the missing vessel. The name on recovered wreckage appears to be NOCTURN. The gravestone for the couple lost in the tragedy shows NOCTURNE. These variations are also quoted with the suffix number 1 and 2.)

POSTSCRIPT 07FEB21:
News media announced that a bone fragment discovered on a beach near Tweed Heads on 24 September 2011 (ironically the anniversary of the tragedy!) had been linked by DNA to one of the victims whose body was never recovered.
25SEP79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Richmond at 1000 returning to Edinburgh at the conclusion of Sea Eagle 1 (2.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
08OCT79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed at 1000 to Townsville for Exercise KANGAROO III (2.8 hrs). A9-760 along with A9-752 and 757 comprised the LRMP element of the Orange Air Force (enemy). (Source: 18)
10OCT79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 0800 to shadow the Blue Fleet during Exercise KANGAROO III. (9.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
11OCT79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 2210 to shadow the Blue Fleet during Exercise KANGAROO III. (13.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
12OCT79
   FLTLT Jabornicky and Crew 3 departed Townsville at 1510 to shadow the Blue Fleet during Exercise KANGAROO III. (11.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
13OCT79
   FLTLT Grey and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 1830 to shadow the Blue Fleet during Exercise KANGAROO III. (11.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
14OCT79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Townsville at 1220 to practice Harpoon firing tactics against the Blue Fleet (11.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
16OCT79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Townsville at 0240 to practice Harpoon firing tactics against the Blue Fleet (12.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
19OCT79
   FLTLT Grey and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 0001 to practice Harpoon firing tactics against the Blue Fleet (9.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
19OCT79
   FLTLT Jennings and Crew 4 departed Townsville at 1800 to practice Harpoon firing tactics against the Blue Fleet (10.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
24OCT79
   After the amphibious landing at Shoalwater Bay, 10SQN continued to be tasked on maritime strike, surveillance and pre-strike reconnaissance for F-111C.
WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 0040 on a Kangaroo III sortie (8.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
25OCT79
   FLTLT Jabornicky and Crew 3 departed Townsville at 1010 on a Kangaroo III sortie (6.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
28OCT79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 0700 on a Kangaroo III sortie (6.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
29OCT79
   WGCDR Morris and Crew 1 departed Townsville at 0835 on return to Edinburgh via Canberra, East Sale and Melbourne (5.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
02NOV79
   FLTLT Parsons flew an AIR TEST (0.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
06NOV79
   FLTLT Jennings departed at 0840 for Richmond. (Source: 18)
07NOV79
   GPCAPT Lyons departed Richmond for Edinburgh. (Source: 18)
08NOV79
   FLTLT Parsons flew a PCT sortie (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
12NOV79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed at 0810 on a coastal surveillance task to Learmonth (9.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
13NOV79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed Learmonth on a coastal surveillance task to Darwin (6.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
14NOV79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed Darwin on a coastal surveillance task returning to Darwin (9.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
16NOV79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed Darwin at 0820 on a coastal surveillance task to Amberley (8.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
17NOV79
   SQNLDR Thomas departed Amberley on a coastal surveillance task returning to Edinburgh (10.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
23NOV79
   FLTLT Grey flew an AIR TEST (1.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
05DEC79
   FLTLT Ritchie departed on a coastal surveillance sortie but returned to Edinburgh with hail damage to the radome. Sortie was resumed in A9-752. (Source: 18)
1980
    
25JAN80
   FLTLT Grey departed on a GAY ROVER sortie to Tengah overnighting Cocos Island on 31JAN. The crew was diverted to search for two Taiwanese fishermen swept overboard in heavy seas off the NW coast but the search was unsuccessful. (Source: 18)
01FEB80
   FLTLT Grey returned to Edinburgh on completion of the GAY ROVER sortie. (Source: 18)
20FEB80
   SQNLDR Grey flew an AIR TEST (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
25FEB80
   FLTLT Ritchie departed on a FISHEX. On the first leg the aircraft was diverted on a SAR for the missing schooner Thisbe. The aircraft recovered to Amberley. (Source:18 records the name as Thisby but Source: 33 shows it as Thisbe.)
26FEB80
   FLTLT Ritchie departed Amberley on a second SAR for the Thisbe but the search was terminated due to extremely bad weather associated with Cyclone Simon. Subsequently the Thisbe was reported to have run aground on a reef and its crew were safe. Later the same day the aircraft positioned to Townsville to resume the Townsville-Edinburgh leg of the FISHEX (26.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
Tactical Coordinator on the sortie, Graham Bentley, later recalled that: "We were at three hundred feet in a hundred and ten knots of wind in medium to severe turbulence - the whole crew was strapped in!" (Source: 33 p.226)
17MAR80
   FLTLT Milliner flew an AIR TEST (1.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAR80
   FLTLT Milliner flew an AIR TEST (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
20APR80
   Crew 1 departed on a FISHEX via Learmonth and Darwin with three newspaper reporters on board. The last leg included an unsuccessful night search of the Gulf of Carpentaria using IDRS.
23APR80
   Crew 1 returned to Edinburgh on completion of the FISHEX (22.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
24APR80
   FLTLT Jabornicky and Crew 6 departed for Cocos Island to attend the Cocos Anzac Day Parade. (15.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
02MAY80
   Crew 1 with AIRCDRE Klaffer departed for Canberra to pickup VIPs for a FISHEX. Pax were Senators Jessop (SA), MacGibbon (QLD) and Elstob (SA) and Mr Dawe and Miss Thompson. The aircraft continued to Townsville the same day. (Source: 18)
03MAY80
   Crew 1 with AIRCDRE Klaffer departed Townsville for Darwin. (Source: 18)
04MAY80
   Crew 1 with AIRCDRE Klaffer departed Darwin for Exmouth overnighting at Potshot. (Source: 18)
05MAY80
   Crew 1 with AIRCDRE Klaffer returned to Edinburgh via Adelaide (26.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
11MAY80
   FLTLT Milliner relieved an 11SQN crew on a SAR flight to monitor a yacht in distress in heavy seas off Lord Howe Island. A9-760 orbited the yacht until day break. As the rescue vessels neared the yacht the aircraft's radar operator observed the yacht sailing away from the island under full sail at seven knots. The yacht was halted by the aircraft and guided back towards the island by surface craft. The aircraft recovered to Richmond where the copilot spent the night in hospital due illness. (12.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
12MAY80
   FLTLT Milliner and crew returned to Edinburgh (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
14MAY80
   Crew 4 departed on a FISHEX to Amberley. (Source: 18)
15MAY80
   Crew 4 returned to Edinburgh on completion of the FISHEX (18.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
17OCT80
   SQNLDR Grey flew an acceptance AIR TEST (2.5 hrs). It appears that the aircraft had not flown since 15MAY80. See 24OCT80. (Source: 18)
24OCT80
   SQNLDR Grey flew another acceptance AIR TEST of AQS-901 fitment by CAC (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
03NOV80
   FLTLT Robinson, GPCAPT Smith and FLTLT McLean flew a MAD compensation (1.7 hrs) followed by PCT sortie (2.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
14NOV80
   SQNLDR Grey, FLGOFF Fraser and PLTOFF Bartlett flew an AIR TEST (1.0 hrs) followed by PCT sortie (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
16NOV80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 flew a sortie on Operation ESTES. (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
17NOV80
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 departed for Darwin (4.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
18NOV80
   FLTLT Millinner and Crew 2 flew AKARANA trials ex Darwin (8.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
19NOV80
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 departed on a BURBAGE sortie to Cocos Island (9.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
20NOV80
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 departed Cocos Island on a BURBAGE sortie to Tengah (8.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
22NOV80
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 departed Tengah on a BURBAGE sortie to Learmonth (9.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
23NOV80
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 departed Learmonth returning to Edinburgh via Canberra (6.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
26NOV80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and PLTOFF Bartlett flew an AIR TEST (1.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
28NOV80
   FLTLT Moxham and CAPT Squire flew PCT sortie and an AIR TEST (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
29NOV80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 departed for Nadi, Fiji on Exercise SILENT PEARL (6.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
30NOV80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 departed Nadi for Barbers Point, Hawaii on Exercise SILENT PEARL (8.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
30NOV80
   Photographed at Nadi, Fiji while tasked on Exercise SILENT PEARL.
02DEC80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 flew a simulated ASW sortie from Barbers Point on Exercise SILENT PEARL (5.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
04DEC80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 flew a simulated ASW sortie from Barbers Point on Exercise SILENT PEARL (5.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
05DEC80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 departed Barbers Point for Moffett Field on Exercise SILENT PEARL (11.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
06DEC80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 departed Moffett Field for Barbers Point on Exercise SILENT PEARL (12.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
09DEC80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 departed Barbers Point for Nadi, Fiji on completion of Exercise SILENT PEARL (8.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
09DEC80
   A9-760 was photographed at NAS Moffat Field, California during Exercise SILENT PEARL. The photographer remembered it as the day after John Lennon was shot. At the time the aircraft was still wearing the original chimera design. (Source: 6)
10DEC80
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 departed Nadi, Fiji for Edinburgh (6.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
1981
    
03FEB81
   FLTLT Milliner flew a MADCOMP sortie (1.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
09FEB81
   FLTLT Robinson and Crew 1 flew an ESTES sortie (8.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
11FEB81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a coastal surveillance sortie (10.0). (Source: 18)
12FEB81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a coastal surveillance sortie to Darwin (10.0). (Source: 18)
14FEB81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew Darwin-Edinburgh direct instead of the programmed coastal surveillance leg because of a fuel leak. (4.2). (Source: 18)
23FEB81
   Crew 6 flew a CASEX and TORPEX in the Sydney MTA as part of JUC 81-1 (8.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
26FEB81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 provided airborne SAR for Mirages ferrying to New Zealand. (Source: 18)
28FEB81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 returned to Edinburgh via Canberra (13.2 hrs 26 & 28 Feb). (Source: 18)
06MAR81
   CAPT Squire (CAF) and Crew 5 flew an ESTES sortie (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
26MAR81
   FLTLT Milliner flew an AIR TEST (3.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
03APR81
   FLTLT Moxham positioned A9-760 to Amberley for a static display at the Diamond Jubilee Air Display (2.7 hrs). The flying display was performed by SQNLDR Grey in A9-754. (Source: 18)
05APR81
   Photographed on static display at an airshow at RAAF Amberley. The aircraft was wearing the smaller version of the chimera emblem.
06APR81
   FLTLT Moxham returned to Edinburgh from Amberley (2.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
06APR81
   Photographed from A9-754 en route Amberley-Edinburgh.
07APR81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a coastal surveillance sortie from Amberley to Darwin (10.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
08APR81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a coastal surveillance sortie from Darwin to Edinburgh (11.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
18APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew to Nadi, Fiji with A9-756 on Exercise SILENT PEARL (6.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
19APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew from Nadi to Barbers Point, Hawaii with A9-756 on Exercise SILENT PEARL (8.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
21APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew an ASW sortie from Barbers Point with the USS Puffer on Exercise SILENT PEARL (4.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
24APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew an ASW sortie from Barbers Point on Exercise SILENT PEARL (12.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
26APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew a sortie from Barbers Point on Exercise SILENT PEARL (12.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
29APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew from Barbers Point to Nadi with A9-756. (8.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
30APR81
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew from Nadi to Edinburgh with A9-756. (7.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
10MAY81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a combined ESTES and coastal surveillance (10.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
12MAY81
   FLTLT Crowe and Crew 4 flew a NAVEX to Townsville (9.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
14MAY81
   FLTLT Crowe and Crew 4 returned to Edinburgh from Townsville (11.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
16MAY81
   FLTLT McLean and Crew 4 with AIRCDRE Law flew a combined ESTES and coastal surveillance (10.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
27MAY81
   SQNLDR Crowe flew an AIR TEST (1.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
28MAY81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a TRACKEX (10.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
29MAY81
   FLTLT Moxham and Crew 6 flew a TRACKEX back to Edinburgh (10.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUN81
   FLTLT M. McLean flew a Flight Engineer Training sortie (4.0 hrs). (Source: 27)
15JUN81
   FLTLT M. McLean flew a Flight Engineer Training sortie (4.6 hrs). (Source: 27)
16JUN81
   FLTLT M. McLean flew a Flight Engineer Training sortie (4.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
17JUN81
   FLTLT G. Hyde flew a Flight Engineer Training sortie (3.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
18JUN81
   FLTLT M. McLean flew a Flight Engineer Training sortie (3.7 hrs). (Source: 27)
29JUN81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew a coastal surveillance sortie. AVM Ridgeway AOCOC travelled on the first leg to Canberra. (10.0). (Source: 18)
30JUN81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew a combined coastal surveillance and ESTES sortie back to Edinburgh (8.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
08JUL81
   FLTLT Milliner flew an AIR TEST (2.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUL81
   SQNLDR A. Crowe flew a Flight Engineer Training sortie (2.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
10JUL81
   FLTLT Crowe flew a squadron support sortie to Nowra, Richmond, Canberra and back to Edinburgh (5.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
13JUL81
   WGCDR Laing flew a training flight (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
23JUL81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew to Learmonth (5.4 hrs) where the aircraft was refuelled and then commenced a BURBAGE sortie but returned to Learmonth 2.6 hours later with a 'pressurisation unserviceability'*. Parts were flown from Edinburgh by A9-751. (Source: 18) (* contradicted by the following)

Bob Laing and Crew 7 were the first 10 Squadron crew committed to Gateway, arriving at Butterworth on 21 May after a three-day Burbage patrol through Cocos and Diego Garcia. All such evolutions were not so straightforward, as Crew 2 would experience on their second Gateway deployment. Departing Edinburgh on 23 July, Wal Milliner and Crew 2 flew 760 to Learmonth for a refuelling stop, during which an embarked senior staff officer from Headquarters Operational Command took the opportunity to investigate the bare base's cooking facilities. Unbeknown to both him and Crew 2, they would soon have an opportunity to 'field test' those facilities. Shortly after takeoff from Learmonth, the engine driven compressor on number 3 engine failed. With the added complication of a possible fuel leak, the crew held overhead Learmonth awaiting the arrival of a fire truck. Further complications followed the uneventful three-engine landing. Number 1 engine would not fuel chop on shut down, resulting in it being 'E-handled'. Adding insult to injury, the APU made a grinding sound as it was being shut down. suggesting the possibility of further unserviceabilities. With A9-760 officially 'broken', Crew 3 would arrive late that night in 751 with the necessary parts and technicians to repair 760.

Next morning the failure of 760's APU was confirmed. This being outside the scope of the rescue team, Crew 2 launched in 751 for the time critical task of relocating the Soviet intelligence gatherer Issledovetal, which was operating in the vicinity of Cocos Islands. Again, not a straightforward task, requiring the crew to first refuel at Cocos, complete the relocation and recover to Learmonth, landing there just before midnight. The awaiting Crew 3 departed in 751 for Edinburgh while Crew 2 made up their beds in the on-base accommodation.

Day 3 of Crew 2's deployment to Butterworth saw a C-130H arrive with equipment necessary to fix the APU problem, allowing what was expected to be a straightforward surveillance leg from Learmonth to Cocos on Day 4. As Crew 2 TACCO Al Smith would later recall, that changed shortly after getting airborne when:

"Operational Command re-tasked us to carry out a covert simulated attack on the USS Kitty Hawk Battle Group. We were cleared for radio silence. We approached the area of interest at low level EMCON (Emission Control) silence. We went through the pop-up/ illuminate procedures we had practised during tacexs and eventually pinpointed all vessels in the group but were not able to discriminate between the large supply vessel and the Kitty Hawk - they both appeared to be the same relative size on radar and there was no ESM to corroborate. We selected the 'target' based on radar return and disposition of other 'guarding vessels'. We initiated a simulated Harpoon attack and then made appropriate (Vampire) calls on radio.

"No response from the carrier group and I believe that the first they knew of our presence was as we flew a few miles off the port side of the carrier and an F-14 pilot, about to launch, enquired as to what the P-3 was doing. It was at this time that we could visually identify the other vessels and realised that we had targeted the resupply vessel, not the high value target - Kitty Hawk. The anti-air warfare vessel, the USS David R Ray, had not performed well and our post-mission reporting combined with events that occurred some davs later would seal the fate of the ship's captain."

Day 4 would be another long day. A9-760's APU failed again at Cocos while the crew were transmitting the Purple. Subsequently, given the presence of a Soviet sailor from the Issledovetal, brought ashore for medical reasons, the crew were ordered to guard the aircraft throughout the evening. This occurred initially with crew members taking a break from post-flight drinks at the Cocos Club, just back from the tarmac. However, flight engineer Norm Rowett saved the night (of sleep) for the crew by volunteering to sleep on board 760 that night. Next morning, Norm reported no intrusions from the Soviet crew member who apparently was safely tucked up in the Cocos Islands hospital.

Day 5 saw Crew 2 awaiting the arrival of more technicians and additional parts for the APU. Again 751 was the rescue aircraft and, thanks to 492 Squadron technicians working through that night, on Day 6 (28 July) Crew 2 was able to continue its progress towards Butterworth via a Burbage leg to Diego Garcia. With the senior staff officer from Operational Command and No 92 Wing Officer Commanding (Graeme Smith) receiving briefings at Diego Garcia the next day, it wasn't until 30 July that Crew 2 finally flew into Butterworth, four days later than scheduled. (Source: 33 pp. 235-237)
26JUL81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 resumed the BURBAGE sortie to Cocos Island (8.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
27JUL81
   Again, replacement parts were flown from Edinburgh to Cocos Island by A9-751. (Source: 18)
28JUL81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 resumed the BURBAGE sortie to Diego Garcia (9.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
30JUL81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew from Diego Garcia to Butterworth (8.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
05AUG81
   GPCAPT Smith flew from Butterworth to RMAF Kuantan and return (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
06AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner flew a PCT sortie Butterworth-Singapore-Butterworth (2.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
07AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
11AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (4.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
15AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY Patrol from Butterworth (8.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
16AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth and located and photographed a Soviet Charlie Class SSN and Natya Class minesweeper escort (13.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
17AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 continued to track the Soviet Charlie Class SSN and Natya escort (10.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
18AUG81
   FLTLT Milliner and Crew 2 relocated the Soviet Charlie Class SSN and Natya escort (10.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
23AUG81
   FLGOFF Bartlett and Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
25AUG81
   FLGOFF Bartlett and Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18 & 24)
26AUG81
   FLGOFF Bartlett flew a PCT sortie from Butterworth to Tengah and return (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18 & 24)
29AUG81
   FLGOFF Bartlett and Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18 & 24)
02SEP81
   FLGOFF Bartlett and Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18 & 24)
06SEP81
   FLGOFF Bartlett and Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY patrol from Butterworth (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18 & 24)
07SEP81
   FLTLT Crowe and Crew 4 positioned to Tengah for a Mirage ferry. (1.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
08SEP81
   FLTLT Crowe and Crew 4 flew a SAR for a Mirage ferry from Tengah to Clark AFB, Philippines. (7.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
09SEP81
   FLTLT Crowe and Crew 4 flew a CUCKOO task from Clark AFB, Philippines to Port Moresby. (9.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
10SEP81
   FLTLT Crowe and Crew 4 flew from Port Moresby to Edinburgh conducting a a CUCKOO task en route (6.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
21SEP81
   FLTLT Costain flew an AIR TEST (1.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
1982
    
08FEB82
   FLTLT Fraser and Crew 5 flew to Richmond (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
09FEB82
   FLTLT Fraser and Crew 5 flew from Richmond to Edinburgh (2.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
26FEB82
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) and Crew 6 flew a sortie for SEA EAGLE 82-1 returning to Edinburgh (10.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
27FEB82
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) and Crew 6 flew a sortie for SEA EAGLE 82-1 returning to Edinburgh (10.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
01MAR82
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) and Crew 6 flew an Opposed Transit with HMAS Onslow returning to Edinburgh (11.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
18JUN82
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) flew a post R3 AIR TEST (3.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
03JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky flew an AIR TEST (2.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
05JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 7 departed on a coastal surveillance patrol to Amberley but returned after 2.6 hours. After rectification the aircraft departed again for Amberley (2.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
06JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 7 flew a strike sortie from Amberley in consort with F-111 and Mirage before recovering to Richmond (8.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
08JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 7 departed from Richmond on a coastal surveillance patrol to Darwin (8.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 7 departed Darwin on a coastal surveillance patrol to Edinburgh. The crew located a Taiwanese clam boat operating illegally on Marion Reef. (9.3 hrs). The boat was subsequently arrested and escorted to Cairns. (Source: 18)
16JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky flew an AIR TEST (3.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
23JUL82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 6 departed for Cocos Island but returned to Edinburgh with anti-ice system problems (3.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
29JUL82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and FLTLT Hennessy flew a PCT sortie (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
30JUL82
   FLGOFF Gooda and FLTLT Darvill flew a PCT sortie (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
30JUL82
   FLTLT Darvill and FLTLT Seymour flew a PCT sortie (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
02AUG82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 departed for Darwin on an SAR sortie looking for a Taiwanese fishing trawler missing off northern Australia. The aircraft recovered to Darwin without sighting wreckage or survivors (10.9 hours). (Source: 18)
03AUG82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a SAR sortie looking for a windsurfer lost off northern Queensland. Nothing was sighted and the aircraft recovered to Edinburgh (11.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
06AUG82
   FLTLT Fraser and Crew 5 flew a coastal surveillance sortie recovering to Edinburgh (6.0 hrs). SGT Morris (292SQN) acted as Flight Engineer. (Source: 18)
09AUG82
   WGCDR Laing and Crew 7 flew a coastal surveillance landing at Richmond before returning to Edinburgh (9.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
11AUG82
   FLTLT Fraser and Crew 5 flew a TAMEX with HMAS Otway (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
12AUG82
   SQNLDR Crowe (292SQN) and Crew 5 flew a TAMEX with HMAS Otway (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
22SEP82
   WGCDR Laing flew a trial of a 99 channel OTPI in conjunction with a PCT sortie (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
24SEP82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 6 flew an AIR TEST after a major servicing (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
28SEP82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky flew a PCT sortie but was forced to return to Edinburgh after a birdstrike (2.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
05OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a photo sortie with an ARDU Macchi. A9-760 was photographed with HMAS Canberra in the background for an RAAF documentary (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
05OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a TACEX (4.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
13OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew to Pearce (3.8 hrs) and then continued on a BURBAGE sortie and located the Soviet Passat Class research ship Priboy. The aircraft landed at Christmas Island after a further 5.8 hrs. (Source: 18)
14OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew from Christmas Island to Cocos Island (2.6 hrs) refuelled and continued the BURBAGE sortie to Butterworth (5.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
17OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 departed Butterworth on a GATEWAY patrol returning to Butterworth (10.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
18OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a surveillance sortie down the Malacca Straits landing at Tengah (1.7 hrs). A PCT sortie was then flown back to Butterworth (2.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
23OCT82
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 departed Butterworth on a Soviet Naval surveillance returning to Butterworth (10.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
23OCT82
   FLTLT Rudy Darvill and Crew departed Butterworth on a GATEWAY CHARLIE (3.0 hrs day, 6.3 hrs night). Tracked Soviet Charlie SSGN escorted by a Krivak frigate and Foxtrot diesel submarine. Shadowed by destroyers USS Knox and USS Lockwood. (Source: 6)
OCT82
   Prosecution against a Soviet CHARLIE ONE nuclear powered submarine accompanied by a KRIVAK FFG and a FOXTROT SS. The trio made a standard line astern transit with a mean SOA (Speed of Advance) of 8 knots. During the transit the target was observed to stop and pick up sonobuoys that had been dropped by P-3s, as well as shoot at them with small arms fire. Twice during the transit, the on-station aircraft was fired at with flares (believed to be A9-753). The KRIVAK was observed to try and run down buoys and on occasions, the group came to a halt when buoys were dropped ahead of the target. At sinker point (when the submarine dived to start evading), the KRIVAK was seen by the crew of A9-760 to make a light signal, after which all navigation lights were extinguished and the target went sinker approximately 20 minutes later. Five minutes after sinker, the Soviets deployed two inflatable radar deflector decoy buoys at the datum. Crew dropped an active pattern on the datum but broke off the active prosecution to investigate the two decoys classified by radar as risers (surfacing submarine). A containment circle was dropped around the datum once the risers had been identified as decoys. A possible contact was made before all contact was lost. All this action happened a bit west of the northern tip of Sumatra. The Charlie was presumably on its way to the Arabian gulf to monitor USN activity. It had transited from either Vladivostok or Petropavlovsk. This prosecution went for over a week in late October 1982 with non-stop coverage by at least two P-3s (possibly a third) as the group transited up the Malacca Strait turning west adjacent to Aceh. The other known aircraft was A9-753. (Source: 6)
31OCT82
   FLTLT McLean and Crew 6 departed Butterworth for Learmonth where they refuelled before departing for Edinburgh (11.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
11NOV82
   SQNLDR Jabornicky flew an AIR TEST (1.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
24NOV82
   FLTLT McLean flew an AIR TEST (0.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
25NOV82
   FLTLT McLean flew an AIR TEST (0.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
06DEC82
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) and Crew 6 flew a BARRA sonobuoy trial (11.0). (Source: 18)
07DEC82
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) and Crew 6 flew a comparison trial between AQS-901 and AQA-5 (10.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
1983
    
13JAN83
   WGCDR Ware flew an AIR TEST (1.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
18JAN83
   FLTLT McLean flew a PCT sortie (3.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
21JAN83
  

FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 transited to Richmond (1.9 hrs) on the first leg of a deployment to Kadena AFB, Okinawa. At Richmond, GPCAPT Prior and WGCDR Lowe from HQOC joined the aircraft for the Seventh Fleet Scheduling Conference at Cubi Point, Philippines. The aircraft then departed Richmond for Darwin (5.2 hrs).

The crew for this deployment were:

SQNLDR Roehrs
FLTLT Darvill
FLTLT Tarry
LT Stephens (RAN)
FLGOFF Collins
FLGOFF Needham
FLGOFF Cook
PLTOFF Lewin
PLTOFF Newell
FSGT Terbeeke
SGT Bowes

(Source: 18)
22JAN83
   FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 departed for Manila (5.7 hrs) and after disembarking passengers continued to Kadena (2.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
24JAN83
   FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 flew an Open Ocean Surveillance sortie from Kadena under USN tasking successfully relocating a Soviet Krivak II Class frigate (7.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
25JAN83
   FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 flew a sortie under USN tasking to locate a Soviet EII but were unable to locate the vessel (9.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
28JAN83
   A9-760 was photographed on the ramp at Kadena, Japan next to a US Navy P-3C which, in the early dawn light, was observed to be BuNo 160761. A9-760 is BuNo 160760. (Source: 6)
28JAN83
   FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 departed Kadena for Manila to collect GPCAPT Prior and WGCDR Lowe from HQOC. On approach to Manila the Number 1 engine was shut-down due to a fire warning and fire bottles were discharged (2.7 hrs). The aircraft was repaired with assistance from USN personnel at Cubi Point. (Source: 18) Photo
29JAN83
   FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 departed Manila for Guam (3.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
30JAN83
   FLTLT Darvill and Crew 4 departed Guam conducting a surveillance sortie en route to Richmond (9.3 hrs). The aircraft then transited to Edinburgh (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
10FEB83
   CAPT Crocker (CAF) flew an AIR TEST (1.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
13FEB83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a Coastal Surveillance sortie to Darwin (9.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
14FEB83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a Coastal Surveillance sortie from Darwin to Townsville (8.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
16FEB83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a Coastal Surveillance sortie Townsville to Williamtown (7.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
17FEB83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a Coastal Surveillance sortie from Williamtown to Edinburgh (6.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
04MAR83
   FLTLT McLean and Crew 6 flew to Learmonth and Cocos Island (13.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
05MAR83
   FLTLT McLean and Crew 6 flew a BURBAGE sortie returning to Cocos Island (8.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
06MAR83
   FLTLT McLean and Crew 6 flew a MEDEVAC from Cocos Island to Perth and returned to Cocos Island (9.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
07MAR83
  FLTLT McLean and Crew 6 flew from Cocos Island to Butterworth (9.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
09MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth (11.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
12MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth (11.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
14MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A1 patrol from Butterworth (10.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
18MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a BURBAGE sortie from Butterworth to Cocos Island with CAS AM Evans on board (11.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 returned to Butterworth (10.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
23MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a PCT sortie from Butterworth to Singapore via the Malacca Straits (3.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
24MAR83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth (10.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
26MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A2 patrol from Butterworth (10.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
28MAR83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY A2 patrol from Butterworth (11.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
29MAR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth (10.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
30MAR83
   FLGOFF Chappelle and Crew 2 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth (10.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
01APR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY/BURBAGE patrol from Butterworth to Cocos Island (11.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
02APR83
   FLTLT Brown and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY/BURBAGE patrol from Cocos Island to Edinburgh (8.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
    There are no recorded sorties by A9-760 in this period. Only a few isolated entries do not have aircraft serials recorded so it would appear that A9-760 was in maintenance for this period.
19OCT83
   WGCDR Ware flew an AIR TEST (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
19OCT83
   FLTLT Seymour ferried the aircraft to 2AD Richmond (2.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
21DEC83
   FLTLT McLean ferried the aircraft from 2AD Richmond to Edinburgh after Deeper Level Maintenance (2.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
    Although Orions were repainted by 2AD at Richmond, it was normal for aircraft to return to Edinburgh with a blank white band on the tail so that squadron emblems could be applied by No. 492 (Maintenance) Squadron at Edinburgh. On this occasion, A9-760 was marked with the number 492 on the tail. The markings were applied with dayglo tape, it is believed, to the left hand side only. The CO at Edinburgh was reportedly displeased but there wasn't sufficient time to remove the markings before the aeroplane had to be returned to service. The markings remained on the aeroplane for several months before they began to fade and had to be removed.
Photo
1984
    
15FEB84
   FLTLT McLean and FLTLT Robins flew an AIR TEST of APU and prop (0.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
15FEB84
   SQNLDR Sampson (292SQN) and FLTLT McLean flew a pilot conversion sortie (1.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
21FEB84
   FLTLT McLean and FLTLT Robins flew an AIR TEST (1.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
24FEB84
   FLTLT Seymour and FLTLT Robins flew an AIR TEST (0.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
05MAR84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 flew to Pearce with parts for the grounded A9-758 (4.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
06MAR84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 returned to Edinburgh on an AFZ patrol (6.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
08MAR84
   WGCDR Ware flew to Richmond with staff for the forthcoming Exercise SEA EAGLE (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
09MAR84
   WGCDR Ware returned to Edinburgh from Richmond (1.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
18MAR84
   SQNLDR Jabornicky with FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew to Richmond (1.7 hrs) refuelled and departed on AUCKEX CASEX B6 recovering to Whenuapai, NZ (9.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAR84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew an AUCKEX CASEX B6 from Whenuapai (8.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
21MAR84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew an AUCKEX CASEX C4 from Whenuapai (7.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
22MAR84
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 2 flew an AUCKEX CASEX B6 from Whenuapai (5.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
24MAR84
   SQNLDR Jabornicky and Crew 2 flew from Whenuapai to Edinburgh conducting an AFZ patrol en route (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
08APR84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 1 commenced an AFZ patrol and recovered to Darwin (10.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
09APR84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 1 flew a JINDALEE trial out of Darwin (4.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
10APR84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 1 flew a JINDALEE trial out of Darwin (5.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
12APR84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 1 flew a JINDALEE trial out of Darwin (8.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
18APR84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a GATEWAY patrol Edinburgh-Pearce-Cocos Island (10.1 hrs). (Source: 27)
19APR84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a GATEWAY patrol Cocos Island-Diego Garcia (7.9 hrs). #1 engine oil leak. (Source: 27)
20APR84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a GATEWAY patrol Diego Garcia-Butterworth (8.0 hrs). #1 engine u/s. (Source: 27)
26APR84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a test flight at Butterworth after #1 engine and prop change (1.0 hrs). (Source: 27)
27APR84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a PCT sortie Butterworth-Paya Lebar (2.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
03MAY84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a high level transit Butterworth-Edinburgh (8.6 hrs). (Source: 27)
07MAY84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 flew a PITCH BLACK Strike Direction sortie out of Darwin (9.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
08MAY84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 flew a PITCH BLACK sortie out of Darwin (6.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
09MAY84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 flew a PITCH BLACK sortie out of Darwin (3.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
10MAY84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 flew a PITCH BLACK surveillance sortie out of Darwin (4.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
11MAY84
   FLTLT Seymour and Crew 5 flew a PITCH BLACK surveillance sortie out of Darwin (4.6 hrs). Later the same day the aircraft returned to Edinburgh (4.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
23MAY84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew a TACEX prior to departing for RIMPAC (2.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
25MAY84
   WGCDR Ware flew an AIR TEST of a valve housing (0.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
27MAY84
   FLTLT Nelson and Crew 6 departed for Kwajalein along with A9-751 and A9-755 for RIMPAC. (9.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
27MAY84
   FLTLT Nelson and Crew 6 departed Kwajalein for Barbers Point, Hawaii along with A9-751 and A9-755 for RIMPAC. (6.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
30MAY84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew a CASEX/TORPEX/MINEX from Barbers Point (5.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
30MAY84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a torpedo drop and kill during RIMPAC. (4.3 hrs). (Source: 27)
31MAY84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew an ASW direct support sortie during RIMPAC. (0.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
02JUN84
   FLTLT Nelson and Crew 6 flew a CASEX B3 from Barbers Point (4.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
04JUN84
  FLTLT Nelson and Crew 6 flew a Strike Direction sortie from Barbers Point landing at Barking Sands (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
03JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a direct support sortie during RIMPAC. (7.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
06JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a direct support CASEX sortie during RIMPAC encountering comms problems. (2.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
12JUN84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew a Barrier Ops sortie from Barbers Point (6.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
14JUN84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew a CASEX B2 from Barbers Point (5.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
18JUN84
   FLGOFF Gooda flew 8 PCT sorties from Barbers Point to Kahului, Maui and return (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
19JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a PCT sortie to Maui to drop off passengers during RIMPAC (4.1 hrs). (Source: 27)
20JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew a CASEX sortie and kill against a USN nuclear sub during RIMPAC (3.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
21JUN84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 5 flew a CASEX B3 from Barbers Point (7.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
24JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew an out of area sortie observing a Soviet Yankee class nuclear sub during RIMPAC (10.6 hrs). (Source: 27)
27JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew Barbers Point-Kwajalein with APU problems returning from RIMPAC (6.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
28JUN84
   FLTLT P. Campbell flew Kwajalein-Edinburgh returning from RIMPAC arriving on 29JUN (9.7 hrs). (Source: 27)
02JUL84
   FLGOFF Lewin flew an AIR TEST at Edinburgh (1.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
03JUL84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew to Pearce and Cocos Island on a BURBAGE sortie (10.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
04JUL84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew from Cocos Island to Butterworth on a GATEWAY patrol. (10.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
05JUL84
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY B4 patrol from Butterworth (9.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
07JUL84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth and sighted an Indian Foxtrot Class submarine which had recently been refitted in Vladivostok (4.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUL84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a GATEWAY A4 patrol from Butterworth (9.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
10JUL84
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 3 flew an Exercise STARFISH sortie from Butterworth (4.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
11JUL84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a GATEWAY A4 patrol from Butterworth (8.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
14JUL84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew an Exercise STARFISH sortie from Butterworth (7.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
19JUL84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew from Butterworth to Edinburgh (10.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
05AUG84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew a CASEX from Richmond with CDFS General Bennett, his aide and GPCAPT Holland on board (8.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
06AUG84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew an Opposed Transit from Richmond (6.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
07AUG84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 1 flew a Night Opposed Transit from Richmond (6.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
08AUG84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew an Opposed Transit from Richmond on Exercise COLD SNAP and recovered to Edinburgh (9.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
20AUG84
   FLGOFF A. Page flew a coastal AFZ Edinburgh-Townsville (9.3 hrs). (Source: 27)
21AUG84
   FLGOFF A. Page flew a coastal AFZ Townsville-Darwin (5.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
23AUG84
   FLGOFF A. Page flew a coastal AFZ Darwin-Pearce (10.0 hrs). (Source: 27)
24AUG84
   FLGOFF A. Page flew a coastal AFZ Pearce-Edinburgh (6.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
14SEP84
   FLGOFF Lewin flew a post R3 servicing AIR TEST (1.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
16SEP84
   FLGOFF A. Page flew Edinburgh-Richmond-Williamtown for a Catalina function and trials (6.3 hrs). (Source: 27)
19SEP84
   FLGOFF A. Page flew Williamtown-Williamtown-Richmond-Edinburgh for a flypast and trials (10.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
30SEP84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) flew a transit Edinburgh-East Sale-Nowra-Williamtown (3.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
01OCT84
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 1 flew a DUCKBUTT sortie from Williamtown to provide SAR support for USAF F-16s transiting from New Zealand to Australia. The aircraft recovered to Edinburgh. (8.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
09OCT84
   FLGOFF Gooda and Crew 2 flew a Direct Support sortie Edinburgh-Richmond-Edinburgh (9.2 hrs). This was FLGOFF Gooda's last flight with 10SQN before his posting to Canada. (Source: 18)
11OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 positioned to Learmonth for Exercise SANDGROPER (5.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
13OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a surveillance sortie from Learmonth to Christmas Island for Exercise SANDGROPER (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
14OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 returned to Learmonth from Christmas Island (8.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
15OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a surveillance sortie from Learmonth for Exercise SANDGROPER (4.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
16OCT84
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 5 flew a SANDGROPER sortie from Learmonth (11.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
17OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a SANDGROPER sortie from Learmonth recovering to Pearce (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
20OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew a SANDGROPER Strike Support sortie from Pearce (6.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
24OCT84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 returned to Edinburgh from Pearce on completion of Exercise SANDGROPER (3.2 hrs).
07DEC84
   FLGOFF Dodds flew an AIR TEST of #4 engine (2.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
17DEC84
   Rod Barber and min crew (11SQN) flew a LTN 72 test flight. Retasked airborne for SAR to successfully locate a fishing boat in distress off Kingston. (Source: 28)
20DEC84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew an AFZ patrol to Pearce. (7.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
21DEC84
   FLGOFF Guy and Crew 4 flew an AFZ patrol from Pearce. During the sortie a MAD search was conducted for the SS Koombana approximately 140km from Port Hedland. The aircraft recovered to Edinburgh (10.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
    SS Koombana was a late Edwardian-era passenger, cargo and mail carrying steamship. From March 1909 to March 1912, she operated coastal liner services between Fremantle, Western Australia and various ports in the northwest of that State. She is best known for disappearing at an unknown location north of Port Hedland, Western Australia, during a tropical cyclone on 20 March 1912, killing 74 passengers and 76 crew; in total, 150 people died. Other than a small quantity of wreckage, no trace was ever found of the ship, which was presumed sunk along with several other vessels during the same storm. (Source: Wikipedia)
    In 1973 the remains of what appeared to be a large vessel were located in deep water off Eighty Mile Beach, about half way between Port Hedland and Broome. In 1985, crew members on an RAAF P-3 Orion testing magnetic detection equipment reported a significant magnetic anomaly on the seabed 75 km off Bedout Island. To date no specific search attempts have been undertaken. (Source: http://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4365368)
1985
    
08JAN85
   FLTLT Robins and Crew 3 positioned to Townsville to commence an AFZ patrol (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
08JAN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 3 flew an AFZ patrol from Townsville and recovered to Townsville (6.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JAN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 3 flew an AFZ patrol from Townsville and recovered to Townsville (9.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
10JAN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 3 flew an AFZ patrol from Townsville to Darwin (7.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
11JAN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 3 returned to Edinburgh from Darwin on completion of the AFZ patrol (10.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
21JAN85
   SQNLDR Collins and Crew 2 flew a CASEX to Richmond (9.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
22JAN85
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 5 flew a transit from Richmond, landing at Adelaide because of runway works at Edinburgh (2.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
22JAN85
   FLGOFF Dahl positioned the aircraft from Adelaide to Edinburgh (1.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
29JAN85
   FLGOFF Lewin flew a PCT sortie (3.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
31JAN85
   FLTLT Robins and FLGOFF Dahl flew a PCT sortie (3.0). (Source: 18)
02FEB85
   SQNLDR Collins and Crew 2 flew a TAMEX B1/B2 (9.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
Other crew members were FLTLT Cooke and FLGOFF Cvitan. (Source: 31)
04FEB85
   GPCAPT O'Brien and Crew 1 flew an Opposed Transit (9.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
05FEB85
   GPCAPT O'Brien and Crew 1 flew an Opposed Transit (11.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
07FEB85
   WGCDR Ware flew an AIR TEST for #3 prop plus a PCT sortie (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
13FEB85
   FLGOFF Dodds and Crew 2 flew a Naval Support sortie and recovered to Whenuapai, NZ (8.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
15FEB85
   FLGOFF Dodds and Crew 2 flew a CUCKOO FZ from Whenuapai and return (7.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
17FEB85
   FLGOFF Dodds and Crew 2 flew a DUCKBUTT for Mirages from Whenuapai and return (6.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
18FEB85
   FLGOFF Dodds and Crew 2 flew a DUCKBUTT for Mirages from Whenuapai and recovered to Edinburgh (6.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
20FEB85
   CAPT Bayne (CAF), FLGOFF Sullivan and FLGOFF Siciliano flew a PCT sortie (1.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
26FEB85
   SQNLDR Collins, FLGOFF Siciliano and FLGOFF Dodds flew a ferry to 2AD Richmond via Amberley (6.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
SQNLDR Barry Collins and FLGOFF Siciliano flew Edinburgh-Amberley (2.4 hrs)
After an operational stop they flew Amberley-Maroochydore-Brisbane-Coolangatta-Williamtown-Sydney-Richmond (4.0 hrs). The aircraft was cleared to orbit over Bli Bli (over a crew member's farm!) after which it was cleared for a low approach and overshoot at Maroochydore and clearance south. (Source: 31)
Thirty-three years later, on 18APR18, A9-760 repeated the approach and overshoot at Maroochydore when the aircraft was delivered to QAM.
07MAY85
   FLTLT Cooke and Crew 6 flew a post DLM AIR TEST Richmond-Richmond (2.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
07MAY85
   FLTLT Cooke and Crew 6 flew Richmond-Edinburgh (2.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
14MAY85
   FLTLT Jonas and Crew 5 flew a PCT sortie (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
17MAY85
   FLGOFF Dahl flew a PCT sortie (1.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
19MAY85
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 3 deployed to Butterworth (9.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
27MAY85
   SQNLDR Collins flew a PCT sortie at Butterworth (2.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
29MAY85
   FLGOFF lewin and Crew 5 flew a PCT sortie at Butterworth (2.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
01JUN85
   FLTLT Cooke and Crew 6 flew an AIR TEST at Butterworth (1.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
03JUN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 5 flew a GATEWAY B4 patrol from Butterworth (9.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
04JUN85
   FLTLT Cooke and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A4 patrol from Butterworth (8.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
05JUN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 5 flew a GATEWAY A4 patrol from Butterworth (8.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
06JUN85
   FLTLT Cooke and Crew 6 flew a PDT sortie from Butterworth to Singapore (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
06JUN85
   FLTLT Jonas and Crew 6 flew a PDT sortie from Singapore to Butterworth (1.4 hrs). (Source: 18)
07JUN85
   FLTLT Cooke and Crew 6 flew a GATEWAY A3 patrol from Butterworth (11.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
08JUN85
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 5 flew a GATEWAY OUTBOUND patrol to Cocos Island (8.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUN85
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 5 flew a BURBAGE sortie from Cocos Island to Edinburgh (8.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
21JUN85
   FLTLT Fraser and Crew 6 flew an AIR TEST and PCT sortie (1.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
24JUN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 1 flew a RANGE SURV and AFZ patrol to Townsville (11.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
26JUN85
   WGCDR Ware and Crew 1 flew an AFZ patrol to Darwin (7.7 hrs) and returned to Edinburgh (4.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
01JUL85
   FLGOFF Dahl and Crew 6 flew a TACEX (4.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
09JUL85
   WGCDR Ware flew a transit to Canberra (1.9 hrs). This was WGCDR Ware's last flight as CO of 10SQN. (Source: 18)
09JUL85
   WGCDR Clancy flew a transit from Canberra to Edinburgh (1.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
11JUL85
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 5 flew a Weapons Training sortie to Woomera recovering to Edinburgh (3.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
12JUL85
   CAPT Bayne (CAF) and Crew 7 flew a Weapons Training sortie to Woomera recovering to Edinburgh (3.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
15JUL85
   FLTLT Robins and Crew 3 flew a Weapons Training sortie to Woomera recovering to Edinburgh (3.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
16JUL85
   FLGOFF Lewin and Crew 5 flew a Naval Support sortie to Nowra recovering to Edinburgh (11.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
29JUL85
   FLTLT Tippelt and Crew 4 flew a Weapons Training sortie to Woomera recovering to Edinburgh (4.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
23AUG85
   FLGOFF Dahl and Crew 6 flew a Fleet Support sortie (8.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
01SEP85
   NOTE: From this point for a period of approximately one year, flying operations are listed separately in an annexe which is not available with the NAA copy of the ORB. (Source: 18)
SEP85
   11SQN (Crew 6) represented the RAAF in the 1985 Fincastle Trophy. The primary aircraft was A9-656 and A9-760 was the backup aircraft. The competition was conducted at RAF Kinloss against HMS Conqueror. (Source: 27)
* The following movements by A9-656 are believed to apply equally to A9-760.
16SEP85
   A9-656* flew Edinburgh-Kwajalein (8.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
17SEP85
   A9-656* flew Kwajalein-Barbers Point-Comox (12.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
19SEP85
   A9-656* flew Comox-Greenwood (6.4 hrs). (Source: 27)
21SEP85
   A9-656* flew Greenwood-Kinloss (6.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
22SEP85
   A9-760 and A9-656 flew Kinloss-RAF Northolt (2.0 hrs). (Source: 27)
26SEP85
   A9-760 (FLTLT C. Montgomery) flew Northolt-Kinloss (2.6 hrs). (Source: 27)
26SEP85
   A9-760 (FLTLT C. Montgomery) flew a shakedown TACEX Kinloss-Moray Firth (2.7 hrs). (Source: 27)
10OCT85
   A9-656* flew Kinloss-Brunswick, Maine (9.0 hrs). (Source: 27)
11OCT85
   A9-656* flew Brunswick-Burbank (7.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
15OCT85
   A9-656* flew Burbank-Barbers Point (6.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
16OCT85
   A9-656* flew Barbers Point-Kwajalein (5.9 hrs). (Source: 27)
18OCT85
   A9-656* flew Kwajalein-Edinburgh (8.9 hrs). (Source: 27)
1986
    
20JAN86
   WGCDR A. Clancy flew an AIR TEST #3 V/H change (1.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
22MAY86
   FLGOFF S. Loney flew an AIR TEST (1.4 hrs). (Source: 27)
06JUN86
   FLGOFF C. Wolfhart flew an AIR TEST #2 prop and APU (2.1 hrs). (Source: 27)
10JUN86
   FLGOFF S. Loney flew a GATEWAY Charlie prosecution (10.6 hrs). (Source: 27)
13JUN86
   FLGOFF S. Loney while operating a GATEWAY sortie declared a PAN with #1 hydraulic system failure (0.8 hrs). (Source: 27)
15JUN86
   FLTLT M. Clark flew Butterworth-Edinburgh (10.2 hrs). (Source: 27)
08AUG86
   FLGOFF S. Loney flew a PCT sortie (4.3 hrs). (Source: 27)
05SEP86
   FLGOFF S. Loney flew a Fleet Support sortie in the Sydney MTA (11.5 hrs). (Source: 27)
09SEP86
   FLGOFF S. Loney flew a Fleet Support sortie (9.1 hrs). (Source: 27)
11SEP86
   FLGOFF S. Loney flew a Fleet Support sortie (10.9 hrs). (Source: 27)
18SEP86
   WGCDR Clancy flew an AIR TEST. (Source: 18)
1987
    
01MAR87
   AIRCDRE T.W. O'Brien as Captain and a composite crew comprising FLTLT I. Rose, FSGT B. Neilsen, FLGOFF M. Anderson and SGT P. Champion flew to Cocos Island in A9-760 to rescue A9-661 which was unserviceable with a major fuel leak (7.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
02MAR87
   Crew 4 (less SGT Cox) flew Cocos Island to Butterworth resuming their GATEWAY INBOUND patrol in A9-760 (9.0 hrs). (Source: 18)
02MAR87
   AIRCDRE T.W. O'Brien and the composite crew flew A9-661 back to Edinburgh (8.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
04MAR87
   Crew 4 flew an INSTEX sortie Butterworth-Paya Lebar-Butterworth in A9-760 (7.5 hrs). (Source: 18)
07MAR87
   Crew 4 flew a GATEWAY B1 patrol from Butterworth but returned early with an oil leak on #2 (8.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
10MAR87
   FLTLT Huckstepp and Crew 3 flew an INSTEX sortie Butterworth-Singapore-Butterworth (2.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
11MAR87
   Crew 4 flew a GATEWAY B1 patrol from Butterworth (9.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
13MAR87
   Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY A1 patrol from Butterworth (10.7 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAR87
   Crew 3 flew a GATEWAY B1 patrol from Butterworth (11.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
24MAR87
   Crew 4 flew an INSTEX sortie Butterworth-Subang-Paya Lebar-Butterworth (2.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
27MAR87
   Crew 4 redeployed from Butterworth to Edinburgh (9.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
13MAY87
   FLTLT I. Pearson flew to Richmond and return for RANRL trials (12.3 hrs). (Source: 18)
20MAY87
   PCT sortie (1.5 hrs). Delayed three hours due APU and generator removal. (Source: 18)
21MAY87
   PCT sortie (2.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
28MAY87
   A9-760 was tasked on a fisheries patrol that was planned as Cairns-Edinburgh via tactical off the Queensland coast, then transit to Edinburgh, SA. The HF2 antenna broke at its rear mount on the fin somewhere northeast of Brisbane in the Coral Sea leaving the antenna cable trailing from its forward attachment. The aircraft diverted to Amberley where the antenna was replaced. Photo (Source: 6)
29MAY87
   After repairs to the HF antenna, the aircraft departed Amberley for home base at Edinburgh, SA. En route, photos were taken of the USS Midway off the Queensland coast. Photo (Source: 6)
19JUN87
   FLGOFF McNab flew Edinburgh-Canberra-Amberley-Darwin in A9-760 to relieve A9-752 which had gone u/s in DRW. (8.0 hrs).
21JUN87
   FLGOFF Cvitan and Crew 1 resumed their AFZ patrol to Learmonth in A9-760 (4.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
22JUN87
   FLGOFF Cvitan and Crew 1 completed their AFZ patrol Learmonth-Edinburgh (9.9 hrs). (Source: 18)
26JUN87
   WGCDR Clancy underwent a Maritime Captaincy Check (7.1 hrs). (Source: 18)
17JUL87
   FLGOFF Norsworthy flew Edinburgh-Learmonth on a relocate sortie (7.8 hrs). (Source: 18)
17JUL87
   FLGOFF Norsworthy flew a relocate sortie returning to Learmonth (3.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
18JUL87
   FLGOFF Norsworthy flew a relocate sortie from Learmonth to Edinburgh (6.6 hrs). (Source: 18)
29JUL87
   FLGOFF Norsworthy flew Edinburgh-Cocos Island but landed at Learmonth due fuel requirements (5.2 hrs). (Source: 18)
31JUL87
   NOTE: The No 10 Squadron Operations Record Book (Jan 77 - Jul 87) ends at this point. Subsequent ORBs are not yet open for public viewing. (Source 18)
The ORB for No 11 Squadron is not open for viewing for the period 1979-1988 so any use of A9-760 by 11SQN is unknown.
10AUG87
   Special Mk 82 high drag trials. (Source: 23)
05JUL88
   FLGOFF Rick Davies and 11SQN Crew 6 departed for Honiara via Canberra and Amberley to provide a presence at the Solomon Islands 10th anniversary of independence celebrations. Unfortunately A9-760 went unserviceable at Amberley and the crew continued their mission in a replacement aircraft that positioned from Edinburgh. (Source: 33 p.346)
04NOV89
   Photographed at Edinburgh in grey and white scheme with low visibility markings.
23MAR92
   Flew an 8.5 hr sortie from Darwin during Exercise Kangaroo 92. (Source: 30)
20AUG93
   Flew a 6.0 hr INSTEX ex Edinburgh. (Source: 30)
13OCT93
   Flew a 7.6 hr IRT ex Edinburgh. (Source: 30)
17MAR96
   Photographed at Edinburgh in all-over grey scheme with RAAF 75th Anniversary nose art.
04MAY96
   Photographed at Amberley wearing RAAF 75th Anniversary nose art. The aircraft was present for an air show which was cancelled because of heavy rains and flooding.
   
RESCUE IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN
    A9-760 was one of four Orions (A9-656, 658, 659 & 760) involved in the rescue of three sailors whose yachts had capsized in the Southern Ocean during the course of the Vendée Globe Yacht Race, a single-handed, round-world race with no stops and no outside assistance permitted. Sixteen yachts had departed from France in November 1996. The first sailor to request assistance was Raphael Dinelli who activated his SARB on 26 December. Dinelli was located later the same day by Orion A9-656 and he was subsequently picked up by another competitor. A second phase of the operation commenced in the early hours of 6 January 1997, when distress messages were received from Thierry Dubois and Tony Bullimore. Both sailors were located by Orions and picked up by HMAS Adelaide. This successful search and rescue operation brought worldwide acclaim to the RAAF and RAN. (Source: 10)
06JAN97
   A9-760 was on standby at RAAF Edinburgh as SAR 01. Her crew were called out at 0300 hours and told to fly west and expect an update when airborne. The crew were advised to uplift maximum fuel at Perth. (Source: 7)
The aircraft departed Perth at "war" weights and using all the runway in the 45 degree C temperature. (Source: 11)
06JAN97
   RESCUE 251 left Edinburgh first followed by RESCUE 252, approximately 3.5 hrs later. Both landed at Perth International to refuel as the runway at RAAF Pearce was undergoing maintenance. RESCUE 251 arrived on station approximately 4 hours after leaving Perth and RESCUE 252 came on station approximately 1 hour later. Both crews logged missions of more than 14 hours that day. (Source: 21)
06JAN97
   A9-760 was the first aircraft launched on 6 Jan 97 (FLTLT Ludo Dierickx captain) to locate Thierry Dubois (Pour Amnesty International) and Tony Bullimore (Exide Challenger). It located Dubois on the stern of his upturned yacht and dropped two sets of Air Sea Rescue Kit. The first drop was not completely successful - the rope between the two dinghies broke and the two remaining containers had to be dropped 'off-line'. Subsequently a second set of ASRK was successfully deployed. Dubois managed to board a dinghy (assessed to be from the first set dropped). (Source: 28)
06JAN97
   A9-760 (SQNLDR Moth), now tasked as RESCUE 251, made the first sighting of Thierry Dubois standing on the upturned hull of his 20 metre yacht Amnesty International and proceeded to drop an Air Sea Rescue Kit (ASRK). "The ASRK was dropped from the bomb bay and called clear by the engineer. It dropped about 50 feet, floated to the port side and climbed a couple of hundred feet in altitude before we lost sight of it forever!" The duration of this sortie was 10 hrs. (Source: 8)
06JAN97
   A second ASRK was dropped successfully later the same day by A9-656 RESCUE 252. This aircraft experienced 60 knot winds with 60 foot deflections on the radar altimeter. At 1300 nautical miles from land the sea state was 6 and the water temperature was 2 degrees C. (Source: 9)
07JAN97
   Again with Ludo Dierickx as captain, A9-760 flew a sortie as RESCUE 254 on the afternoon and evening of Tuesday 7 Jan 97, relocating and communicating with Dubois and relocating the upturned hull of Tony Bullimore's yacht. (Source: 28)
08JAN97
   A9-760's third sortie as RESCUE 257 (SQNLDR Alf Jonas as captain) was flown on the morning and afternoon of Wednesday 8 Jan 97, again relocating and communicating with Dubois, but unable to locate Bullimore's yacht due adverse weather. (Source: 28)
09JAN97
   Thierry Dubois was picked up by HMAS Adelaide's Seahawk N24-005 TIGER 74. (Source: 29)
09JAN97
   On Thursday 9 Jan 97 the final search sortie for A9-760 was as RESCUE 261, (SQNLDR Richard Moth captain). RESCUE 260 (A9-659) had already escorted HMAS Adelaide to the position of Dubois' dinghy to effect the retrieval. RESCUE 261 (A9-760) then came on task to provide any necessary support in the location of Bullimore's yacht for his retrieval. At 1152 hours Adelaide time the aircraft phone patched me (WGCDR I.M. Pearson, Acting CO 92WG) to advise that Bullimore was out of his yacht and alive. I was simultaneously talking to the ADF Command Centre in Canberra who were talking directly to the Defence Minister (Ian McLachlan) who in turn was directly connected to Mrs Bullimore in the UK. (Source: 28)
   
THE AP-3C MODIFICATION
23SEP97
   Departed Edinburgh for Majors Field, Greenville, Texas. (Source: 23)
26SEP97
   Arrived at Majors Field, Greenville, Texas. (Source: 23)
OCT97
   A9-760 was handed over to Raytheon E-Systems, Greenville, Texas for modification to the prototype AP-3C under Project Air 5276. (Source: 5)
19MAY99
   The modified A9-760 made its first test flight at Greenville, Texas. (Source: 12)
01DEC00
   Departed Greenville, Texas on return to Australia. (Source: 23)
DEC00
   The aircraft arrived at the contractor’s production facilities at Avalon Airport, having spent more than three years at Raytheon E-Systems, Greenville, Texas undergoing conversion to the prototype AP-3C. (Source: 5)
OCT01
   The aircraft was ready to be delivered to the RAAF. (Source: 5)
JAN02
   The RAAF began Initial Operational Test and Evaluation. (Source: 5)
28FEB02
   Photographed at Changi, Singapore for Asian Aerospace 2002. Aircraft carried a large "AP-3C" in darker grey on the forward fuselage.
JUL02
   The RAAF contractually accepted the AP-3C design and the prototype aircraft. (Source: 5)
JUL02
   Entered service as the first aircraft to be upgraded to AP-3C. The aircraft was converted by Raytheon E-Systems, Greenville, Texas. (Source: 2)
12-16FEB03
   Reported to have attended the Australian International Airshow at Avalon. (Source: 4)
31OCT03
   A9-760 was deployed to Nadi, Fiji on a SOLANIA patrol, the first for a number of years after the 2000 coup and the imposition of sanctions on Fiji. The aircraft went unserviceable (#1 engine) in Nadi and the tasked patrol was abandoned. The aircraft returned to Edinburgh on or about 03NOV03. (Source: 6)
By this time the large "AP-3C" titles had been painted out. Picture
    Operation SOLANIA is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to maritime surveillance within the Pacific Region. Operation SOLANIA also supports co-ordinated maritime surveillance and patrol operations run by the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), to detect and deter Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activity. (Source: 26)
   
THE FINCASTLE VICTORY
NOV03
   The annual Fincastle Trophy competition was hosted at RAAF Base Pearce, WA. (Source: 24)
NOV03
   Fincastle Trophy sorties were flown against the Collins Class submarine HMAS Sheean. (Source: 25)
21NOV03
   Crewed by Crew 5 of 10SQN, A9-760 won the Fincastle Trophy in competition with Canada (CP-140 Aurora), New Zealand (P-3K) and UK (Nimrod). This was the first time that an AP-3C had competed for the trophy. (Source: 23)
28MAY06
   The RAAF completed 8,000 flying hours in the MEAO in support of Operations BASTILLE, FALCONER, CATALYST and SLIPPER. A9-760 was deployed in the MEAO at this time. (Source: 23)
07JUL06
   Photographed at Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
30MAY08
   A9-760 performed a flypast at RAAF Edinburgh to mark the 40th anniversary of RAAF Orion operations. Picture
   
Aircraft was named Brooke
04JUN09
   A9-760 was named Brooke by the Task Group Padre, Ian Whitley, while the aircraft was deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) on Operation Slipper, Australia's military contribution to coalition efforts against international terrorism. For the purposes of the ceremony, the name was carried in red on a white banner which was temporarily fixed to the nosewheel door. It is not known if the name was applied permanently to the aircraft. Picture

RAAF Orions were rotated through the MEAO with two aircraft based at Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates from 2003 until the last operation in October 2012.
13MAR12
   TRIAL Operational Test & Evaluation CAP1 Upgrade. (Source: 23)
17MAY12
   A contract was let to Boeing Defence Australia for 13 Orions to be repainted. Work was to be performed by Air New Zealand in Christchurch. It was reported that the Orions would not need to be painted again before their replacement by the Boeing P-8 Poseidon. (Source: 3)
28MAY13
   Deployed on Operation GATEWAY 13-3 until 14JUN13. (Source: 23)
21JUN13
   Army Readiness Exercise until 27JUN13. (Source: 23)
05AUG13
   Deployed on Operation GATEWAY 13-4 until 18AUG13. (Source: 23)
12NOV13
   Deployed on Operation RESOLUTE until 19NOV13. (Source: 23)
12DEC13
   Deployed on Operation RESOLUTE until 25JAN14. (Source: 23)
26FEB14
   A9-760 was used by 11SQN on Operation RESOLUTE until 19MAR14. (Source: 21). (See below)
15MAR14
   Deployed on Operation RESOLUTE until 20MAR14. (Source: 23). (See above)
    Operation RESOLUTE is the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to protecting Australia’s borders and offshore maritime interests. The Area of Operations covers approximately 10% of the world’s surface and includes Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone - extending up to 200 nautical miles around the mainland and the Christmas, Cocos, Keeling, Norfolk, Heard, Macquarie and Lord Howe Islands. AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, which operate from RAAF Base Darwin, provide aerial surveillance of Australia’s north-west and northern approaches. (Source: 22)
20MAR14
   A9-760 was in transit Darwin-Edinburgh. (Source: 21)
   
THE SEARCH FOR MH370
MAR-APR14
   Several RAAF AP-3C Orions were involved in the aerial search for MH370 which went missing on 08MAR14. The aerial search was suspended on 28APR14. RAAF Orions known to have participated in the search are:
A9-751, 752, 753, 759, 658, 659, 662 and 664 although others may have been involved. (Source: 15) See 31MAR14.
31MAR14
   A9-760 was in transit Perth-Edinburgh. (Source: 21)
This sortie may have been in connection with the search for MH370. (See below)
31MAR14
   An otherwise unidentified Orion departed Pearce at 1104 hours for Edinburgh under the callsign SEALION 46. It is not known if this is related to the flight by A9-760 on the same day. (See above). (Source: 15)
SEALION is the callsign of No 92 Wing.
16APR14
   A9-760 arrived at Air New Zealand, Christchurch, NZ for repainting. (Source: 16 & 23)
18MAY14
   A9-760 departed Air New Zealand, Christchurch, NZ for Richmond after painting. (Source: 16 & 23)
16MAR15
   Deployed on Operation Pacific Assist after tropical cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. (Source: 23)
04JUN15
   Deployed on Operation GATEWAY 15-4 until 21JUN15. (Source: 23)
15AUG15
   Performed a flypast at Hay, NSW hometown of AVM Warren Macdonald. (Source: 23)
27SEP15
   Deployed on Operation RESOLUTE until 05FEB16. (Source: 23)
21MAY16
   Deployed on Operation RESOLUTE until 11NOV16. While in Darwin conducted co-operative patrol with Indonesia. (Source: 23)
21NOV16
   Deployed on Operation GATEWAY 16-6 until 09DEC16. (Source: 23)
01JUN17
   Deployed on Operation RESOLUTE until 07AUG17. (Source: 23)
26JAN18
   As "Striker 06" the aircraft performed a flyover of the Adelaide Australia Day celebrations. (Source: 17 & 23)
14FEB18
   Offered to QAM by the Australian Department of Defence.
20MAR18
   Deployed on Operation GATEWAY 18-1 until 28MAR18. (Source: 23)
28MAR18
   Final Operational flight (Operation GATEWAY). (Source: 23)
09APR18
   Letter from the US Department of State authorising permanent transfer of one decommissioned AP-3C Orion Maritime Surveillance aircraft to QAM for use as a heritage static display.
18APR18
   A9-760 departed RAAF Edinburgh at 0830 local time.
18APR18
  

A9-760 arrived at Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY/YBSU) direct from RAAF Edinburgh, S.A. (YPED). A planned practice approach to Caloundra (YCDR) with a flypast over the museum had to be abandoned because of thunderstorm activity over Caloundra. The aircraft subsequently performed a high speed pass down Runway 18 at Sunshine Coast Airport at 1200 local time before breaking for a landing on the same runway at 1203. The aircraft shut down on Bay 11 at 1206. The closest road to Bay 11 is, appropriately enough, Electra Lane! On arrival there were 14,400 lbs of fuel remaining, all in the wings. The aircraft was delivered by No 10 Squadron's No. 2 Crew comprising:

FLTLT Andrew Bartlett (Captain)
FLTLT Henry Ellis
PLTOFF Craig Tonkin
WOFF Ron Day
WOFF Kevin Schibrowski
FLTLT Jonno Wilson (Passenger)

The operating crew returned to Adelaide by airline later the same day.
    Total Time: 14,888.9 hours. (Source: 23)
18-22APR18
   During this period, A9-760 was further demilitarised by a crew of Airbus personnel who had travelled from Edinburgh by road bringing with them a time-expired engine and two time-expired propellers. The #1 engine was removed for return to service and replaced by the time-expired unit. Props were changed on engines 2 and 3.
15MAY18
   The Deed of Transfer was executed by the Defence Materiel Organisation transferring ownership to QAM.
11JUN18
   The aircraft was formally handed over to QAM.
31JUL18
   Tony Bullimore (15 January 1939 – 31 July 2018) passed away in Bristol, UK at age 79.
31AUG18
   The aircraft was repositioned at Sunshine Coast Airport.
23OCT18
   The aircraft was defuelled.
03OCT19
   The engines and props arrived at QAM Caloundra.
29OCT19
   The fuselage arrived at QAM Caloundra. The Clayton's Towing semi-trailer was driven by Max Quaglio, an inspirational local legend who refuses to accept that cerebral palsy is a disability. The wings were delivered in the early hours of the next morning. The reason for the delay in moving the aircraft from Sunshine Coast Airport was that QAM were awaiting the loan of trestles and tooling to dismantle the aircraft.
7-8JAN20
   The aircraft was back on its undercarriage.
25MAR20
   The final load consisting of the tail group was moved to Caloundra.
09SEP20
   The rear fuselage, empennage and MAD boom were reattached.

 

A9-760 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
78
 Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California. A9-760 was the first Orion to be fitted with wings built in Canada under an offset programme. During its RAAF service, A9-760 was regularly flown by Canadian pilots on exchange duty.
15FEB79
 A9-760 arrived at Edinburgh, SA on delivery from the USA.
22FEB79
 First recorded operation by A9-760 was a night tactical exercise flown by the Squadron CO, Wing Commander Tayles.
28FEB79
 Flew a navigation exercise to New Zealand and return without landing. The sortie lasted 13.7 hours which was then a P-3C endurance record for the squadron.
22APR79
 The Squadron CO departed on a six day trip to the UK for the dedication of 10 Squadron's badge at St Clement Danes (the Central Church of the Royal Air Force) in London.
17MAY79
 Flew its first of many Indian Ocean patrols to Cocos Island and Butterworth in Malaysia.
JUL79
 Flew trials connected with the Australian BARRA sonobuoy system.
17SEP79
 Flew an anti-submarine exercise with HMAS Otama. After 3.5 hrs on task the crew discovered a disabled Australian trawler and guided Otama to their position. A Sydney Police launch was also alerted before the aircraft returned to Richmond.
24SEP79
 Located survivors from the 40ft cabin cruiser Nocturn Two which sank in mountainous seas off Ballina. A9-760 directed a rescue helicopter to the scene and recovered to Amberley on minimum fuel.
11MAY80
 Located a yacht in distress in heavy seas off Lord Howe Island and orbited the vessel until day break when rescue craft neared the yacht.
OCT80
 Development aircraft for the fitment of the AQS-901 acoustic processor system by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.
NOV80
 Participated in Exercise SILENT PEARL at Barbers Point, Hawaii.
APR81
 Participated in Exercise SILENT PEARL at Barbers Point, Hawaii.
AUG81
 While on patrol from Butterworth, located and photographed a Soviet Charlie Class submarine.
SEP81
 Flew a SAR support sortie for Mirages deploying to Clark AFB, Philippines.
JUL82
 While flying a coastal surveillance patrol, the crew located a Taiwanese clam boat operating illegally on Marion Reef. The boat was subsequently arrested and escorted to Cairns.
DEC82
 Flew a comparison trial between AQS-901 and AQA-5.
JAN83

Deployed to Kadena AFB, Okinawa for exercises with the U.S. Navy.
MAR84
 Flew to Whenuapai, NZ on exercises.
APR84
 Flew JINDALEE trials out of Darwin.
MAY84
 Participated in Exercise PITCH BLACK out of Darwin.
MAY84
 Participated in Exercise RIMPAC at Barbers Point, Hawaii.
OCT84
 Flew a SAR support sortie for USAF F-16s transiting from New Zealand to Australia.
OCT84
 Participated in Exercise SANDGROPER in WA.
DEC84
 Conducted a MAD search for the wreck of the SS Koombana approximately 140km from Port Hedland, WA and identified a significant magnetic anomaly.
FEB85
 Flew a SAR support sortie for Mirages deploying to Whenuapai, NZ.
JUL85
 Flew several weapons training sorties at Woomera.
MAR96
 Carried RAAF 75th Anniversary nose art.
JAN97
 Was the first aircraft to launch in the search for yachtsmen Thierry Dubois and Tont Bullimore in the Southern Ocean. A9-760 flew four sorties on this rescue.
OCT97
 Delivered to Raytheon E-Systems, Greenville, Texas for modification to the prototype AP-3C.
DEC00
 The aircraft arrived at the contractor’s production facilities at Avalon Airport, Victoria having spent more than three years at Raytheon E-Systems, Greenville, Texas undergoing conversion to the prototype AP-3C.
NOV03
 A9-760 flown by Crew 5 of 10SQN won the annual Fincastle Trophy.
JUN09
 A9-760 was named Brooke while the aircraft was deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) on Operation Slipper, Australia's military contribution to coalition efforts against international terrorism.
MAR14
 It is believed that A9-760 was involved in the aerial search for MH370.
APR14
 Flown to Air New Zealand, Christchurch, NZ for repainting.
FEB18
 Offered to QAM by the Australian Department of Defence.
28MAR18
 Final operational flight.
18APR18
 Flown to Sunshine Coast Airport for storage pending disposal. Total Time: 14,888.9 hours.
15MAY18
 Ownership of A9-760 passed to QAM.
11JUN18
 The aircraft was officially handed over to QAM.
31JUL18
 Tony Bullimore (15 January 1939 – 31 July 2018) passed away in Bristol, UK at age 79.
31AUG18
 The aircraft was repositioned at Sunshine Coast Airport.
29OCT19
 The aircraft was transported to Caloundra.

 

 

ACRONYMS
AEO Air Electronic Officer
AFZ Australian Fisheries Zone
AIR TEST Test flight after maintenance or modifications.
AJASS Australian Joint Anti-Submarine School (located at Nowra)
ASRK Air-Sea Rescue Kit
ASW Anti-Submarine Warfare
BARRA Beamed Array Analysis (Sonobuoy)
BURBAGE Indian Ocean patrol via Cocos Island and Tengah. Previously known as GAY ROVER.
CASEX Coordinated Anti-Submarine Exercise
CUCKOO EEZ patrols for Pacific Forum countries
DLM Deeper Level Maintenance
DUCKBUTT SAR support for fighter ferry flights
ESTES Surveillance patrol around Bass Strait oil rigs
FISHEX Fisheries Surveillance Exercise
GATEWAY 92WG detachment to Butterworth for surveillance of the Malacca Straits.
GATEWAY A Missions to the west of Butterworth with a numeric suffix to denote route variations
GATEWAY B Missions to the east of Butterworth with a numeric suffix to denote route variations
GATEWAY C Missions with a specific objective
GATEWAY Z Non-operational missions requested by Malaysia
GCA Ground Controlled Approach
IDRS Intercept Detection and Ranging Sonar
IRDS Infra-Red Detection System
INSTEX Instrument Training Exercise
INTEX International Exercise
JTC Joint Tactical Course
JUC Joint Unit Course
LRMPA Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft
MAD Magnetic Anomaly Detector
MADCOMP Magnetic Anomaly Detector Compensation
MAREX
 Marine Exercise
MEDEVAC Medical Evacuation
MINEX Minelaying Exercise
MTA Maritime Training Area
NAS Naval Air Station (USN)
NAVEX Navigation Exercise
OPPOSED TRANSIT ASW Exercise
ORE Operational Readiness Evaluation
PASSEX Opportunity exercise with ships/subs during a routine passage
PCT Pilot Continuation Training
PDT Pilot Diversion Training
PHOTEX Photo Exercise
PLE Prudent Limit of Endurance
RADEX Radar Exercise
RANGE SURV Range Surveillance. Clearing a range for naval live firing exercises
RECEX Shipping Surveillance Patrol
RIMPAC Rim of the Pacific Training Exercise
SAR Search And Rescue
SHADEX Shadowing Exercise
SUBEX
 Submarine Exercise
SURVEX Surveillance Exercise
TACAN Tactical Air Navigation
TACCO Tactical Coordinator
TACEX Tactical Exercise
TAMEX ASW Exercise tracking a "tame" submarine
TIT Turbine Inlet Temperature
TORPEX Torpedo Exercise
TRACKEX ASW Tracking Exercise

 

 

SOURCES
1
 RAAF document AAP 7215.001-2-1 dated 1983
2
 ADF Press Release 043/2005
3
 Air Force News of 31JUL14
4
 ADF Serials http://www.adf-serials.com.au/3a9.htm
5
 The Auditor-General, Audit Report No.10 2005–06 Performance Audit. Upgrade of the Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft Fleet. https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/g/files/net616/f/ANAO_Report_2005-2006_10.pdf
6
 Leigh Collins
7
 Tony Di Maria
8
 Anthony Esposito
9
 Jamie Stirling
10
 Semaphore, Sea Power Centre - Australia, Number 3, January 2007.
11
 Sean Judge
12
 Orion Research Group http://www.p3orion.nl/operators.html
13
 Ian Pearson
14
 Tom Riley
15
 www.aviationwa.org.au
16
 Mike Condon http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com.au
17
 Nigel Daw, South Australian Air Journal Vol. 46 No. 4
18
 NAA, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 10 Squadron Jan 77 - Jul 87, Series number A9186. (Digitisation sponsored by QAM)
19
 NAA, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 37 Squadron May 78 - Feb 83, Series number A9186.
20
 Glen Bridger
21
 Directorate of History - Air Force, Canberra, ACT
22
 https://www.airforce.gov.au/
23
 Heritage & History Branch Air Force
24
 Nigel Daw, South Australian Air Journal Vol. 32 No. 3
25
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fincastle_Trophy
26
 http://www.defence.gov.au/Operations/SouthWestPacific/
27
 Log Book of SGT P.G. Scovell.
28
 Air Commodore Ian Pearson, Acting CO of 92WG at the time of the rescues and author of the official history of the P-3 in RAAF service.
29
 Log Book of Jeff Konemann, pilot of Seahawk N24-005.
30
 Log Book of LCDR Bill Baker, USN. Then on exchange duty with 10SQN as a TACCO.
31
 Log Book of SQNLDR Barry Collins.
32
 NAA, RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Number 9 Squadron Dec 1971 - Jul 1986, Series number A9186.
33
 Ian Pearson, Cold War Warriors, Big Sky Publishing, 2021

 

 

Compiled by Ron Cuskelly

 

 

 

ISSUE
DATE
REMARKS
32
16NOV21
 Added an image of the aircraft during Exercise Kangaroo III in Townsville in October 1979. Thanks to Maurice Ritchie.
31
27OCT21
 Added several entries from Source: 33. Thanks to Ian Pearson.
30
26FEB21
 Added a page on the Recovery
29
08FEB21
 Updated the reference to a SAR sortie on 24SEP79.
28
01JAN21
 Added an image of the aircraft next to the airship hangar at Moffett Field in February 1979.
27
02OCT20
 Added a recent image of the aircraft fully reassembled thanks to Angelo Calleja.
26
10SEP20
 Added four images of the rear fuselage, empennage and MAD boom being reattached thanks to Angelo Calleja.
25
14MAY20
 Added an image of the tail group on the ground at Caloundra. Thanks to Colin Campbell.
24
19MAR20
 Added an image of the aircraft with all four engines and props installed. Thanks to Colin Campbell.
23
31JAN20
 Previously, the list of QAM members who donated towards the cost of acquiring this aircraft was seriously deficient. The list has now been corrected.
22
11JAN20
 Added an image of the aircraft back on its undercarriage. Thanks to Colin Campbell.
21
09NOV19
 Added details of sorties to shadow a Soviet nuclear submarine in OCT82 thanks to Leigh Collins.
20
01NOV19
 Added eleven images of the delivery to Caloundra. See bottom two rows of image table.
19
04OCT19
 Added six recent images thanks to Alan Macdonald, Angelo Calleja and Colin Campbell. See bottom row of image table.
18
12APR19
 Added six new images:

Thanks to Robert Wiseman and Lance Higgerson:

Original markings

Original markings

Original large Chimera

Roll-out with 492SQN markings

Thanks to Alex Jackson:

Flight test crew of the prototype AP-3C

Test flying of the prototype AP-3C
17
30MAR19
 Added several references from Source: 31.
Added further detail from Source:8 on the Dubois/Bullimore search on 06JAN97.
16
28DEC18
 Added an image taken onboard A9-760 during a flypast on 30MAY08.
15
20DEC18
 Added an image of A9-760 in formation with an ARDU Mirage IIID.
14
26OCT18
 Added an image of the aircraft's data plate.
13
19AUG18
 Added several flights in 1992/93 thanks to LCDR Bill Baker, USN Retired (Source: 30)
12
07AUG18
 Added the identity of the RAN Seahawk (N24-005) that was embarked in HMAS Adelaide. Thanks to Jeff Konemann.
11
01AUG18
 Recorded the passing of Tony Bullimore on 31JUL18. Added an image of Tony Bullimore's rescue.
10
17JUL18
 The section on the rescues in the Southern Ocean (JAN97) has been completely revised.
Added an image of the original chimera emblem which was first applied to A9-760.
Added an image of the chimera stencil being applied to the aircraft.
Added an image of the St Clement Danes crew.
Added an image of an ASRK being dropped to Thierry Dubois.
All of the above thanks to Ian Pearson (Source: 28)
9
15JUL18
 Added an event on 17DEC84 from Source: 28.
8
13JUL18
 Added flights 1981-1986 by Flight Engineer FSGT Peter Scovell (Source: 27)
Added a photo of the Soviet Charlie Class nuclear submarine sighted by the crew of A9-760 on 16AUG81. Also added a photo of the crew. Both thanks to Peter Scovell.
7
27JUN18
 Added an image of the aircraft during a visit to Kuantan, Malaysia in SEP81. Thanks to Peter Scovell.
6
24JUN18
 Added 8 images thanks to Sid Mitchell who happens to live on the approach to Darwin.
5
15JUN18
 Added 4 images of the aircraft at Nadi, Fiji in 2003. Thanks to Leigh Collins.
Added two images of the cockpit on 11JUN18. Thanks to Angelo Calleja.
4
14JUN18
 Expanded reference to Operation SOLANIA in OCT03.
3
13JUN18
 Additional historical information from Source: 23.
2
12JUN18
 Added 5 images of the handover ceremony.
1
11JUN18
 Original issue.