The Jet Age: |
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| "Tropical
Weather" - Jake Newham's gripping tale of
flying his Sabre into the unknown in 1958. |
Neil Handsley describes the Groundcrew experience of Butterworth and the highly-ambitious Operation Sabre Ferry, 1958. |
3
Squadron in Malaysia |
Butterworth Airbase History 3 Squadron's Malaysian home away from home from 1958 until the mid-80s. |
3SQN Sabre
Display Team - 1961 |
"Flying the RAAF's Avon Sabre" (F-86) By Barry Weymouth. - With a focus on Airshow Displays. |
Peter Larard's "Indonesian Confrontation" Mid-air encounters in the mid-1960s! |
"Commanding
Officer DOWN!" |
"Highest Mountain" - A tragic story of the loss of Mirage pilot Lloyd Smith, 1972. |
| "Pietschy's
High-Wire Spectacular" - A fast-flying Sabre intercepts some powerlines! 1971. |
"Battle
of the Forces", 2002 3 Squadron's Williamtown F18s fly war-games:  |
Drew Harrison's "Jet
Age" Paintings. 3SQN from the 1950s to the current day - and beyond! |
| "Mirage Metamorphosis" - Brian Weston illustrates the Squadron's "Lizard" colour scheme in the early 1970s. | Mick
Hickey recalls a 1985 Mirage
Spin Incident during his Butterworth days. |
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"Mirage Fun" - Some enjoyable 1970s Butterworth cartoons by the very talented Bill Chambers. |
"Mirage
Collision" - The tragic loss of 3SQN's
"last" operational fatality, FLTLT Perry Kelly, in 1976. |
1984 "Mirage Missile Misfire" - Commanding Officer Bruce 'Poodle' Wood discovers that it's not always lucky to win a lottery! |
| Darryl Luck's beautifully-illustrated
report on 3 Squadron’s 2002 Operational Deployment to Diego Garcia in "Operation Slipper" |
"A Padre's Tale" Campbell Carroll, 2010. |
"From
3 Squadron to Chief of Air Force!" - A profile of Air Marshal Geoff Brown, AO. |
“Black Dagger” 2013 Townsville Bombing Exercise Photo-Essay |
Centenary of Australian Military Aviation 2014. | "Good
Morning... SYRIA!" F/A-18A Pilot Interview, 2016. |
| 2014
Announcement No.3 Squadron to be the F35 Pioneers. |
2018 First Operational F-35s arrive in Australia |
Neil Smith's 3SQN Post-WW2 History Summary |
2021 was the RAAF's Centennial Year. An excellent address by AVM Joe IERVASI, Air Commander Australia, summarises the highs and lows of the RAAF's "Century". |
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World War One:Before the War: 3 Squadron and the "Birth of Aviation""Billy Stutt and the Richmond Flyboys" - 1916 aviation pioneering, mixed explosively with State politics! "Fights in the Air" - 1916. - An interesting letter from the Western Front in France, at the time that the Squadron was "being born", back in Australia, at Point Cook. Complete 3SQN WW1 History Summary By Neil Smith
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| Early training at Point Cook. James Brake’s Point Cook Photo Album is one of the jewels of the Australian War Memorial collection. | ||
Tom Prince - From Original ANZAC to AFC Observer, 1918. |
Australia's First Air Combat - Lawrence Wackett stars in a dashing tale from the Sinai desert. |
What's in a Number? The bizarre story of how 3AFC gained its final identity during WW1. |
The Sloane family honoured 2/AM Douglas Sloane with a book about his tragically short service with 3 Squadron AFC. He died with his pilot (Lt. Shapira) when their RE8 crashed while transiting from England to France in August 1917. |
2nd Air Mechanic Harold Edwards made the name-plate for the Red Baron's coffin and was the longest-lived WW1 A.F.C. veteran.  Biography by Adrian Hellwig. |
3AFC
Signaller Bert Billings' amazing record: "Gallipoli Start-to-Finish" |
| Frank
Tarrant's hopeful Letters from the Western Front |
"Stretcher
Bearer!" Life in the trenches of Gallipoli and the Western Front, diary by Rudy Schulstad. |
Nigel
Love Rains Destruction
on German Artillery on the Western Front. |
The Tragic Loss of Best & Lewis 12th April 1918. - Analysis of the family impact, by Michael Molkentin. |
World
War One in an RE8 |
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The Battle of
Hamel, July 1918 - A key move towards VICTORY in WW1. |
August 8th, 1918: 3SQN and the 'Black Day' of the German Army. |
| Seven Amazing RE8 Tales 1917/1918 |
Flying
with 3 Sqn, Australian Flying Corps By Lt. James ("Lee") Smith DFC. |
"Who
shot down the Red Baron?" By Neil Smith, based on the eyewitness testimony of his father: James "Lee" Smith DFC. |
A Western Front Photo Saved... Ray Williams rescues a historic 1918 photo. |
Decoding
"The Side Slipper" - Insights into a 3AFC "trench-mag" from 1918. |
Lt.
John Clifford Peel, AFC. |
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"Dog of War" - the surprising story of Rin-Tin-Tin and the WW1 Air Corps. “Gardens of Memory”, an interesting selection of 3AFC war-graves from WW1, in England and on the Western Front. The RAAF's Friend in High Places - Senator Sir George Pearce and the Foundation of the RAAF. "Welcome to Richmond". 3 Squadron inaugurated RAAF operations at Richmond in July 1925 - but many minor disasters ensued on the journey there! Sacrifice in the Survey of Canberra (1926). Australia's first RAAF Parachute Jumps (1926). Fatal 3SQN Crash during the Opening of Parliament House (1927). Tragedy at Richmond RAAF Base (1929). Pictures of 3 Squadron R.A.A.F. in the 1920s at Richmond NSW Demon Down! - In the Devils’ Den (1937). Disastrous Demonstration - Townsville (1937). 3SQN’s Earliest WW2 Fatality… REVEALED AFTER 73 YEARS! 3SQN 1920s and 30s History Summary by Neil Smith
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| WW2 OPERATIONS: | WW2 SHOT DOWN / PRISONERS of WAR/ and EVADERS: |
WW2 GENERAL / DAILY LIFE: |
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Engine
Fitter Val St Leon's Desert Days, 1941/42. |
Roy Fitzgerald - Aerodrome Defence Gunner and Armourer 1940-42. (3SQN's first WW2 "kill" was a drogue-towing aircraft!) |
The
Story of Squadron Leader Hickey. |
"Prangs for the Memories" Harry Clare's interesting Syria Campaign photos from mid-1941. |
| "Australia's
First-Ever Combined Operation" - 3SQN warmly welcomed in action in Syria in 1941. |
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3
Squadron "Foils" the Enemy Commander's Escape from
Syria... |
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The Illustrated 1940-41 Training and Ops Diary of Tomahawk Pilot Hal ("Robbie") Roberts. |
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Al Rawlinson's vivid description of the loss of Geoff Hiller on 2 December 1941: |
Newspaper Propaganda in 1941 "They should all be decorated" (We agree!) |
Bob Gibbes Examines a Pilot's Fears |
Ivor Leaver and the |
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Granton Harrison flew Buffalo Fighters in Malaya and later Kittyhawks in Italy. He describes his remarkable jungle adventures evading capture by the Japanese, early 1942... |
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Bobby Gibbes' extraordinary article: "There's No Glamour in Air Warfare" - Including an original air-combat report from Bir el Gobi - 25 November 1941. |
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Bob
Ulrich meets Peter Jeffrey |
War-Service Memoir of Tom WOOD, 3SQN Kittyhawk Pilot 1942 and Prisoner of War |
"Yarns in the Tent" A study of Mateship in 3 Squadron in North Africa and Italy. |
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Reg Pfeiffer on the Chaos of Retreat... - January 1942. |
 Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Marseille One of the top Luftwaffe aces who brought down several 3 Squadron pilots during the long desert war. |
The
full illustrated story of: Milne Bay 1942 - The RAAF's "Forgotten Finest Hour" |
Complete
3SQN WW2
History Summary 1942-45 by Neil Smith |
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| WW2 OPERATIONS: | WW2 SHOT DOWN / PRISONERS of WAR/ and EVADERS: |
WW2 GENERAL / DAILY LIFE: |
History Essay: the Pivotal Battle of El Alamein July to November 1942 |
Eric Canning in a Mass Escape |
A
Medic's Memory
Lane... In 1942-43, Stuart Morris witnessed and photographed some amazing incidents. |
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Keith
Kildey was a great 3SQN combat leader, a top
shot, and he also made the "Cricketing News". 1942. |
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A graphic description of Living
Conditions in the Desert. |
"Blackie"
and "Blondie's" War |
Bobby Gibbes Rescues
Rex Bayly |
A Knight
Bold and Brave - How Harry Knight won his BEM. Tales from 1942 and 1944. |
| Tommy
Jones' Daily Diary. Weather, war
news and life's interesting moments of a 3SQN Ground Crew
Member - from 1942 to 1945. Africa and Italy. |
Dave Ritchie Wanders the Desert New Year 1943. |
"Jack's War" - The engrossing story of Jack Lusby, one of the 'Lost Tribe' of 3SQN replacements in Africa. (NB. Comprising three books: see also: Book2; Book3; and Jack's separate Short Story: "A Flying Fragment".) |
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Norm Caldwell Escapes during the German Retreat. Tripoli, January 1943 |
"The Car" - Tom Russell's story of his 1943 adventure to Algiers with his mates, once the fighting in Africa was over.  John Howell-Price recalls his ride in Tom Russell's "hot" Chevvie |
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Fred
Eggleston's Amazing Escapades |
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"The" Me109 ... by Ken McRae. 3 Squadron preserves a valuable Messerschmitt, November 1942. |
Major Müncheberg's Two "Kills" 22 January 1943 |
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| Low-Level Raid on Magrun. Alan Righetti's daredevil story of the time that he "copped some flak" in November 1942. | Jack
Raffen's Battlefield
Grave. Poignant pictures. 30 Dec 1943 |
'Cliftied' Pork was on the menu for Bill Shoesmith's Christmas at Mileni, 1943. |
| Alan
Righetti shoots down Günther Mielenz 30 December 1942. |
3 Squadron's (Captured!) Italian Air Force |
Murray Nash's
amazing connection to the Rescue of Mussolini at Mount Sasso in September 1943 |
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Tom Russell describes some of the
Squadron's "black days" at the start of 1943 - |
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Sergeant
Pilots
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10 March 1943 - Rescuing the Free French at Ksar Rhilane, Tunisia |
A
bizarre POW story of bad luck and "friendly fire": "The Four Funerals of Doc McLeod" |
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Geoff
Chinchen's "home run" to Switzerland, 1943: "Bricked-in to Break Out" |
Emotional Journey: The Illustrated 1942-45 Diary of 3SQN Fitter Corporal Colin FAEHSE. |
Ted Hankey's 13 Days to Freedom - October 1943, Central Italy. |
The
Three Padres The remarkable trio who did so much for RAAF personnel in Africa and Italy. |
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Reg Stevens, DFC and Bar. 1943 Valedictions, including a stirring Radio Broadcast (And an explanation for his Bad Back...) |
Nicky BARR's own account of one of his adventurous escapes from German captivity, in the depths of the Italian winter of 1943/44. | "Blue" Glennan and the Engineering boys, keeping things together in Italy, 1944/45. |
No.3 Squadron and the "Plot to Kill Hitler" by Kittyhawk Pilot Tom Russell. |
"Kriegies"
Wal
Hogg and Ken Watts 1944-45. |
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The
Death of Ray FARIA and the
Kindness of Strangers.
Sept. 1944. |
Lew
Ranger's viewpoint: |
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Service History and
Photos |
Bob Ulrich’s Dalmatian Dogpaddles - Shot down over Yugoslavia in 1944, Bob was twice rescued by the same Partisan Patrol Boat. |
Arthur Pardey - |
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Bruce
Burchfield - Into the Witches' Cauldron |
Snowy Campbell's 1945 POW "Forced March" |
A toast to the Reverend Bob Davies
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| "3
Squadron Invades Italy" The boys become the first Allied Squadron to operate from the Italian Mainland. September 1943. |
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| The Battle of Termoli - Frantic action in October 1943. | ||
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Bruce
Burchfield's |
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"Sunk by 3SQN" - Feb.1944 - Reports from German crews who were on the receiving end of the Squadron's anti-shipping attacks, off the Croatian coast. |
"Slovenian Mustang Muster" Modern-day Archaeology in former Yugoslav territory is revealing fascinating remnants of some of 3SQN's shot-down Mustangs from 1945! |
Rev
Fred McKay's Letter from Cutella - Living conditions in February 1944. |
Dam Busting! - One of 3 Squadron's most exciting missions. Cutella/Pescara Dam, 1944. |
David Higgins visits the site where his dad's Mustang was shot down in Italy. April 1945. |
Rev
Fred McKay's Letter to Home Folks |
| "Barry
Finch's Trip to the Seaside" 3 Squadron adds a 3,000-tonne German Destroyer to its list of shipping victories. 5 November 1944. |
Alec Richardson, POW from 1942-45, Breaks through the Iron Curtain, May 1945
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And we thought training in the RAAF was tough... - Saburo Sakai describes pilot-training in the Japanese Navy. |
"Boxing Day" - 3 Squadron's P-51 Mustang action against Italian Me109Gs at Aviano in Northern Italy, 26 Dec 1944.
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Alan
Clark's Lousy Long March - through Yugoslavia with the Partisans in 1945! Lavishly Illustrated. |
An
exciting RAAF air-sea warfare history: "Fighting the U-boats" 1940-45  |
| Bluey
Beales "Italian Finale" - 1945 |
Lew Ranger pays tribute to his pal: "Jungle Jim" Edmonds - 3 Squadron's last combat fatality, April 1945. |
Memoirs
of RAAF Nurse Joan Loutit: Casualty Air-Evacuation in WW2. |
| WW2 OPERATIONS: | WW2 SHOT DOWN / PRISONERS of WAR/ and EVADERS: |
WW2 GENERAL / DAILY LIFE: |
POST-WW2 / Early 1950's Stan CURRAN’s story of ill-advised low-flying
“Recruiting
Hi-Jinks, 1948”. 3SQN ASSOCIATION ACHIEVEMENTS:How the 3SQN Association Began (1946). Peter Jeffrey Correcting 3 Squadron's Official WWII "Victory Tally" in Air-to-Air Combat. Peter King Gives a Charitable UK View on the Modern Spirit of ANZAC Day. 50 years on, Bob Ulrich receives a call from 'a Fan'... Father Bill Stevens, nephew of Squadron Leader Reg Stevens, on the Personal Meaning of ANZAC Day Dedication of 3 Squadron Memorial Plaque in London (2009). "Are
You Dinky Di?" - A humorous look
at whether our 2007 'Citizenship Test' was
worth fighting for. |
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