Thread: RAAF Mustang operations during the Korean War.

Originally Posted by bob10

Korean Operations

Very good Bob, I enjoyed the read. I think the P51 would be my favorite fighter aircraft of WW11.
Pickles.

My first job was at Liquorland more than 30 years ago and we had a guy named Bob who patiently waited outside before we opened 2-3 days a week. Poor bugger was a chronic alcoholic and wanted to be first in the door. He was also an ex-RAAF Korean War Mustang and Meteor pilot and I had many an interesting conversation with him before I was eventually promoted and went to another store. His opinion of the Rolls Royce Merlin was "awesome", but he thought very little of the Packard Merlin as they were not built as well as the original RR units. Never did find out what eventually happened to Bob. Lovely old fella.

Back in the days when Australia had not just one but two (fixed-wing) aircraft carriers....

Currently tally? None.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Back in the days when Australia had not just one but two (fixed-wing) aircraft carriers....

Currently tally? None.

Expensive items. Ask the RN, they have had to mothball a large part of their fleet, just to man the carriers. Then they didn't fit a catapult, even though it was discussed, so they are committed to the F35. They have to borrow US Marine F35's & pilots to have a viable aircraft fit. If they had a catapult/s they could have taken the F18's Australia is selling to Canada. Australia could not man a decent size carrier, and maintain a fleet of destroyers and frigates, or submarines. Without catapults, carriers can not carry aircraft suitable for the anti-submarine or radar detection jobs. Helicopters can do the job, but not nearly as well. A carrier without suitable aircraft is just a target. So, just as immediately before WW2, it's a case of cross fingers, and hope for the best. And, as usual, the poor old matelots will have to take the weight, and bear the sacrifice. [ It is said even with the US Marine F35's, only 24 aircraft and about 14 helicopters will deploy on Queen Elizabeth in her first deployment , in 2021.

Whispers around the traps suggest UAV's are being considered for the long range recon. and ship attack role, some flown from frigates. With the ADF's new networked system, Each ship, aircraft , UAV, will be able to "talk " to one another, passing info. through the system keeping the entire group in the loop. [ Plus the US and Japanese assets] To that end, each of the RAN future frigates will be fitted with the Aegis combat management system meaning all of our major surface assets[ not LHD's] will be able to link up . An Australian tactical interface, to be developed by SAAB Australia, will manage non Aegis systems, such as nulka, and the cutting edge phased array radar, developed by Australia's CEA Technologies. The OPV's will contain a SAAB Australia developed combat management system, and an Australian tactical interface will be developed by SAAB Australia for the destroyers when their Aegis system is upgraded as per the Defence White Paper. As long as events don't turn hot any time soon.

Jack McDonald of Gumdale is still alive, aged 87. He flew Mustangs and Meteors in the Korean conflict. He had a civil reg Mustang for a while. Jack rebuilt Maybach 1 from the spare chassis left over when Maybach 2 was built. He is currently building a replica of a late 1920's Miller using an Offenhauser 255 I found for him in the USA.

Originally Posted by Pickles2

Very good Bob, I enjoyed the read. I think the P51 would be my favorite fighter aircraft of WW11.
Pickles.

Mine would be the Beaufighter. The initial batch of aircraft came from Britain, promised in 1941, arrived 1942. Australia built over 300 .

Beaufighter - Whispering Death, The Forgotten Warhorse - YouTube