The Ozzies did operate the F-4, from 1970-72. Although the RAAF never ordered them.
This was due to the failure of General Dynamics to deliver the troubled F-111 on time.
So the US State Department offered the Australian Government the F-4E, as an interim machine on a 2 year lease.
24 factory new aircraft, with spares, upgrades and training, for $34m. contraceptives supplied.
Also the right to purchase the aircraft for $12m each at the end of the lease.
It was the sweetest deal in aviation history ($700k/aircraft/year, for a current frontline fighter). Not even the Ozzies could get this one wrong.
Since it was a lease, the ‘block 43’ aircraft came in standard USAF camouflage and retained their USAF code numbers while ‘down under.’
All the F-4’s were part of 82nd Wing and were operated by 1 and 6 Sqn RAAF Amberley. 90305 was assigned to 1 Sqn
They arrived just in time to take part in the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the RAAF in March and April 1971
which is where I drew the inspiration for this restoration.
From the outset though, this was not going to be easy. There’s not a lot out there about the Ozzie F-4’s
and the RAAF anniversary liveries I did find were about as inspiring as flying over the ‘GAFA’........at night.
When I finally came up with an idea centered around the Australian flag
the bomb release button on the RH side of the fuse made that idea a problem which had to be tackled first
Once over that, the rest of the livery then had to be planned and painted around it.
Not the way I usually do restorations, for obvious reasons and on several occasions, I almost gave up
But persevered with the patriotic peel pattern livery representing both 1 (on the left) and 6 Sqn (on the right),
in a tribute to all the men and women who served in the RAAF
Colours: red, white, blue, black, green, brown, polished metal. Virtually all decals from scratch, except the roundles with the ’roos.
90305 returned to The States towards the end of 1972 where it operated with the Idaho National Guard
it crashed at the White Sands Missle Range due to an operational mishap while flying as a target drone in 2000, thirty years after it was built
90305 as it was with the RAAF, off the Queensland coast c.1971
this F-4 also heads 'down under' to its new home next week.
