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50th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Air ForcePrint Page Print this page

10-September-2013 (Jeff Handley)
10-September-2013 (Jeff Handley)

Photographs supplied by Jeff Handley / John Huth

This De Havilland Vampire Jet commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), formed March 1921, is the aerial warfare branch of the Australian Defence Force.  It directly continues the traditions of the second oldest Air Force in the world, the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF provides support across a spectrum of operations such as air superiority, precision strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air mobility, and humanitarian support.

The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter. The DH.100 Vampire was commissioned by the Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) during the Second World War, and was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF, after the pioneering Gloster Meteor. Although the Vampire arrived too late to see combat during the war, it served with front line RAF squadrons until 1955, and continued in use as a trainer until 1966.

In Australia, the first Vampire F30 fighter (A79-1) flew in June 1949, and it was followed by 56 more F30 variants before the final 23 aircraft were completed as FB31s with strengthened and clipped wings with underwing hardpoints. The last FB31 was delivered in August 1953, and 24 late-production F30s were subsequently upgraded to FB31 standard. Single seat Vampires were retired in the RAAF in 1954.
 

Location

Address:Gordon Duff Drive, Lake Forbes Park , Forbes, 2871
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.389292
Long: 148.007821
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Technology
Monument Theme:Government
Sub-Theme:Federal
Approx. Event Start Date:1921
Approx. Event End Date:1971

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:1971
Front Inscription

Plaque :

De Havilland Vampire
Single - seat fighter bomber

Entered R.A.A.F. service 1949

Engine CAC Nene 2 - VH 5,000 Thrust
Maximum Speed 548 Mph
Span 38 ft.
Length 30 ft. 9 in.
Range 1,220 miles
Four 20mm cannons 2,000 lb. bombs / tockets

Aircraft erected 1971 - 50th Anniversary R.A.A.F.

Forbes Municipal Council Centenary Year
Captain Cook Bi-Centenary Year

Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au