Royal Australian Air Force
Caribou  (DHC-4)

Page 8


Newest data is shown in red   Revised 4/6/01


All the photos on this page were provided by Warrant Officer Rod Cairns of the RAAF 38 SQN.

 
East Timor Conflict
During the 1999 conflict in East Timor, 35 & 38 Squadrons provided aircraft and personnel to form a short range tactical transport unit under INTERFET control known as 86Wing Detachment 'C' (86WGDETC). Using 4 aircraft, 86WGDETC demonstrated the outstanding versatility and capability of the Caribou once again by continually completing missions in appalling weather conditions that often kept other air assets grounded. Crews flew full crew duty days and drew high praise from 'customers' for their attitude, skills and professionalism. Of course none of this would have happened without the tireless support of our groundcrew and support staff who performed miracles under the most austere conditions. With the transition from INTERFET to UNTAET on 23Feb00, 86WGDETC was reduced in size to 2 aircraft and will continue to operate in East Timor until at least February 2001 and possibly beyond. 
Click to enlarge the photos
<<< A4-152 (c/n # 152) & 236 (c/n #236) share the hardstand at Suai on the south coast of East Timor.
>>> A4-152 and a Landrover 110 on 'Pad Charlie', 86Wing Detachment C's operating base at Comoro Airport Dili East Timor.
<<< A4-152 on 'Pad Charlie"
>>> A4-152 & 236 on 'Pad Charlie' against the hills of Dili
<<< A4-236 at Cakung Airport Baucau East Timor
>>> A4-236 on the loading apron at Comoro Airport awaiting another load. The mud on the fuselage is typical of wet season operations into the dirt strips at Maliana, Los Palos and the Oecussi Enclave
<<< A4-152 delivers mail and passengers to Maliana airstrip in East Timor. The M113A1 providing security is operated by 5/7 Bn Royal Australian Regiment who were based in the township
>>> A unit photo of 86Wing Det C, February 2000
<<< 3 Caribou form up to join a flypast saluting MAJGEN Peter Cosgrove departing Dili East Timor (on board HMAS Jervis Bay) marking the transition from INTERFET to UNTAET 23Feb00
>>> Short finals to the strip at the Oecussi Enclave
<<< A mixed load from Suai to Dili East Timor including passengers, mail and 2 local children suffering serious illness. They are attended by tri-service ADF aeromedical staff enroute to the UN hospital in Dili
>>> Rod with some local kids prior to engine start at Oecussi

 
Click on map to enlarge
Map of East Timor 


Air Sea Rescue
Crew briefing prior to a practice Air Sea Rescue Kit (ASRK) drop off Fraser Island north of Brisbane Queensland. The real kit consists of a liferaft, 3 individual stores containers and a second raft all joined to each other by 125 metre long coils of nylon rope. After marking the survivor with smoke markers, the ASRK is dispatched by hand over the ramp. Checklist timings aim to place the 625m long string of rafts/containers in the water with the centre container upwind and in line with the survivor. The whole kit should drift to the survivor. For training purposes, the rafts and containers are simulated using timber blocks of similar weight and dimensions.
The practice ARSK is dispatched by the Flight Crew


<<< Civilian sports parachutists exit during the ADF National Parachuting Championships at Wagga Wagga NSW in 1992
>>> On oxy at 12'000 feet watching mad people jumping from a perfectly serviceable aircraft


<<< A4-195 (c/n # 195) low level over southern New South Wales during 1990
>>> A4-195 same sortie late afternoon sunlight
A4-235 (c/n # 235) at King Island while escorting 8 CT4A Airtrainers of 1 Flying Training School (1FTS) and a RAAF Museum CAC Winjeel across Bass Strait to Hobart Tasmania for Battle of Britain Day celebrations in 1991. We carried the 1FTS ground crew and spares plus a full Air Sea Rescue Kit in case one of the aircraft had to ditch.
<<<  A4-235 at Maria Island on the east coast of Tasmania, sametrip
>>> A4-225 (c/n # 225) transits the New South Wales mid coast enroute to RAAF Williamtown for fighter evasion training in late 1990. Training involved dealing with simulated attacks by Mirage 111O fighters and Macchi MB326H trainers. The passenger doors are removed for operational reasons. This aircraft now wears the standard green/green/black camouflage scheme.
<<< Lord Howe Island, approximately 300 miles east of Sydney is a refueling stop for many a/c heading to NZ and the Pacific Islands
>>> A4-234 (c/n # 234) at Lord Howe Island enroute to New Zealand 24APR90. The aircraft wears its original dark green colour scheme. The discolouration of the fin is due to a SQN change, 35 SQN's stripe/wallaby fin flash being over painted and replaced by 38 SQN's Enfield emblem
<<< A4-234 (c/n # 234) shares the tarmac with Andovers at RNZAF Whenuapi in Auckland New Zealand
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