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Subject: End of an era
DropBear    11/24/2009 10:11:52 PM
The coming weeks will see the final flights of the mighty Boo. 38SQN will wrap up operations of type with an example going to the AWM and Point Cook Museum respectively. "18 February 2009 Retirement of the DHC-4 Caribou On 19 February 2009, Minister for Defence Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP announced plans to retire the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of DHC-4 Caribou aircraft. The Caribou will be retired by December 2009. RAAF took delivery of its first Caribou in April 1964. The Caribou has a proud 45-year history of supporting ADF operations in the South West Pacific and South East Asia. It is a tribute to the outstanding work of 38 Squadron aircrew, technicians and support personnel that the Caribou has been able to operate as long as it has. As an interim measure, a leased fleet of five additional Hawker Pacific B300 King Air aircraft will undertake light air transport tasks. These aircraft will be phased into the Townsville-based 38 Squadron as the Caribou is progressively retired toward the end of 2009. Three King Air 350 aircraft, currently operated by Army, will also be transferred to 38 Squadron." source: http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2009/feb/20090219/index.htm
 
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DropBear       11/24/2009 10:16:09 PM
 
I will miss hearing the droning sound of the Boo as she flies over Brissy. It was the first aircraft I ever flew in and am fortunate I got to get up close and personal with the twin wasp radials. Ahhh, memories... 
 
For the foreign SP folk, we are replacing the Boo with the following (for now)...
 
 
http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2009/feb/20090219/20040611raaf8160650_0025_lo.jpg" width="600" border="0" />
 
http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2009/feb/20090219/F7FE3106_1352_lo.jpg" width="600" border="0" />
 
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brizzydude       11/25/2009 12:03:05 AM
I remember watching a demo of the Boo's capabilities at an airshow in Rockhampton around 1990.  It taxied around on it's nose-wheel with it's rear wheels off the deck.  Very special aircraft.
 
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Volkodav       11/25/2009 2:38:01 AM
Too bad we didn't buy the Buffalo in the late 80's or early 90's.
 
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DropBear       11/25/2009 9:26:10 AM

I remember watching a demo of the Boo's capabilities at an airshow in Rockhampton around 1990.  It taxied around on it's nose-wheel with it's rear wheels off the deck.  Very special aircraft.

 Youtube showing the wheelbarrow nose landing touch-and-go...
 

 
 
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StevoJH       11/25/2009 7:36:14 PM
Is there any reason that a license to build DHC-5's could not be acquired? Possibly by De Halivand Pacific in Cairns? ;)
 
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Aussiegunneragain       11/29/2009 7:56:32 AM
The coming weeks will see the final flights of the mighty Boo. 38SQN will wrap up operations of type with an example going to the AWM and Point Cook Museum respectively.

It would be cool if the Temora Aviation Museam could get one and keep it operational. There would be heaps of parts lying around for them to do so. I wonder if the RAAF would be kind enough to make the donation?
 
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Barracuda    Happy Memories   11/29/2009 9:46:11 AM
Apart from spending three hours throwing up in a Bou whilst the madman up the front was doing touch and goes on Rotto ... what a great bit of kit it has been.
 
Can land and take off on a penny.
 
I still remember the look on my gunners face when he took the seat right next to the ramp.  How happy he was to get the prime seat in the plane.  I also remember how he screamed like a girl when we went straight up ( i exagerate) on take and after not tightening his seat belt, the belt, his webbing were all around his neck and his little feet seemed to be kicking on the ramp. It was all he could do not to drop the M60.  Once we stopped laughing we did try to stop him from completely falling out. 
 
What a great plane
 
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DropBear       11/29/2009 6:38:44 PM
It would be cool if the Temora Aviation Museam could get one and keep it operational. There would be heaps of parts lying around for them to do so. I wonder if the RAAF would be kind enough to make the donation?
 
Isn't Temora owned by the Lowy family? The Westfield clan have more than eniugh cash to buy any exotic bird they want.
 
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Yak    The Bou   11/30/2009 8:24:00 AM
Many hours falling out of the back of them. A great aircraft, and cannot be replaced with what is on the shelf now.
 
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Aussiegunneragain       12/1/2009 2:38:54 AM
Isn't Temora owned by the Lowy family? The Westfield clan have more than eniugh cash to buy any exotic bird they want.
 
It's a not-for-profit organisation established by David Lowy and supported by private donations. I imagine that Lowy has put a lot of his own money into it though. I'd still be happy to see the RAAF donate a Bou and parts on a cost neutral basis though, as long as they don't have anyone else to sell it to. Initiatives like this museum maintain an important part of Australia's heritage and generate interest in military aviation. You aren't going to get a more effective recruiting tool than an exotic
ex-RAAF aircraft doing a fly by or aerobatics at a flying day or air show!
 
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