This Sea Fury arrived in Australia as deck cargo aboard HMAS Vengeance in 1952 and served the RAN till 1959 when it was installed in a test rig at the National Building Technology Centre in Sydney, used as a wind machine to test building materials. In 1986 it was placed at the Australian War Memorial near Canberra but next year went into store until trucked as a stripped airframe to Nowra in 1998 where it was used in the restoration to flight of Sea Fury VW623, then being placed on static display in the FAA Museum. Moved to HARS in 2020 where it is intended to return it to flight again.

Mounted near the HARS Museum entrance, this Macchi was used in the restoration to flight of A7-025 before being installed as a gate guard in its former 'Roulettes' team markings, colloquially referred to as the Fanta Can colours.

Parked alongside similar aircraft A4-210, 234 served the RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam from 1965 and was the last Australian aircraft out of Vietnam, flying home in February 1972. Both Caribous were retired from service in late 2009 with around 19,000 flight hours each. They were kept in open air storage at Oakey until 2011 when HARS successfully won the tender for the two aircraft plus spares. Both remain in flying condition.

This interceptor Mirage was delivered in1966 and served with 75 Sqdn at Butterworth , Malaysia until late 1969, next going to 76 Sqdn at Williamtown for a few years and then 2OCU. Converted to a ground attack variant, it served time with 77 Sqdn before retirement in October 1987 with 4,015 hr on the airframe (initial expected design life was 1,500 hr) and was used as an apprentice training aid at RAAF Wagga Wagga before acquisition by HARS in 2015. Although still in potentially flyable condition, the intention is to return it to taxiing.

This was one of a batch of 10 Neptunes supplied to the Aeronavale in 1959, serving 23F and 25F till transferred to 12S in Tahiti in 1983. Stored at Papeete from 1984, it was acquired by HARS and ferried to Australia in July 1999 under registration N8187Z, being allocated VH-LRR after arrival. After some airshow appearances, in September 1999 it flew from Tamworth to Bankstown and next in January 2003 to the then-new HARS base at the Illawarra Regional Airport where overhaul work continues pending return to airworthiness alongside P2V-7 A87-273 (which is once again flying).

Developed from the civilian Victa Airtourer, the first of 50 Airtrainers built in New Zealand for the RAAF, delivered in January 1975. Operated by ARDU then 1 FTS and last flown in October 1992. After the withdrawal of the Airtrainer, the RAAF relied on contracting out its ab initial pilot training to BAe Systems, and such was the suitability of the type that production was re-commenced in 1991. BAe received 12 new-built aircraft, followed by 14 ex-RNZAF machines in 1999 and finally four bought from private owners in 2011, two of which ironically were from the original batch of RAAF CT-4As.

Allocated US serial 67-17179 but delivered to 9 Sqdn RAAF in 1968, later serving with the UN in Sinai and after transfer to the Army at the end of 1989, in the Solomon Islands. Retired to the RAAF Museum in 2007. Another source states that it crashed in Biak, Indonesia in 2007

Recorded as shipped from Saunders Roe at Cowes in mid-1943 and prepared by Qantas at the Rose Bay, NSW seaplane base. In 1947 HD874 was issued to the Australian Antarctic Flight (hence the yellow colours in which it is now displayed) but it was wrecked in a storm on Heard Island in December. The damaged hull was recovered in 1980 for the restoration completed in 2002. There is some doubt about identity as Saunders Roe-bulit aircraft had wooden fuselages but this one is metal; it is possible that the hull of Seagull A2-20 held in store from 1946 was substituted before the Antarctic mission.

Delivered in late 1964, A2-1020 was deployed to Vung Tau in Vietnam in 1966 with 9 Sqdn and in August that year, was involved in the most significant Australian action of the Vietnam War, resupplying surrounded Australian troops at Long Tan. When 9 Sqdn re-equipped with the more capable UH-1D, it returned to Australia in April 1968 for service with 5 Sqdn in the training role and from 1970 to 1983 was rotated around units at RAAF Williamtown, RAAF Pearce and RAAF Darwin on SAR duties. It returned to 5 Sqdn before becoming a ground training aid in 1984. Now shown in its Vietnam configuration.

This MAX was first flown in September 2019 but when not taken up by LOT, was stored at Moses Lake along with many others. Delivered to Bonza at their Sunshine Coast, QLD HQ in August 2022, the LCC began services as Australia's first MAX operator at the end of January 2023 but ceased all flying just 14 months later at the end of April 2024. VH-UJT was registered M-ABSO in May and placed in store at Warsaw. Seen here departing as AB1023 to Maroochydore.

In 1912, Airco acquired license production rights in the UK for all Farman models and manufactured at least 825 aircraft of Farman design, the bulk being about 650 MF.11s for the RFC and RNAS. In 1916, four of the MF.11s were shipped to the Central Flying School at Point Cook, Australia, where they were reserialled, this one from B2012 to CFS20. They were bought in 1919 as surplus and this one became G-AUCW, the 29th aircraft entered in the new Australian register in 1921, changed to VH-UCW from 1930. Stored from 1933, the remains entered the RAAF Museum in 1981, used in this restoration.

This is the first of 62 CA-25 Winjeels ("young eagle") to be built, making its maiden flight in February 1955. The earlier CA-22 design was revised to make spins easier to induce for training. The Winjeel's service was extended until 1975 when the Airtrainer took over, but a few were retained for Forward Air Controller work till 1984. 401 was taken on strength in August 1955 and served with 1 BFTS from early 1968, joining the RAAF Museum in 1977 for static display. Registered VH-NTY from 1988, it was flown as part of the RAAF's Historic Flight until 1995. Now back on static display.

Delivered in 1951, with 22 Sqdn then ARDU and 81 Wing from 1961. To Wagga Wagga as an instructional airframe in 1964

Built by de Havilland Australia in 1942 and originally intended for Rhodesia as DX800, but delivered to the RAAF and operated by 5 EFTS, Narromine in 1944. Post-war flew as VH-BFF, VH-DDW, VH-FHJ and VH-RTB before entering the RAAF Museum in 1999

The RAAF was one of the largest users of the Vampire with nearly 200 aircraft being built in Australia. The two seat T.35s were delivered between 1952 and 1954, serving till 1970. This example is actually a composite put together form various Vampires by the Maintenance Squadron at East Sale in the mid 1990s, said to comprise the wings and tail booms of A97-827 and the fuselage pod of A79-616. However the latter complete aircraft was exported to the US in 1970, so it may be safer to assume that this one is more 827 than anything else!

The first flight of some 96 MB.326s built for the RAAF under licence by CAC, making its maiden flight in February 1967. It served with the CFS (RAAF East Sale) and was part of the Telstars aerobatic team till 1970, later operating for 2 FTS at RAAF Pearce and 76 Sqdn at RAAF Williamtown. It was removed from service in July 1999. Initially it was in silver colours, then the orange training scheme in which it is currently displayed, and lastly dark grey.

The Boomerang was the first combat aircraft designed and constructed in Australia and although not a match for some of its contemporary fighter aircraft, it proved effective in the ground attack role. Like many of the 250 built, this aircraft equipped home defence squadrons from early 1943 and post-war was saved from scrapping by use in a film. It was then left derelict for nearly two decades before being placed on the gate at RAAF Williamtown in 1967 painted silver. After a period at the Australian War Memorial, the RAAF Museum restored it in 85 Sqdn marks.

My ride to MEL, TR18

One of four Freighters used by the RAAF, this Mk.21 was first registered G-AIMI in December 1946 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. At the beginning 1949 it became WB482 but was transferred to Australia as A81-1 in April that year, operating with ARDU, 34 Sqdn, ATU and 2ATU till bought by Jetair Australia in May 1970 as VH-SJG. They ceased operations in November that year but it was bought by Air Express in 1971. It was withdrawn from use in 1978 but a private buyer placed it on display at Chewing Gum Field, Coolangatta, Qld back in its RAAF livery, later moving to the Point Cook museum.

Initially allocated RAF serial AL807, this Boston was one of 22 instead shipped to the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEIAF) and overpainted with the markings of the Kon Marine (Dutch Navy), assigned serial 240. In March 1942 with the fall of Java it was diverted while still in transit to the RAAF's 22 Sqdn but crashed on Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea off New Guinea in September 1943 after bombing Gasmata, occupied by the Japanese forces, on the southern coast of New Britain. The wreck was recovered by an RAAF Chinook and onward shipment to Amberley in 1987 for restoration.