More...
Phantoms over Oz!On the night of 12th May 1975 the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) suffered perhaps its greatest blow. The flagship of the fleet, the Majestic class, light aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne was completely gutted by fire during a major refit at Garden Island. Luckily, as there were minimal personnel on board at the time, there was no loss of life. The cause was never proven with theories ranging from a simple industrial accident through to sabotage by an anti-military protestor.
FGR.3 of VF-805 in her delivery scheme of gull grey over white, 1976.
Given that only a few months prior, the carrier had proven its extreme usefulness when it had assisted in the post-Cyclone Tracy disaster recovery operations at Darwin, there was strong public support for rapidly replacing the carrier.
VF-805's Phantoms soon started appearing in the wrap around scheme adopted by the Navy's A-4G Skyhawks, 1977.
However, rapidly acquiring a new carrier is not something that one does easily. Ideally the RAN would have liked a new purpose built carrier, but this would take time (and many overseas junkets). In the short term, a solution was found by acquiring (at a greatly discounted price – the British Government being glad to find a buyer) the relatively recently decommissioned HMS Eagle. Quickly brought back to full operational condition, the newly re-commissioned HMAS Darwin (a moral boosting, recognition to the recently devastated city) reached Australia just in time for Christmas 1976. Aboard her were 24 newly acquired Phantom FGR Mk.3s (the decision having already been made to replace the A-4G Skyhawks with something more potent) of 805 Squadron RAN FAA.
By 1979 VF-805's Phantoms began to take on US Navy type low-viz colour schemes.
These were meant to have been identical to the RN FG.1s, but a paperwork mix-up resulted in the incorrect aircraft being craned aboard the deck in Devonport. When the mistake was discovered, it was decided to simply modify the aircraft back into carrier capable fighters. This largely involved the refitting of the unique, double-height, folding nose gear for a higher AOA on catapult launch; the reinforced main gear and arresting hook; and the radome that could be hinged back to allow the aircraft to fit down the smaller elevators on the carrier. Following these mods, the aircraft were re-designated as Phantom FGR Mk.3s. Complimenting the fighters aboard the carrier were 6 of the existing Grumman S-2E/G Trackers as well as Westland Sea King Mk 50 helicopters.
With tensions between Australia and Indonesia on the rise the Defene Department decided to re-camouflage the Navy's tactical aircraft in a scheme better suited to low level over water operations, 1981.
In 1982, the new carrier selection decision had finally been made and the HMAS Darwin was replaced by the first of two new carriers (these being based on the new American CVV design), HMAS Gallipoli (soon to be joined by the HMAS Kokoda). Since these new carriers were unable to accommodate the Phantom FGR Mk.3s (they would carry the new SAAB JA-37N ‘Cyclone’ fighters), it was decided to transfer the Phantoms to the RAAF.
The first RAAF unit to get to play with the FGR.3 Phantom was the Aircraft Reasearch and Development Unit in their striking orange and white colours!
These were allocated to the newly re-established 2 Squadron, which would now become a specialised anti-shipping unit armed with AGM-84 Harpoon ASMs.
Exercise Pitch Black '84 saw this RAAF Number 2 Squadron FGR.3 Phantom 'borrow' some paint being used by 38 Squadron on their Caribou aircraft for test and evaluation purposes. For some strange reason this Phantom is still carrying its Navy seriel codes?
Here we see another of 2 Squadron's Phantoms wearing a short lived "exercise scheme" during Pitch Black '84.
These continued to serve through until 1989, when they too were replaced with the RAAF’s own variant of the SAAB Cyclone.
Here we see 2 Squadrons initial anti-shipping scheme. However it was soon realised that the scheme was far too light for over water operations, 1985.
2 Squadron's final scheme for over water anti-shipping operations was this darker blue/grey scheme, 1987.
