Jackrabbit

[GTX_Admin]

By the time the 1965 Paris airshow was over, we would make sure FMA had something good to sink their teeth into."

We await the news...

[upnorth]

Paris Airshow, Le Borguet airport, France - June, 1965

An hour after the CL-215s had done their show, four MB.326s made their way to the runway and took of in two pairs.

The first pair were and MB.326C, with the F-104 nose, and a Prairie Rattler. The MB.326C was an Aermacchi company demonstrator while the Prairie Rattler was from 443 Squadron, based at RCAF Station Zweibrucken in West Germany. 443 had recently been reactivated and was the first Prairie Rattler squadron in Europe.

The second pair were a basic MB.326 of the Italian air force and an MB.326D that the Alitialia airline used for training.

Once aloft, the aircraft assembled in a diamond formation to make their opening flypast.

The Prairie Rattler was the lead aircraft, with the Italian air force and Alitalia aircraft at the #2 and #3 positions and the MB.326C in the slot.

After a couple of flypasts, the formation broke. The Prairie Rattler and MB.326C flew out of sight of the crowd and left the other two aircraft to carry out a very well received aerobatics performance.

As the first pair landed, the Prairie Rattler roared back into the show area and demonstrated a series of tactical strike manouvers that were equally appreciated by the crowd.

The sound of the Prairie Rattler landing was fully drowned out by the MB.326C coming back into view of the crowd in the company of a pair of F-104 Starfighters, one each from the Italian air force and the RCAF.

After a pair of low and slow passes, the MB.326C broke away to land and the Starfighters were let loose for their own display.

A former Aermacchi executive recalls:

"Another wave of people made their way to our display on the heels of the MB.326 demonstration. We also saw a notable increase of people moving towards the MB.326D at the Alitalia display nearby.

The model of the Prairie Rattler at the Canadair end of our display was also getting a lot of attention.

Our model of the MB.330 and Embraer's EMB-110 model were drawing steady, if not so intensive, attention through the duration of the show. People were clearly going to be watching for more on those two aircraft.

The FMA guys knew they were the quiet end of the display. Despite that, they kept up brave faces and hid their discouragement behind full professionalism when people took even a passing interest in their aircraft.

Even before the show was over, multiple orders for the MB.326 and CL-215 had been confirmed by Aermacchi, Canadair and Embraer agents. We were all going to be very busy soon.

I knew we'd have a lot on our plates between the MB.326 and CL-215.

I looked at how few MB.330 brochures we had left from what we had brought with us and made a call to our headquarters in Italy for approval of an idea I had.

After the show concluded and we had dismantled our display, we had a small after party to celebrate our success. With blessings given from my higher-ups in Italy, I handed the model of the MB.330 to the FMA guys and announced the project was theirs. They would have full authority to develop it as they saw fit and put their name on it.

It was not right to let them go home empty handed."

A former FMA public relations officer:

"Holding the MB.330 model at the after party of the 1965 Paris Airshow was like coming up for air. I called my superiors in Cordoba before the party was over to let them know. I could hear the excitement in their voices.

I was to go directly to Aermacchi headquarters from Paris to collect the existing research and development documents and bring them home with the model."

A former FMA executive:

"Getting that call about the MB.330 was the silver lining we needed. We needed a whole aircraft, and now we had one.

There were lots of happy people around the Cordoba offices and the gesture went a long way to easing any remaining feelings FMA people may have had about only being made a sub-contractor to the MB.326."

[elmayerle]

Okay, you've got me intrigued now.  What aircraft is "Dorothea"?  A CL-215 variant without water-bombing capability but with an adaptable cabin or some other aircraft?

[upnorth]

Okay, you've got me intrigued now.  What aircraft is "Dorothea"?  A CL-215 variant without water-bombing capability but with an adaptable cabin or some other aircraft?

"Dorothea" is the sister aircraft to "Teresa", and both are water bombers.

The pair were the engine testing prototypes I mentioned on the second page of the story. "Dorothea" was originally powered by RR Dart engines while "Teresa" had the T64 engines.

The T64 won out and "Dorothea" was converted to T64 engines and kept flying.

They changed her engines, but kept her name.

[upnorth]

Aermacchi facilities, Venegono airport, Italy - July, 1965

A pair of freshly assembled MB-326 trainers took off into the morning sun for their respective shakedown flights. Both aircraft were destined for the Tunisian air force, the first African nation to have the aircraft in service. South Africa had held a production license since 1964, but it would not be until 1966 that their version would enter service.

A former Aermacchi marketing executive:

"We walked away from the 1965 Paris airshow with a healthy interest in the MB-326 shown by a number of African nations. It was a simple enough aircraft that less developed nations could service and operate it themselves, yet still modern enough to be of interest to more developed nations in Africa.

It seemed Africa was set to play a bigger part than Europe or the Middle East in keeping the Italian MB-326 lines busy.

However, we were planning to market the aircraft aggressively to both Switzerland and Austria in the near future. Both nations had fleets of old DeHavilland Vampires as trainers. Austria also had Fouga Magisters, but they would most likely need replacing before the 1960s were out.

Canadair had helped set up assembly lines for the MB-326 at MBB in West Germany and at Fokker in the Netherlands. That companies capable of building the aircraft in those two countries existed, took a lot of pressure off the people in Cartierville."

If there was a downside in this period of time, it was that one of the CL-215 demonstrators, Dorothea, had been damaged when her nose landing gear collapsed on landing at Venegono shortly after returning from the Paris air show.

A former Aermacchi assembly line supervisor:

"Dorothea wasn't so badly damaged that she couldn't be fixed, it was a question of it being worthwhile to fix her. We had already learned a lot from her and her sister ship, Tereza, and put a lot of hours on both airframes.

Ultimately, it was decided to retire Dorothea from flying. She had served well, so we decided to carry out the cosmetic repairs needed to make her fit for display near the company offices at the airport.

A very impressive plinth was created to place her on. It was modelled after water being dumped from the aircraft. Once Dorothea was placed on the plinth, she was an amazing sight to behold."

[upnorth]

RAAF Station East Sale, Victoria, Australia - September 1965

A six ship formation of MB.326 trainers resplendent in RAAF training colours flew low over the main parade square, the crews were a mix of RAAF and RNZAF pilots.

The formation was part of a welcoming salute to a delegation made up of defense ministers and high military brass from Malaysia and Thailand. Both nations had committed to buying MB.326 fleets.

The first MB.326 pilots of the two nations were to be trained by the RAAF.

A former Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation executive:

"It was an exciting and tense time all at once. Australia was the big power in the region and we were also combatants in the war in Vietnam at the time. It was in our interests to help smaller militaries in allied Southeast Asian countries modernize, as many of them very much needed to.

We were lucky to get our first batch of MB.326 aircraft to the RAAF as soon as we did. This was partly because all but the last few aircraft in that batch were kits from Canadair that we just had to assemble. The second batch was already underway with the first ones due to be delivered to RAAF Pearce, on the west coast, in the very near future.

Malaysia committed to MB.326 purchase at Paris and their pilots would be the first of the two nations' crews to start training. While most of the training would happen at RAAF Pearce once a full complement of MB.326 aircraft were in place there, this first group of Malysian pilots would start their training at East Sale."

A former Malaysian air force pilot:

"It was great to know we would get something modern. The smaller nations in the region were quite behind in military technology. With the war in Vietnam nearby, the Malayan Crisis not so far in the past and Indonesia something of a powder keg waiting to explode; running on second hand World War Two gear and 1950s technology would not be useful to us.

Malaysia ordered the armed version of the MB.326 and entered a training agreement with Australia for our pilots.

It felt like a bright time to me, in spite of the conflicts in the region."

A former RAAF instructor pilot:

"I think everyone was cautiously optimistic about the training agreement. We were certainly happy about providing those smaller countries with something modern for their arsenals."

A former Thai air force pilot:

"We had Cessna T-37 trainers from America and some older T-33 trainers, but these were 1950s aircraft and we needed something newer.

We wanted the A-37 development of the T-37, but were told we wouldn't get it anytime soon because of how much it was needed in Vietnam.

In the armed version of the MB.326, we saw the light strike aircraft we wanted and that we could have now."

[upnorth]

Commonwealth Aircraft, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - October 1, 1965

A former CAC executive:

"We arrived at work that morning to news of the coup against the Communist government in Indonesia. Australia and other nations that were neighbours to Indonesia had been watching the building tension in that country for a while.

The coup led to a rather drawn out and, as we learned sometime after the fact, quite brutal internal campaign to rid Indonesia of anyone who was pro-Communist.

It would be a while before that country was stable enough to consider selling military gear to it.

We were more optimistic about Singapore. They had declared their independence from Malaysia on August 9th and Australia had good relations with the country. We also had military advisors in Singapore, actively helping to plan the modernization of the newly self-governing country's military.

Our sales and marketing division was putting in overtime to ensure that our presentation of the MB-326 to Singapore, which was scheduled for early December, would go completely without a hitch.

Outside of the MB-326, we were getting ready to hand over our first six CL-215 aircraft.

Four of the aircraft would be going to the Forests Department of Western Australia to use as waterbombers. Crews had returned recently from training in Canada and were due on Monday, October 4, to accept the aircraft.

The other two aircraft would also be going to Western Australia, but they were part of a test program to see the suitability of the non-waterbomber version of the aircraft for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Crews from that organization were also due the next week to accept their aircraft.

As it was with the Forests Department, RFDS crews had also been up to Canada to qualify on the aircraft."

[upnorth]

Amahai Airport, Seram, Indonesia - October 6, 1965

An Indonesian air force Ilyushin Il-28 bomber lifted off from the Amahai airport runway at 09:00 local time on a southward course with Kupang as the planned destination.

In accordance with the filed flight plan, the aircraft headed directly south towards the Leti Islands. The flight plan and the actions of the crew deviated sharply from there.

The former Il-28 navigator:

"We were flying a reconnaissance version of the aircraft, so the long and straight flight plan didn't arouse any suspicion of our true intention.

The pilot, myself and our gunner were very much in a similar situation in that most of our families had already left Indonesia some time ago and we were not close to the ones who remained. We were all fairly young ourselves and none of us had families of our own.

Things were getting brutal in Indonesia and it seemed nobody was above suspicion of being in favour of the Communists. It was a delicate time and we really had nothing to stay for.

Our aircraft could get us to Darwin, in Australia, as long as we were able to keep going straight once we cleared the Leti Islands and were over the Timor Sea.

We were counting on the presence on the new Mirage fighters that the RAAF had in the region to deter any Indonesian fighters from intercepting us once we diverted from our filed flight plan that would have seen us turn toward Kupang once we were over the islands."

A former RAAF Mirage pilot:

"My wingman and I were vectored onto an unknown aircraft coming over the Timor Sea on a straight line for Darwin. We were in visual range soon enough and could see it was an Il-28.

We made a couple of passes and they remained unprovacative. We pulled up alongside the aircraft and the tail gunner held up a sign that said: 'Going to Darwin!'. That sign, accompanied by a friendly wave told us what we needed to know about their intentions and we relaxed a bit.

I kept station on the aircraft while my wingman broke formation to keep an eye out for possible Indonesian interceptors. As it was, we were left unaccosted all the way home."

No sooner had the three aircraft touched down at RAAF Darwin, than a security detail surrounded the Ilyushin and took it to a secured hangar.

The crew were interogated and satisfactorily made clear that they were no threat and would happily share everything they could about the aircraft in exchange for safe haven in Australia.

RAAF Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia - October 7, 1965

The next morning, the Il-28 was fuelled and the crew were briefed on a flight plan that would see them take their aircraft to the Woomera Ranges in South Australia. There, the aircraft would be taken under the authority of the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) and examined thoroughly.

The former Il-28 tail gunner:

"Understandably, they did not include me on the crew for the trip to Woomera. The gunner station was still armed and the security teams had sealed it for the trip to Woomera.

I left in a RAAF transport, about an hour ahead of of our aircraft and its Mirage escort. I was happy to be going in comfort, it gave me a chance to relax and think about where life could go from here."

The former Il-28 pilot:

"Thankfully, I never had to make another flight quite like that again. We had to make a fuel stop in a place that truly seemed the middle of nowhere. At least the Mirage had long range fuel tanks attached, he could stay up and wait for us.

Opening the cockpit canopy brought no relief from the heat. I was happy we didn't need a full refuel, just a topping up to get us to Woomera.

We were back underway soon enough and rejoined the Mirage for an uneventful remainder of the flight.

I always thought flying over the open ocean was scary enough. The flight to Woomera taught me that flying over open desert was every bit as daunting a prospect."

[apophenia]

Great stuff! Somehow, I had missed two previous installments. Taking in three posts at a time made for a fantastic read! 

[upnorth]

Great stuff! Somehow, I had missed two previous installments. Taking in three posts at a time made for a fantastic read! 

Thanks! It's all new output over the past week or so.

I'm on holidays just now, so my brain got out of work writing mode and into creative writing mode long enough to come up with some new stuff.

I'm glad folks are still following.

[GTX_Admin]

Didn't expect the latest twist

[apophenia]

Didn't expect the latest twist

Nor I! Very intrigued to see where this is going ... beside Woomera, obviously 

[GTX_Admin]

... beside Woomera, obviously 

And having spent quite a bit of time there in the past there is not much there...

[upnorth]

RAAF Woomera, South Australia, Australia - October 7, 1965

A Former ARDU test pilot:

"As soon as we got word in Woomera that the Il-28 that landed at Darwin was headed our way, there was quite a bit of excitement.

The Il-28 was not a new aircraft, it was similar vintage to the Canberra that we were using, but this would be the first time that most of us would get close up to one on the ground.

The gunner arrived a bit ahead of the Il-28. It was felt he wasn't needed on the bomber for the trip from Darwin to Woomera, so he arrived on a RAAF Dakota transport. No sooner had the aircraft parked and the passenger door opened, than he was whisked into a security car and taken elsewhere on the base.

A security detail was already waiting for the Il-28 to arrive.

We could see the Il-28 coming from a good distance out as the sun was reflecting strongly off its silver laquer coating.

Following a textbook landing, the pilot parked the aircraft where directed and the security team surrounded it. As with the gunner, the pilot and navigator were taken away in security cars.

Shortly after, the aircraft was towed into a hangar. In the hangar, the aircraft was condoned off and "Armed" signs were placed at nose, tail and wingtip positions.

We had been told ahead of time that the aircraft's cannons were all still armed."

The former Il-28 Gunner:

"The really important, and stressful, secuity interviews had already been taken care of while we were at Darwin. I had shared the flight to Woomera with a security officer who had transcripts of the interviews to transfer to his counterpart at Woomera, so I was hopeful that whatever interviews were forthcoming there would not be repeats of the ones at Darwin.

Thankfully, we satisfied them that we weren't threats and we could get down to the business of showing them the Il-28 the day after we arrived."

The former Il-28 pilot:

"The biggest surprize for me at Woomera was how well we were treated.

The Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation was taking place and Australia had taken side with Malaysia. We knew there was a big and well established population of Indonesian people in Australia, but we had no idea how well three Indonesian military guys in a Soviet made jet bomber would be received.

The day after we arrived at Woomera was full of briefings and the three of us answered many questions about our roles on the aircraft.

After the gunner had walked RAAF armourers through technical manuals for the 23mm cannons, they were safely able to disarm the aircraft and take the ammunition away for further examination.

Once the aircraft was safe in all ways, we had made our ejection seats safe when we arrived, the three of us were very busy giving detailed "tours" of our respective stations on the aircraft.

Our biggest worry was that we really couldn't tell them much about the cameras that made up the reconnaissance pack. Not so much because of anything secretive, but simply because it wasn't our specialization. We knew how to activate it to take photos, but that was really all.

As we would find out, the RAAF already had some connections that could help them with areas of the aircraft that we couldn't.

As the day finished, I watched a pair of MB-326 aircraft fly around overhead and then land and taxi past our hangar. I knew about the type, but had never seen one. they looked like a lot of fun to fly, perhaps one day I would get my chance to get some stick time on them."