Air Force: Queenslanders to see historic aircraft

Queenslanders will have the rare opportunity to witness two historic Royal Australian Air Force planes as they are transported from the state’s southeast to Townsville.

IT’S their final journey, but these birds won’t be taking to the skies.

Queenslanders will have the rare opportunity to see two historic Royal Australian Air Force planes as they are transported from the state’s southeast to Townsville by road from Friday, July 31.

Mirage fighter jets in full flight.

A Mirage fighter A3-55 and a Winjeel trainer A85-403 are being relocated permanently from the RAAF Base Amberley to the RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre.
The aircraft are part of 100-single seat fighters and 16 dual seat Mirages bought by the RAAF, with the delivery of the first aircraft in 1964.

Warrant Officer Michael Downs with the Mirage A3-55, which will be relocated from RAAF Amberley to its permanent home at the RAAF Townsville Aviation Heritage Centre. Picture: Tara Croser.

The A3-55, which was regularly deployed to RAAF Base Townsville and elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand, was last flown to the Amberley base in April 1987, after it was progressively withdrawn from service and succeeded by the F/A-18 Hornet. In 1990, 50 aircraft were sold to the Pakistan Air Force.
The aircraft will go by road on Friday, via the Warrego and Leichhardt highways through Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles, Wandoan, Taroom, Theodore, and Banana before reaching the Capricorn Highway on Saturday, through to the Gregory and Flinders highways on Sunday.

Planned route of Mirage ‘wide load’ convoy

• Friday: depart RAAF Base Amberley at approximately 12:15am and travel Route A2 (Warrego Highway) – Toowoomba Bypass, Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles; Route A5 (Leichhardt Highway) – Wandoan, Taroom, Theodore, Banana.

• Saturday: depart Banana at approximately 6:00am and travel Route A5 – Dululu; Route A4 (Capricorn Highway) – Dingo; Route 67 (Fitzroy Development Road) and Route 70 (Peak Downs Road) – Moranbah.
• Sunday: depart Moranbah at approximately 6:00am and travel Route 70/A7 (Gregory Highway) – Belyando Crossing, Charters Towers, Route A6 (Flinders Highway) – RAAF Base Townsville.