Toowoomba Anzac Day: Aerotec Qld organises annual fly-past of CA-25 Winjeel RAAF planes

Planes that trained an entire generation of air force pilots will take to the skies over the Toowoomba region on Anzac Day. Here’s where they’ll be flying over.

Toowoomba's Matt Handley will lead a fly-past of four original Winjeel air force planes across the region for Anzac Day 2024. It marks the 40th anniversary since the fly-past was first started.

Matt Handley knows the significance of the squadron of CA-25 Winjeels that will be seen in the skies above the Toowoomba region on Anzac Day.

“They’re Australian-built aircraft — these aeroplanes were the basic trainers for the Royal Australian Air Force from 1956 through to around about 1973, so they trained a lot of pilots,” the Toowoomba pilot and chief instructor at Aerotec Queensland said.

Mr Handley will lead the group of four aircraft in a “fly-past” of Anzac Day services across the region on Thursday, taking off from 8am in Toowoomba before flying over 12 other communities.

Toowoomba's Matt Handley will lead a fly-past of four original Winjeel air force planes across the region for Anzac Day 2024. It marks the 40th anniversary since the fly-past was first started.

The occasion marks the 40th anniversary since Aerotec Queensland ran the first Anzac Day fly-past, which has become a service to the community and a way to pay respects to defence personnel on Australia’s most solemn day.

Mr Handley said the Winjeels, which were built in 1955 by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and only decommissioned in 1995, demanded respect from the pilots due to their age and lack of modern equipment.

“They do require a bit of wrangling, because they’re not an easy aircraft to fly,” he said.

“They demand reasonable piloting skill, especially if there’s a crosswind, so you need to give them a fair bit of respect.

“They’re a stick-and-rod aeroplane, there is no modern equipment in this aircraft except for the radio, it’s like flying around in a time capsule.”

The experienced pilot will be joined by three other men, including Toowoomba doctor Peter Thomson and Caboolture man Steve Bowtell.

Mr Handley said all four had great respect for those who had served for Australia in conflicts across the decades.

“We get a good buzz out of this — two of my sons are in the RAAF and we’ve all had relatives who have served in the army and air force,” he said.

“We have a lot of respect for people who have served.”

The pilots will be flying over Toowoomba, Highfields, Westbrook, Wyreema, Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby, Clifton, Allora, Leyburn, North Branch Cemetery, Pittsworth Cemetery, Pittsworth RSL and Southbrook from 8am.