Australian Air League Taree Squadron in Cundletown, New South Wales, Australia | Community organisation

Australian Air League Taree Squadron

Locality: Cundletown, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 402 323 905

Address: C/- Manning River Aero Club Taree Airport 2430 Cundletown, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.airleague.com.au

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20.01.2022 High All RAAF minded folk. I'm new here so think I had better introduce myself. Been a mad RAF and RAAF watcher ever since the '60s. I am now "officially" retir...ed. My background has been in TV and Video production as a DP, Producer, and Editor. Over countless productions across the years, there was one that really stood out for me. It was "The History of the Royal Australian Navy" series. This series covered the first 100 years of the RAN. I worked as a DP and Online Editor on that series. Filmed all over the world it is the official history of the RAN and was commissioned by The Sea Power Centre. This got me to thinking why hasn't anyone done a definitive series on the history of the RAAF and its genesis, which was, of course, the AFC. To that end, I have been working on a proposal for such a series. All plans and discussions were going quite swimmingly until this lovely CoV-2 pandemic hit all of us. Sadly for the foreseeable future, the whole project has ground to a halt. In view of that rather than let some of the proposal video material gather dust I might link to some of it for the enjoyment of the RAAF Memories clan. Hopefully one day the series proposal can get resurrected again as I believe the Australian public really do deserve to know much more about the glorious past of our men and women who took to the skies. And also to learn about the ground crews and desk jockeys as without their support our flyers would have been grounded. First up I'll link to an AFC "teaser" that was put together to get possible parties interested. More to come later. Stay well all.

20.01.2022 #OTD: 21 Nov. 1961 the Air Force launched the first Titan ICBM from Cape Canaveral. The Titan rocket became a standard launch vehicle for the United States in the years that followed, including all the Project Gemini crewed flights of the mid-1960s.

18.01.2022 On this day, 25th November 1880, Reverend John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, is born. Australia's Flying Doctor Service began with the visi...on of Reverend John Flynn. John Flynn was born on 25 November 1880, in the gold rush town of Moliagul, about 202 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, Victoria. Flynn's first posting as a Presbyterian minister was to Beltana, a tiny, remote settlement 500 kilometres north of Adelaide. After writing a report for his church superiors on the difficulties of ministering to such a widely scattered population, he was appointed as the first Superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission, the ‘bush department’ of the Presbyterian Church, in 1912. Flynn served in the AIM at a time when only two doctors served an area of 300,000 sq kms in Western Australia and 1,500,000 sq kms in the Northern Territory. Realising the need for better medical care for the people of the outback, he established numerous bush hospitals and hostels. Flynn's attention was caught by the story of a young stockman, Jim Darcy, who had been seriously injured while mustering stock on a cattle station near Halls Creek, in the remote north of Western Australia. Darcy had been operated on by the Halls Creek Postmaster who had to follow instructions given via telegraph by a Perth doctor. Although the postmaster's crude operation was successful, Darcy had died almost two months later of complications, before a doctor could attend. The story gave urgency to Flynn's vision of delivering essential medical services to remote areas. Following this tragedy, Flynn envisaged that new technology such as radio and the aeroplane could assist in providing a more effective medical service. His speculations attracted the attention of an Australian pilot serving in World War I, Clifford Peel, who wrote to Flynn, outlining the capabilities and costs of then-available planes. Flynn turned his considerable fund-raising talents to the task of establishing a flying medical service. On 15 May 1928, the Aerial Medical Service was established at Cloncurry, in western Queensland. In order to facilitate communication with such a service, Flynn collaborated with Alfred Traeger, who developed the pedal radio, a lighter, more compact radio for communication, readily available to more residents of the outback for its size and cost. The pedal radio eliminated the need for electricity, which was available in very few areas of the outback in the 1920s. In this way, Flynn married the advantages of both radio and aeroplanes to provide a "Mantle of Safety" for the outback. Initially conceived as a one-year experiment, Flynn's vision has continued successfully through the years, providing a valuable medical service to people in remote areas. Pictured: Portrait of Reverend John Flynn [c.1929]. Wikimedia.

18.01.2022 If you have clear skies this evening where you are, look for a bright, reddish star near the Moon. That’s Mars! We’re #thankful to have you along with us as we explore. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/mars | https://mars.nasa.gov

18.01.2022 NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are scheduled ...to lift off from Launch Complex 39A on Saturday, Nov. 14 for the Crew-1 mission! The U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 60% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch pad for lift off based on Falcon 9 Crew Dragon launch weather criteria: https://go.nasa.gov/3ns8dwf

16.01.2022 George Bolton snr South Australian Ariel Importer with Charles Kingford Smith, The Southern Cross and Police Square Four sidecar

07.01.2022 On this day, 12th November 1894, Australian inventor Lawrence Hargrave demonstrates that it is possible for a man to fly. Lawrence Hargrave was born in England ...in 1850 but emigrated to Australia in 1865. He took on an engineering apprenticeship in Sydney and was always interested in a variety of experiments, particularly those to do with flying machines. Hargrave invented the box kite in 1893 and used it to further his aerodynamic studies. On 12 November 1894, Hargrave linked four of his kites together, added a sling seat, and flew about five metres in the air on a beach near Wollongong, New South Wales. In doing so, he demonstrated that it was possible for a man to build, and be transported in, a safe and stable flying machine. His radical design for a wing that could support far more than its own weight opened up opportunities for other inventors to develop the design for commercial purposes. Hargrave never patented his designs, so did not receive the recognition he deserved. Pictured: Lawrence Hargrave and his kites at Stanwell Park, south of Sydney. State Library of NSW, a1381003

06.01.2022 HONOURING THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS - THE FIRST ABORIGINAL FIGHTER PILOT - LEN WATERS Each year Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people take part in holding th...eir National NAIDOC where Australians celebrate the first Australians - the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' history, culture and achievements. National Naidoc Week 2020 week is recognised by Defence and this extends to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members serving in the Royal Australian Air Force. One of the most amazing achievements is that in WW2 an Aboriginal male became a RAAF fighter pilot. Many people may not know that in WW2 only 1 Aboriginal male was successful in joining the RAAF to fly aircraft - specifically fighters. That person was Leonard Victor Waters. Unlike the US military who had large scale involvement of African Americans units on the ground and in fighter planes, such as the Red Tails, in Australia, this didn't happen on such a scale due to the harsh policies of the era. This is why Len's story is so much more important to recognise and be taught in education teachings in school and at universities. Len Waters was born a Kamilaroi man and nowadays this region is known as part of northern NSW/south west Queensland. He was born on an Aboriginal reserve which introduced Len to hardships and discrimination at a young age. While growing up Len was fascinated by flight and how things flew through the air. While noted as a better than an average student in some subjects he left school at 13. Len progressed through the next few years of life with a higher than average ability and his continued passion for flight. After leaving school he became handy with his hands was mechanically smart and started working as a mechanic. With the outbreak of WW2 he eventually decided that with his higher education he would put that to use and joined at age 17 the RAAF in 1942. His initial role as a LAC was first as a mechanic where his hands on skills, education and mechanical knowledge opened up doors to his long term aims - a dream to fly. He volunteered and was accepted for flight training, something that was not easily given to the white men of the era, let alone an Aboriginal. Len followed the same pathway as all other pilots and went through basic flight training on the ground and then in the air. He flew the Tigermoth, Wirraway and learnt to handle more advanced aircraft types when he was posted to the P-40 Kittyhawks for training at 2 OCU. By late 1944 Len successfully graduated as a frontline fighter pilot and now held the rank of Flight Sergeant. Len was posted overseas and assigned to 78 SQN who were based on the island of Noemfoor, Dutch New Guinea, where he began combat operations. Len's operations saw him undertake flying operations against assorted Japanese targets where the P-40s 6 x .50cal machine guns were highly useful. While with 78 SQN Len flew more than 90 missions operating from Noemfoor and later on from bases Morotai and Tarakan, in Borneo. He flew a P-40 with the name "Black Magic", very suitable some say to his flying skillsets. When WW2 ended Len had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer, showing that he was skilled and competent as a fighter pilot and RAAF member. Post-war he was grateful to have survived combat but was more prouder to have also broken through into a white man's world, where he was totally accepted with no prejudices. He was seen just as another fella in the RAAF who did his duty for the country. He described it as. the best years of his life. Wartime flying had sparked Len's passion for flight and post war, was keen to get into civil operations. He tried hard to start a new regional airline in Queensland but the civil aviation body of the era knocked him back after multiple tries of trying to get a civil pilot license. He gave up and by the 1950s was back to farm and shearing life, totally forgotten by the world around him, who didn't value his wartime flying skills and service. By the 1980-90s Len was becoming more well known as research uncovered his past history and he became a famous living treasure for Australia. Many people were amazed to find that Len's past had hardly being celebrated or taught in the public education system. The RAAF took Len for a flight in an F/A-18 and also allowed him to take the controls. In 1993 just as Len was riding a new wave of public interest in his wartime life, he sadly died aged 69. With Len's passing the RAAF flew some members of 78 Squadron and service personnel in a C-130 Hercules to St George, QLD to Len's funeral. The funeral procession through the small town of St George extended the full length of the main street from the St Alban's Church of England at the western end of town to the cemetery at the eastern end of town. Len was laid to rest on the 28 August 1993, with a formation of nine RAAF F/A-18 Hornets flying overhead. Since his passing in 1993 and with times changing among a growing public recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's RAAF service and their long culture, the Royal Australian Air Force at the 2015 Australian International Airshow at Avalon, Victoria unveiled a new paint scheme with a colourful artwork showing the Killarr Kilyarr, the Wedgetail Eagle on F/A-18A Hornet - A21-23. This special aircraft paint scheme was also dedicated to Len Waters and is known as the Worimi Hornet. To further honour Len's efforts, just in the last week, the Royal Australian Air Force dedicated a new building at RAAF Base Williamtown, Newcastle NSW. The flyover of aircraft taking part included the Wormi Hornet. You can read more about Len's life in the book - "The Missing Man". See the review at DUANs website - https://downunderaviationnews.wordpress.com/the-missing-man/ More on the special Hornet can be seen at https://worimi.org.au//unveiling-of-the-worimi-fa-18-horn/ Photos from Phil Buckley, 2018 at RAAF Tindal and tanker operations media coverage. WW2 photos - courtesy of AWM collection.

02.01.2022 "The moment of launch during an early aircraft trial conducted on board HMAS Australia The last year of the war also saw Australia used for aircraft experimen...ts. On 8 March 1918, and again on 14 May, a Sopwith 1 Strutter was successfully launched from a platform erected on one of her 12-inch gun turrets. These were the first ever launchings of a two-seater aircraft from a battle cruiser. By the end of the war nearly every British capital ship carried a Strutter for reconnaissance and a Sopwith Pup or Sopwith Camel as a fighter." diane.admin See more

02.01.2022 The Atlas V rolled out today, moving by rail from the Vertical Integration Facility to Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex-41 for Friday's NROL-101 launch at ...5:13 p.m. EST (2213 UTC). Live blog begins at 10:25 a.m. EST and launch webcast starts at 4:53 p.m. EST: http://bit.ly/av-nrol101