RAAF points of Interest ……….

G’day gents

For those interested in RAAF history, I thought I would post some RAAF points of interest regarding the behind the scenes of aircraft acquisition, which I did not know, so I would like to share my findings!

Re: RAAF want of procuring Avro Vulcan strategic bomber

……….So concerned was Woodfull [Mr. M.B. Woodfull, general manager of the Government Aircraft Factories – GAF] about the reliability of the United Kingdom to provide spares, particularly in the time of war that he suggested that if the Vulcan was selected then a re-design of the aircraft installations ‘to take a U.S.A. engine and Appendix “A” equipment should be performed’.

………Concerned that a V-bomber purchase could seriously compromise defence spending for many years, the RAAF looked critically at the number of aircraft required and the strategic requirements. The initial estimate, based on the ‘current Order of Battle’ [1954 Aircraft Mission, Report on Investigations in the UK & North America] was for 39 bomber aircraft with an expected service life of 16 years. In the 1955 Air Force Programme the number was down to 28 with an expectation of approval for 1957/58 financial year.

Source: Royal Australian Air Force Paper No.21 The Vulcan Option for the RAAF, by Denis O’Brien

Re: RAAF want of procuring Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

In June 1956, the Minister for Defence, Sir Philip McBride, wrote to the Prime Minister echoing the concerns of the Minister for Air, Athol Townley, relating to the ‘tremendous cost of re-equipping the RAAF. Townley had been advised by Lockheed that they could provide 66 F-104A [Starfighter] fighters for £A 44m with delivery in 1957/58 as compared to the estimated cost of £A55m for local production with delivery over the period 1960-65

Source: Royal Australian Air Force Paper No.21 The Vulcan Option for the RAAF, by Denis O’Brien

P.S if this information is already obvious, then please advise me 😉

Regards
Pioneer