Modernised ROSE Mirage III courtesy of Pakdef

Smart looking air defence colour scheme.

Improvements include Grifo M radar, AIM-9M missile, Martin Baker MK10 seat, new RWR, HOTAS functionality, new EW fit.

Looks good – is this an upgraded ex-Aussie IIIO (500-series aircraft) or an upgraded IIIEP?

It will be interesting to see what they do with non Growler wired Rhino’s though; they should only be half way through their service lives by 2020.

I would keep them for strike – although nothing can meet the legs of the ‘pig’, I reckon you will get a better comparable combat radius out of the F/A-18F compared to the F-35.

And the political argument against getting Su-30 was that through-life support from the Russians would be dodgy, at best.
This is the problem Malaysia is now having with the MKM, serviceability is very low.

New USAF Tankers

KC-X, KC-Y, KC-Z…maybe room for both 767 and KC-30??

But my concern over 767 is how old is that airframe now? And like the KC-135, USAF probably wants 50 years of service? Ask Italy and Japan if they are happy with their 767s.

KC-30 – we are getting commonality: UK, France, Australia, Saudi, another?

For an immediate fix, USAF should go for the KC-30, and then look for a complementary airframe in the longer term (which would appease Boeing).

Sure it wasn’t 69-0363?

Found this photo of it at right time / location?
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69-0363 is correct. It was a RF-4C-42-MC.

The way the USAF abbreviates the aircraft’s full serial number can cause confusion.

Is that a good representation of the colours in which it is painted?

Moggy

Yes, different from RAF colours, the RAAF DG was a bottle green colour and the brown lighter.

The colour refs I have for this scheme are “Du Pont Dark Green 71-013” and “Du Pont Dark Earth (Sandy Earth) 71-009”.
Ref “The Douglas Boston in RAAF Service” by Gary Byk.

I don’t think the RAFM would get the A-20G “HellN Pelican II”, as this remains at Amberley on promise to PNG pending them building proper accommodation and that has been a long wait so far! I think this was rebuilt to airworthiness standard.

I would guess that from the A28-8 preservation (now on display at Point Cook RAAF Museum) there are left-over bits (as per Beaufighter VI’s post) – this might be the exchange, but I do not know.

I am still sure “Red Diamonds” were before “Black Panthers”.
The trouble with following a secondary internet source is that inaccurate facts become folklore!!

And the “Black Diamonds” (like 76 Sqn) were at Williamtown. They were initially led in 1961 by a USAF exchange guy, MAJ Stoner.

The 3 Sqn team in 1966 could have been a one-off display.

Sorry Adrian, have got nothing at hand to firm up the dates.

OK Adrian,

Been through my stuff and can provide the following good gen. 😉
Sources are primarily from Aviation Historical Society of Aust (AHSA) journals at that time, and some articles I wrote or assisted with, and contemporary “RAAF News”.
Well-known photographers around at this stage who captured many images were Nev Parnell and Eric Allen.

75 SQN Black Diamonds
Formed 1961. Until 1964. A 5-ship.
Sorry the USAF guy in fact was MAJ Shiner, but he did not lead in the first year (I think he may have subsequently). Team in 1961 comprised FLTLT B Weymouth (leader), FLTLT J Tynan, FLGOFFs M Baston and M Parer, MAJ R Shiner USAF (solo). A later leader was Vance Drummond. Typically it was a 4-ship with solo.
Squadron black & white intake ring (later, black only). Black diamond below cockpit, black band around fuselage aft of canopy. Black wingtips.
Note that in this first year there was a subtle mod to the 75 SQN tail marking – the top hat in the centre was replaced by a black diamond. Aircraft I have noted as “Black Diamonds” over these years were A94-352, 353, 355, 359, 363, 365 and 371 (all Mk 32 aircraft).
A94-983 has been recently returned to airworthiness at Temora. It is in Black Diamonds markings but never flew with 75, it was a 78 Wing aircraft and subsequenly was transferred to the RMAF (TUDM).

76 SQN Red Diamonds
Formed 1962. Until 1964. A 5-ship.
Squadron red intake ring, red wingtips. Red diamond with trail below cockpit.
Aircraft noted in the Red Diamonds were A94-925, 930, 939, 942 and 947 (mainly Mk 31 aircraft as that is mainly what 76 had at that time).
Subtle changes to markings: in 1962 the red diamond on the fuselage (containing a white ’76’) was narrower compared to the 1963 diamond which was more square-shaped when looked upon from an angle.

76 SQN Black Panthers
Formed early 1965. Until 1966. A 4-ship.
Aircraft were A94-901, 933, 352, 353, 359, 363, 368, 370 (some ex-75 aircraft, as that Sqn had by then converted to Mirage).
While the Red Diamonds had retained the normal 76 SQN tail marking, the Black Panthers (sometimes called “The Panthers”) had a red tail band, with white circle containing black ’76’. This was changed in 1965 to an all-red tail with a white ’76’. Panther aircraft had the Squadron red intake ring, red wingtips, and also had a red fuselage band (similar to the black band of the Black Diamonds) and a leaping black panther on the forward fuselage.
Team in 1965 was: FLTLT J Chesterfield (leader), PLTOFF R Bastick, FLGOFF G Warrener, PLTOFF G Coleman.
Often carried inert AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs.

2 OCU Marksmen
Formed 1966. A 5-ship. Until (I think) 1967.
Yellow and black diagonally striped tails, with “Marksmen” in running black/yellow script below the cockpit on both sides.
Squadron yellow intake ring, yellow wingtips.
Aircraft A94-901, 915, 922, 365, 369, and 371.

Trust this helps.

Pictures I have not seen before. Thanks Gents!

i always thought it was rather similar to a Gnat

With no offense to the Brits intended, I think it’s much prettier (especially the long-nosed examples) than the Gnat.

Truism, typical pretty lines of the Gnat, but bigger. The Gnat was/is tiny.