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UPDATES
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ISSUE
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DATE
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REMARKS
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67
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08MAY22
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Added a new page on Operation Navy Help Darwin which describes in detail the participation of the Royal Australian Navy and the Fleet Air Arm. |
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66
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29OCT21
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Added passenger uplift numbers for flights by 11SQN Orions on 27 & 28DEC. Also added a new page on 11SQN RAAF with thanks to Ian Pearson. |
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65
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15JUN21
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The entire website has been refurbished with a new menu structure. There were no changes to content. |
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64
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29DEC20
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Added a link to the film When Will The Birds Return? |
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63
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11DEC20
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Added details of the medical team that arrived on the first RAAF flight into Darwin on 25DEC74 on C-130E A97-168. Thanks to Lorraine Brownlie whose husband SQNLDR Phillip Brownlie led the medical team. The names of the team members were sourced from RAAF News of February 1975, the relevant pages of which can be found here. |
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62
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31JUL20
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Added further details of the first arrival into Darwin after the cyclone on 25DEC (Cessna 320 VH-EGN). Thanks to Robert Zweck. |
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61
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14OCT19
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Added two flights by B727-277 VH-RMX on 28 & 29DEC74 thanks to Bruce Clentsmith. (Source: 70) |
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60
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11FEB19
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Added a flight by C-130A A97-210 on 29DEC74 thanks to Norman Fitzpatrick. (Source: 69) |
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59
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09DEC17
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Added crew names for a flight by B727-276 VH-TBI on 29DEC74. Thanks to Greg Weir. (Source: 68) |
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58
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25JUN17
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Added an aborted attempt to return to Darwin on the night of 25DEC by Heron VH-CLS. Thanks to Graham Ham. (Source: 67) |
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57
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22AUG16
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Added two SAR sorties by P-3B Orions from No 11 Squadron, RAAF. Refer 27DEC74 & 28DEC74. (See Source: 66) |
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56
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21AUG16
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Identified the BAC 1-11 (A12-125) which departed CBR on 25DEC with Maj-Gen Stretton on board. Thanks to Nev Duus. (See Source: 65) |
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55
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08JUL16
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Added flights by ARDU C-47 A65-114 on 27DEC74 and 13JAN75. (See Source: 64) |
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54
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19OCT15
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Added a reference to a flight by Neptune A89-279 on 30DEC74 as possibly in connection with Cyclone Tracy. |
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53
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15MAY15
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Added two early Connair Heron flights. Thanks to Bob Bowne (See Source: 62) |
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52
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26FEB15
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Minor format changes. |
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51
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27JAN15
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Added the Ansett B727 VH-RMV on 29DEC. (Source: 61) |
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50
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08JAN15
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Added the Union Air Beech Queen Air VH-FWG thanks to Jim Jones. (Source: 60) |
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49
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08JAN15
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Added the Ansett F.27 VH-FNU thanks to an anonymous contribution via PPRuNe. (Source: 59) |
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48
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06OCT13
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Added explanatory notes on the use of airport codes. Thanks to Phil Vabre of the Airways Museum. |
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47
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04OCT13
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Added the DCA F.27 VH-CAV thanks to David Williams. (Source: 58) |
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46
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17FEB13
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Multiple amendments to 37 Sqn C-130E movements thanks to Steve Allan of
the Office of Air Force History, Canberra. (Source: 57) Anomalous entries are now marked with a red hash # symbol in the Source column. |
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45
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15FEB13
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Multiple amendments to 36 Sqn C-130A movements thanks to Steve Allan of the Office of Air Force History, Canberra. (Source: 57) |
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44
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14FEB13
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Effective from this date, all RAAF C-130 movements have been sorted by serial number. This is for ease of reference and because the chronological sequence is rarely known. Serial numbers in the A97-1XX series are C-130E operated by No. 37 Squadron. Serial numbers in the A97-2XX series are C-130A operated by No. 36 Squadron. |
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43
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12FEB13
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Added Swearingen Merlin VH-CAM. (Source: 6) Added Cessna Agwagon VH-DDT. (Source: 7) All aircraft of No. 34 Sqn RAAF (2 BAC1-11, 3 Mystere & 2 HS748) were used on Darwin operations but specific movements are unknown. Added details of 35 Sqn Caribou operations. |
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42
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05FEB13
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Added Wessex N2-208 (the missing 9th aircraft) (Source: 7) Added Gulfstream VH-ASM (Source: 7) |
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41
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02JAN13
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Added details of flights by Caribou A4-173 thanks to FLTLT Ken Stone (Source: 55) |
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40
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07SEP12
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The SAATAS Cessna which was the first aircraft to arrive in Darwin after the cyclone has been identified as Cessna 320 VH-EGN. Thanks to Robert Zweck who was a SAATAS pilot at the time. |
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39
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10AUG12
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The three DC-3s that were in service with Connair are now believed to have been VH-EWE, VH-MIN and VH-PWM. It is most likely that Connair's fourth DC-3, VH-UPQ, was still undergoing pre-service overhaul in Alice Springs. See Note 7. |
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38
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28APR12
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Added details of a Royal Air Force Short Belfast with an indirect connection to Cyclone Tracy. Thanks to Jock Manson (Source: 53) |
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37
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18APR12
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Added details of the sole RAF Nimrod flight which evacuated British subjects. Thanks to Bob Trowern who was captain of the aircraft and to Ray Deacon for facilitating contact with Bob. (Source: 52) |
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36
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10APR12
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Capt Geoff Kendall confirms that the Bristol Freighter on 26DEC was VH-TBB. This aircraft also operated between GOV and DRW on 29/30DEC. (Source: 48) |
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35
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07APR12
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Added details of the involvement of RAF Hercules XV199 thanks to Arthur
Osborne who also advises that an RAF Nimrod evacuated British subjects
to Singapore on 27DEC. Arthur also travelled on RAAF C-130E A97-190 on
30DEC. (Source: 51) Also added a new page listing all participating aircraft. Only aircraft which can be identified by registration/serial number are included. |
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34
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23MAR12
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Added further details of a Bush Pilots DC-3 flight thanks to Murray Walmsley of BPA. (Source: 49 & 50) |
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33
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26FEB12
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Added further details of a Bush Pilots DC-3 flight thanks to Ron Entsch and Capt Bill Kelman of BPA. (Source: 49 & 50) |
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32
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22FEB12
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Added
details of the first MMA flight into and out of Darwin thanks to Capt
Reg Adkins. (Source: 47) Added details of a Bristol Freighter flight thanks to Capt Geoff Kendall. (Source: 48) Added details of a Bush Pilots DC-3 flight thanks to Noel Oxlade. |
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31
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04FEB12
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Cyclone
Tracy and its aftermath have been well covered photographically so I decided
from the outset that I would not include photos in this project. However,
Jenny Mooney has provide a number of photos from the collection of her
late father, Air Commodore David Hitchins, and two of these are crying
out for publication. Thanks Jenny. Dakota A65-104 in the OC's Garden Dakota A65-104 gets a parking ticket |
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30
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02FEB12
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Added details of the Canberra photo survey of Darwin thanks to Martin James at the Office of Air Force History. (See Note: 10) |
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29
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02FEB12
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Added a list of 8 Westland Wessex helicopters which sailed with the RAN fleet. |
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28
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01FEB12
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Added
reports by Qantas and Ansett
on their involvement in the relief operation. Thanks to Françoise Barr
at the Northern Territory Archives Service (Source: 45) Also added a navigation system! |
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27
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30JAN12
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Added
considerable extra detail from the personal papers of Air Commodore David
Hitchins (then GPCPT) who was OC RAAF Darwin at the time of Tracy. Information
that did not lend itself to incorporation in the table above has been
reproduced on a separate page The
Hitchins Papers. The compiler is privileged and honoured to have access
to this material and extends thanks to David Hitchins' family. (Sources:
38-41) Included in the Hitchins Papers is a newspaper cutting describing the use of USAF Starlifters. Most of the text has been added as Note 9. |
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26
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26JAN12
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Added the full story of FLTLT Allan Edwards' overweight take-off. See The Weight of Command. |
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25
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25JAN12
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Added flights by FLTLT Allan Edwards, 37 Sqn RAAF. (Source: 37) |
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24
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24JAN12
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Added Ansett Air Freight Electra VH-RMB on 26DEC thanks to Ross Petrie.(Source: 36) |
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23
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23JAN12
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Added
some statistics for RAAF C-130 operations. See Note: 4. Added flights by Denis Pendergast, Flight Engineer, 37 Sqn. (Source: 35) |
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22
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22JAN12
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Added
several C-130 flights thanks to Keith Kershaw. (Source: 29). These include
the flights carrying Maj-Gen Stretton to/from Darwin. Also added Keith's
recollections as a stand-alone page. Added flights by LTCDR Jim Campbell, RAN, CO of VC851 Sqn. (Source: 30) Thanks to Brian Abraham. Added flights by Ted Wittup, Loadmaster, 37 Sqn (Source: 31) Thanks to Annie Wittup. Added flights by FLTLT 'Doc' Casey, 37 Sqn (Source: 32) Thanks to Brian Abraham. Added flights by Bill Moore, Flight Engineer, 37 Sqn (Source: 33) These flights were with FLTLT Casey (Source: 32) Added an explanation of why the two TAA Twin Otters were ferried to Darwin at the end of 1974. Thanks to Stu Spenceley. See Note: 8. |
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21
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21JAN12
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Corrected the serial numbers for flights by Barry Rose (Source: 28) |
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20
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20JAN12
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Added
3 RAAF C-130 flights thanks to Barry Rose (Source: 28) Added more detail of Connair operations (Source: 27) |
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19
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19JAN12
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Added one RAAF C-130 flight on 27DEC thanks to Tracey Turner. (Source: 26) |
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18
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17JAN12
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Added 3 RAAF C-130 flights thanks to Steve Phillips (Source: 25) |
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17
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17JAN12
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Added 3 RAAF C-130 flights thanks to Bill Mattes (Source: 24) |
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16
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16JAN12
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Added
32 flights from official TAA records. Thanks G. Added a list of aircraft damaged and destroyed by the cyclone. Added a complete schedule of all TAA flights in connection with the evacuation. See above link. Added a link to the starting point for this project. |
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15
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12JAN12
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Added first and second arrivals from Source 22. |
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14
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13JAN12
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Added
details of RAN HS748 operations thanks to Peter Adams. (Source: 19) Thanks
to Brian Abraham. Added details of RAAF C-130 operations thanks to Peter Grimmer. (Source: 20) Added Ray Vuillermin's story First In Added the story of The CycLone Tracy Heron |
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13
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12JAN12
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Corrected the details of Maj Gen Stretton's arrival in DRW. (See Note 3) |
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12
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12JAN12
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Added a flight to ADL by Ansett B727 VH-RMV on 27DEC. |
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11
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11JAN12
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Added a TAA F.27 flight on 26DEC thanks to David Baker the PIC. |
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10
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10JAN12
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Added a TAA F.27 flight on 25/26DEC thanks to Ray Vuillermin the PIC. |
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9
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08JAN12
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Added more information on MMA participation in the operation. See Source 11. Thanks to Mervyn Prime. |
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8
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08JAN12
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Added more information on the use of RNZAF C-130H NZ7003 thanks to Michael Sommerville (Source: 10) |
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7
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08JAN12
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Added three DCA F.27 flights thanks to John Laming (Source: 9) |
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6
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07JAN12
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Added three RAAF C-130A flights thanks to Tony Ryan (Source: 8) |
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5
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07JAN12
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Major update and added a link to a new page listing the Qantas schedule. |
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4
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06JAN12
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Reformatted. |
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3
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05JAN12
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Filled some of the gaps in the Qantas flights from a listing in "Qantas News" of January 1975. |
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2
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05JAN12
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Added a date and further details for the C-141 operation. |
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1
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05JAN12
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Original. |