with RAAF F-111s and RNZAF
A-4 Skyhawks.
Two months later, Wg Cdr Bill
‘Fitz’ Henry assumed command,
which he retained until the unit’s
withdrawal. It also took part in joint
activities with members of the Five
Power Defence Arrangement for
Malaysia and Singapore, including
New Zealand and the UK. Thefirst such exercise came in March
1987 when it detached to the
Singaporean base at Paya Lebar.
The first major overseas
deployment was in May 1987 when79 detached its Mirages to Clark
Air Force Base, the Philippines, for
Exercise Cope Thunder. The delta-
winged jets formed part of the
defensive force alongside resident
Philippine F-5 and USAF F-15 units.
It continued to provide the RAAF
fighter presence in Malaysia until
the final rundown in 1988, when it
was disbanded at Butterworth on
June 30.Fighter training
To provide its fast jet pilots and
navigators with tactical fighter
lead-in training, the RAAF
reconstituted one of its reserveNovember 2018 FLYPAST 103Top, left to right
Spitfi re VIII A58-505/UP-S of 79 Sqn at Biak in
mid-1945, when it was engaged in hazardous
ground-attack sorties over the Halmaheras.
It wears a red Cross of Lorraine badge under
the cockpit – an unusual adornment for an
Australian aircraft. VIA A PRICEThree Commonwealth Sabre Mk.31s of 79
Squadron sit on the tented dispersal at Ubon,
Thailand, soon after the unit’s arrival in July- RAAF
The CO ruefully views the ‘zaps’ applied to
Sabre Mk.32 A94-969 by USAF personnel, prior
to the squadron’s departure from Ubon in July- RAAF
This fi ne study of 79 Squadron Mirages
shows low-visibility grey schemes (on the
two nearest the camera), worn as part of
the type’s late-service camoufl age trials.
MALCOLM V LOWEMirage IIIO A3-62 sits in its dispersal
pen at Butterworth during 1979’s brief
detachment in Malaysia.
G MEGGS VIA A W HALL