Eighteen months after its initial appeal for funds, the committee in charge of redeveloping the Air Force Memorial on Canberra's Anzac Parade has announced that the fundraising target has been reached.

In November 2000, the then Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Errol McCormack, launched the appeal for the redevelopment of the memorial.

The Royal Australian Air Force Memorial Redevelopment Committee recently announced that the response to the appeal had been 'remarkable' and no further donations were required.

The new National Memorial to the Royal Australian Air Force will be officially unveiled on Anzac Parade in November this year.

The original Air Force National Memorial was first unveiled on 15 March 1973.

The memorial was intended to symbolise not only the spirit of the Air Force, but also service to Australia and the sacrifice made by tens of thousands of Air Force men and women since the formation of the Royal Australian Air Force in March 1921.

However, many people had commented over the years that the monument was not readily identifiable as the 'Air Force' National Memorial.

Other comments suggested the newer monuments on Anzac Parade tended to be more illustrative and better at telling their story.

In response, the Air Force, in conjunction with the National Capital Authority, initiated a project to redevelop the Memorial to make it more identifiable and to ensure that it portrayed more fully the image, ethos and history of the Air Force.

Following an extensive search by the National Capital Authority, Robert Boynes, one of Australia's foremost artists, was awarded the commission for the project.

The project received a major boost in May 2001 with the announcement by the then Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Bruce Scott, that the Australian Government would provide $250,000 under the Government's Their Service - Our Heritage program.

The remaining funds - in excess of $300,000 - have been provided by the Australian public, state and local governments, the corporate sector, current and retired members of the Air Force, the Air Force Association and the Returned and Services League of Australia and other ex-Service organisations.

The dedication of the new memorial will take place on 1 November and will be a major ceremonial event of national importance involving the parading of all active Air Force colours and a major flypast.

The Redevelopment Committee expects that more than 1000 people will attend, including many interstate and overseas visitors.

By Ben Caddaye