Disappearing act just a Mirage
Tindal farewells a piece of aviation history as Mirage goes on the move.

Volume 48, No. 3, March 9, 2006

The Mirage A3-36 is lifted over the gates of RAAF Base Tindal by a heavy lift crane onto a waiting truck to start its journey to Darwin.

Air Commander AVM John Quaife with the Mirage he flew as a FLGOFF.

A technician helps attach the Mirage to a crane in preparation for its lift onto the truck.

A convoy of vehicles escort the truck loaded with unusual cargo out of Katherine.

The Mirage heads for Darwin to be put on display at the Aviation Heritage Centre.

Photos by SGT Mark Eaton and LAC Greg Pierce

A PIECE of Air Force history has left her squadron for the last time.
On hand to bid ‘adieu’ was her last pilot.

Dassault Mirage Mk IIIO A3-36 served with No. 75SQN in Darwin and Butterworth, when in 1985 it crashed in the Darwin mudflats after a catastrophic flame-out.

The pilot, the then FLGOFF John Quaife, banged out safely but the aircraft was a write-off.

Transferred to Darwin Aviation Heritage Centre, the aircraft was destined for oblivion until in 2001 No. 75SQN decided to retrieve and restore her to museum condition, as part of the Squadron’s 60th Anniversary celebrations in 2002.

In December that year, the Mirage took to the air for the last time – slung safely under a Chinook helicopter.

Restoration was slow and meticulous.

Then, on November 23 last year, the superbly-restored warbird, proudly sporting her tail flash of a magpie and checkers, was loaded onto a low-loader and bade farewell to her squadron for the 300km trip back to the Aviation Heritage Centre, where she will be placed on permanent public display.

Air Commander AVM John Quaife said he was delighted with the restoration results.

“I was really pleased [when he heard she was to be restored],” he said,

“When the aircraft was originally recovered, it was in remarkably good condition but various components were removed by the squadron and, later, souvenir collectors. Many years of outdoor storage in Darwin had badly deteriorated its condition.

“I’ve visited the aircraft a number of times during its restoration and each time I have been impressed by the scope of the work undertaken by this small group of No. 75SQN volunteers working in their own time with limited resources.

“The end result is simply brilliant.”

AVM Quaife still remembers clearly what happened the day the Mirage went down.

“The accident was caused by engine compressor stall induced by failure of the engine acceleration unit,” he said. “I got some minor bruising, but no consequent issues yet.”

He said the Mirage was a challenge. “It is a great looking aircraft and was both challenging and rewarding to fly. [However,] it is outclassed in weapons and weapons systems by the current generation of fighters.”

Would he fly a Mirage again?

“Not without the quality of maintenance support that we enjoyed in the Mirage squadrons.”

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