Volume 48, No. 17, Sepetember 21, 2006
 |
|
ACES HIGH: 77SQN’s Hornets wowed the crowds with their world-class manoeuverability at the Temora Historical Flight Club’s flying weekend.
Photo courtesy of FLTLT Michael Leonard |
THE ‘Green Lemons’ four-ship Hornet display team from 77SQN thrilled spectators with their precision and high-performance flying at the Temora Historical Flight Club’s flying weekend held recently.
The spectators included CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd and his guest, General Dato’ Sri Nik Ismail bin Nik Mohamed, Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, who were hosted by the Temora Aviation Museum on August 5.
“When we shut down after our first display, we learned that a local competition [in Temora] had given us a new team name,” FLTLT Michael Leonard said.
“So, on Sunday it was the ‘Stinger’ display team that demonstrated Hornet formation and tactical manoeuvring flying before we went back to Williamtown.”
FLTLT Leonard said 77SQN enjoyed a strong association with the museum and the club and it has supported several visits by museum aircraft to Williamtown.
“Of particular interest to the squadron is the museum’s Gloster Meteor F.8 fighter ‘Halestorm’, which resembles the aircraft flown by 77SQN pilot SGT George Hale during the Korean War,” he said.
SGT Hale is credited with destroying a North Korean MiG-15 and damaging another on March 27, 1953. SGT Hale in ‘Halestorm’ was part of a four-ship ground attack mission, which was jumped by a number of the superior Russian-built fighters.
His crew chief later painted two silhouette MiGs on the side of the Meteor, but the squadron commander ordered them removed for contravening Air Force regulations.
77SQN ground crews worked closely with museum and airport staff to support flying operations on each day.
“SQNLDR Paul Simmons’ solo displays exhibited the world-class manoeuvrability of the F/A-18 in terms of maximum effort turning, vertical, high and low-speed combat performance,” FLTLT Leonard said.
“The focus of the four-ship display is on demonstrating the skills common to Air Force aircrew, including close formation and air-to-ground attacks in low-level, high-speed environments.”
The display team is formed from a cross-section of squadron aircrew, with F/A-18 experience ranging from 300 hours to over 1000 hours.
“With substantial exposure to the record crowds over the weekend, we felt rewarded by the interest displayed towards both the Air Force, in particular, and historical aviation in general,” he said.
