Not what it seems, this is actually A23-032 marked as A23-045. Transferred to the Air Force History & Heritage Branch (HH-AF) for refurbishment and eventual static display. It was repainted as an ARDU aircraft A23-045, relocated to SAAM and on display at SAAM in South Australia

Purchased by the RAN in February 1956, WZ931 left the UK a month later onboard HMAS Melbourne. On arrival at Sydney it went to 724 Sqdn, Nowra. During a display the airframe was subjected to 8G, causing a cracked spar and buckling of the starboard stub-plane. After repairs it was operated by 805 Sqdn before going on display at the FAA Museum, Nowra. It arrived at SAAM from there in October 1987. It had been intended that the Sea Venoms for the RAN would be built by DHA Bankstown like the Vampire, but this changed to direct purchase of 39 which served till 1970 when A-4s took over.

This was one of a batch of 75 Canberras built by Avro at Woodford and delivered to the RAF in February 1955. Taken off charge in December 1955, it was allocated to the joint UK/Australian Weapons Research Establishment in 1956. The WRE used it as a platform for airborne photography of weapons including atomic bomb tests, radar calibration and ranging tasks out of Woomera and Maralinga. In February 1963 it was transferred to No. 4 Joint Services Trials Unit and served until December 1969, being s/o/c at Edinburgh in February 1970. To Eureka Aviation Museum, Ballarat in 1985 and SAAM in 1997

This Aero 145 was built at Kunovice, Czechoslovakia in 1961 and imported into Australia in 1962, being assembled at Bankstown and then being used for fish spotting (especially tuna) by Commodore Aviation out of Port Lincoln, SA. From 1963 a 10-year contract for lighthouse supply began, taking advantage of the aircraft's excellent endurance and short-field characteristics. A Cessna 337 took over the fish spotting in 1968 but the Aero continued with charter and island work till 1979. Wfu by 1985, it was allocated VH-ZCL for a long-term restoration project from 2001 and placed on display at SAAM

First flying at Schiphol in September 1959, this Friendship operated for the Department of Civil Aviation until 1978 when transferred to the CSIRO Division of Cloud Physics at Tamworth, NSW. In November 1993 it was taken over by Australian Flight Test Services, based at Parafield in the Adelaide outskirts, continuing in a research and flight testing role until 2001. Moved to the SAAM in December 2008

Constructed in 1942 by Westland Aircraft at Yeovil, EE853 was ferried to Australia in June 1943, being damaged on landing at Gurney Strip, New Guinea. Allocated A58-146 it joined the RAAF's 79 Sqdn at Goodenough Island and later Kiriwina Island, NG providing bomber escort. In August 1943 it suffered a landing accident on Kiriwina and was moved back to Goodenough. Abandoned after the war, it was rediscovered in 1971 and shipped back to Australia in 1974, then undergoing four years of restoration at Parafield Airport, Adelaide. In 2002 it was placed on long-term loan with the SAAM

With the starboard wing of the museum's Caribou as a backdrop, this Australian-built Vampire joined the RAAF at Williamtown in 1951 and although damaged in a wheels-up landing in 1953, went on to operate with 23 Sqdn, 21 Sqdn and ARDU Laverton. Wfu in 1960, it became an Air Training Corps gate guard in North Adelaide then was at Mildura Warbirds Museum from 1974 to 1980. Acquired by the SAAM in 1989

This was one of a batch of 12 Kiowas built by Bell at Forth Worth and delivered to the Australian Army Air Corps from 1971 onwards. These were followed by 56 manufactured by CAC as the CA-32, a few of which went to the Navy. A17-010 flew with 161 Reconnaissance Sqdn at Darwin then 162 Reconnaissance Sqdn at Townsville. Retired in 2005, it was acquired by the museum in 2007

Built as C-47B-35-DK 44-77128 and delivered to the RAAF in June 1945, A65-114 was immediately involved in the return of POWs from Singapore, later in Korea and as a VIP transport. In 1954 it was transferred to 38 Sqdn at Richmond and after 10 years joined the Aircraft Research and Development Unit at Laverton, moving on to Edinburgh when the ARDU relocated there. In October 1986 it was substantially damaged after a double engine failure on take-off and left gear collapse. Withdrawn for use with 13,897 hours recoded, it was transported to Port Adelaide for preservation in 1992

A8-132 was the eighth F-111 allocated to the RAAF and made its first flight in 1968, not delivered to RAAF at Amberley till July 1973 following storage in the US due to concerns about the type's serviceability. After operating with 1 Sqdn, from 1979 to 1988 it was allocated to ARDU at Edinburgh. The white lower surfaces were added to provide contrast in images of weapons release during trials. It later returned to testing as the prototype for the Avionics Update Program (AUP) and also engine replacement using surplus US stocks. In 2019 SAAM exchanged their preserved F-111 A8-134 for this one.

First flown in 1963 and served on HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Stalwart. Downgraded to instructional airframe usage in 1987 and preserved by the FAA Museum at Nowra from 1991. Transferred to the SAAM in 2000

Of the 75 Hornets delivered to the RAAF, all but the first four were built in Australia at the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) plant in Avalon, VIC. This one served 3 Sqdn from 1988 then ARDU before the fleet was retired in 2021

Squeezed into SAAM's newer hangar along with their P-3, this Caribou is one of 29 taken on strength by the RAAF from 1964. It was allocated to 38 Sqdn at RAAF Richmond but soon deployed to New Guinea till 1971, training crews for Vietnam service. During one of its flights there, an RAAF C-47 missing since 1945 was discovered. A4-225 continued in service with 38 Sqdn at Richmond and Amberley until retirement in 2009 and was placed in open storage at Oakey, QLD till acquired by the SAAM in 2016

One of many CAC-built MB-326 all-through jet trainers used by the RAAF, A7-026 was assigned to the CFS at East Sale in 1968 and later flew with the 'Roulettes' aerobatic team. It crashed in August 1985 at Saltash but like several of the type, it ended its service life as a ground instructional airframe with the RSTT at Wagga Wagga. Acquired by the SAAM in 2004. The Macchi's service life in Australia was cut short by structural fatigue and while some were re-winged in 1990, all remaining aircraft were withdrawn by 2001

A3-115 was part of an order for six extra two-seat Mirages, built by GAF in Australia. Delivered in 1973, it was flown by 2 OCU and 77 Sqdn then ARDU until withdrawal in 1986. After 1999 it was displayed inside the gate at RAAF Edinburgh, one of the bases used by ARDU. Moved to SAAM in 2018

First taken on charge by the RAAF in 1942, this is a very long-term restoration project using parts from other Ansons, primarily AW965/VH-FIA

One of 68 PC-9s acquired by the RAAF, this is actually A23-032 painted to represent an ARDU aircraft. It originally flew with the CFS 'Roulettes' team and then moved on to FAC duties with various units in the toned-down grey livery.

Now on display along side the F-111 also used by the ARDU, Hornet A21-32 is one of several now on display across Australia.

Now on display after extensive restoration by the RAAF Heritage team, A8-32 proudly wears its ARDU colours.

A8-134 was for a time on display at the SAAM Museum, it was later exchanged for A8-132 which had more of a SA history. Today 134 is held by the Australian War Memorial