QF884 from Perth

Ex N953QQ and HP-1559CMP, arriving as QF1985 from Townsville

Good to catch this Embraer in the Air Force Centenary colours before removal. This ERJ is ex N912QQ and HP-1540CMP, seen here departing on QF1930 to Brisbane

Operated by Pioneer Australia (2000) since 2013 and still carrying its Titan livery, ex G-ZAPN

QLK253 from Mount Gambier

Registered July 2017, one of over three dozen in the RFDS fleet

Being a regular visitor to the Pilatus factory at Stans during journeys across Switzerland, I'd been hoping to catch one of these prior to delivery, but fortunately this opportunity arose at the RFDS Adelaide base thanks to the kind cooperation of their staff. Registered in January 2020 and one of five 'Versatile Jets' delivered for the Flying Doctor Service to date.

One of several at the major RFDS Adelaide base, registered October 2016

FJ961 from Nadi

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