The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Jake Newham talks about his early working life and his difficult path to being accepted for RAAF flying training; his training prior to being posted to Iwakuni, Japan for his conversion on to Meteors; early ground attack sorties with No. 77 Squadron; several attacks on different targets; a few casualties and how aircrew handled them; air to air sorties; the flying characteristics of a Meteor in various roles; the advantages of having two engines; activities when not flying; living conditions and hot showers; armistice and the return of POWs; recovering aircraft that are short on fuel; dodging flak; targets of opportunity; handling damaged aircraft; some aircraft losses; his return to Australia and posting to N0. 78 Wing, Malta; applying lessons learned in Europe as Chief of Operations and Plans; cooperating with the RNZAF 14 Squadron, based in Cyprus; his experiences in Malaysia [then Malaya],flying Sabres; night flying with day fighters; improvement with instrument flying with the advent of the Mirage and the F-111; a spell as ADC to the Governor General; training in Malaysia as part of the British Far Eastern Strategic Reserve; the importance of careful pre-flight planning; and lessons learned from the Israelis.
Air Vice Marshal Simmonds talks about the lack of relevance of basic flying training to combat mission flying in Korea; being posted to 78 Wing, RAAF Base Williamtown after graduation from Point Cook;
Billie Collings talks about: his enlisting in the RAAF; flying training and his being posted to No.77 Squadron, Iwakuni, Japan.; the inadequacies of flying training at the time; Air Force attitude tow
Hurst speaks of his enlistment in the RAAF and experience of the Second World War in the South West Pacific Area; post- Second World War RAAF service including de Havilland Vampire jet-conversion trai
Victor Baker talks about his postings prior to No. 77 Squadron; the juxtaposition of Australian and Turkish graves at Pusan, Korea; an encounter with confederate state Americans at Taegu; tales of his
Cresswell speaks of his academic and military background including Second World War service in the South West Pacific area primarily as a fighter pilot; his role as Commanding Officer No 21 (Citizens
Wilson talks about service as a Mustang fitter in 3 Squadron, Canberra in 1949; his reasons for joining the Air Force; being engaged; his sudden posting to 77 Squadron, Iwakuni, Japan in 1951; an airc