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Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive
Paul McGuiness is an Australian aviation researcher and historian. Using primary sources he has assembled detailed information on the history of each plane
used by Australians and Australian forces in WWl and WW2, and on personnel involved.

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History of Australian Military Aviation

First World War

Armstrong Whitworth FK3

Avro 504

Bristol F2b Fighter

Fairey Aviation Model lllD Seaplane

Martinsyde G.100 G 102 Elephant

Maurice Farman S.11 Shorthorn

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2

Royal Aircraft Factory BE12

Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8

Royal Aircraft Factory SE5A Experimental Scout

Sopwith Camel B Series

Sopwith Camel C D E F Series

Sopwith Snipe

Sopwith Scout (Pup)

Sopwith 1½ Strutter

Supermarine Seagull lll

Supermarine Southampton Mk 1

Westland Wapiti


Post First World War

Bristol Bulldog

De Havilland DH.9A

Hawker Demon

Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5A

Avro 504K


Second World War

3 Sqn Gladiators 1940-1941

3 Sqn Gauntlets 1940-1941

10 Sqn Sunderlands

451 Sqn Spitfires Med 43-44 Europe 44-46

452 Sqn Spitfires Europe 41-42

455 Sqn Hampdens 1941-43

458 Sqn Wellingtons

460 Sqn Wellingtons

461 Sqn Sunderlands

462 Sqn Halifax Part 1 MTO

466 Sqn Wellingtons


Further Information:

Aces and Aviators WWl Database

Material Relating to Australia

Aircraft Types Used By Australian Forces World War l

Bristol Scout C/D

The Bristol Scout was a single-seat rotary-engined biplane originally designed as a racing aircraft. Like similar fast, light aircraft of the period it was used by the RNAS and the RFC as a 'scout', or fast reconnaissance type. It was one of the first single-seaters to be used as a fighter aircraft, although it was not possible to fit it with an effective forward-firing armament until the first British-designed gun synchronizers became available later in 1916, by which time the Scout was obsolescent. Single-seat fighters continued to be called 'scouts' in British usage into the early 1920s.

4684

00Aug15 Built as RFC Serial 4684 the 23rd of 38 Bristol Scout C aircraft built by British & Colonial Aeroplane Co Ltd in their UK factory at Filton, Bristol UK with construction number 508. Built to Contract A3242 dated 1915 in the Serial Range 4662 to 4699. Delivered without an engine.

00Sep15 Taken on charge by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) for acceptance checks by the Aircraft Inspection Department Staff at Bristol. Fitted with Gnome 80hp engine Serial No.28041/WD673.

00Oct15 Allocated to No.17 (F) Sqn at RFC Station Gosport, Hampshire UK.

27Oct15 Attached with four other Bristol Scouts to Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Farnborough airfield Hampshire until 05Nov15 for Air-to-Air Weapons trials. A variety of weapons were trialled including revolvers, shotguns, rifles and machine guns.

08Nov15 Received for use by No.17 Sqn at RFC Station Gosport.

11Dec15 Moved with 17 Sqn from RFC Station Gosport UK to RFC Station Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.

Scout 4684 at Kantara airfield with Lt Eric Roberts at the controls July 1916.

00Jun16 Aircraft handed over for use to C Flight No.67 (Australian) Sqn at RFC Station Heliopolis when 17Sqn was moved to Salonica.

12Jun16 CPT R. Williams flew a 10min flight over Cairo. Between 13Jun and 30Jun CPT Williams flew a further 15 flights from Heliopolis airfield totalling some 4hrs 40min.

01Jul16 during the period 01-20 July CPT R. Williams flew a further nine training flights from Heliopolis airfield totalling some 3hrs 15min.

During the period 01-26 July Lt Eric Glendower Roberts flew 11 training flights from Heliopolis airfield totalling some 6hrs 15min.

28Aug16 CPT R. Williams flew a 10min post maintenance test flight, then departed for a training flight to Port Said via Ismailia. The aircraft suffered an engine failure when approaching Ismailia and the aircraft was left there for repairs.

22Sep16 CPT R. Williams flew to Ismailia in a BE2c and returned to Kantara in the repaired Bristol 4684.

00Oct16 during the month CPT R. Williams flew six training missions from Kantara totalling some 3hr 10min.

00Nov16 during the month CPT R. Williams flew five training missions from Kantara totalling some 2hr 35min.

00Dec16 during the month CPT R. Williams flew six training missions from Kantara totalling some 3hr 26min.

01Jan17 Aircraft returned to A Flight, 14Sqn RFC at RAF Heliopolis when 67Sqn reequipped with new aircraft.

08Jan17 Received for use by No.22 Reserve Squadron, No.20 Reserve Wing at RFC Station Aboukir, Cairo Egypt.

11May17 Australian born 2nd Lt Ralph Robertson of the 1/8th Isle of Wight Rifles, (Princess Beatrice’s Battalion), Hampshire Regiment departed RFC Aboukir on a training mission. Soon after take-off the aircraft collided head-on with BE2e 6765 at approximately 800ft over the airfield. Lt Robertson and the [unknown] pilot of the BE2e and his student 23 year old 2nd Lt Stephen Hepworth Dennett, 8/Kings Shropshire Light Infantry & 23 Sqn RFC were all killed in the collision.

Lt Ralph Robertson (37) single of Sydney NSW is buried in Grave B.11 of the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. He is also remembered at Location 187 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT.

2nd Lt Stephen Hepworth Dennett (23) single of Birmingham UK is buried in Grave B.12 of the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.

It is perhaps very fitting to add further information about Lt Robertson as he certainly epitomizes the sacrifices he and thousands of other Australians made for their country at that time. Also, Lt Robertson had already ‘done his bit’ as the saying went at the time, but wasted little time in getting back into the War.

Ralph Robertson enlisted, at the age of 32, in the Australian Army as a Private (number 646) specifically to serve in the Australian Navy and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) to attack the German Colonies in German New Guinea and Rabaul. As a member of G Company, Garrison Artillery, he embarked with 1,500 other Diggers on the 11,150 ton troopship HMAT Berrima on the 19th of August 1914. He returned to Australia as a Corporal in February 1915 and was discharged from the ANMEF on 4 March 1915, mainly from the debilitating health issues he acquired in the equatorial regions.

Undaunted, on 13 April 1915 he joined the AIF 5th Infantry Brigade in Sydney but was forced to resign only 10 days later because of his health. On 8th May 1915 he departed Australia and enlisted in the UK Army and was selected for Officer Training in September. In October 1915 he accepted a commission as a 2nd Lt in the 1/8th Isle of Wight Rifles, (Princess Beatrice’s Battalion), Hampshire Regiment and moved to Egypt. On 18th December 1916 he was selected for pilot training and was attached to No.22 Reserve Squadron at RFC Station Aboukir. After gaining his wings he was appointed to No.22 Reserve Sqn as Pilot Instructor No.8541 where he remained until his unfortunate demise in May 1917.

7028

00May16 Built as RFC Serial 7028 the 1st of 30 Bristol Scout D aircraft built by British & Colonial Aeroplane Co Ltd in their UK factory at Filton, Bristol UK with construction number 1094. Built to Contract 87/A/185 dated 18Oct15 in the Serial Range 7028 to 7057. Delivered without motor.

08Jun16 Taken on charge by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) for acceptance checks by the Aircraft Inspection Department Staff at Bristol. Fitted with Clerget 80hp engine No.1022. The 1st D Model Scout delivered to the RFC.

00Sep16 Dismantled and crated then dispatched by sea to X Aircraft Depot (XAD), at RFC Station Aboukir, Alexandria Egypt for assembly and testing.

22Oct16 Received for squadron preparation and issue by X Air Park (XAP), 5 Wing RFC at Kantara, Suez, Egypt.

24Oct16 Received by HQ No.5 Wing at RFC Station Heliopolis, Egypt.

00Dec16 Returned to XAP, Kantara.

02Jan17 Received for use by No.67 (Australian) Sqn at RFC Station Heliopolis, Egypt.

17Feb17 Received by XAP, Kantara for servicing and reallocation.

01Apr17 Received by No.20 (Training) Wing at RFC Station Aboukir.

00Apr17 Issued for use to No.22 Training Sqn, 20 Reserve Training Wing at RFC Station Aboukir.

26Jan18 Pilot 2nd Lt F. Robinson made a downwind turn soon after take-off in an attempt to land after his engine failed. Inevitably the aircraft stalled, nosedived and crashed at the end of the airfield killing the pilot and destroying the aircraft.

RFC pilot 2nd Lt Fred Robinson (22) single of Bradford Yorkshire UK is buried in Grave B.50 of the Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.

A1766

00Aug16 Built as RFC Serial A1766 the 25th of 50 Bristol Scout D aircraft built by British & Colonial Aeroplane Co Ltd in their UK factory at Filton, Bristol UK with construction number 1405. Built to Contract 87/A/185 dated 1st July 1916 in the Serial Range A1742 to A1791. Fitted with an 80hp LeRhône engine.

00Sep16 Taken on charge by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) for acceptance checks by the Aircraft Inspection Department Staff at Bristol.

00May17 Received for use by No.24 Training Squadron at RFC Station Netheravon, Wiltshire UK

07Nov17 Received for use by No.6 Training Squadron, 1st Wing, Australian Flying Corps at RFC Station Ternhill, Shropshire UK.

16Nov17 2nd Lt E Montgomery AFC crashed at the field after an engine failure and was severely injured. Admitted to Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury.

19Nov17 Aircraft wreckage taken off squadron strength and issued to ARS at RFC Station Ternhill.

24Nov17 Aircraft struck off charge.

SY 2020-01-28

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