Aviators from 6 Squadron have completed a seven-day journey circumnavigating Australia in honour of Wing Commander Stanley Goble and Flight Lieutenant Ivor McIntyre who completed the feat in 1924.
Commanding Officer 6 Squadron Wing Commander Steven Thornton highlighted the importance and privilege of commemorating the initial flight, which was conducted in a Fairey IIID seaplane over 44 days. Its purpose was to survey the coastline of Australia to open up the country to aviation.
“This is 6 Squadron’s opportunity to celebrate what was a historic event for both aviation in Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force, for us to re-enact the same path of our predecessors,” he said.
“This was also an opportunity to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the completion of the same feat in a 6 Squadron F-111C, which was finished in record time.”
The commemorative flight, known as Exercise Centenarie Redimus, involved two 6 Squadron EA-18G Growlers and a ground support team aboard a 35 Squadron C-27J Spartan departing RAAF Base Amberley for a counter-clockwise lap of the country, replicating as close as possible the original flight path.
Transiting through RAAF Bases Townsville, Scherger, Darwin and into Port Hedland International Airport before continuing onto RAAF Bases Pearce and East Sale, the journey provided aviators an opportunity to engage with the Australian public and promote the EA-18G Growler along the way.
Visiting a variety of established and bare bases throughout Australia, personnel also demonstrated their ability to exercise agile operating techniques away from their home base, providing the necessary effects of the current and future strategic environment.
Event coordinator Flight Lieutenant Patrick McManus emphasised the unique training opportunities the exercise afforded.
“The dynamic nature of being away from our home base, particularly on the west coast where we don’t often transit with the Growler, made for some unique but very rewarding challenges in an unfamiliar environment,” Flight Lieutenant McManus said.
The Growler is an airborne electronic attack aircraft that provides a unique advantage to Australia and allies by denying, degrading and disrupting a broad range of military electronic systems. It is different from the original aircraft flown in 1924, which was chosen for its amphibious landing capability at a time before aviation infrastructure existed.
“When we consider the stark reality of canvas aircraft with compass navigation as the primary and the coastline as a backup, we certainly have the luxury of modern navigation equipment, redundant systems and all of the accoutrements of modern fighter jets that go along with high-performance flying,” Flight Lieutenant McManus said.
The commemorative journey flew more than 10,000km in 15.9 flying hours before its conclusion at RAAF Base Amberley.
Along the way, 6 Squadron stopped into RAAF Bases Pearce and East Sale to provide incentive flights to the next generation of pilot and mission air crew trainees, bestowing the traditions and proud Air Force history in recognition of aviators past and present.
