The first three Canadian De Havilland DH-4C Caribous arrived in Australia almost 56 years ago to the day, on March 12 1964. Just over a year later, destined for a lifetime of service to Australia, the Caribou arrived on our shores and is now on display at the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre.
This Sunday 15 March, take the opportunity to explore the inside of the aircraft. Take a seat in the troop seats and imagine what it was like when the Caribou was on missions in East Timor or the Solomon Islands, assisting with flood relief operations in New South Wales in 1990, or conducting a flying display at the Australian International Air Show at Avalon in 2007.
At the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre you can talk with volunteer guides who actually served on this, and other aircraft in the Aviation Heritage Centre’s impressive collection.
The guides have a varied range of Air Force experiences from a door gunner on an Iroquois helicopter in Vietnam, loadmaster, avionics, maintainers and more. They will share stories of the rebuilding of the World War II Boston bomber from wrecks retrieved from the swamps of New Guinea, what made the F-111 a devastatingly effective fighter-bomber, how the pilot of a Sabre fighter missed death by a fraction of inch when his aircraft ran through high tension wires, why the Macchi trainer was a painted a unique colour when in service and more.
Treat yourself to a value-added experience at the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre public open day. The doors open a 9am, admission is free and photography at the Aviation Heritage Centre is welcomed.
Due to RAAF security requirements all visitors over the age of 16 must provide photographic identification, and have their identification details recorded as a condition of entry.
Access to the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre is via the Back Gate located on Behm’s Road off the Old Toowoomba Road up until 2pm. Visitors who arrive at the main entrance on Southern Amberley Road will be directed to go back through Ipswich and access via the back gate.
