RAAF Butterworth, 1964-1965

Item 1. RAAF Butterworth, 1964. Film taken while 77 Squadron Sabre aircraft were on 5 minute scramble alert on Quick Alert apron adjacent to threshold of Butterworth runway 36 during the Confrontation crisis. Shows RAF Victor "V Bomber" take-offs and landings. RAF Javelin night fighter take-offs and landings. 77 Squadron RAAF Sabres parked on alert. Sabres landing on runway 36. 2 Squadron RAAF Canberra bombers landings runway 36. Shot from RAF helicopter on transit from Butterworth to Song Song Island air to ground gunnery and bombing practice range about 50 km north of Penang Island. Shot of typical coastal trading Junk near Song Song Island. 77 Squadron RAAF Sabre air to ground gunnery practice firing twin 30mm Aden cannon. Item 2. RAAF Ubon, North East Thailand. USAF F4C fighter-bomber aircraft taking off for and returning from operations in North Vietnam. Aircraft are armed with ten 750lb bombs, four AIM-7 Sparrow beyond visual range radar guided air to air missiles, two AIM-9 Sidewinder short range infra-red guided missiles and a Vulcan 20mm six barrel raid firing cannon. The aircraft were normally fitted with three external jettisonable fuel tanks and because the missions usually lasted at least six hours they were also air-refuelled several times. Air to air film taken with 8mm Cannon camera mounted inside Sabre cockpit looking through gunsight reticle. The last of these shots shows the Sabres's radar-controlled gunsight ranging to provide correct gun firing. USAF F4C's (see above). Item 3. RAAF 77 Squadron Detachment, Labuan North Borneo, October/November 1965. Six No. 77 Squadron RAAF Sabre aircraft led by the Commanding Officer Wing Commander Les Reading deployed from Butterworth via Changi airfield, Singapore to Labuan Island to take over from No. 20 Squadron RAF Hawker Hunter aircraft which had been carrying out low altitude armed patrols along the Indonesian Kalimantan border with Sabah. The task was to intercept and destroy Indonesian P-51 Mustang piston engine fighters which had been harassing and in some cases attacking Malaysian villages in the border area during the Confrontation crisis. Other pilots who deployed were Squadron Leader Jim Kitchenside, Flight Lieutenants Mick Feiss and Bill Pearcy and Pilot Officers Bob Richardson and Peter Hackett. A thirty five member Squadron maintenance party provided essential support. This was the first RAAF deployment to Labuan since the Second World War. Shows RAF pilot strapping into Hunter aircraft. Air dropping one ton pallets of supplies from RAF Beverley transport to British and Australian Army outposts stationed along the disputed Kalimantan border. RAF Shackleton taxiing at Labuan. Malaysian Twin Pioneer taxiing at Labuan. Wing Commander Reading strapping into Sabre. Pilot Officer Hackett strapping in. [adapted from AVM Richardson's scene list]