Sabre Memories
POST-WAR No.3 SQUADRON
By Neil Handsley, Ex 78 (Fighter) Wing Engine Fitter
Some reminiscences from the Squadron's activities, at RAAF Base Butterworth in the late 1950's to early 60's.....
Setting the scene ... Australia showed a strong commitment to the security of the SE Asia area from as early as 1948, with RAAF No.1 Squadron Lincoln bombers based in Singapore, and operational over the Malay peninsula against Chin Peng's CT's. From memory, I believe they served there until 1958 - a fine effort.
At RAAF base Williamtown, NSW, No.78 Fighter Wing formed up with Meteor Mk8 twin-jets and converted to C.A.C. (Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation) built Mk30 Avon-Sabre jets from March 1956. (Readers please bear with me about dates, as I am recalling events from about 40 years ago). The Wing comprised two fighter squadrons, (No.s 3 and 77) each with 16 Sabres, plus a maintenance squadron, No. 478(M).
The mighty Sabre was developed to a frontline interceptor at Williamtown over the next three years, with much hard work from both pilots and ground crews. Also playing major roles were the Melbourne-based manufacturer C.A.C. (who made both the engine and the airframe), RAAF ARDU who designed and tested the major mods/improvements to the ex-USAF F86H design, and the unsung heroes, No.2ACS, who laid the huge expanses of concrete tarmac at 'Willytown'. - ACS then went on to even greater heights by completely rebuilding the runway at Butterworth - in preparation for the arrival of No.3 Squadron's Sabres in October 1958.
An interesting aspect of 3 Squadron's move to Butterworth was the setting up of operation 'Sabre Ferry One', where we stationed small ground-crew teams on airfields about 900 nautical miles apart, all the way from Williamtown to Butterworth. The overseas locations were Biak Is., Labuan North Borneo, and Giuuan in the Philippines. - Your writer had the fortune to serve at the latter base. 18 RAAF personnel flew there in our own Dakota; the USAF flew in 32 airmen from many places around the Western Pacific, their huge Douglas C124 Globemasters flying in the Control Tower, a fire engine, a mobile kitchen .... and God knows what else.
Those Yanks are probably still telling enlarged versions of, "How this Aussie kid straightaway fixed their only large power generator, then went up to the bar and chuggalugged a WHOLE bottle of Manila rum!" (Our detachment leader FLTLT (then) Barry Weymouth could probably tell you that "the kid" was me! By the way, it wasn't really a whole bottle .... just part of one.)
The Sabres were operating at near maximum range - so much so that Canberras or Neptunes flew the route, prior, to ensure no adverse weather. The four-aircraft formations flew with each Sabre having a pair of 200 gal. drop tanks under the wings. We had many adventures during that fascinating 21 days. After kissing the last of the 19 Sabres 'goodbye', we piled back into our goony-bird and flew off to 'Butt' - via several fascinating exotic places! (Yes, I was single then!)
Political hanky-panky at the time prevented all three squadrons leaving Australia at the same time, so No.3 Squadron moved first to Butterworth, along with 478 Maintenance Squadron. 77 Squadron made their move northward about 3-4 months later. Dependants arrived at about that time, with most families quartered across the Strait on Penang Is. The Wing "singlies" were housed close to the worksites, on the mainland airfield. A feature of life for the lads from the 'married patch' became the to-and-from ferry ride, daily, across the Strait (the "brown baggers", as we singlies called them).
Although the duty was officially 'war service' - and we certainly flew many rocket, bomb, and strafing raids against the CT's- everyday life on the Base, and in married quarters, was close to idyllic (most of the time) for the Wing's airmen. Yes, it WAS a far cry from what our 3 Squadron predecessors had to cope with during their tough times in WW2.
As an example of the difference in the times, I have a photo of a bomb being loaded under a Sabre's wing, with the armourers' chalked message...
"Pilot, pilot, don't be slow; take this bomb and GO MAN GO!!"
- Such was life.
We exercised against foreign Air Forces in the Philippines and Singapore, and "defended" Butterworth against RAF V-bombers coming in from Thailand. Late in 1961 the Wing positioned a detachment of Sabres at UBON, Thailand.
Many of us grew to love the Sabre - both pilots and ground crews - for the brilliant machine that it was. With its big Rolls Royce Avon turbojet engine, a pair of 30 mm Aden cannon, gunsight radar ranging, and self-contained IPN starter, the CAC Sabre was generally regarded as the world's best variant, at that time especially the final Mk32 model with the deadly Sidewinder heat-seeking missile, and additional range/duration afforded by the wing leading edge fuel cells. Also, the RR Avon engine had been upgraded to the Mk26 to, mainly, allow an extra engine surge margin whilst firing the guns.
Another improvement was to modify the pilot ejection mechanism to ensure safe operation - after problems with low altitude use. Interestingly, we had a superb safety record over our three years at Williamtown, with only one Sabre pilot fatality.... albeit there were a few close calls! Unfortunately, there were a few serious accidents at the Base after the squadron departed overseas.
Looking back on these events after all these years, one remembers them with much nostalgia and considerable pleasure at being part of an interesting and important event in the history of that noble institution.... the Royal Australian Air Force!
PS. I hope that my readers have found these meanderings to be of interest.Its main purpose is to stir some interest from my generation about joining 3 Squadron Assn. - and to give our esteemed WW2 members some idea of what the "next generation" of Squadron members have been up to. - N.H.
Neil Handsley and Ned Wark catch some rays on the wing of a Sabre while waiting for the jet-fuel tanker to arrive.
