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ADF Serials Newsletter
For those interested in Australian Military Aircraft History and Serials

November 2002
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in this issue
-- The ADF Serials Team
-- ADF Serials Email Groups
-- Building Contacts and The updates database
-- Wirraway Crash site
-- Link Trainer Help
-- Beaufort Bits by Jan Herivel

Welcome to the first issue of the ADF Serials email newsletter. There was some delay in this first issue and I must apologise for that, but the issues should continue to flow regularly now.

Jan Herivel has agreed to take on the role as the Newsletter Editor and she will start on the job as soon as time allows. This newsletter wont be a one way thing, we welcome feedback and questions and may be placed in future issues.
If at any stage you wish to stop receiving this newsletter visit our website and unsubscribe.

Darren Crick.

The ADF Serials Team
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 Each of these fine people volunteer their time in improving the information contained on this site. Like everything we need more help, so if you have some time to edit a page or do some research for us please email darren@adf-serials.com

  • Bob Coppinger Administrator - PC-9 (A23) page, Blackhawk (A25) page, Hawk (A27) page and Seahawk (N24) page.
  • Daniel Leahy Administrator - Australian Built Aircraft page.
  • Darren Crick Adiminstrator - All other pages, Military Serials Email Group, Webmaster and Email Co- ordinator.
  • Dean Norman Administrator - RAAF Aircraft Images, Introduction to website page and Aircrew Deaths in RAAF aircraft.
  • Gary Norwood Administrator - Vengeance (A27) page.
  • Gordon Birkett Researcher - Researcher WWII Aircraft.
  • Gordon Clarke Administrator - Kittyhawk (A29) page, Boomerang (A46) page, Brewster Buffalo (A51) page, Alternate Serials Proposals page and Emergency Webmaster.
  • Greg Hyde Administrator - Various other pages and short stories.
  • Greg Chambers Administrator - ADF Aircraft Callsigns Page.
  • Jan Herivel Administrator - Beaufort (A9) page, Team Resources Pages and Newsletter Editor.
  • Kevin Smith Administrator - Douglas DC-3 (A30) page and Douglas C-47 (A65) page.
  • Owen Zupp Administrator - Meteor (A77) page.
  • Robert Brosing Administrator - WW2 Squadron Codes and details page.

    Link to Our Team Page

    ADF Serials Email Groups
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     The ADF Serials Team have for some time been operating some email groups for research. The main group of course is the Military Serials Email Group which is operated using Yahoo Groups. However we have some internal groups covering topics such as;
    Current ADF Airforce, Army and Navy Aircraft, Older ADF Aircraft made in the UK and US and former NZ or NEI aircraft.

    If you are interested in taking part in any of these groups please email darren@adf-serials.com

    Building Contacts and The updates database
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     Our number one method of new online contacts is via the updates database which has been in operation since September 2001. Currently there are over 850 updates that have been submitted online. The database allows us to track and follow up any information registered online. A submitted update is assigned to the page administrator and once it has been added to the page is cleared and held in the database for future reference.

    Submit information to our updates database...

    Wirraway Crash site
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     We need help identifying this wirraway crash, if you can help please email darren@adf-serials.com

    Click to see the images

    Link Trainer Help
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     We are trying to identify the following link trainer;

    SERIAL NO AT51/2034 (one of 10 Type D4) CONTRACT 33853/13854

    Also from Ron Cuskelly... Queensland Air Museum has D4 282 on display at Caloundra. It was acquired in 1991 ex New Guinea where it had the identity ANG 5342 which, I presume, relates to Air Niugini. This is all we know of it so anything else you can add will be most welcome.

    If you can help with either of these please email darren@adf-serials.com

    ADF Serials Link Trainer Page

    Beaufort Bits by Jan Herivel
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     It's been a busy few months adding details to the database but all A9's now have some information about their fate. I spent quite a few hours checking out accident reports at the National Archives in Canberra and only got about a third of the way through - so another visit planned later in the year. The RAAF Beauforts Association are still going strong. A reunion was held in May 2002 at Broken Hill. Association members will also attend the unveiling of the restored A9-557 at the War Memorial in December this year and the next reunion to be held in Adelaide in April 2003. Association members have been assisting me with accident details and also the Beaufort Course Nominal Rolls. To date I have almost complete rolls for the following courses 100A, 100B (these two courses were originally 1 and 2 at Base Torpedo Unit but were renumbered to bring into line with OTU Beaufort courses), 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 14.

    The Daily Telegraph (19 Aug 2002)contained a note from an ex-apprentice at the Pratt and Whitney engine factory who has found a film showing the Beauforts in action in the tropics. He was asking for assistance in finding out where the film was taken and also crew members. I contacted the researcher to offer my assistance and to put him in touch with the Beaufort Association.

    July 2003 marks the 60th anniversary of the death of the crew of A9-225 (my great uncle's) after being shot down by a US PB4Y. I have been in contact over the past year with an American researcher who has been able to fill in many details from the American point of view. I am hoping to publish an article on this crew in time for their 60th anniversary.

    ADF Serials Beaufort Page by Jan Herivel


    Hits to this Page since 22/05/03.

    Hits to ADF Serials Website