ADF-SERIALS
Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History
Supermarine Swift

Supermarine Swift Image Gallery

At least six or eight Supermarine Swifts were brought to Australia by the UK Ministry of Supply for use as targets for the Operation Buffalo atomic weapons tests at Emu Claypan.

There is some debate as to whether any or all of them were ever taken onto RAAF Charge. At least one source claims that WK199 and WK215 were taken on RAAF charge, but no evidence has yet come to light to support that claim. The aircraft were among other UK and Australian items of military equipment and structures placed at various distances from the blast.

It seems initially two Swifts came to Australia and are recorded as being used for experimental work at Woomera.  These aircraft were Mk Is (WK199 and WK215) and were used initially for Aden cannon weapons trials in the United Kingdom.  WK199 was completed as a Type 551 and test flown in 1952. It was used in armament trials and went to the RAE at Farnborough.  In late 1955 it (and WK215) was prepared by Vickers- Armstrongs at Farnborough for Operation Buffalo.  WK215 was used for company trials and research flying at Chilbolton.  On 12 March 1957 these two aircraft were handed over to the RAAF, No 160 Wing Detachment, Edinburgh Field, SA.   Records indicate neither aircraft was given an RAAF serial for stores purposes.

After completion of testing the aircraft were shipped to Woomera, SA for use as static targets as part of the British contribution to the assessment of bomb blasts during trials at Woomera.  After the atomic bomb tests (known as Operation Buffalo) in South Australia it is known they survived relatively intact but were scrapped on site.  Four other Swifts, being Mk 2s, were noted as being allotted to Vickers-Armstrongs for use in connection with Operation Buffalo (WK216, WK217, WK221, WK229, WK231 and WK239).  These aircraft were noted at No 33 Maintenance Unit in the United Kingdom in mid-1955 and assigned to the program and it is believed they came to Australia.

The aircraft which did come to Australia were transferred to the RAAF in about 1957 for use as static targets during testing at Woomera during Operation Buffalo. They were amongst many items of equipment and structures placed at various distances from where the 1.5kT yield bomb was carried out on 4 October 1956 on the Maralinga range.

"MARCOO" was a ground surface detonation of a weapon with a 1.5kT yield. It was part of the 1956 "Buffalo" series of tests and was conducted on 4th October 1956 on the Maralinga range. The crater removed 6000 cubic yards of soil and was 50 metres in diameter, 12 metres deep with a rim of 1-3 metres.

It appears that the aircraft were initially buried along with other radioactive waste on site before the pits were cleaned up.

An official Australian Government Report on Clean up options for the Atomic Test Sites reviewed the previous clean up operations by the British Government. It notes that waste disposed by the UK during the 1967 "Operation Brumbie" disposed 8 Aircrafts Wings and 5 Aircraft (Swifts).

We would really appreciate more information on the Swifts in Australia.

Read our message board discussion about Swifts in Australia