An RAAF F-111 jet is loaded into a C17 cargo plane at Amberley Air Force base.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has bid a final farewell to its last remaining F-111, which is being taken from Amberley base, west of Brisbane, to Hawaii.
The much-loved fighter bomber had its wings clipped ahead of its last journey to the Pacific Air Museum at Pearl Harbour.
Wing Commander Clive Wells has managed the disposal of all the Air Force's F-111s.
"It's quite an historic day from an Air Force perspective particularly for the guys who've worked on the F-111 ... to see the last one just about to depart," he said.
The RAAF originally purchased 43 F-111s.
Eight crashed, 23 were buried, and the remainder have been put on display in defence establishments and museums around Australia.
They were known for their ability to get down low and fast for bombing runs, earning the nickname "the pig".
The final F-111 has been stripped down and is being carried as cargo inside a C-17 to Honolulu.
Wing Commander Paul Long is the commanding officer of the RAAF 36th Squadron who is flying the cargo plane.
He says it has been a massive logistical task to get the fighter jet ready to fly as a passenger.
"It's the first time it's ever been done by the Royal Australian Air Force and probably by anybody for that matter," he said.
"It's taken a lot of effort by people to weigh the aeroplane, measure it, determine the tie-down points and determine how to carry it.
"The actual fuselage we're loading today is about 38,000 pounds [17,200 kilograms]."
Watching the old warhorse prepare for her last mission was bittersweet for former Flight Lieutenant Bob Sivyer.
The 69-year old flew the aircraft to Australia from the United States in 1973.
"We travelled from Sacramento to Honolulu, then travelled to Pago Pago where we had a day's rest before doing the final leg," he said.
"Magic aeroplane - absolutely the best I've flown."
Retired Air Commodore Peter Growder was also onboard that first flight.
"We were very thrilled to be part of history," he said.
"When we flew over Brisbane, schools emptied so that the kids could have a look.
"People still talk to me about how they remember what they were doing on June 1, 1973 - and it was watching the F-111s fly over."
The F-111s are best known around south-east Queensland for their participation in the annual Riverfire display.
"They were a great party animal for their dump and burns and I guess that's what they're best remembered for," Wing Commander Wells said.
The famous jets were officially retired in 2010, and have been replaced by the more modern and capable Super Hornets.