RAF Museum planes to Australia

Last year the RAF Museum UK reviewed their aircraft collection and subsequently a number of airframes were proposed for transfer, with priority for gifting to suitably accredited organizations.

Hunter Fighter Collection Inc., a registered non-profit charity in Australia, surveyed the list of aircraft and a decision was made to pursue several of the airframes advertised for gifting and submit applications to secure them.

Two aircraft from the list were assigned to the Australian organization based at Scone (NSW).

The first is a North American P51-D-25-NA Mustang that has been displayed as ’44-13573/B6-V Isabel III at RAF Museum Cosford from 2003 to present’. The current markings on the Mustang are those of the late Flight Lieutenant Jack Cleland, RNZAF - one of the few Commonwealth pilots who did an exchange posting with the Americans (between 5 July and September 1944, often escorting USAAF B-17s).

Although the RAF Museum states that the real identity of this Mustang is serial 44-73415 (former N6526D) the plane is in fact a composite of an unknown Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara (Indonesian Air Force) P-51 and parts of 44-73415.

The second aircraft is a De Havilland Vampire, RAF Serial WA346, which is a complete but dismantled jet fighter which has spent some time in storage.

The aircraft will be restored to static display condition in 2023 by HFC conservation volunteers and technical team to represent one of Australia’s very first Jet Fighters A78-3, an FB.5 imported from the UK to familiarize the RAAF and Australian industry with the type prior to the manufacture of Vampires in Australia by de Havilland Australia. The aircraft is also significant in that it was one of the only Vampires to serve with the RAAF without an ejection seat.

Both planes have recently been placed in containers for shipment to Australia, where they are expected early 2023.

Photos: Hunter Fighter Collection Inc.