A PC-9/A aircraft (foreground) currently used by the Royal Australian Air Force Aircraft Research and Development Unit flies in formation with former Unit aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet, and Douglas Dakota which is now owned and maintained by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society based at Albion Park, New South Wales. *** Local Caption *** To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, three aircraft with a historical link to the Unit and still showcasing the Unit tail-flash took to the skies over Nowra and the Shoalhaven coastline.
The formation contained the Royal Australian Air Force PC-9/A aircraft currently used by the Unit along with a Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18/A Hornet and also the Douglas Dakota which is owned and maintained by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society based at Albion Park.
The Unit plans, conducts and analyses the results of ground and flight tests of existing and new Air Force aircraft and consists of four flights located at RAAF Bases Edinburgh, Amberley, Richmond and Williamtown, staffed by qualified test pilots, flight test engineers and flight test system specialists.
The RAAF’s Aircraft Research & Development Unit is commemorating the 75th anniversary of its establishment in 2018 with a series of social and formal events in Adelaide in November and December.
The unit was formed as No 1 Aircraft Performance Unit at RAAF Laverton near Melbourne on 1 December 1943 with a mission to conduct flight trials of allied and captured aircraft from local production and overseas. Also undertaken were flight trials of aircraft modifications and ancillary equipment, the evolution of tactical methods of employing aircraft and equipment, and co-operation with government departments, manufacturers and scientific research institutions.
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In September 1947 the units was renamed ARDU, and it relocated to RAAF Edinburgh in 1977. In 2005, ARDU was reorganised into Development and Test Wing (DTWG), with ARDU retaining responsibility for Army and Air Force developmental flight test as a subordinate squadron.
In January 2016, ARDU was reorganised into the Air Warfare Centre (AWC) under Plan Jericho, while the Army elements were disbanded leaving only RAAF members.
To commemorate the anniversary, on October 23 the RAAF conducted a formation flight over the NSW south coast with a former ARDU (and the RAAF’s first) McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet, A21-101, a former ARDU Douglas C-47 Dakota now belonging to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), and an ARDU Pilatus PC-9/A with commemorative tail markings.
For more information on ARDU 75th anniversary events, visit http://www.ardu75th.com.
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