A grand old girl retires.

[Pete McCluskey.]

The caribou aircraft that has been in service in the Australian Defence Force since 1964 will be retired this year. Those of you who served in Vietnam will have fond memories of this terrific work horse.

Caribou aircraft: Australian War Memorial

 

[Jack]

Almost forgotten, we made a game of covertly stenciling our unit motto next to the
'roo on the tails from 1965 to '68 at the old Cantho airfield.

 

[JimmyMac]

Pete,
Time flies.
Robert Macnamara also died today.

 

[Al Jones]

Not so fond memories of C-7 threading through the mountain pass from Pleiku with only one engine,the other feathered, but it made it to Cam Ranh Bay. I was leaving for home,end of tour, and was a bit nervous before realizing we were OK and the aircraft was fine on one. The pilot was totally calm and cool - not worried at all. First time I saw one I remember thinking it had enough vertical fin/rudder area for two planes!

 

[David Morton]

A brilliant aeroplane ......
Ah...De Havilland !

 

[Al Jones]

David,speaking of DeHavilland,were you ever able to pilot/get a ride in a DHC-1? A.J.

 

[David Morton]

Al,
Yes - many times. My all time favourite in the De havilland stable was the DHC-6 Twin Otter, which has apparently just gone back into production. I got approximately 4500 hours flying them. Another favourite was the Transporter (DHC-5, also known as the Buffalo) which was a bigger version of the DHC-4 Caribou and never really got going as a civilian aeroplane after Supersperm (Bill Loverseed) totalled one at the SBAC Show at Farnborough. YouTube - deHavilland DHC-5 Buffalo Crash
I thought they were quite amazing and the load carrying capability out of tiny stips was staggering. I think it had some success in the military but his accident brought home some design flaws - such as the main spar collapsed before the undercarriage - probably partly why the UK certification was refused. In spight of that accident Bill was a a brilliant STOL pilot. A pilots pilot.
http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/deHavilland_DHC5D_story%5B1%5D.pdf

 

[David Sturch]

David,
Viking Air out of Victoria British Columbia is producing Twin Otter DH6-400.(Certification 2007) I think they are going to do the Otter also do to so much interest. They aleady have certification on the Beaver and Turbine Beaver. The Caribou and spares in the CF when retired were all sent to Oz to maintain there fleet.
Dave