BLUE TRIANGLE ASSOCIATION

RAAF in South East Asia 1968/69 - Filmed by Winston Lupson

This is a brief history. A number of films were taken from about early 1968 and they were then put together and edited in its present format in 1969. Due to the age of the film, I recently had it burnt on to a DVD disk. The DVD covers a broad spectrum of members stationed at Butterworth at the time, so you should be able to identify the 75 Sqn. members. The DVD runs for approximately 36 minutes and is divided into three separate sections.

1.      RAAF Base Butterworth (13m 25sec)

Butterworth flight line - 77 Sqn. Sabres

Cliff. Morgan - Apprentice 10th Intake (armourer). Sadly Cliff passed away at RAAF Base Williamtown in 1969.

My flight with 'speedie' Colman in A3 -108 on the 29 Feb. 1968

The departure of 77 Sqn. Sabres to Australia on approximately the 14 Feb. 1968 with 75 Sqn. Mirages on the tarmac.

Arrival of 3 Sqn. Mirages on the 17 Feb. 1968 (The first two were A3 - 81 and A3 - 83). Note they were escorted into Butterworth by 75 Sqn. (A3 - 37 and one other who I cannot identify) As we all know on the 18 March 1969 Mirage A3 - 37 was lost on a night exercise operating out of the RAF Base Tengah. The 75 Sqn. Rugby football team playing at the base.

2.      RAF Base Tengah, Singapore (12m 48sec)

The usual means of transport to Tengah - the ever reliable Dakota

Visiting the Kranji War Memorial with 'Blue Clavan' and one other who I am unable to identify - time has

beaten me.

The remaining film was shot from the veranda of our accommodation. Note how close we were to the

taxiway and main runway. You may also identify A3 - 37 and one other Mirage taxying out for a night

sortie.

Returning home from Singapore (RAF Base Changi) aboard an RAF Britannia.

3.     The RAAF Boat Club (10m 32sec)

This place was the 'hub' of single men at Butterworth. I acted as treasurer of the Boat Club for a time and can recall that the income from the Club exceeded the combined income of both the Officers and Sergeants messes. On one occasion, we actually left the Boat Club for a day at the beach somewhere north of Butterworth - we even had the Boat Club cook with us. Finally, the airmen's accommodation at Butterworth - Pink looked ok. Our room was on the end.

4.     Towards 2000 (2min.)

At the end of the DVD I have attached an excerpt from the ABC show "Towards 2000" filmed in 1983 which shows Aeronautical Research Laboratories involvement in the Mirage Wing main spar specimen testing and the various methods of repair. I make mention of this work in my working career notes. The tape has overrun into the crack patching technique - please ignore.