The RAAF Orion - a maritime patrol, surveillance and long range air sea rescue aircraft - has just celebrated 50 years in RAAF service and this service to the nation was highlighted with parades and a three aircraft overfly of Adelaide where they were based.
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The AP 3C Orion type was retired from RAAF service in late 2018 and has been replaced by a Boeing 737 based airframe known as the P8 Poseidon.
The Commonwealth has recognised the service performed by the Orion to Australia by offering Orion aircraft to museums so that Australians can enjoy an aircraft that has served us so well in war and peace.
The Orions have gone to museums in Port Adelaide, Darwin, Caloundra, Evans Head and HARS at Parkes, while a flying example has gone to HARS at Illawarra Regional Airport.
It will fly in support of national events and commemoration services around Australia and the Parkes aircraft will provide a source of useable parts to keep that aircraft flying into the future.
The aircraft was delivered to Parkes by the RAAF in February 2018 and was handed over to the people of Parkes at a ceremony attended by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mayor and Councillors and RAAF History and Heritage representatives in July 2018.
The aircraft is now available for the public to come on board and experience a front line military aircraft of the type that has only recently gone out of service.
The aircraft is complete and will give visitors of all ages a glimpse of what a top secret spy plane looks like.
The Parkes aircraft came to Australia in 1979 and has seen service all over the world.
The aircraft in 1984 participated in the southern ocean search for the missing French sailor Isabelle Autissier and in 2014 searched for MH370.
It has also tracked Russian subs near Singapore and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
When the Orions came to Australia 50 years ago the maritime patrol aircraft serving Australia was the P2 Neptune and the HARS Parkes Aviation Museum has a Neptune on display, although not yet available for visits on board our visitors can see the transition of maritime aircraft over that period of time.
In addition to these maritime aircraft the museum has others on display including the Harvard trainer, Huey Cobra helicopter gunship, Jindivik an Australian designed and built target towing drone, a Heron aircraft of the type operated into Parkes between 1954 and 56 by Butler Air Transport, a Vietnam era Caribou transport and a Convair passenger and cargo aircraft as well as many aircraft engines and components.
The Museum exhibits are restored and maintained by volunteers and students from Parkes High School who are learning skills from our volunteers that will help them to access work and maybe transition to a career in aviation.
We are looking for volunteers to join us and help preserve Australian aviation history so should you wish to become involved either on restorations or as a museum guide just talk to any one of the volunteers at the museum when next you visit.
The Museum also recognises the wartime history and the eventual housing of displaced persons who lived at Parkes Airfield from 1946.
The Museum is open on Thursdays and Sundays from 9.30am to 3.30pm or by arrangement. Admission is $10 family, $5 adults and $2 child.