Workhorse - RAAF C-130s - E10 - Air Movements and the BP System

This episode looks at a handful of Search and Rescue missions in the 1975-1986 era, including the Nocturne (which also featured Sir Angus Houston), Charleston, and Matina.

The episode also discusses the development of the helibox and the air-sea rescue kit (ASRK).

From  the mid 1970s, Australia's defence strategy shifted to 'Defence of Australia'. This resulted in more domestically-focused tasking and support to the near region for disaster relief and SARs. This episode covers some of the Humanitarian Assistance  / Disaster Relief operations of that era, including the Moree Floods, Operation Ricebowl, and several cyclones.

This episode details the history of Royal Australian Air Force operations in Antarctica with a focus on RAAF C-130 involvement, including airdrops at Macquarie Island.

In the early 1980s, 36SQN supported the Forest Commission Victoria by installing and operating a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS). This episode details the circumstances leading to this decision, the operations that ensued, and the reasoning behind the cessation of the aerial fire fighting role.

This Episode covers:

• The strategic circumstances that led to the RAAF's acquisition of the C-130H
• Technical upgrades that came with the C-130H
• Acquisition and the early training for the C-130H capability
• The C-130A disposal saga.

This episode covers a range of maintenance related tasks in the 1965-1975 era, including:

• Cargo Door bolt failures
• Boron Fibres
• Wing corrosion and cracking
• Bogging
• Rudder Kick-back

This is the last episode for 2023. Workhorse will return mid-Jan 2024 on a bi-

This episode features Stu Bryce who was captain of A97-160 when it had a catastrophic engine failure half-way between Hawaii and Pago Pago in 1973. 

Search and Rescue (SAR) doctrine is also covered, along with an explanation of why RAAF C-130s were given the SAR role in 1967.

Retired Warrant Officer and Flight Engineer Tony Ryan features in this episode which focuses on domestic Australian Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in the early 1970s. 

The large-scale floods of early 1971 and 1974 rivalled the floods of 2022. The ADF response was wide-ranging, including major commitments by RAAF C-130s and the introduction of hay bale dropping. 

Cyclones Althea (one of the biggest to ever hit Townsville) and Tracy (devastated Darwin) are also covered. In particular, the Cyclone Tracy response involved 19 C-130s and included very long crew days and a few interesting tales.

This episode covers Airborne Operations training and development in the 1965-75 era. Of note, the Australian Army's return to mass airdrop was initiated by 6RAR and supported by 36SQN in this era. 

Also covered is the role of Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief, along with a look at some of the HADR Operations of that era in places like Indonesia and PNG.

This Episode features guest Ian Frame. He covers RAAF C-130 operations in South East Asia from 1971 - 1975 (mostly Apr 1975). The operations discussed include:

• Weapons delivery to Cambodia in 1971
• Non-combatant Evacuation Operations at Phan Rang
• Operation Babylift
• HADR flights to An Thoi
• Evacuation of the Australian Embassy in Saigon
• HADR flights to Laos