The attack was successful, two bridges were destroyed and several huts were burned in the area. Only one aircraft failed to return, Flight Lieutenant Cullen’s Spitfire LF.VIII of 452 Squadron was missing. He was last seen recovering from a dive-bombing run having successfully released his payload.
On 16 May 1969 SAS Patrol 15, a four-man team of Australia’s 1ATF’s elite SAS Regiment in Vietnam, came into contact a large enemy force near the Courntenay Plantation on the northern border of Phouc Tuy Province to the west of the Song Rai river and was in danger of being overrun. The plan was simple, while the Albatross flight were picking up the SAS team with ropes the Bushrangers were to maintain constant suppression fire on the enemy positions.
The RAAF’s Centenary was commemorated on 31 March with a spectacular fly past by over 60 aircraft.
Two brothers, two Spitfires; Ft/Lt. John Yarra and his brother, P/O Robert Yarra from rural NSW and their No.453 Sqn. Spitfires.
This is the story of an aircraft the RAAF didn’t want to use and a model I didn’t want to finish.
Making-History 