IN A solemn tribute to an icon of the Hawkesbury skies, the last RAAF Boeing 707 aircraft took her final flight over the Hawkesbury on Monday afternoon, bringing an end to nearly 30 years of defence force service.
Fondly named ‘Richmond Town’ and distinguished by its dark blue tail scheme commemorating the aircraft’s service with the RAAF, the grey-girl painted a still-striking picture in the skies above Richmond, watched by approximately 300 defence force personnel and their families, which gathered in quiet admiration to farewell their final lady and celebrate three decades of service.
The occasion also marked the end of an era for Richmond’s 33 Squadron, the home of the B707, who finished up operations at the base.
Last Saturday night, up to 700 members of the RAAF’s Boeing 707 community from the past 29 years reunited back at Richmond for a celebratory function in the 33 Squadron hangar.
The Squadron’s 100 remaining crew will now join their colleagues who have already moved to RAAF base Amberley in Queenslannd in prepration for the arrival of the new generation KC-30B tanker.
On Monday morning ‘Richmond Town’ conducted a flyover of Sydney Harbour, accompanied by a Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter aircraft.
On board were family members of 33 Squadron personnel, along with the pilots who had brought the aircraft to Richmond for the first time in 1979.
One of those who enjoyed the ride for the final time was outgoing 33 Squadron commanding officer Wing Commander Jim Ghee, who handed the reins over to
the squadron’s new commander Wing Commander Guy Wilson at Monday afternoon’s ceremony.
“I’m feeling very sentimental at the moment and I think most of those on parade today are feeling the same way,” WGCDR Ghee told The Gazette.
“There were definately a few tears shed as the plane took off for the last time, but most of our celebrations have centred around the great people associated with the squadron and their achievements in making it what it is.” A total of six B707s flew with the RAAF, with a seventh being used for spare parts.
The names of the six aircraft – ‘RichmondTown', ‘Windsor Town’, ‘City of Sydney’, ‘Castlereagh’, ‘Clarendon’ and ‘Wilberforce’ – demonstrate the strong link with the Hawkesbury.
Tragically, Wilberforce crashed off the Gippsland Coast in October 1991, with the loss of all five crew members on board.