Takeoff aborted at Bien Hoa - insecure strip (F/O J. McQueen and F/O J.E. Lindner)

Ran off the runway at Hai Yen, Vietnam while delivering a load of medical supplies and construction equipment.

The incident is described in “The RAAF in Vietnam” by Chris Coulthard-Clark
(Australian War Memorial 1995) pp 54-55.

"Hai Yen was a fortified settlement on the Camau peninsula which had recently been attacked by the Viet Cong. The airstrip was very short and the Caribou clipped its nosewheel on the runway’s edge on touchdown. As one of the pilots later recalled: ‘we rediscovered the principle that an undercarriage designed to retract forward causes considerable alteration to the airframe when it is forced to retract rearwards’. Although none of the crew was injured, a wing was torn off the aircraft and the undercarriage and one engine was damaged. A detachment of RTFV ground staff were flown to the crash site to undertake a major repair job which included fitting a new propellor. When completed, the machine was flown back to Vung Tau at reduced speed with Squadron Leader Harvey at the controls. The recovery of A4-173 was a tribute to the skill and dedication of the flight’s ground staff. The team deployed to carry out the necessary repairs was required to undertake the effort in the open without workshop facilities. The place was under enemy attack each night during their four-day stay, forcing them to withdraw inside the settlement and to leave the aircraft to its chances. Not assisting the recovery effort, either, was further damage caused when an American supply plane delivering ammunition by parachute dropped one case through the Caribou’s wing. This necessitated a new wing being obtained from American sources and flown by helicopter to Hai Yen, where it was fitted. As a consequence, when A4-173 eventually took off it sported a mixture of US Army and RAAF markings. Without the courage, fortitude and technical competence of the ground personnel – and, as Harvey noted, ‘the generous support and co-operation given by the United States Army’ – the aircraft would simply have been written off."

Stewart Wilson’s book, “Dakota, Hercules and Caribou in Australian Service” (Aerospace Publications 1990) p 196 adds:

"A quarter of a century later, A4-173 still flies on that American wing, identifiable by the lack of three blue formation lights on its upper surface."

Ron Furze was part of the Hai Yen recovery team as an Electrical Fitter. He recalls the operation as follows:

" The recovery team was flown on a U.S. Army Sikorsky H-37 from Vung Tau to an intermediate stop (probably Can Tho) to refuel, and the 13-man team were then transported by U.S. Army Iroquois from Can Tho to Hai Yen. The replacement engine, propellor and right wing were transported to Hai Yen as internal loads on an H-37. The Caribou was flown out of Hai Yen under it's own power about four days after the recovery team arived at the site. To enable this, we jacked the aircraft after removing the right wing. A new right undercarriage was fitted and the aircraft towed out of the drain to the hardstand using manpower and a 3/4 ton army truck. The right engine was removed and replaced, and the second-hand U.S. Army wing (still with U.S. markings) fitted. An earlier assessment had declared the aircraft a write-off so instead of disconnecting panel switches and instruments, the looms were cut! As a result, John Rae and I had to put in quite an effort to re-wire all the cockpit instruments after it was decided to recover the aircraft".

Extensively damaged in a landing accident at Ba To while delivering building supplies to a special forces camp. This accident was very similar to the Hai Yen accident which damaged the right side of the aircraft. The Ba To accident damaged the left side!

The incident is described in “The RAAF in Vietnam” by Chris Coulthard-Clark
(Australian War Memorial 1995) pp 117-119.

"A party of ground staff was immediately flown in under Wing Commander Melchert, the commanding officer, to make an attempt at recovery - an undertaking of considerable urgency since the camp was under direct threat of Viet Cong attack, including from mortar fire. To make A4-173 flyable it was necessary for the team to repair or change the wing, flaps and aileron, engine, propeller and undercarriage, as well as the nose. The essential spares for this work were not available through normal logistic channels, but Sergeant E.G. Allen (an equipment assistant back at Vung Tau) managed to ensure that the replacement parts were obtained; the resourcefulness and initiative shown by this airman were to earn him a mention in despatches.

Ten days later the aircraft was able to be flown back to base by the commanding officer, albeit with its undercarriage chained into position. The perils of this flight were to win Melchert the Distinguished Flying Cross, although - as events proved - the greater perils lay in the aircraft remaining longer at Ba To. Several clashes had taken place while the RAAF technicians were at the camp (eight enemy being killed during one night), but an attack on the airfield later in the day of A4-173's departure would have seen its certain destruction. Return to Vung Tau marked the beginning of six months of hard work by the unit's engineering staff to get the Caribou fully serviceable again. One of Melchert's last official duties before handing over command to Squadron Leader A.J. Fookes in March 1967 was to test fly A4-173 after its restoration."

Read the RAAF press release on the Ba To accident.

Australian War Memorial image # VN/66/0054/06 shows A4-173 at Vung Tau wearing a replacement left wing bearing the markings "U.S. Army".

The four Caribou of No 35 Sqn (A4-234, 173, 179 and 208) departed Vung Tau for Richmond at 0700 local. The crew of A4-173 were:

The ferry flight was uneventful, proceeding basically in accordance with the planned itinerary. The largest deviation from itinerary occurred on the last day when a small hitch in fueling delayed departure from Longreach. Together with stronger headwinds than anticipated this caused the arrival at Richmond on 26FEB72 to be 30 minutes late. This was the first time that A4-173 had touched Australian soil!