CAC Winjeel

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The CAC CA-25 Winjeel (aboriginal for young eagle) entered service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1955 as an ab-initio to advanced training aircraft.

Design and development

The Winjeel was developed by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation at Fishermans Bend in Victoria to satisy RAAF technical requirement No.AC.77. Sixty two aircraft were built and given the fleet serials A85-401 to A85-462.

Service

The first Winjeel entered service with No.1 Basic Flight Training School (BFTS) at Uranquinty, near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. For most of the service life of the Winjeel it was used as a basic-training aircraft at RAAF Base Point Cook in Victoria. The Winjeel remained in service with the RAAF as a basic-training aircraft until replaced by the New Zealand-built PAC CT/4A in 1977.

A small number of Winjeels were used in the Forward Air Control (FAC) role from 1977 until 1994. By then there were fourteen examples in service with No. 76 Squadron,Air International, December 1994, page 322. and that year they were replaced by the Pilatus PC-9. Air International, December 1994, page 322. Examples of the aircraft remain in flying condition in private ownership as well as museum displays around...
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