The Australian Hornet

Introduction shows RAAF F/A-18 Hornet A21-103 parked soundtrack excerpt of speech by Prime Minister Bob Hawke mentioning the F/A-18 capabilities. Aerials of F/A-18 aerobatics. F/A-18 firing air to air missles. RAAF Mirage A3-45 in mid flight. RAAF F/A-18 parked outside of McDonnell Douglas hangar. US Navy F/A-18 taxiing on tarmac. RAAF F/A-18 A21-1 parked operating flight contol surfaces to display fly by wire technology. RAAF F/A-18 A21-102 in flight. Commentary - the Hornet project provides a massive injection into the Australian aviation industry. Shows female workers assembling precision components using magnifying viewer and another with microscope. Commentary - the largest defence purchase to date by Australia. Shows defence chiefs at boardroom meeting. Commetary - new technology component manufacture, job creation and overseas market penetration. Shows various images to support narative - workers looking through microscopes- boardroom meetings etc. Aerials of Government Aircraft Factory (GAF) plant at Fisherman's Bend. Hornets being assembled. GAF at responsible for the manufacture of wings and fuselage components, canopy and windscreen components, radar assembly and final test assembly and delivery of the aircraft. Aerial of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) plant at Fisherman's Bend. CAC responsible for component manufacture and assembly of engine bay access doors, engine aft nozzle fairings, wing pylons and manufacture and assembly of the major components of the General Electric F404 jet engine. Shows assembly of the engine. Hawker de Havilland, Sydney tasked with manufacture of aircraft nose and main landing gear as well as rudder and wing hydraulic actuators - shows manufacture of these components. Philips Electronic Systems responsible for the assembly of the Hughes ANAPG65 Radar System and the radar data processor module. Commentary - the Hornet Australian Industry Participation Program involves many small firms - shows visuals to support narrative. The program was specificly created to provide jobs, new technology and provide market incentives to the Australian aircraft industry. The Australian Government provided more than $80 million to modernise industry as part of the F/A-18 purchase agreement. Provides overhaul capabilites for the Hornet fleet and export opportunities, supplying components to the world Hornet fleet. Shows visual to support narrative. Roll out ceremony at St Louis, McDonnell Douglas plant first two manufacture Australian F/A-18s. Also shows the wings and fuselage of the first F/A-18 assembled in Australia being loaded into USAF C-5A Galaxy for flight to Australia. C-5A landing at Avalon 5 June 1984. F/A-18 being rolled out. The second Hornet roll out ceremony. Shows Prime Minister Hawke's speech 16 Novemeber 1984. Shows Hornet in-flight intercut with Prime Minister's speech. RAAF band plays Waltzing Matilda. Hornet rolled out. PM climbs into cockpit of the the third Australian Hornet built and the first of seventy three to be delivered from the Australian assembly line. Commentary - one of the reasons for choosing the F/A-18 Hornet was its independence from sophisticated support equipment while away for home base. Shows aircraft inflight while narrator explains F/A-18 economy of maintenances. Shows engines begin lowered using the special doors that allow total engine replacement in less than an hour. British Aerospace Australia developed portable avionics testing equipment designed for use in forward areas - shows equipment in use. Parked F/A-18 Hornet with array of weapons around aircraft. Air Commodore Dick Bomball CO of RAAF Williamtown standing infront of a Mirage speaks to camera about Australia's strategic situation and the need of a multi-role aircraft that can be deployed over long distances and which can be maintained in the field with minimum downtime. Aerials of RAAF Williamtown and major upgrade to facilities for the F/A-18 Hornet. Aerial of Hornet performing maneuvers. The Hughes radar display. Missile launch. 20mm Gatling gun which can fire 100 rounds per second. The Hornet's instrument panel Head Up Display (HUD) and how it works. Independent Forward Looking Infrared Sensor. Laser Detector Tracker in operation. Aerial of Hornets flying at dusk above clouds. USN F/A-18 mid-air refuelling from Douglas Skywarrior tanker aircraft. The first Australian Hornets were flown non stop from California to Williamtown using USAF KC-10 tankers. Testing of airframes under all weather conditions - simulated wet, heat etc and high humidity. USN F/A-18 landing and taking off USN aircraft carrier. Air Commodore Hans Roser then Director General of the Tactical Fighter Project speaks to camera on why the Hornet was chosen.