At number 5 in the RAAF's iconic aircraft countdown is a long-serving workhorse ideal for getting in and out of tight spaces: the de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou.
In the early 1960's the RAAF was searching for a replacement for the venerable Dakota aircraft and the Caribou fitted the bill. Arriving in 1964, the Caribou was immediately sent into service in the Vietnam War carrying troops and supplies to rugged, inaccessible airfields near the frontlines. A short take-off and landing aircraft, it continued to operate for the next 45 years across the Indian-Pacific region, often delivering humanitarian aid and disaster relief to areas other aircraft could not access.
The Caribou had no auto pilot and was physically demanding to fly. It quickly gained a reputation as a tough reliable workhorse, much admired by Australian and allied airmen.
Click on the photo at the top of this article to be taken to the RAAF website and a very informative video about the Caribou.
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