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Fighter World

Coordinates: 32°48′11.55″S 151°51′1.4″E / 32.8032083°S 151.850389°E / -32.8032083; 151.850389
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Fighter World
Fighter World entrance
Fighter World is located in New South Wales
Fighter World
Fighter World
Location within New South Wales
Established1989
LocationMedowie Road, Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates532°48′11.55″S 151°51′1.4″E / 32.8032083°S 151.850389°E / -32.8032083; 151.850389
TypeMilitary aviation museum
AccreditationRAAF Aviation and Heritage[1]
CollectionsMilitary aircraft
Collection size15
CuratorSebastian Spencer
Public transit accessHunter Valley Buses route 145
Nearest car parkOn site (no charge)
Websitewww.fighterworld.com.au

Fighter World is an Australian not-for-profit aviation heritage centre at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Newcastle, New South Wales. It is part of RAAF Aviation and Heritage and is operated with the purpose of preserving the history of fighter operations of the RAAF. The museum's collection are predominantly fighter aircraft once operated by the RAAF. Included in the collection are historically significant aircraft including de Havilland Vampire A79-1 and Dassault Mirage IIIO A3-3, both of which were the first aircraft of their type built in Australia.[2][3]

Staff include paid employees, RAAF reservists and a team of approximately 50 volunteers, most of whom have previous RAAF experience.

Location and facilities

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Fighter World is located on Commonwealth land inside the outer fence of RAAF Base Williamtown, less than 300 m (980 ft) from the runway.[4] It initially consisted of a main administration building and large display hangar with observation deck. On 7 September 2000 a second display hangar was opened. A third hangar was constructed for use as a workshop and opened in mid-2021. The museum includes aircraft on display outside the hangars, as well as the RAAF base's old airfield surveillance radar (SURAD) head.[4] A cafe is located on-site.[5]

Volunteers

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Maintenance of exhibits and museum grounds is carried out by a team of volunteers, many of whom have retired from various sections of the RAAF and include maintenance personnel as well as former pilots.[6] Volunteers also build new displays as necessary, such as the detailed Sopwith Camel replica that is on display in the main hangar, and act as museum docents.[7]

Aviation collection

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Australian

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Aircraft inside Fighter World in 2013
A GAF Jindivik on display

Replica

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Model collection

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Fighter World has an extensive model collection in addition to its larger items. This includes larger models of a Hawker Hurricane and a CAC Boomerang, as well as earlier era aircraft.[24] An extensive collection of over 100 entirely hand-made and painted models occupies a large area and another display contain models built by one of the museum volunteers.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "RAAF Base Williamtown - NSW". Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "deHavilland Vampire A79-1". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Mirage IIIO/D Display". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Double celebration: Williamtown RAAF Base and Fighter World mark anniversaries". Port Stephens Examiner. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Back in Business: Williamtown cafe couple Kylie and Rod Gurr primed for visitor influx to Port Stephens from November". Port Stephens Examiner. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Volunteers". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Camel earns its wings". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Gloster Meteor". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  9. ^ "CAC CA27 Avon Sabre". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  10. ^ "The Raymond Terrace Sabre". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  11. ^ Norris, Sam (5 April 2016). "Williamtown Fighter World unveils restored Sabre Fighter Jet". Port Stephens Examiner. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  12. ^ "CAC Winjeel". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Bristol Bloodhound Mk1". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Macchi". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Dassault Mirage IIID". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  16. ^ "F-111C". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  17. ^ "F/A-18A Hornet". Fighter World. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  18. ^ "GAF Jindivik". Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  19. ^ "Stearman". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  20. ^ "Bristol Beaufighter Cockpit Display". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  21. ^ "Fokker DR-1 Triplane". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  22. ^ a b "Supermarine Spitfire Replicas". Fighterworld.com.au. Fighter World. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  23. ^ a b "Spitfire & Messerschmitt Bf 109 Replicas". warbirdsonline.com.au. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  24. ^ Best Sydney Parks (19 October 2018). fighterworld - Williamtown - Real war planes, hundreds of models, full size replica of the spitfire (YouTube video). Fighter World: YouTube. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Fighter World". portstephens.org.au. August 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
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Media related to Fighter World Williamtown at Wikimedia Commons