A former RAN TA-4G Skyhawk is returning to Australia nearly 20 years after it was sold to New Zealand, and will take up its new home at the Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum.
The McDonnell Douglas built aircraft, serial No. N13-154911, served with the RAN’s No. 724 SQN from 1967 until 1984, when it was retired following the decommissioning of the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and sold to New Zealand. It served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as TA-4K NZ6255 until New Zealand stood down its air combat force in 2001.
The aircraft was was donated to the Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum by the New Zealand government and ferried from Christchurch to HMAS Albatross on Friday using a RAAF C-17A belonging to the 36SQN. It will now be reassembled prior to going on display at the museum near Nowra on the NSW south coast.
