ADF-SERIALS
Australian
& New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials &
History
Army & RAAF A18 Government Aircraft Factory N22, N22B & N24A Nomad
| ADF.Serial | Type | Const No. | Delivery | Previous ID |
Aircraft History |
| A18-002 A18-300 |
N22 | 02 | 07/73 | VH-SUR | Second Pre-production
prototype, Nomad 02, Displayed at the 1972 Farnborough Airshow. Was leased to the Australian Army. Crashed 03/10/73. Rebuilt as training aid Marked as A18-300. We are not sure that it ever wore A18-300 in service Currently gate guard at Oakey QLD.
|
| A18-303 | N22B | 03 | 07/10/75 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army July 1975 Involved with ARDU trial in PNG during 1980. 09/09/91 Crashed 20km East of Tenterfield. All 4 on board killed. Major Lynn Hummerston, Corporal Peter McCarthy of the Australian Army and two PNGDF pilots under instruction on the Nomad.  |
| A18-304 | N22B | 40 | 11/07/77 | n/a | Acquired
by Australian Army 11/07/77 Served with 173 Squadron 1995 Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-822. 29/09/2001 still wearing camouflage' 2012 stored without engines on the remote military tarmac at Surabaya International Airport
|
| A18-305 | N22B | 41 | 05/08/77 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 05/08/77 Served with 173 Squadron Retained by ADF as training aid. Was located at Wiringa Army Base near Albury Does not appear on current satellite imagery of the base Current location and status unknown
|
| A18-306 | N22B | 43 | 19/08/77 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 19/08/77 Served with 173 Squadron Retained by ADF as Training Aid. Was located at RSTT Wagga 21/06/2018 departed Wagga having been donated to Royal Flying Doctor Service museum at Broken Hill.
|
| A18-307 | N22B | 45 | 18/10/77 | n/a | First Flight 06/09/77.
Contractors Test Flights Carried Out. 7.5 hrs between 06/09/77 and 23/09/77. First RAAF Acceptance Test Flight 17/10/77. 2nd and 3rd Acceptance Test Flight's 18/10/77. Aircraft accepted by RAAF on 18/10/77. Flown from GAF to Oakey QLD 19/10/77, flight time 4.9 hours. Allocated to 173 General Support Sqn 29/03/78. Flown to maintenance facility for modification 22/01/79. To 173 Sqn 11/05/79. Placed into short term storage 15/12/83 to 23/01/84, total airframe hours were 2292.7. Oakey Airshow 1986 with 173 Sqn. To GAF Avalon for Autopilot fit 07/02/86. Damaged 24/09/86, Bundi PNG after a heavy landing - total airframe hours 3446.0. Cat 4 inspection and repair carried out by Hawker Pacific at Archerfield QLD, new starboard wing fitted. Army Acceptance flight carried out 22/09/87, total of 3449 flight hours. To 173 Sqn 25/09/87. Horizontal Stabilizer changed due to cracks found 10/02/88, total of 3607.3 flight hours. Aircraft grounded for repairs to starboard wing between 29/05/90 and 13/02/91, total of 4401.1 flight hours. All Nomads grounded 16/09/91, total of 4699.3 flight hours. Test flown and found serviceable 24/01/92. To Oakey Logistic Battalion for service 28/11/93 to 17/10/94. Last recorded flight of 0.4 hours carried out, it was a test flight. Total flight hours were 5452. Engines inhibited 14/08/95. To RAMS, RAEME Aircraft Maintenance School, for training aid 1996. To MAAF at Oakey QLD and placed on display 10/03/04. Current static display Museum of Army Aviation, Oakey QLD.
|
| A18-308 | N22B | 47 | 16/12/78 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 16/12/78 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-823.
|
| A18-309 | N22B | 48 | 31/01/78 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 31/01/78 Oakey Airshow 1986, with School of Army Aviation. 1995 Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-824. As of 02/04/01 it was located at Surabuya. Total Flight time 6352 hours and 7703 landings.
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| A18-310 | N22B | 49 | 19/05/78 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 19/05/78 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-825.
|
| A18-311 | N22B | 51 | 23/05/78 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 23/05/78 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-825.
|
| A18-312 | N22B | 63 | 24/01/79 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 24/01/79 Served with 173 Squadron Damaged 15/02/89 Sataway PNG. Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-827.
|
| A18-313 | N22B | 65 | 10/08/79 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 10/08/79 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-828. Noted stored without engines on the remote military tarmac at Surabaya International Airport 5/08/2017 mounted on a plinth in the city of Kendari wearing latest dark grey TNI-AL scheme
|
| A18-314 | N22B | 131 | 11/11/82 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 11/1182 Served with School of Army Aviation Richmond Airshow 1988. Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-829.
|
| A18-315 | N22B | 132 | 20/12/82 | n/a | Acquired by Australian
Army 20/12/82 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-830. Currently mounted on a plinth at Probolinggo Muicipal Government Museum wearing dark grey TNI-AL scheme
|
| A18-316 | N22B | 90 | 89 | VH-SFR | Built
as Searchmaster, Used by Coastwatch for coastal surveillance Used by Reprographic P/L of Townsville, Qld GAF demonstrator in the US in 1985. It was modified from a Searchmaster back to an N22B Nicknamed 'Matilida One'. Acquired by RAAF in 1989 Was in service with ARDU, withdrawn 11/91 after crash of A18-401 5832 Flight hours and 2585 landings. and Transferred to Oakey as Training Airframe. Loaned to Boeing Australia for Nomad modification trials. To Gippsland Aeronautics (later GippsAero then Mahindra Aerospace) Traralgon, Vic. Donated by Mahindra Aerospace to Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin arriving by truck on 17/03/2016 To be on static display as part of ANAM's GAF collection.
|
| A18-317 | N22B | 166 | 11/05/93 | n/a | One of eleven originally
built for a US Customs follow on order that
did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Avalon Airshow 1992. Acquired by Australian Army 11/05/93 Retained GAF promotional paint scheme in Army service Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-831. 
|
| A18-318 | N22B | 167 | 21/04/93 | n/a | One of eleven originally
built for a US Customs follow on order that
did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Noted in hangar at Avalon Airshow 1992. Acquired by Australian Army 21/04/93 Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-832. 30/12/2007 noted in service wearing later dark grey scheme
|
| A18-319 | N22B | 168 | 16/07/93 | n/a | One of eleven
originally built for a US Customs follow on
order that did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Acquired by Australian Army 16/07/93 Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-833. Crashed 30/12/2007 off Sabang Indonesia. The Indonesian Navy Nomad departed Sabang at 11:10 on a maritime surveillance mission. After fifteen minutes the pilot reported engine problems and said he was returning to Sabang. The Nomad did not make it to the airfield and the airplane came down 200 m offshore in bad weather and sank. Of the seven people on board, two were rescued, two died and three were reported missing.
|
| A18-320 | N22B | 169 | 21/04/93 | n/a | One of eleven originally
built for a US Customs follow on order that
did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Noted in hangar at Avalon Airshow 1992. Acquired by Australian Army 21/04/93 Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-834.
|
| A18-321 | N22B | 170 | 25/06/93 | n/a | One
of eleven originally built for a US Customs
follow on order that did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Acquired by Australian Army 25/06/93 Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-835.
|
| A18-401 | N24A | 128 | 89 | n/a | Acquired by RAAF 1989 Was in Service with ARDU. Crashed 12/03/90, Mallala SA. Caused by the in-flight structural failure of the horizontal stabiliser. This fatal crash caused the grounding of all Nomads in the RAAF fleet. Crew; FLTLT Glenn Donovan killed.
|
| A18-402 | N24A | 130 | 31/01/89 | VH-HVK | Registered VH-HVK for
testing by GAF/ASTA Acquired by RAAF 75 Squadron 31/01/89 Initially based at Oakey 02/89 for training then ferried to Tindal 03/89 In Service with 75 Sqn 10/1993. Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-836. 26/09/2001 noted in service wearing old light grey and white scheme 24/02/2012 noted in service wearing later dark grey scheme 31/03/2015 noted in service wearing later dark grey scheme 29/04/2019 noted on static display Juanda Naval Base Open Day wearing prominent shark's mouth 24/07/2018 noted parked with shark's mouth removed
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| A18-403 | N24A | 135 | 31/01/89 | VH-HVL | Registered VH-HVL for
testing by GAF/ASTA Acquired by RAAF 75 Squadron 31/01/89 Initially based at Oakey 02/89 for training then ferried to Tindal 03/89 Damaged 17/09/91, Tindal NT. Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-837. 7/09/2009 crashed East Kalimantan, Borneo. 5 of the 9 aboard perished
|
| A18-404 | N24A | 136 | 23/03/93 | n/a | Originally built as a
static test frame Acquired by Australian Army 23/03/93 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-838. Noted to be still in service in 2007
|
| A18-405 | N24A | 139 | 10/11/93 | n/a | One of eleven originally
built for a US Customs follow on order that
did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Acquired by Australian Army 10/11/93 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-839.
|
| A18-406 | N24A | 140 | 15/12/93 | n/a | One of eleven originally
built for a US Customs follow on order that
did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Acquired by Australian Army 15/12/93 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-840. Initially operated wearing camouflage 24/02/2012 noted in service wearing later dark grey scheme 29/04/2019 noted on static display Juanda Naval Base Open Day wearing prominent shark's mouth 17/06/2019 noted on static display Juanda Naval Base Children's Day wearing prominent shark's mouth
|
| A18-407 | N24A | 142 | 28/09/93 | n/a | One of eleven originally
built for a US Customs follow on order that
did not eventuate. Stored at Oaklands, NSW Acquired by Australian Army 28/09/93 Served with 173 Squadron Sold to Indonesian Navy Air Arm (TNI-AL) as P-841. Noted wearing early white and light grey scheme 05/2006 noted at Padang wearing later dark grey scheme
|
| A18-408 | N24A | 124 | 22/12/93 | VH-NOM | During 1994 this
aircraft was dismantled and flown to the UK in a
C-130. Loading the fuselage onto 3 mil standard
pallets with the gear retracted the wings on top
of the fuselage, the engines in the fuselage, the
props separated, the vertical fin and horizontal
stab up either size of the fuselage above the stub
fins and the lift struts in the fuselage. On
reassembly in the UK by personnel of 173
Surveillance Sqn, it was flown back to Australia
as a support aircraft accompanying G-EAOU a
Vickers Vimy replica. It's landing back at Oakey
after this flight was the last N22/N24 flight made
in support of the ADF (there were several others
after this but they were all ferry and test
flights involved in the disposal program). Crew: Major Mick Reynolds Australian Army Aviation (Pilot), Captain Gary Tierney Australian Army Aviation (Co-Pilot), Corporal Robert (Bob) Shaw Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. (All trades/Flight fitter). 4 other tradesmen accompanied the aircraft to the UK and did the reassembly. Test flown serviceable within 36 hours of being unloaded. Was on static display Museum of Army Aviation, Oakey QLD. Loaned to a group at Archerfield as a training aid 2016 Returned by road to Oakey
|
| n/a |
N24A | 80 |
n/a |
VH-BRP | Nomad VH-BRP was not an ADF
aircraft. It is included here to avoid any confusion due to it is now painted in a camouflage scheme at Benalla Aviation Museum 
|
| n/a |
N22B | 58 |
n/a |
VH-FZP | Nomad VH-FZP was not an ADF
aircraft. It is included here to avoid any confusion due to its fuselage having been painted in a camouflage scheme. Held at Evans Head Aviation Museum. (Previously at Australian Air Museum Bankstown) It is mounted to a trailer and used as an educational aid. It seems kiddies like military aircraft more than civilian ones! 
|
Nomads under construction
| GAF
Nomads serving with the INDONESIAN NAVY (TNI-AL) 
TNI-AL is the abbreviation for Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Laut |
| In 1975/76
Indonesia's first Nomad purchase was four brand
new N22Bs serials P-801 to 804. Over the next few years an additional 17 brand new N22Bs were delivered, their serials ranged from P-805 to P-821, In the early 1990s 14 ex-Australian Army N22Bs filled the serials P-822 to P-835 Two ex-RAAF N24As were acquired becoming P-836 and P-837 Another four ex-Australian Army N24s became P-838 to P-841 The reported sale price for these 20 second hand aircraft was A$2million The deal also included 16 shipping containers of spares Australia paid $1million per year for 10 years to Indonesia to operate them. There are plenty of photos to support the fact that the N24s were widely used for maritime surveillance, not so much the N22s Since then some ex-civilian Nomads have found their way into TNI-AL service P-842 is c/n N24A-030 formerly VH-DHF and ZK-NAD P-843 and P-844 are yet to have their previous identities established P-845 was formerly VH-SMJ. Converted to an N22C in 1989 and sold to the Indonesia Navy in 2004 |
