Australian International Airshow 2023 (photo heavy)

On Sunday 5th March I was most fortunate to be able to attend the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport, near the city of Geelong in Victoria, Australia. I say "fortunate" because I very nearly missed out on this one. For the first time ever, general admission ticket numbers were capped and I had left my run very late to snare myself one. Luckily for me, I'm married to a most resourceful woman and she managed to find someone who didn't need theirs any more and was willing to sell it to us with no mark up. I had a blast and I hope you all enjoy the show..

So, what watch does one wear to the biggest aerospace expo in the Southern Hemisphere? A Speedmaster of course!


F-15C Eagle from the USAF 67th Fighter Squadron based in Okinawa. The squadron's nickname is the "Fighting Cocks" and the pilots had a deployment patch on their flight suits which said "Cocks Down Under"!


F-18F Super Hornet. No.1 Sqn, RAAF


F-35A Lightning II. No.3 Sqn, RAAF.

USAF F-22 Raptor. This particular example is based out of Alaska.

Luftwaffe Airbus A400M


JASDF Kawasaki C-2


Boeing E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft. No. 2 Sqn, RAAF.


Pilatus PC-21, Central Flying School, RAAF. This aircraft is also used by the RAAF's formation aerobatic team "The Roulettes". Hence the "R" on the tailfin.


@Mad Dog This one's for you...
MH-60R Seahawk from the Royal Australian Navy. Note the Hellfire missiles on the port side pylon. I didn't know till today that this was an option on the Seahawk. Very cool and very deadly.


US Army UH-60 Blackhawk


US Army AH-64 Apache


Australian Army Eurocopter Tiger


F-15SG of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)


F-16C from the RSAF


I didn't take many ground to air pics as I was too busy watching. However, my wife managed to take a few. Apologies for the quality as this was on a mobile phone camera.

One of the big hits at this air show was the Republic of Korea Air Force formation aerobatic team, the "Black Eagles". They fly the indigenously produced KAI T-50 jet trainer.


And that's all folks!


Edit: Spelling error corrected.

Agree about going on trade days. Back when I was still flying, I went on a trade day and it was so much easier to get there. It's estimated that about 248,000 people attended this year's show. Up by about 46,000 from the previous show in 2019.

Lol, Luftwaffe

Thanks for the airshow pics, @DoctorEvil …and thanks for the MH-60R Seahawk pic. Yeppers, the MH-60R is a very capable bird. I flew the SH-60B Seahawk in the 1980’s and early 1990’s back when the USN just had B’s and F’s…and we only carried MK46 torpedoes on the B at the time. Pic below of one of my NOMEX flight jackets with my squadron’s B patch [see red arrow]. Note…the large rectangular green Velcro that my squadron’s B patch is attached to is covering a large hole that I created via a major skateboarding wipeout a few years ago…but that’s a different story…

Haha. Nice work patching up the hole in your flight jacket. 👍

I can just imagine some bad guys sitting in a tank thinking that Navy helos only carry torpedoes, then "kaboom"!

Translation for the well Travelled: Luftwaffe = Air Force . Need the Translation for the Korean jets inscriptions as well ?

I speak German.

I just find the whole idea of a German Air Force hilarious.

Great photos, looks like an interesting Air Show !
As a liaison- & battle/exercise damage Officer, I've been a passenger on half-a-dozen Black Hawk heli rides 👍

Cool pictures, but even a cooler Speedy. Thanks for sharing.