Interview with Pilot Officer Ronald (Ron) Slater

 

Interview with former Pilot Officer Ronald (Ron) Slater who talks about events of 12th November 1963 when he was piloting a Royal Australian Air Force Sabre fight jet (RAAF serial number: A94 – 929) in a formation of eight aircraft from RAAF Williamtown’s No.2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU), his aircraft entered a spin. Ron lost control of the aircraft and ejected landing safely in the suburb of Mayfield, NSW.

IMG_0181
Pilot Officer Ronald (Ron) Slater (1960s) Royal Australian Air Force

Interview conducted by Dr Ann Hardy (GLAMx Lab), video was directed and produced by Josephine Kirkby (UON Bach. of Communication student) and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) practicum at the GLAMx Living Histories Digitisation Lab Semester 2, 2019.

Original footage courtesy of NBN Television Archive at the University of Newcastle (Australia). File no. AF09_reel2

Thanks to Lesley Gent for knowing the whereabouts of Ron for us to interview.

The interview was recorded at the Albion Hotel, Wickham and we are grateful and thankĀ  Brian McDermott for allowing us to use his premises.

IMG_0187
Aerial Photograph of Sabre crash at Sunnyside Street, Mayfield (1963). Courtesy Ron Slater.
Aerial Photograph of Sabre crash at Sunnyside Street, Mayfield (1963). Courtesy Ron Slater.
IMG_0186
Scene of Sabre crash at Sunnyside Street, Mayfield (1963). Courtesy Ron Slater.
IMG_0195
Scene of Sabre crash at Sunnyside Street, Mayfield (1963). Courtesy Ron Slater.
IMG_0193
Scene of Sabre crash at Sunnyside Street, Mayfield (1963). Courtesy Ron Slater.
IMG_0209
Scene of Sabre crash at Sunnyside Street, Mayfield (1963). Courtesy Ron Slater.

The post is part of the Air Force 100 Project.

 

Compiled by Dr Ann Hardy

Co-ordinator GLAMx Lab

17 July 2020


One thought on “Interview with Pilot Officer Ronald (Ron) Slater

Leave a Reply