Seems the possibilities for their ending up in Australia are almost endless - RAAF, RAN, RN, ex-RAF, private import - given the absence of any evidence other than (1) supplied to British under a Brit contract and (2) now in Australia. The 'bit in the middle' between (1) and (2) is indeed intriguing!
Unlike the Army (who used almost anyone's registration numbers!) the RAAF appear to have been pretty diligent in recording a registration against an acquired equipment item, even as late as at the time of it's disposal, in order to account for it's existence. I suppose that's easier given the small fleet totals at any one time. Odd things pop up, plenty seemingly out of sequence and with the acquisition field simply listed as 'not known', but with a known disposals date.
The ones that crack me up are the 'not sighted': ie we know we had it, but now we just don't seem to be able to find it....
Mike C
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