RMAF No.6 and No.9 Squadrons

Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu.

Patch

Patch from Don Simms

Sources

David Weber

Handle

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Heritage

02 JUN 1958: Royal Malayan Air Force was formed.

16 SEP 1963: The name of the Air Force was changed to "Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia" (TUDM), or Royal Malaysian Air Force".

Home Ports

Royal Malaysian Air Force Base at Kuantan.

Air Wings

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Aircraft

Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:

196x: Canadiar CL41G Tebuan
CA27 Sabre

1975: Northrop F-5E Tigers replaces the CA27 Sabre.

1985: 6 and 9 Squadrons

1985: Douglas TA-4PTM Skyhawk.

M32-01 = BuNo 149630

M32-02 = 150593

M32-03 = 145065

M32-04 = 149626

M32-05 = 147802

M32-06 =

1985: Douglas A-4PTM Skyhawk.

M32-07 = BuNo 149594

M32-08 =

M32-09 = BuNo 148479 c/n 12672

M32-10 =

M32-11 =

M32-12 =

M32-13 =

M32-14 = BuNo 145092 (also M32-19)

M32-15 =

M32-16 =

M32-17 =

M32-18 = BuNo 149607 c/n 12932

M32-19 = BuNo 145092 (also M32-14)

M32-20 = BuNo 147780 c/n 12544

M32-21 =

M32-22 =

M32-23 = BuNo 148588

M32-24 = BuNo 149573 c/n 12898

M32-25 =BuNo 147827?

M32-26 = BuNo 145121 c/n 12367

M32-27 =

M32-28 =

M32-29 = BuNo 147807 c/n 12876 displayed at Royal Malaysian Air Force Museum Sungai Besi Museum Sqn 9.

M32-30 = BuNo 147782 c/n 12324 displayed at Royal Malaysian Air Force Museum Sungai Besi Museum, see note in unit photo section below.

M32-31 =

M32-32 = BuNo 149497 c/n 12822

M32-33 =

M32-34 = 31 October 2006 displayed outside main gate at Butterworth Air Base.

M32-35 =

M32-36 =

M32-37 =

M32-38 =

M32-39 = BuNo 148555

M32-40 = BuNo 149608 c/n 12933

1994: (6 Squadron)
BAE Hawk Mk108/208

1995: (29 Squadron)
MiG-29N/NUB

1997: (18 Squadron)
F/A-18D Hornet

Deployments

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Commanding Officers

No info yet.

Awards

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Awards continued

No additional info

Events

1982: Purchase of 88 Ex US Navy McDonnell Douglas A-4C/L Skyhawks. Grumman Bethpage refurbished the airframes into the A-4PTM (Peculiar To Malaysia) configuration (similar to A-4M standard). It is believed that 34 single seat versions were completed, and that six single seat versions were converted to two-seat trainers. Assuming that the two-seat conversions took two cockpits from two airframes to produce one two-seater; total airframes used to create the 40 a/c would have been 46. With 88 purchased, and 46 airframes used to create the 40 delivered a/c. that left 42 airframes in the U.S. not delivered.

15 June 1983 A-4PTM: Lt. Toh Chor Kah ejected safely before his Skyhawk crashed Wednesday morning during defense maneuvers and smashed into a beach (Lido Beach, Jahore) close to the causeway connecting Singapore and Malaysia, missing heavy populated areas nearby. Pacific Stars and Stripes, Friday, June 17, 1983.

10 October 1984 TA-4PTM: Lt. Khoo Seng Kim, 26, was killed and Capt. Kwok Him Yick, 28, ejected safely when their A4 Skyhawk crashed in the Straits of Malacca during a routine training flight.

23 July 1985 A-4PTM: Cheong Seng Chee, 31, ejected and was rescued when his A4 crashed into the Straits of Malacca.

23 July 1985 A-4PTM: Capt. Seah Boon Thong, 25, is missing after he ejected from his A4 Skyhawk which crashed into the Jahore Straits.

24 September 1985 A-4PTM: Lt. Udara Khairil Asri ejected safely when his RMAF Sixth Squadron A-4 Skyhawk skidded off the runway while trying to land at the Royal Malaysian Air Base in Kauntan while on a routine circuit and landing exercise today. New Straits Times, Tuesday, 24 September 1985. One A-4PTM Skyhawk crashed in RMAF Kuantan. The aircraft developed engine problems on landing and the aircraft skidded off runway while landing at air base. Wings torn away and aircraft exploded. The pilot Lt (U) Khairil Asri bin Baharin ejected at low level and safely landed on the runway.

15 March 1988 A-4PTM BuNo 147780 M32-20: Lt. Affendi Buang (26) ejected and was rescued when his Skyhawk crashed into the jungle near Kuala Lipis. General Tan Sri Haji Affendi bin Buang ejected safely and was rescued by helicopter after his A4 Skyhawk crashed near Benta in the interior of Pahang on Monday.

24 June 1988 A-4PTM: Lt. Wahi Anuar Mat Amin is still missing after his Skyhawk crashed in the South China Sea on June 24 while on a training flight from Labuan to Kuantan. New Straits Times, October 1, 1988.

September 1988 A-4PTM: unknown pilot was killed when his A-4 Skyhawk crashed in September 1988 

29 September 1988 A-4PTM: Capt. Felix Gonsalvez (27) ejected safely when his A4 Skyhawk crashed ca 5 mi off Pulau Yu in the South China Sea. New Straits Times, 30 September 1988

04 October 1988 A-4PTM M32-37: Capt. Abdul Mues, 27, ejected safely when his Skyhawk developed engine problems and crashed in the South China Sea. It was the second Skyhawk crash in less than a week and the fifth since 1984 and as a result the remaining 35 Skyhawks have been grounded for checks. Williamson Daily News, October 4, 1988. M32-37 crashed into South China Sea in bad weather during three ship formation flight. Pilot Kapt (Udara) Abdul Mues Abdul Samad (27) ejected and was picked up by Navy ship after floating about 15 hours in a dingy. New Straits Times, 04 October 1988. Flight was from RMAF Kuantanto RMAF Labuan.

15 August 1990 A-4PTM: Mejer Ong Cher Keong with the RMAF Ninth Squadron was killed when his Skyhawk crashed into a mountain in low clouds while leading a two-plane formation. New Straits Times, August 15, 1990.

30 July 1992 TA-4PTM BuNo 147802 M32-05: Lcol. Haji Mohamad Yusof Isa, 43, and Lt. Zulkifli Abdul Rahman, 22, were injured after ejecting when their Sixth Squadron TA4-PTM trainer crashed at Kuantan RMAF airbase on July 30. New Straits Times, August 12, 1992.

21 August 1992 TA-4PTM BuNo 145065 M32-03: Major Suri Md Daud (36) and student Lt. Amer Mahmud Abdul Rahman (23) ejected safely when their Sixth Squadron TA4-PTM trainer crashed into Bukit Rangin, Kampung Permatang Badak, Kuantan during an Instrument flying training mission. New Straits Times, 22 August 1992 and 14 October 1993.

08 July 1983 A-4PTM: Captain Khairani Mohamad ejected safely when his A4 Skyhawk plane crashes shortly after take-off. Captain Khairani Mohamad ejected safely when his A4 Skyhawk plane crashes shortly after take-off. Unknown pilot (29) ejected safely near Felda Sg Panching Timur after an engine failure. New Straits Times, 9 July 1993 and 14 October 1993.

1994: BAE Hawk Mk108/208 replace the A-4PTM in 6 Squadron (Kuantan AFB) and 9 Squadron.

1999: September 1999, the Royal Malaysian Air Force Skyhawks were retired except for TA-4PTMs retained for aerial tanker duty. The Skyhawks are abandoned at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base at Kuantan. Some military related web sites list "30 A-4PTM Skyhawks as "retired".

Unit Photos

TUDM M32-35 A-4PTM parked on the edge of the tarmac. Gary Verver.

TUDM M32-34 parked next a A-6 Intruder. Gary Verver

TUDM M32-20 parked on the line. Gary Verver.

TUDM M32-40 parked on the ramp next to another TUDM Bird.

1986: M32-28 taxiing.

1986: M32-22 in-flight with another A-4PTM.

1986: TUDM M32-09 parked on the ramp.

1986: TUDM M32-02 TA-4PTM parked on the ramp with others of its kind.

1986: TUDM M32-04 TA-4PTM in-flight with TA-4PTM M32-06 and a A-4PTM.

Skyhawk BuNo 147807, M32-39, parked on the flight-line. Unknown Photographer via W. Mutza

APR 1997: Squadron 6 M32-02, TA-4PTM, at rest at Singapore.

Tentara Udara Diraja Malaysia Skyhawk M32-23 (BuNo 148555) parked on the ramp and painted the brown/green camouflage scheme. Davd Steinbacker

In-flight view of Tentara Udara Di-raja Malaysia Skyhawk M32-01 (BuNo 149630) painted in the brown/green camouflage scheme. Unknown Photographer via Wayne Mutza

BuNo 145092 as a Charlie.

BuNo 145092 as a Lima.

BuNo.145092 #14, about to touch down. Wings Magazine, photo by Ron Picciani.

PTM (Peculiar To Malaysia) Skyhawks - 1999.
As of September 1999, the Royal Malaysian Air Force PTM (Peculiar To Malaysia) Skyhawks were no longer operational. Sadly their flying days are well and truly over after having been in outdoor storage for several years. Here a row of the A-4PTM and TA-4PTM Skyhawks rest in the tropical Kuantan weather while the jungle is rapidly overgrowing them. Photograph from Don Simms.

The End Of The Road
A close-up of the abandoned PTM Skyhawks. The Royal Malaysian Air Force purchased Skyhawks that were re-manufactured to Malaysian standards by the Grumman Aircraft Company. The Royal Malaysian Air Force PTM (Peculiar To Malaysia) Skyhawks were re-manufactured A-4C and A-4L Skyhawks. The A-4L Skyhawks were previously re-manufactured A-4C Skyhawks, so some PTM Skyhawks had been rebuilt twice. Six two-seat Skyhawks were purchased, built from single-seat versions, and designated TA-4PTM.
Photograph from Don Simms.

Tail hook down, 147807 is on display.

2004: BuNo 147782; Malaysian Skyhawk M32-30 on display at the Air Force Museum in Subang (Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia. Peter Lewis.  Display is marked M32-30 per Peter Lewis, but a BuNo 147782 image shows M32-20.

31OCT06: Y2006 sited TUDM M32-34 Butterworth Air Base, Malaysia.

Off-Duty Photos

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