Yesterday the Illawarra officially became home to the "Cadillac of the skies", the world's last operational F-111 fighter bomber.
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The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) received the aircraft at a ceremony attended by regional politicians, as well as one of the aircraft's former pilots.
Air Vice-Marshal Mark Skidmore has flown F-111s since 1982, including HARS' newest resident, the A8-109.
Though the plane flew for the last time in December 2010, Vice-Marshal Skidmore said he would have loved to fly it again.
"She's the Cadillac of the skies, she's just a beautiful aircraft to fly," he said.
The plane was trucked in earlier this month from the Royal Australian Air Force base in Amberley, Queensland.
It first flew in 1964 and was highly advanced for its time, Vice-Marshal Skidmore said.
During its glory days, it could fly at twice the speed of sound and its radar earned it the nickname "The Pig" for its ability to fly at low altitudes.
"You can get her down to 400 feet with the terrain-following radar in the dark," Vice-Marshal Skidmore said.
"I've been in bad weather, and you're still just cruising along."
The plane is one of only six leased to non-government organisations since the fleet's retirement in 2010.
F-111 project leader Tony Abela said the A8-109, which had served in Vietnam, was chosen because of HARS' link with Vietnam veterans and the RAAF.
"For us it was a continuation of our link with the RAAF and our link with the Anzacs as well - that's why we particularly wanted [the A8-]109," Mr Abela said.
The plane will be on show for Wings over Illawarra on May 5 at the HARS Museum at Illawarra Regional Airport.
