On arrival in Australia, Petre rejected a proposed site at Duntroon and selected Point Cook near Melbourne as the site of the first flying school. Meanwhile back in the UK, Harrison ordered 5 aircraft for shipment to Australia, 2 BE2a aircraft, two Deperdussin monoplanes and a Bristol Boxkite. This equipment arrived in Australia in early 1914 and was initially housed under canvas.

The first flight was made on March 1st 1914 and by August 18th 1914 the first training of four military pilots commenced. Although all 4 trainees passed the course, on awarding of their “wings”, there was no role for the still-forming air service and so they returned to their original army units.

However, the beginning of hostilities in what became World War 1 saw a major increase in the strength of the Australian Flying Corps, and in November 1914, Australia sent an expeditionary force to take German New Guinea. This force include Lt’s Harrison, (one of the 4 original new pilots) and Merz, several mechanics and two aircraft. The German offered only slight resistance before capitulating and the aircraft and crew were not put to use.

On April 20th 1915, the “Mesopotamian Half Flight” sailed for the middle east to take up active service in the Tigris valley of modern day Iraq. Poorly equipped with obsolete British aircraft, the expedition was a disaster and many of the personnel were killed or captured.

Later in 1915, the British Government requested that the various Dominions may wish to form complete squadrons to serve under British control. Only Australia undertook this, the remainder, along with some Australians, continuing to allow their personnel to serve within British squadrons.

Following on from this in January 1916, 1 Squadron formed at Point Cook and proceeded to Egypt, where it remained until the end of hostilities in 1918. 1 squadron was joined in war service by 2, 3 and 4 squadrons, which saw service on the Western Front, backed up by the UK based training wing comprising 5, 6, 7 and 8 squadrons.

All eight squadrons were disbanded in 1919 and personnel returned to Australia. The Australian Flying Corps had formed a strong footing for the coming development of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Abstracted with thanks to Steve Eather (copyright) and Warren Carroll (copyright)

The Australian Air Force / Royal Australian Air Force
March 21 1921 saw the foundation of the Australian Air Force, though this seems to have been an administrative decision only. In August 1923, King George V, decreed that the name Royal Australian Air Force would be used and this new force came into being 1st September 1923. At this time the strength of the new force was about 130 enlisted men, 21 officers (many of the men being ex-AFC or RFC / RNAS / RAF members) and around 160 aircraft. The force was first commanded by Wing Commander Richard Williams who had been the very first pilot to graduate from Point Cook in 1914 and who had had a very distinguished war record.

The poor state of the global economy meant that very little growth took place until 1925 when 1 and 3 squadrons were reactivated under the RAAF banner at Point Cook. Despite very little growth, a new field was opened in the late 20’s at Laverton, also close to Melbourne, and at Richmond, north west of Sydney. The status of the force was quite stagnant until the mid 1930’s when the growing threat of war in Europe, and only then did the Australian government allocate sufficient funds to purchase substantial numbers of aircraft, construct new airfields and muster new squadrons.

at the outbreak of war on September 3rd 1939, the RAAF consisted of 3,489 personnel, including about 300 officers, and 246 largely obsolete aircraft. The Australian Government decided to train 7/9th of her force at home in Australia. The remainder would receive only elementary training at home and then be transported to Canada to be trained under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), also known as the Empire Air Training Scheme. (See details of the BCATP program in Canada under the Canada national page). Some crews were taken to advanced training in Rhodesia. All personnel remained part of the RAAF, but were operational under the RAF.

There were of course politics in having a nation’s crews under British control and in January 1942, two all-Australian squadrons were formed, 450 and 451, which absorbed as many Australians as possible, the remainder continuing to be integrated with RAF and other Commonwealth crews. It was not until December 1942 that RAAF members were guaranteed the same rights of promotion within this control structure as RAF members.

it must not be forgotten that Australia also faced combat in the Pacific theatre and indeed in every theatre of the war. In 1941 Australian based squadrons engaged the Japanese forces and for the first time were engaged directly in operations in the defence of Australia.

With surrender of Japan and the closure of hostilities in 1945, the RAAF had grown to be the 4th largest air force in the world, having operated over 8000 aircraft, over 3000 remaining on muster. Australia had enlisted 216,900 wartime personnel of which 20,000 were officers, working in 76 squadrons in both active service and training squadrons. About 10,562 were killed or missing in action and 3,192 injured.

After the close of hostilities, a rapid demobilisation took place, reducing the size of the force to 8,000. However, in 1946, a fighter wing of 3 squadrons and 2000 personnel participated in the occupation of Japan. In 1948-49 a transport squadron equivalent participated in the Berlin Airlift. When the Korean conflict exploded in June 1950, 77 squadron was still in Japan and this became the first non-US force undertaking active operations in Korea. A Transport squadron was also committed to serving the Korean related needs and at the same time, a bomber and a transport squadron undertook active operations against terrorists in Malaysia.

By the early 1960’s the RAAF was well established with a jet powered force and operating in both Australia and at Butterworth, Malaysia, with two fighter squadrons, a bomber squadron and a transport unit, giving Australia a forward defence posture in Asia.

In 1964, Cariboo transports were committed to action in Vietnam, followed by helicopters and Canberra bombers, plus a variety of Army aircraftDuring the 70’s, 80’s and 90”s the RAAF has participated in numerous UN peace keeping operations. Today, operating a mixture of aircraft, the small RAAF effectively defends Australia and participates in international exercises to maintain a honed set of operational skills.

Abstracted with thanks to Steve Eather (copyright) and Warren Carroll (copyright)

Royal Australian Navy Aviation
The RAN started to experiment with aircraft on board cruisers during WW1. However, with the tentative formation of the AAF in 1921, plans for a Fleet Air Arm were dropped. The RAN purchased a seaplane carrier, HMAS Albatross, in 1928, but the aircraft, flight and maintenance crews belonged to the RAAF. The ship was decommissioned before WW2.

During WW2 amphibious aircraft operated from RAN cruisers as spotters for the ship’s guns, but although controlled by the Captain of the ship, were owned and operated by RAAF and RAAF personnel. The observations of naval air power during WW2 and on cessation of hostilities the RAN laid plans to dramatically expand naval aviation operations.

On August 28th 1948, the RAN Fleet Air Arm 20th Carrier Air Group commissioned at RN Air Station Eglington in UK, equipped with Hawker Sea Fury and Fairey Firefly aircraft. This group was joined in 1950 by the 21st Carrier Air Group with identical aircraft. The young FAA performed well during the Korean conflict from September 1951 to January 1952, when the light fleet carrier HMAS Sydney launched 2366 sorties against enemy targets. HMAS Sydney was decommissioned in early 1955. A loaned British carrier, the HMAS Vengeance, also operated from November 1952 until May 1955.

The RAN’s third light fleet carrier, HMAS Melbourne arrived in Australian waters in 1956 carrying de Havilland Sea Venom jets and Fairey Gannet anti-submarine aircraft. A shore establishment was maintained at HMAS Albatross, Nowra and for a time naval airfields were maintained at Schofields and Jervis Bay. In 1967 HMAS Melbourne brought home the new air fleet of A4 Skyhawk and S2 Tracker anti-submarine aircraft. Wessex and Sea King helicopters also operated from HMAS Melbourne before it was decommissioned in June 1982.

Plans for the Fleet Air Arm changed dramatically in the early 80’s when plans to buy a new carrier lapsed. All fixed wing squadrons were disbanded one by one and today the Fleet Air Arm is a largely rotary wing force, operating off frigates with Seahawk and Squirrel helicopters.

Abstracted with thanks to Steve Eather (copyright)

Australian Army Aviation Corps
The Australian Army Aviation Corps, the second air corps, began its life after WW2 when in 1947 an Artillery Officer started pilot training in UK. WW2 had shown the necessity of artillery fire being directed by pilots who understood artillery. However RAAF and political pressures prevented the Army from developing such a program immdiately.

After several Artillery Officers underwent pilot training in the UK, the RAAF began artilery pilot training at Fairbairn, stating in mid 1952, using Auster aircraft. Also Point Cook started at the same time to train Army pilot instructors.

In June 1953 16 (AOP) (Air Observation Pilot) formed, taking over the Austers of 3 squadron. This unit, while still part of the RAAF, had a large Army component. Army pilots were also attached to the British AOP flight in Korea to obtain combat experience. In 1957, flying chartered civilian light aircraft, 1 Army Aviation company formed at Bankstown in order to supplement 16 (AOP) flight, but were of limited functionality. On December 1 1960, with an agreement in place between the RAAF and the Army about light aircraft operations, 16 Army Light Aircraft squadron formed at Amberley. The unit was equipped with Sioux helicopters and Cessna aircraft. The unit was initially commanded by a RAAF officer and much of the maintenance staff, despite absorption of 169AOP) flight and 1 Aviation Company, were RAAF personnel until soldiers were adequately trained to undertake maintenance duties.

In the mid 1960’s small detachments were deployed to New Guinea and Malaysia on active service against Indonesian infiltrators. In 1965 161 Reconnaisance Flight deployed to South Vietnam. After Vietnam, in July 1st 1968, The Australian Army Aviation Corps officially came into existance and today is responsible for battlefield helicopter operations instead of the RAAF. It now provides battlefield support to the Australian Defence Force using Black Hawk, Iroquois, Kiowa, Squirrel, Nomad and Chinook attack / reconnaisance helicopters.

Abstracted with thanks to Steve Eather (copyright)