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The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has origins dating to the Imperial Conference held in London just before World War I (1911). One of the decisions reached was that aviation capability should be developed within the armed forces of the British Empire, primarily the Dominions. Australia was the first Dominion to comply. The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was operational by the time World War I broke out (1914). It was not an independent service, but part of the Army. Australia mobilized eight air squadrons during the War, half of which saw action in the Middle East and on the Western Front. Four of the eight squadrons were still training whwn the War ended. Some 200 Australians served with British flying service. The AFC deployment was to New Guinea, the Middle East, and France--the Western Front. The Australian Air Corps (AAC) was formed (1920). The name was chanbged to the Australian Air Force was formed (1921). King George V approved the prefix 'Royal' making it the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The RAAF thus became the second Royal air arm to be formed in the British Commonwealth, after the British Royal Air Force. It was equipped with World War I aircraft. Australia did not have the industrial or technological capability to build modern high performance aircraft or the desire to commit funds to building a modern air force. The basic attitude that in any emergency the British Royal Navy would provide all the security Australia needed. Japan's aggressive plans began to draw some attention, first with the invauin of Manchuria (1931), but more so with the invaion of China proper (1937). The NAZI seizure of power in Germany (1937) meant that Britain and the much diminished Royal Navy would be primarily coimmited in Europe. This was the case in World War I. but there was no Japanese threat in World War I. Gradually it began to dawn on Australians that relince on the British and the Royal Navy was less thn secure. There was, however, no major effort to prepare for another War. Australia's defence policy at the outbreak of World War II was an almost complete reliance on the Royal Navy and the Singapore bastion. This proved to a failed defensive plan. Fortunately the United States was able to treplace Britain as Australia's protector. The major contribution of the RAAF would be in Europe and the Wesern Desert. It would be the United States Army Air Force that would play the dominant role in the South Pacific theater of the Pacific War.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has origins dating to the Imperial Conference held in London just before World War I (1911). One of the decisions reached was that aviation capability should be developed within the armed forces of the British Empire, primarily the Dominions. Australia was the first Dominion to comply. The Governmnt established the Australian Aviation Corps beginning with the Central Flying School at Point Cook, Victoria (1912).
The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was operational by the time World War I broke out (1914). It was not an independent service, but part of the Army. Australia mobilized eight air squadrons during the War, half of which saw action in the Middle East and on the Western Front. Four of the eight squadrons were still training whwn the War ended. Some 200 Australians served with British flying service. The AFC deployment was to New Guinea, the northeastern portion of the island was a German colony. The AFC transported aircraft to New Guinea as part of the military effort. Planes a the time had a limited range and as a result were shipped by sea. New Guinea was largely undeveloped with a only a few German settlers and a small colonial securuity force, hardly meant to fight a war. The Germans quickly surrenderd. The planes had nor even been unpcked. The AFC's first operational flights pccurred a year late and at the opposite end of the globe (May 27, 1915). The British ordered the Mesopotamian Half Flight to support the Indian Army's mission of protecting British oil interests. Oil was not as important as in World War II, but the Royal Navy was sifting to oil and the American Navy in the process of doing so. The Germans lacking oil resources still used coal but before the War were working on plans to build a railroad to Bagdad to gain access to oil. [Dennis, et al, pp. 61�62.] The AFC subsequently went inti combat in Egypt, Palestine, and Franmce on the Western Front. Four squadrons (Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4) went into actiomn. Another four squadrons (Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8) were in training. Some 460 officers and 2,234 men served in the AFC. Another 200 men served as aircrew in with British squadrons. [Grey, 2008, pp. 114�15.] AFC casualties suffered totaleded 175 killed and 111 wounded. Aniother 6 men were gassed 40 captured. [Beaumont, p. 214.] The Government disbanded the AFC after the War (1919). This was part of a general retrenchment at the end of the War, disbanded the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF). The Central Flying School continued to operate at Point Cook.
The Australian Air Corps (AAC) was formed (1920). The name was chanbged to the Australian Air Force was formed (1921). King George V approved the prefix 'Royal' making it the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The RAAF thus became the second Royal air arm to be formed in the British Commonwealth, after the British Royal Air Force. It was equipped with World War I aircraft. Australia did not have the industrial or technological capability to build modern high performance aircraft or the desire to commit funds to building a modern air force. The basic attitude that in any emergency the British Royal Navy would provide all the security Australia needed. Bruitain was far away, but the only possible threats Australian saw were also locted in Europe. Only gradually did Australians begin to see Japan as a threat. Most Australians did not take Japan seriously. And the dea that anyone could bomb Australia was basically seen as absurd. The only defense spending of any consequence was to purchase a few modern ships for the Royal Australian Navy.
Japan's aggressive plans began to draw some attention, gfirst with the invasion of Manchuria (1931), but more so with the invaion of China proper (1937). The NAZI seizure of power in Germany (1937) meant that Britain and the much diminished Royal Navy would be primarily coimmited in Europe. This was the case in World War I. but there was no Japanese threat in World War I. Gradually it began to dawn on Australians that relince on the British and the Royal Navy was less thn secure. There was, however, no major effort to prepare for another War. Australia's defence policy at the outbreak of World War II was an almost complete reliance on the Royal Navy and the Singapore bastion.
When Hitler and Stalin launched World War II, the War seemed far away from Australia (September 1939).
The Australian Air Board had only a few facilities. There was the RAAF Station Laverton, RAAF Station Richmond, RAAF Station Pearce, No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF at Point Cook, RAAF Station Rathmines and five small units. The RAAF had an asorment of mostly obslete aircraft. Worse still, Btitain was hard pressed. It also had not made the military a priority abd incredibly almost entered the War with biplanes. They were unable to deploy substantial naval unis, modern aircraft or heavy equioment tothe Pacifuc. Not only was Australia not supplied, but neither was the Singapore bastion. The focus on Europe, at first defending France and than Britain itself.
Australia joined the Empire Air Training Scheme. British air crews could not be easily trained in Britain under war coinditions, especially fter the fall of France. Flight crews received basic training in Australia and then went to Canada for advanced training.
The RAAF played an important role in Europe and North Africa with the outbreakl of the War agaunst first the Germns nd than the Australians. Only a few Australian airmen flew in the Battle of Britain (July-September 1940). The war in the Western Desert began when Italy entered the War (June 1940). Australian served in the Desert Airforce with modern British aircraft. The Lufttwaffe did not badly damage the RAF or the British Aircraft industry in the Battle of Britain. The RAF was more effective after the battle than before and aircraft oprofuction increased. Australians also served in RAF Bomber Command and for reasons we do not fully understanhd sustanined very heavy caualties. [Stephens, p. 96.]
RAAF personnel generally were not ready for the Nttle of Britain, but played an important role in the Strategiic Bombing Campign against Germany as part of RAF Bomber Command. They represented only 2 percent of Australian enlistments during the war, but were some 20 percent of the Australian servicemn killed in action.
Some 17 RAAF bomber, fighter, reconnaissance and other squadrons deployed to Britain and with the Desert Air Force located in the Western Desert and the Mediterranean area. Thousands of Australians also served with British and other Commonwealth air forces in Europe. [Barnes, p. 3] About 10 percent of British RAF commands were RAAF personnel. [Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs] Total RAAF casualties in the European theater were 5,488 killed or missing. [Barnes, p. 3.]
Britain before America entered the War was hard pressed to meet RAF European/Meduterranean operations. As it became increasingly evident that Japan was prefiring to launch the Pacific War (1940), the Australian government established the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP). This was what was to become the Government Aircraft Factories to supply Commonwealth air forces (1941). [Dennis, p. 277.] The RAAF was eventually provided with large numbers of locally built versions of British designs such as the DAP Beaufort torpedo bomber, Beaufighters and Mosquitos, as well as other types such as Wirraways, Boomerangs, and Mustangs. Australian did not have the technological capabiity to design aircraft, but they developed the capability to manufacture aircraft. We are not entuirely sure yet what the Australian sources mean by manufacturing. Mabufacturing is mjore than assembly. We think that at least some of the manufacturing wa more accurately dscribed as assebling imported parts and as the War progressed this bcame increasingly American parts. .
Australian Aircraft Productin was just beginning when the Japanese struck a Pearl Harbor and the planes built were not at beginning the match of the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero (December 1941). And in only a few months, Japanese aircraft were in range of northern Australia. This meant that the Australian Hmeland was threatened for the first time. The ar was no longer halfway around the world. And with the fall of Sungapore, Britain could not be of assistance. The RAAF was unprepared for the emergency, They initially had negligible forces available to defend the country. The Australian Army was in the Western Desert and the RAN suffered serius losses. The RAAF did not have modern aircraft or much in way of air bases in the north when the Japanese began bombing. The RAAF had started to develop a series of military airfields across North West Australia under the Aerodrome Development Program (1940). The initial series of five major air fields were built between Adelaide River and Birdham to enable aircraft from Darwin to be relocated in the event of a Japanese raid. The Japanese struck only 3 months after Pearl Harbor. Japanese bombers hit Darwin (February 19, 1942). The airrfield construction program was excelerated. These airfields would as te Australiand expressed it, enabanled the RAAF "Air War over the Top End and to take the fight to the enemy." Over 40 airstrips were eventully built along the length of the North-South road, most in the Top End. Fortunately American aircraft was beginningto arrive. The U.S. Navy carriers at connsiderable cost blocked a Japanese anphibious attack on Port Moresby that would have given the Japanese airbases to bomb Australia. And American C-47 transports supplied Australians on the rugges Koda Trail. The Japanese without any air support began to starve on the Trail Not obly did the Australians began building a major air force, but a steady transports from America built up a major American air cokponents in Australia --the Fifth Air Force. The Americans also established numerous airfields in Australia, at first for the collective defense of the country after the dusasters in Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines. But as the RAAF and the American 5th Air Force built up its strength, offensive operations began. At the end if the War, over 215,000 men and women served in the RAAF. Nearly 11,000 were killed in action. ThecRAAF formned 76 squadrons were formed. Over 152,000 personnel operated nearly 6,000 aircraft. It was the world's fourth largest air force. The RAAF alone exceeded the Imperial Japanese Air Force at the peak of its power. That important force, hoever, remained in the southwest Pacific and did not join the Americans in the Central Pacific and the straregic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands.
Some 215,000 men and women served in the RAAF duriung World War II. Nearly 11,000 were killed in action. The RAAF formned 76 squadrons. More than 152,000 men operated almost 6,000 aircraft. The Austrlians claim to have created the world's fourth largest air force and exceeded the Imperial Japanese Air Force 'at the peak of its power'. [Eather, p. xv.] That is a little misleading as the 6,000 RAAF force was at the end of the War after the IJAF and Luftwaffe hhd been signifuicantly reduced. Even so the Japanese had some 5,000 aircraft hiden and ready for a Kamakazee operation to oppose the llied invasion. The RAAF Pacific squadrons were largely inactive durimng the last year of the War.
Barnes, Norman (2000). The RAAF and the Flying Squadrons (St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin, 2000).
Beaumont, Joan. Australian Defence: Sources and Statistics. The Australian Centenary History of Defence . Volume VI. (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2001). A Military History of Australia 2nd ed. (Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1999). >
Dennis, Peter, Jeffrey Grey, Ewan Morris, Robin Prior, and Jean Bou. The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History 2nd ed. (Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press, 2008).
Grey, Jeffrey (2008). A Military History of Australia 3rd ed. (Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press, 2008).
Stephens, Alan. The Royal Australian Air Force: A History (London: Oxford University Press, 2006).
Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs. "Explore: 'The Angry Sky'".
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