9 squadron raaf history books

The anzac squadron history of raaf 461 squadron flying. Rathmines park at lake macquarie, nsw, australia, was once the largest raaf flying boat base in the southern hemisphere. Operations record book 1 1914 dec 1940 operations record book 2 jan 1941dec 1942 operations record book 3 jan 1943dec 1943 operations record book 4 jan 1944dec 1944 operations record book 5 jan 1945dec 1945. The very fact that an infantry soldier is writing about the raaf s helicopter support is a huge compliment to those pilots and crews of no 9 squadron who supported our soldiers in vietnam. War campaign ribbons brief history of the third reich by m. Book about raaf pilot 80 squadron ww2 no 9 sqn vietnam. In june 1950, no 77 squadron raaf was in japan, packed up and ready to go home.

Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the forgotten few. A9186, 9 view digital copy national archives of australia. Operations record book 1 1914 dec 1940 operations record book 2 jan 1941dec 1942 operations record book 3 jan 1943dec 1943 operations record book 4 jan 1944dec 1944 operations record book 5 jan 1945dec 1945 air historical. Van velzenthe extraordinary adventures of a group of airmen who escaped the japanese and became the raafs celebrated 18 squadron march 1942. Shot down long hai mountains, south vietnam 17 apr 1971. Established in 1939, the base was at one time the home for flying boats from no. This book is not just the history according to the official record, but is the history informed by all available sources. Home world war two raaf world war 2 raaf pilot 80 squadron ww2 no 9. The squadron was formed in the united kingdom in late 1943 from personnel and aircraft allocated from no. History of 5 squadron raaf 5squadron welcome home to 5. In 1962 the squadron was reformed and was based at fairbairn air base, outside canberra. Raaf unit history sheets form a50 operations record book forms a50 and a51 number 3 squadron sep 43 jul 46. Formed at point cook on 1 july 1939, 10 squadron was initially equipped with a motley collection of seaplanes with the intention that these would shortly be replaced with six new shorts.

Mason includes a listing by type, year and id number of all aircraft assigned to the unit. In what was a remarkable career, laddie hindley draws on numerous personal stories of his time in the raaf. This lasted until 22 march 1915 when the squadron was disbanded. Alan stephens, in the official history of the postwar raaf, asserts however that the latter report is a myth and that.

The squadron was one of several commonwealth squadrons equipped with brewster buffaloes, and arrived at kallang airfield singapore in november 1941, where it took over the. During the vietnam war, he was a flight commander and chief flying instructor with no 9 squadron raaf. This military book is the history of raaf 461 squadron, royal australian air force, which was formed in britain on anzac day 1942 and which spent the next three years opposing admiral doenitzs uboats in the. The history and the role of 2 squadron raaf canberra bombers and 9 squadron are well documented elsewhere however, because 35 squadron did not operate directly in support of the australian task force, the squadron was relatively unknown and received little recognition back home in australia. John bennetts excellent book about the foundation aircraft and equipment for the australian air force in 1921, generously provided by great britain for the fledgling air arm. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the following year and operated jet aircraft throughout the cold war. Raaf 9 squadron iroquois huey helicopter long tan pilot vietnam. A history of the raf s 9 squadron from is inception in 1914 through 1964.

Books whispering death a history of the raafs beaufighter squadrons. The very fact that an infantry soldier is writing about the raafs helicopter support is a huge compliment to those pilots and crews of no 9 squadron who supported our soldiers in vietnam. We have the largest online range of raaf squadron unit history books that describe the operation history of many raaf. The squadron was thus split between different ships and its crews had the same experiences as their ship. Formed at raaf station williamtown, near newcastle, new south wales, on 7 february 1941, a week before no. This is a great fictional read of just over 280 pages and many will remember working with the author in vietnam. The pilots were first posted to 5 squadron raaf at fairbairn, australian capital territory, for three months operational training on iroquois helicopters before joining 9 squadron at vung tau.

History of 5 squadron raaf 5 squadron was first formed in england in 1917, as a training squadron for the australian flying corps afc. The squadron was equipped with avro lancaster bombers and flew its first raids on germany immediately after being formed. Raafs greatest casualties were with the bomber command raids. History raaf 18 squadron ww2 book bomber boys dutch. Established at ottawa in october 1939, eats was a plan to expand the royal air.

The squadron has primarily flown bomber aircraft from wwi through wwii to the vulcan bomber in the 1960s. The other, 5 squadron, had been serving in malaysia since 1964, as part of the far east strategic reserve at butterworth. To that end, defence has taken the decision to temporarily close our air force heritage centres, which includes raaf aahc, as of 15 mar 2020. This raaf squadron derived originally from 101 fleet cooperation flight which was embarked for part of its time on hmas albatross, thus explaining the albatross head and naval crown in the badge. Royal air force operations record books 19111963 the national. The ran detachment of 9 squadron raaf comprised eight fleet air armpilots who were sent to 9 squadron at intervals from february to may 1968. After the first world war the squadron was reformed as a fleet cooperation squadron, working with the ran and flying amphibious aircraft. Bush parker raaf spitfire pilot who flew with 234 sqn ww2 new book. Raaf unit history sheets form a50 operations record book forms a50 and a51 number 3 squadron jul 25 aug 43 contents range 1925 1943 series number a9186 control symbol 8 access status open barcode 1158595. Peter haran, who served two tours of vietnam, the first with 2rar in 196768, and the second with 3rar in 1971, has written an account of the lives, difficulties, stresses, and some very personal accounts. During his six month operational duty in 1918, he flew 1 patrols over france and was awarded the. On formation, the squadrons first commanding officer was a royal air force officer, squadron leader j. Only 3% of australians who served to ww2 went as part of a bomber aircrew yet 39% of all australias ww2 casualties were from this bomber command group, of which were from a single raaf squadron, 460 sqn flying out of binbrook uk.

Whispering death a history of the raafs beaufighter squadrons. Early flights helped hold the crucial pusan perimeter, after which they moved north to fight both the enemy and the deep cold of the korean winter. Amongst other achievements, the squadron was the first raaf unit to use a roundel featuring a red kangaroo in a blue circle, on some parts of its aircraft. This film was shot from a chase helicopter flown by squadron leader dirou. The aerospace centre, formerly the air power studies centre apsc, was established by the royal australian air force at its fairbaim base in august 1989 at the direction of the then chief of the air staff now the chief of air force.

This online collection also includes some operations record books for dominion and allied air force squadrons under british command. The spitfires and australians of 453 raaf squadron over normandy was highly commended by the chief of air force raaf in the 2018 raaf heritage awards. Here is some footage of 9 squadron operations in vietnam, interspersed with footage of 9 squadron raaf in 1987, which was based at amberley, queensland. We have the largest online range of raaf squadron unit history books that describe the operation history of many raaf squadrons during wartime and peacetime. As with molkentins previous ww1 aviation history books, this work leaves the reader with a great admiration for michaels prodigious ability to research primary sources, turn up interesting insights and integrate everything into a compelling narrative. The royal australian air force was formed in 1921 and since then has been involved in all major conflicts involving australians. This is a gripping story of an sas patrol in vietnam. Among the more than 20 books on australian mainly defence history that he has published are the third brother. Formed in 1942 in the united kingdom with personnel from australia, britain, canada, new zealand, south africa and the netherlands, the squadron served in the light bomber role, undertaking operations. Army support soon became the primary role and the squadron deployed to vietnam with 8 aircraft in june 1966 to provide tactical air transport support for 1 australian task force. Captain of the gunship is the commanding officer of 9 squadron wing commander john paule of lyons, act and formerly of. My father, lieutenant james leybourne lee smith, was a pilot with 3 squadron, a.

These ww1era aircraft comprised 3 squadrons sole equipment 192529. The royal australian air force 1929 1991 and a volume of official war history covering raaf involvement in vietnam 196275. While this insignia was unofficial and the squadrons main markings conformed to the. The squadron was formed in early 1939 and saw active service in world war ii as a fleet cooperation unit providing aircrews for seaplanes operating off royal australian navy cruisers. It was formed in january 1939 and was equipped with the walrus. Peter haran, who served two tours of vietnam, the first with 2rar in 196768, and the second with 3rar in 1971, has written an account of the lives. It was disbanded in late 1944, but was reraised in 1962 and later became an army cooperation unit, flying helicopters in support of.