Happy Birthday RAAF!

[corsair67]

A media release from the ADF.


CPA 083/07 Friday, 30 March 2007

AIR FORCE CELEBRATES 86TH BIRTHDAY

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is today formally recognising its 86th birthday with a series of activities at RAAF bases across Australia, and at deployed Air Force elements overseas.

In its 86 years, the RAAF has evolved into a world class air force. It provides air power for Australia’s security, contributes to coalition operations, and helps Australians and our regional neighbours in disaster relief.

“The anniversary of RAAF’s formation is a time to reflect on the tireless dedication and sacrifice of Air Force personnel in times of periods of conflict and peace in the last eight decades”, Chief of Air Force, AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd, said.

“Air Force continues to attract outstanding people. Today is a time to recognise the hard work of current Air Force personnel, both in Australia and on overseas operations, including the Middle East and Timor Leste. I am proud of what they’re achieving.”

“We also look ahead to the Air Force of the future. In the next decade, almost every Air Force air capability will be updated. It will be an exciting and challenging time. These new capabilities will ensure that Air Force remains ready to carry out tasks for the Australian Government and people. But our key capability will remain our great people performing great work.” AIRMSHL Shepherd said.

The Australian Air Force was officially created on the 31 March 1921 (with approval to use the prefix Royal on 13 August 1921). The RAAF was initially comprised of 21 Officers, 128 Airmen and 153 aircraft. It was the only time in RAAF history that it had more aircraft than people.

By April 1945, the RAAF consisted of over 18,000 personnel and 20 operational squadrons making it the world’s fourth largest Air Force at the time.

Since then, the men and women of the RAAF have continued to distinguish themselves in the many theatres of war or conflict in which Australia has been involved including Korea, South-East Asia, Vietnam, East Timor, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

RAAF personnel have supported Australians and our regional neighbours in their time of need, most recently in Operation Sumatra Assist, Operation Pakistan Assist and Operation Larry Assist.

[Dave Homewood]

Happy Aniversary RAAF.

More aircraft than personnel, amazing!

I never knew the RAAF was so much smaller than the RNZAF in WWII. The RNZAF had over 40,000 at war's end and had peaked during the war at about 55,000.

We had well over the 20 operational squadrons too, with No.s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, 14. 15. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30 and 31 Sqns all seeing operational combat service in the Pacific frontlines, with 485, 486, 487, 488, and 489 in Europe and 490 in Africa.

Not to mention No's 40 and 41 etc in operational support roles and No. 10 Sqn operational at home.

Were we the world's 3rd largest then?

[yak2]

Sloppy reporting. Whoever did the media release appears to have 'borrowed' the info from Wikipedia, and still got it wrong. Of Australia's total defence force in WW2 of approximately 600,000 (10% of the population), the RAAF had around 220,000 personnel. Re the 4th largest airforce claim. Presumably means allied airforce (after the USAAF, RAF and RCAF), and not including the Red Air Force.

[flyjoe180]

Dave you missed out 75 SQN.

[Dave Homewood]

Quite right, I did miss 75 Sqn. Thanks Rob for the correct number, I knew that report must have had it wrong. I'm sure the Luftwaffe must have been up there among the top Air Forces in numbers too.

[JDK]

Yes, shocking reporting.

The 'fourth largest air force' claim's an interesting one, and I've seen the RCAF put in a bid with as much justification.

I've never seen a list of the other three. In 1945, the Luftwaffe and Japanese air forces (Army and Navy) were 'stood down' so didn't count. The Italian co-belligerent AF was small and the Italian Fascist Air Force would also have been no longer in the lists. The US operated an Army Air Force, Navy and Marine Air Arms, making three disparate forces; likewise the RAF and RN FAA were different services. The Russian air forces weren't one big homogeneous unit either. The list maker might also have indulged in some semantics by only counting armed forces with 'air force' as part of their title...

Muy guess would be 1 or 2 USAAF, Russian AF (main arm) three RAF, then RAAF / RCAF, and RNZAF and SAAF after the Canucks and Aussies. But it would depend on when you were counting, and after the defeat of Germany and Japan.

Be that as it may, the RAAF (as well as the RAF, RCAF and RNZAF) has a proud history, and one to be generally proud of. Like all things, it gets more interesting the closer you look, and there were some issues with the quality of leadership and deployment in the 1930s and 1940s, but not over the men at the front. Of those four I've mentioned, only the RAF and RAAF actually defended their homeland in action from direct air attack; but all contributed to the defence of Britain and defeat of Germany, as well as the Pacific war.