Honour Roll

The Royal Australian Air Force takes great pride in taking everyday men and women from Australian life and cultivating them into highly skilled and capable airmen. We instill core values that inspire leadership at every level and stay with people for life.

Our very important mission of providing the people of Australia with air and space power for their security means that every single airman who has ever donned the blue uniform has already done their country very proud.

After serving their nation in the Royal Australian Air Force, these well known Australians have used their airmanship principles to excel in other fields of service for our fine Nation;

The lists are sorted in surname-alphabetical order.

Vice-Regal Appointments

• Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards (Pilot) – Governor of Western Australia
• Air Marshal Sir Colin Hannah (Pilot) - Governor of Queensland
• Air Marshal Sir James Rowland (Pilot) - Governor of New South Wales
• Flight Lieutenant Sir Walter Campbell (Pilot) - Governor of Queensland

Politics

• Air Vice-Marshal Bill Bostock (Pilot) - Member of Parliament
• Flight Lieutenant Thomas Drake-Brockman (Tail Gunner) - Minister for Air
• Flight Lieutenant Dudley Erwin (Navigator) - Minister for Air
• Flight Lieutenant David Fairbairn (Pilot) - Minister for Air
• Flight Lieutenant John Gorton (Pilot) - Prime Minister of Australia
• Group Captain Bob Halverson (Logistics) - Speaker of the House of Representatives
• Wing Commander Trevor Kaine (Logistics) - Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
• Squadron Leader Jackie Kelly (Legal) - Minister for Sport
• Leading Aircraftman Clarrie Millar (Communications) – Member of Parliament
• Flight Lieutenant Edward Gough Whitlam (Navigator) - Prime Minister of Australia
• Group Captain Raymond Garrett (Pilot) - President of the Victorian Legislative Council (1968-76)
• Aircraftman 2 Frederick Thomas (Pilot) - Lord Mayor of Melbourne
• Group Captain John Waddy (Pilot) - New South Wales Member of Parliament
• Flight Sergeant Sir Dennis Killen (Aircrew) - Minister for Defence
  

Judiciary

• Group Captain Robert Douglas (Legal) – Queensland Supreme Court Judge
• Air Vice-Marshal Michael Helsham (Pilot/Legal) – New South Wales Supreme Court Judge
• Flying Officer Clarrie Hermes (Communications) – Australian Capital Territory Chief Magistrate
• Air Commodore Philip Opas (Legal) – Defence Council for Ronald Ryan (last man hanged in 1967)
• Flight Lieutenant Hubert Opperman (Administration & Special Duties) – Cabinet Minister and Ambassador
• Wing Commander George Pape (Administration & Special Duties) – Victorian Supreme Court Judge
• Flight Lieutenant Sir Walter Campbell (Pilot) - Chief Justice of Queensland

Business and Industry

• Wing Commander Sir Lawrence Wackett (Pilot) - Managing Director Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
• Wing Commander Jack Davenport (Pilot) - Company Director Monier Ltd (1946-82)

Aviation

• Air Commodore (Honorary) Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith (Pilot) – Australian Aviation Pioneer
• Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams (Pilot) - Director-General of Civil Aviation

Culture

• Aircraftman 1 Norman Bartlett (Trainee) – Film Maker
• Sergeant Bruce Dawe (Education Assistant) – Poet, Academic and Composer
• Flying Officer Chips Rafferty (Administration & Special Duties) - Actor
• Leading Aircraftman Jack Wong Sue (Intelligence) – Author and West Australian businessman
• Flight Lieutenant Charles 'Bud' Tingwell (Pilot) – Actor

Sport

• Wing Commander Matt Hall (Pilot) – Red Bull Air Racer
• Flight Sergeant Keith Miller (Pilot) - Australian Test Cricketer / St Kilda Footballer
• Leading Aircraftman Tom Raudonikis (Airframe Fitter) - Australian Rugby League Icon
• Squadron Leader Stanley Sismey (Pilot) - Australian Test Cricketer