RAAF Base Richmond

Sydney, New South Wales

The Royal Australian Air Force's RAAF Base Richmond is 50kms north-west of Sydney. Best known as home to our Hercules medium transport aircraft, a number of units call Richmond home:

• Air Lift Group
  • No 84 Wing - air-to-air refuelling, VIP transport and ground services training
  • No 86 Wing - heavy, medium and light airlift
    • No 37 Squadron - Hercules medium transport
  • Air Mobility Control Centre
• No 44 Wing Detachment Richmond - air traffic control
• No 1 Combat Communication Squadron
• No 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron - Air Force Reserve
• No 87 Squadron - photography
• No 285 Squadron - Air Lift Group flight simulator and technical training
• No 1 Airfield Defence Squadron Detachment Richmond - Airfield Defence Guards
• No 1 Airfield Operations Support Squadron Detachment Richmond - airfield engineering
• No 3 Combat Support Hospital
• Combat Support Unit Richmond - base managers
• Air Force Band

History

RAAF Base Richmond was the first Air Force base to be established in New South Wales and the second within Australia. In 1925 the first Air Force element in New South Wales, No 3 Squadron, was formed at Richmond.

From 1923 to 1936, RAAF Base Richmond was also used as a supplementary airport for Sydney, with Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith landing the Southern Cross here after his trans-Pacific flight in 1928, and Miss Jean Batten landing after her solo flight from England in 1935.

At the outbreak of World War 2, Nos 3, 6, 9 and 22 Squadrons were based at Richmond, together with No 2 Aircraft Depot. No 8 Squadron formed on 11 September 1939 and No 11 Squadron two weeks later.

During World War 2, Richmond developed into a base of major importance to Australia's defence, and has since evolved from a combat centre to become the home of most of the Air Force's air transport fleet. As such, the base is now the hub of logistics support for the Australian Defence Forces.

Public access

Public access to RAAF Bases is not permitted. All visitors must be signed in and wear their visitor's pass at all times. Please contact the security guards for further information.

Contact

RAAF Base Richmond
Percival Street
Richmond NSW 2755

Call 1300 DEFENCE and ask for Richmond Air Force Base.

Call +61 2 6265 9111 for international callers.