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Pilot Officer David Paul DFC, an Indigenous Australian pilot serving in North Africa, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, later called the Dam Busters, using purpose-built bouncing mines.

RAAF Base East Sale, is located 220 kilometres south east of Melbourne in Victoria’s Gippsland region on the traditional land of the Gunaikurnai people. East Sale is home to No.1 Flying Training School, Central Flying School, Air Mission Training School, School of Air Traffic Control and Officers' Training School, the Roulettes, No. 32 Squadron and No. 30 (City of Sale) Squadron.

Victoria Cross awarded to Flight Lieutenant William (‘Bill’) Newton, the only RAAF VC of the Pacific War.

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea, took place on Australia’s doorstep from 2 to 4 March 1943. It was a defining battle that thwarted Japan’s attempt to secure a permanent foothold in Australia’s nearest neighbour, which was then the Australian…

Motto: Pass not Unseen Battle Honours: Moresby 1943, New Britain 1943, Pacific 1943-44, Markham Valley 1943-44, New Guinea 1943 – 44, Milne Bay No 41 (Radio Direction Finding) Wing was initially formed on 16th February 1943 in Papua, near Port…

Motto: Steadfastness No 44 (Radio) Wing was formed at Adelaide River, Northern Territory on 14 December 1942. It is made up of two subordinate units, Nos 452 and 453 Squadrons, based at RAAF Bases Darwin and Williamtown respectively. The Wing…

First serving member of the Royal Australian Air Force to earn a Victoria Cross - Flight Sergeant Rawdon (‘Ron’) Middleton.

Wing Commander Richard (‘Dick’) Cresswell, the 22-year-old Commanding Officer of No 77 Squadron shot down a Japanese Betty bomber near Darwin in a night raid.

Motto:  First to Defend No 1 Security Forces Squadron forms part of No 95 Wing of the Combat Support Group. The Squadron provides security and air base support of domestic operations across all permanent RAAF bases in Victoria, New South…

No 100 Squadron mounted the first RAAF torpedo bomber attack of World War II.

Eighteen Wellingtons from No 460 Squadron participate in the first thousand-bomber raid against Germany.

A Japanese ‘Glen’ single-engine floatplane was flown to reconnoitre the naval anchorages in Sydney prior to a midget submarine attack.

No 75 Squadron – formed at Townsville, Queensland, only 17 days earlier—arrived at Port Moresby. Japanese aircraft had been subjecting the town and its surrounding defence installations to air attacks since early February.

In two attacks this day, Japanese aircraft caused widespread destruction to the port of Darwin, including the town’s civil aerodrome and RAAF air base.

A Lockheed Hudson Mk IV bomber flew 2260 kilometres to carry out an armed photographic reconnaissance of Japanese forces in the Truk Islands.

Orders for raising the Volunteer Air Observers Corps (VAOC) were given by the Air Board today, with formal War Cabinet approval following nine days later.

Japanese forces commenced an amphibious invasion of northern Malaya.

On this night, a single Handley Page Hampden bomber from No 455 Squadron, RAAF, took off from Swinderby in Lincolnshire to make the first attack by an Australian aircraft on Nazi Germany.

Flight Lieutenant Donald Thomson argued for utilising the Aboriginal population of the Northern Territory for defence purposes.

The Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) is raised.

RAAF Base Williamtown is strategically positioned to the North of Newcastle in the Port Stephens area. The history and expansion of RAAF Williamtown since its establishment during World War II is directly linked to the evolution of air power and the technological advances in tactical fighter and surveillance aircraft.

The War Cabinet approved the formation of the Cadet Corps as part of the RAAF Reserve on 1 February 1941. Commanded by GPCAPT W.A. Robertson, the Corps had six wings, with most of the instructors being unpaid volunteers who were ex-World War I…

Air Force’s No 3 Squadron had its first taste of combat.

In 1939, Townsville City Council transferred the city airport to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). RAAF Base Townsville was formed on 15 October 1940 and has a long and proud association with the people of North Queensland.

Roughly halfway through the four-month period designated as the Battle of Britain, Flight Lieutenant P.C. (‘Pat’) Hughes was killed in action.

The origins of the Base are traced back to May 1939 when Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that Forest Hill would become the site of the RAAF’s new flying school (No. 2 Service Flying Training School).

The Air Force Nursing Service is formed, giving RAAF its own nursing capability.

RAAF Base Amberley commenced operations on 17 June 1940 with its initial role being a centre for flying training and recruiting

Formed in June 1940, RAAF Base Darwin was very rapidly at the front line of Australia's defences at the outbreak of war in the Pacific. Darwin and its satellite fields housed a multitude of Australian and US units, operating throughout the South-West Pacific.