The origins of the Royal Australian Air Force extend back to the early days of aviation, and we have made important contributions to defence and peacekeeping initiatives across the globe ever since.
1920-1929
Formation of the Australian Air Force
First Air Force Non Technical Training course
First around Australia aerial survey flight
Aircraft production begins in Australia
First round Australia aerial survey flight
First round Australia aerial survey flight by Air Force’s acting Chief of the Air Staff, Wing Commander S.J. (‘Jimmy’) Goble, and pilot, Flying Officer Ivor McIntyre.
First round Australia aerial survey flight
Air Force’s acting Chief of the Air Staff, Wing Commander S.J. (‘Jimmy’) Goble, and pilot, Flying Officer Ivor McIntyre, alighted off St Kilda Beach, Melbourne, in a Fairey IIID seaplane A10-3, at the end of the first round-Australia flight.
Since departing from Point Cook air base on 6 April, they had spent 90 hours in the air, travelled 13,700 kilometres, surviving bad weather, poor maps, damage to their aircraft, compass failure and fatigue to complete an aerial survey of the Australian coastline.
A crowd of 10,000 welcomed them back and cheered their triumph, which earned both men the award of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
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