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  • 1920-1929
  • 1940-1949
  • 1950-1959
  • 2010-2019

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

 

Vickers Vimy leaving Point Cook
Display Date
14 Jan 1924

Opening of the RAAF Experimental Section

Experimental aircraft design and testing section of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Portrait of Lt (then) LJ Wackett
14 Jan 1924

Opening of the RAAF Experimental Section

The Experimental Section was an experimental aircraft design and testing section of the Royal Australian Air Force formed at Randwick, Sydney and produced a number of aircraft designs before closing in 1930. The Commanding Officer of the Station was Lawrence Wackett who was an early trainee pilot at Point Cook and became the leading figure in Australian aircraft design and construction.

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Portrait of Lt (then) LJ Wackett
Portrait of Lt (then) LJ Wackett
Display Date
26 May 1926

First freefall parachute jump in Australia

The first freefall parachute in Australia.

Flight Lieutenant Ellis Wackett made a freefall parachute jump from a D.H.9a over RAAF Base Richmond
26 May 1926

First freefall parachute jump in Australia

Flight Lieutenant Ellis Wackett made a freefall parachute jump from a D.H.9a over RAAF Base Richmond, the first time this had occurred in Australia.

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Flight Lieutenant Ellis Wackett made a freefall parachute jump from a D.H.9a over RAAF Base Richmond
First freefall parachute jump in Australia
Display Date
15 Jun 1928

Air Force Cross awarded to Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm

Charles Kingsford Smith crosses the Pacific Ocean.

Charles Kingsford Smith’s Fokker Tri-motor “Southern Cross” Aircraft
15 Jun 1928

Air Force Cross awarded to Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm

In recognition of their achievement in crossing the Pacific Ocean by air in the tri-motor Southern Cross, Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm were awarded the Air Force Cross and appointed to honorary rank in the Air Force, following a precedent set with Bert Hinkler earlier in the year.

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Charles Kingsford Smith’s Fokker Tri-motor “Southern Cross” Aircraft
Pacific Ocean crossing by Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm

1940-1949

Air Force Nursing service established

Formation of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force

Bombing of Darwin

Australia's first Indigenous fighter pilot

Introduction of helicopters to Air Force

Hudsons over Singapore
Display Date
05 Jun 1946

First test flight of a jet aircraft in Australia

Squadron Leader Derek (‘Jell’) Cuming flies an ex-RAF Meteor F.3 at RAAF Base Laverton.

Laverton, Vic. 1946-06-05. Gloster Meteor jet aircraft, serial no. EE427, on the tarmac at Aircraft Performance Unit (APU) RAAF Station Laverton, before making the first flight of a jet-propelled aircraft in Australia
05 Jun 1946

First test flight of a jet aircraft in Australia

An ex-RAF Gloster Meteor F.3 took off from Laverton, Victoria, on the first test flight of a jet aircraft in Australia. It was flown by Squadron Leader Derek (‘Jell’) Cuming, who earlier that year became the first RAAF officer to complete the Empire Test Pilots course. The Meteor had been received at No 1 Aircraft Depot the previous month and was provided on loan by the British War Ministry to enable the RAAF to gain experience in operating a radical new type. Two days later the aircraft was taken on RAAF strength with the tail number A77-1 and allotted to No 1 Aircraft Performance Unit for trials. Australia did eventually acquire the Meteor for squadron service, but only in 1951. By that time the de Havilland Vampire had already become, in 1949, the first jet acquired in numbers for the RAAF.

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Laverton, Vic. 1946-06-05. Gloster Meteor jet aircraft, serial no. EE427, on the tarmac at Aircraft Performance Unit (APU) RAAF Station Laverton, before making the first flight of a jet-propelled aircraft in Australia
Meteor jet aircraft
Display Date
15 Mar 1947

Test flight from mainland Australian to edge of the Antarctic zone

A Lincoln A73-2 conducted a pioneering flight from RAAF Base Point Cook to the edge of the Antarctic zone.

Group portrait of three men standing in front of an Avro Lincoln, A73-2 'Nyhuan' also known as 'Pathfinder', a long range navigation trainer and survey aircraft.
15 Mar 1947

Test flight from mainland Australian to edge of the Antarctic zone

Lincoln A73-2 from No 1 Air Performance Unit at Point Cook, Victoria, conducted a pioneering flight from mainland Australia to the edge of the Antarctic zone, collecting meteorological data and photographing Macquarie Island which lies 1466 kilometres south of Tasmania. The aircraft was airborne for 14 hours 35 minutes and completed the flight in deteriorating weather. This effort was seen as an essential precursor to the scientific voyages launched by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) from December 1947.

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Group portrait of three men standing in front of an Avro Lincoln, A73-2 'Nyhuan' also known as 'Pathfinder', a long range navigation trainer and survey aircraft.
Avro Lincoln A73-2

1950-1959

War in Korea

Air Force introduces the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force replacing the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force

Introduction of the Sabre 

RAAF Roundel adopted

End of the biplane era

RAAF's first C-130 Hercules 

Sergeant Hale with his Meteor 'Halestorm'
Display Date
04 Apr 1957

First around the world flight by the RAAF

Three Neptune maritime patrol aircraft from No 11 Squadron arrived back at Richmond, New South Wales, after completing Operation Westbound—the first round-the-world flight by the RAAF.

Aircrew positioned in front of a Neptune
04 Apr 1957

First around the world flight by the RAAF

Three Neptune maritime patrol aircraft from No 11 Squadron arrived back at Richmond, New South Wales, after completing Operation Westbound—the first round-the-world flight by the RAAF. The aircraft had departed on 20 February.

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Aircrew positioned in front of a Neptune
Aircrew positioned in front of a Neptune
Neptune in Flight
Neptune in Flight

2010-2019

Air Force introduced new aircraft to the fleet to enhance capability  

Goodbye F-111 

First Indigenous elder of the RAAF 

General purpose uniforms (GPU)

Extensive humanitarian assistance by Air Force through disasters such as floods in Pakistan, MRH370 search, Bushfires and COVID-19 response

KC-30A MRTT and E-7A Wedgetail conduct Air to Air refuelling testing in the airspace near RAAF Williamtown
Display Date
05 Nov 2015

C-17A Globemaster III trial flight to Antarctica

A RAAF C-17A Globemaster III undertook a trial flight to Antarctica on this day, as part of plans to explore the use of the aircraft in delivering cargo for the Australian Antarctic Division.

No 36 Squadron Pilots, Flight Lieutenant (FLTLT) Simon Marshall (left) and FLTLT Timothy Oldfield on the flight deck of a C-17A Globemaster bound for Antartica.
05 Nov 2015

C-17A Globemaster III trial flight to Antarctica

A RAAF C-17A Globemaster III undertook a trial flight to Antarctica on this day, as part of plans to explore the use of the aircraft in delivering cargo for the Australian Antarctic Division. This led to a successful joint operational mission with the Australian Antarctic Division and Royal Australian Air Force to East Antarctica later in November, with a C-17A delivering heavy lift cargo to Wilkins Aerodrome in support of the Australian Antarctic programme. The C-17A flew the 3450km, landing at Wilkins Aerodrome near Casey station on 21 November 2015 where it unloaded cargo, including a brand new Hägglunds, a dual cab vehicle that operates over snow and infrastructure building materials. 

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No 36 Squadron Pilots, Flight Lieutenant (FLTLT) Simon Marshall (left) and FLTLT Timothy Oldfield on the flight deck of a C-17A Globemaster bound for Antartica.
Next destination - Antartica
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