No. 78 Wing RAAF

No. 78 Wing RAAF No. 78 Wing's crest Active 1943–1967 2000–current Allegiance  Australia Branch Royal Australian Air Force Role Operational training Part of Air Combat Group Headquarters RAAF Base Williamtown Commanders Notable commanders Wilfred Arthur (1945) Alan Rawlinson (1945–46) Brian Eaton (1952–54) Aircraft flown Trainer Hawk 127

No. 78 Wing (78WG) is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. During the early 1950s, it was based in Malta, where it flew Vampire jet fighters. In 1958 it re-equipped with Sabres and deployed to Malaya, flying sorties against Communist forces in the final years of the Emergency. No. 78 Wing was disbanded in 1967, but re-formed as an operational training wing in 2000.

History

World War II

No. 78 Squadron Kittyhawks in late 1944

No. 78 Wing was established on 24 November 1943 at Townsville, Queensland.^[1] Comprising Nos. 75, 78 and 80 Squadrons, the wing operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. Upon establishment it formed the fighter contingent of No. 10 Operational Group (renamed First Tactical Air Force in October 1944) along with No. 81 Wing.^[2] No. 78 Wing took part in Operation Reckless, the assault on Hollandia and Aitape, New Guinea, in April 1944.^[3] By the middle of the year, the Wing's rate of effort in New Guinea operations was consistently higher than its counterparts in the US Fifth Air Force.^[4][5]

The relegation of First Tactical Air Force to areas of operations bypassed by the main Allied thrust towards the Philippines and Japan led to poor morale in late 1944 and early 1945. In April 1945, the recently-appointed Officer Commanding No. 78 Wing, Group Captain Wilfred Arthur, helped bring about the so-called "Morotai Mutiny" in protest at the relegation of the Australian fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground attack missions. A subsequent inquiry cleared the pilots involved, finding their motives in tendering their resignations to be sincere.^[6] Arthur remained in command of No. 78 Wing during the Battle of Tarakan,^[7] before being replaced on 25 May by Wing Commander Alan Rawlinson, who completed his appointment in December 1946.^[8]

Cold War and after

Vampire jet fighters of No. 78 Wing based at Ħal Far, Malta, 1952

In the 1950s, No. 78 Wing became the first wing in the RAAF to fully equip with jet aircraft, when it took delivery of De Havilland Vampire fighters leased from the Royal Air Force in exchange for Australia's commitment to support RAF operations in the Middle East. Comprising Nos. 75 and 76 (Fighter) Squadrons, No. 378 (Base) Squadron and No. 478 (Maintenance) Squadron, the wing was deployed to Malta on garrisoning duties under Wing Commander (later Group Captain) Brian Eaton.^[2][9] It departed Australia in July 1952; as the posting overseas was for a minimum of two years, the families of staff were permitted to make the journey as well.^[10] The Australian airmen participated in many NATO exercises while stationed at Malta, and one year took first and second place in the Middle Eastern Gunnery Contest for the "Imshi" Mason Cup.^[11] The wing flew its last sorties in December 1954 and returned to Australia the following month, by which time Wing Commander Geoff Newstead had assumed command.^[12]

Following its tour in the Mediterranean, No. 78 Wing was based at RAAF Williamtown, New South Wales. In 1958 it deployed to RAAF Base Butterworth in Malaya, where it flew CAC Sabres in operations against Communist guerilla forces in the last years of the Emergency. Its units by this stage consisted of Nos. 3 and 77 (Fighter) Squadrons,^[13] and No. 478 (Maintenance) Squadron. This force remained at Butterworth until the late 1960s, No. 75 Squadron relieving No. 3 Squadron in 1965.^[14] Armed with Sidewinder missiles, the Sabres provided regional air defence during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation from 1963 until 1966.^[15] In May 1962, No. 79 Squadron was reformed in Singapore from No. 78 Wing aircraft and personnel. For the next six years this squadron operated from Ubon Air Base in Thailand and was manned by personnel from No. 78 Wing serving on six months to one year-long rotations. The RAAF was careful to not acknowledge any connection between the two units, however, as Malaysia had a policy of neutrality towards the war in South East Asia.^[16]

No. 78 Wing was disbanded in November 1967.^[14] It reformed in 2000 at Williamtown, comprising Nos. 76 and 79 Squadrons, and No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit, which had been transferred from No. 81 Wing.^[17][18] In February 2002, No. 78 Wing came under the control of the newly established Air Combat Group, formed by merging Tactical Fighter Group and Strike Reconnaissance Group. The merger expanded the wing's responsibilities, as it took on lead-in training for the General Dynamics F-111Cs of No. 82 Wing.^[19] In July 2003 a technical training and simulator unit, No. 278 Squadron, with detachments at RAAF Base Amberley, RAAF Base Pearce and RAAF Base Tindal, was added to No. 78 Wing's complement.^[17] No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit subsequently returned to the control of No. 81 Wing; as of 2009, No. 78 Wing’s strength consisted of Nos. 76 and 79 Squadrons, operating BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighters, and No. 278 Squadron.^[20][21][22]

Notes

1. ^ No. 78 Wing Headquarters, "Operations Record Book", p.1
2. ^ ^{a b} Odgers, The Royal Australian Air Force
3. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, pp.206–213
4. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p.194
5. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p.227
6. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp.123–124
7. ^ Odgers, Air War Against Japan, p.453
8. ^ No. 78 Wing Headquarters, "Operations Record Book, pp.75,112
9. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp.221–223
10. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp.202–203
11. ^ Newton, Clash of Eagles, p.111
12. ^ Stephens, Going Solo, pp.204–207
13. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, p.250
14. ^ ^{a b} RAAF Historical Section, Units of the Royal Australian Air Force, pp.59–62
15. ^ Stephens, The Royal Australian Air Force, pp.251–252
16. ^ Coulthard-Clark, The RAAF in Vietnam, pp.10–16
17. ^ ^{a b} Liebert, Simone (17 July 2003). "Cloudy day, bright outlook". Air Force. http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/editions/4512/topstories/story02.htm. Retrieved 28 March 2011. 
18. ^ Peacock; Jackson, Jane's World Air Forces 2001, p.19
19. ^ Codey, Rebecca; Bradley, Christine (February 2002). "Set to fly". Air Force News. http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/editions/4402/story01.htm. Retrieved 28 March 2011. 
20. ^ Air Combat Group at Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved on 28 March 2011.
21. ^ No. 76 Squadron at Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved on 28 March 2011.
22. ^ No. 79 Squadron at Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved on 28 March 2011.

References

• No. 78 Wing Headquarters. "Operations Record Book". RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50). National Archives of Australia. http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=1360020. Retrieved 30 December 2010. 
• Coulthard-Clark, Chris (1995). The RAAF in Vietnam: Australian Air Involvement in the Vietnam War 1962–1975. The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948–1975. Sydney: Allen & Unwin in association with the Australian War Memorial. ISBN 1863733051. 
• Newton, Dennis (1996). Clash of Eagles. Kenthurst, New South Wales: Kangaroo Press. ISBN 0864177933. 
• Odgers, George (1968) [1957]. Australia in the War of 1939–1945: Series Three (Air) Volume II – Air War Against Japan 1943–1945. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67913. 
• Odgers, George (1984). The Royal Australian Air Force: An Illustrated History. Brookvale: Child & Henry. ISBN 0867773685. 
• Peacock, Lindsay; Jackson, Paul (2001). Jane's World Air Forces. Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0710612931. 
• RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 7: Maintenance Units. Canberra: Aust. Govt. Pub. Service. ISBN 0644428007. 
• Stephens, Alan (1995). Going Solo: The Royal Australian Air Force 1946–1971. Canberra: Aust. Govt. Pub. Service. ISBN 0644428031. 
• Stephens, Alan (2006) [2001]. The Royal Australian Air Force: A History. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195555414.