Vol. XV No. 6 January-February 1975 Price $1.10 Registered for posting as a periodical - Category B Aviation Historical Society OF Australia Founded 1959 79 Squadron, RAAF. I I ^ J 1 v1 ..^ I ■4 I ■ t * ' 79 Squadron Spitfires in the dispersal area at Morotai, 1945. via P.N. Anderson k liiii 1il ill Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vc A58—137 UP—T Down With Everything. RAAF Official ■m m ■ki ■ ' - m Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VIII A58-544 UP-R at 14 ARD on February 10, 1945. via J. Hopton Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VIII A58—543 UP—? Australian War Memorial AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA JOURNAL - 87 - Vol. XV No. 6 January—February 1975 Patron: Sir Donald Anderson CBE President: Dr L.V. Turner EDITORIAL Secretary: G.H. Stone PJ. Ricketts Treasurer: Cyclone Tracy, which struck Darwin in the early morning of December Journal Distribution 25, created such havoc that it was many hours before the magnitude was realised Secretary: C.H. O'Neill in other Australian cities, but then assistance was organised on a scale that had Journal Editors: N.M. Parnell never before been seen in Australia during peacetime. G.R. Banfield Movements: E.S. Favelle Museum Notes: P.N. Anderson The main area to which attention must be drawn is that, although Register Editor: J.L. Bell most of the navigational aids were destroyed, the runway at Darwin Airport was Contributors: still usable once the debris had been cleared and It was aircraft that brought the J. Hopton, M.B. Austin immediate aid needed in the city. Both civil and military aircraft were used for T.W. Boughton, D.L. Prossor the evacuation of Injured, the transport of urgently needed supplies and then the R. McDonald, A. Hope. ferrying of people from the virtually uninhabitable city to southern States, all this Western Airletter some six days before relief ships arrived from southern ports. One hopes that Lae Aviation News politicians will appreciate this fact, realise just how far aviation has come and South Australian Air Journal what the potential Is, since the days of wood, wire and fabric. Photographic Prints by Norman Nicholls Contents Page ** Editorial 87 79 Squadron RAAF 88 Arado Ar 79 91 NSW Aerial Derby 92 Letter to the Editor 93 This is the last issue for Volume 15. Thus, with the next issue, the New Darwin 94 Journal will be entering the 16th year of publication, a considerable feat by RAN Naval Aviation Museum 95 relying on volunteer labour. Over the last few years, there was quite a variety of Monthly Notes — Civil 95 articles on Australian aviation, yet the surface has barely been scratched — how — Military 97 much has been compiled on the growth of air routes in Australia; various now - People 97 defunct companies such as Carpenter Airlines, Trans Oceanic Airways, WASP — Third Level 98 Airlines; the use of Avro 504's or on a larger scale, B—24 Liberators; involvement — Museum 98 Supplements: in Antarctic exploration or moving to the military, the use of the First Tactical Civil Aircraft Register 1 Air Force, to mention a few possibilities. If articles keep coming in then the Complete Civil Aircraft chances of reaching our 21st Anniversary will be greatly increased. Register VH-TJF to VH-TOD 3 With the next issue at the new subscription rate, the number of pages will also be increased, which will enable use of the larger articles in hand, such as All manuscripts for publication in the 78 and 82 Squadrons RAAF, The Lockheed Era and more on Catalinas. This Journal should be typed (if possible) may whet your appetite to send that subscription in. double spaced using one side of each sheet only. All work on this Journal Is voluntary and no payment can be made for published material. ** Membership is for one full calendar year commencing March 1st. Annual membership fees of $10.00 (Australian currency) will be due for renewal Gremlin's Corner:— Although everything is checked after manuscript during February each year. typing and again when the masters are done, every so often the Gremlin gets loose and we find something that shouldn't be there. On page 5 of the November-December 1974 Supplement, delete the (1) after THB. On page 6 Published by: Aviation Historical Society of Australia Limited, delete THB(2) and insert THC. Box C.208, Clarence Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. * Printed by: Legal Copying Co. Pty. Limited, 44 Margaret Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. © 1974 Aviation Historical Society of Australia ISSN 0045-1185 Aviation Historical Society of Australia Journal -88- January—February 1975 HISTORY OF NO. 79(IF) SQUADRON, RAAF No. 79(IF) Squadron, was formed at Laverton V, on April 26, 1943, moving to Wooloomanata before the end of the month. Under the command of Sqn Ldr A.C. Rawlinson DFC and BAR, the Squadron was equipped with twenty three Mk. Vc Spitfires and the first of these aircraft arrived on May 3. They were: BS169, ESI69, ES232 and ES307, with ER735 arriving the following day. A Tiger Moth, A17-193, was allotted for general duties on the 18th. On the 22nd, EE834 crashed some twelve miles south-west of Bacchus Marsh V, while on a training flight. After a short shakedown period, advice was received for the Squadron to move to Goodenough Island and the advance party departed on May 17, 1943. The pilots and aircraft departed from Laverton on June 4 and three days later, the main party embarked at Sydney NSW, on the Dutch m.v. Cremer. The Squadron's first operational flight was a scramble from Gurney on June 19, while the aircraft were en route to their new base. By June 26 the Squadron was fully operational at Vivigani, but during the period there, no interceptions were made. Under instructions from 73 Wing HQ, the Squadron was moved to Kiriwina Island, in the Trobriand Islands, between August 9 and 18, to come under the control of HQ Northern Command as from August 31. During Qctober, there was considerable enemy activity over Kiriwina. There were many alerts and several raids, bombs being dropped on four occasions, causing a number of casualties. The only severe material loss was the destruction of the radar station. In order to leave the southern end of the south strips free for the use of aircraft engaged on strikes, against Rabaul and New Britain, the Squadron spent a substantial part of the month at the northern end with 76 Squadron. Conditions for operating aircraft were not the best and difficulties were encountered In refuelling and servicing the Spitfires. For some time the pilots had been frustrated in their attempts to come to grips with the enemy and it was not until Qctober 31, that the first score was made. Scrambled at 10.10 as Purple one and two. Fit Sgt Faulks (ES249) and Sgt Callister (JG807) Investigated a bogey which was cleared, then remained on patrol with two P—40's of 76 Squadron. At 11.10, an aircraft was seen emerging from a cloud over the northern end of the strip, at about 3,000 feet some two miles away. Qn being sighted, it dived away north, increasing Its speed to at least 300 mph and dropping a bomb which exploded in the sea. Qutstripping Faulks, Callister gradually overtook the enemy aircraft and fired a burst from about 800 yards, knocking pieces off the port wing. The enemy aircraft, a Tony, suddenly slowed and with a second burst from 350 yards, it exploded, diving into the sea from 800 feet. A fitting celebration was held in the mess that evening. Callister was killed six days later in an early morning take-off when his Spitfire collided with a Kittyhawk. During Qctober, there had been 247 operational hours flown and 147 for training flights. On October 6, JG796 and JG884 were aloft on a test flight when ES232 and AR532, were scrambled to join them on a Recce flight, but nothing was sighted. On returning to land, JG884 had low brake pressure and the engine failed to respond when required to correct the swing off the runway. It was damaged, later being converted to components. The first sweep over enemy held territory was made on November 27, when the new Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr M.S. Bott, led a formation of eight Spitfires over Gasmata. Flying at 27,000 feet, the flight remained over the area for ten minutes without meeting any air or ground opposition. The following day. Fig Off A.W. Moore, was up on a test flight. Hearing instructions for a scramble over the radio, he followed the directions given and intercepted a Dinah at just over 25/)00 feet. On the first burst, the starboard cannon jammed, and with a second, the port cannon stopped firing. With only the machine-guns firing on the third try, the Dinah's starboard engine caught fire and it dived into the sea about five miles south of Kitava. On November 29, a signal was received. From this date all aircraft in the Squadron were to bear an Australian Identity number in lieu of the English number. (Refer to table on page 91). During December 1943, there were a number of air raid warnings, but only two materialised — on the 5th and 20th. However, nothing of value was achieved by the enemy. The latter raid was made by at least fourteen aircraft and gave ground personnel a practical demonstration of what to do In an air raid. About 150 bombs were dropped. On the 11th, the morning began with the usual patrol - two scrambles and a reconnaissance to Gasmata - all of which were completed with nil results.