squadron raaf squadron royal_australian_air_force raaf fighter squadron world war formed july expansion raaf fighter force assigned mobile striking forces duration war completing training squadron deployed combat zone north australia october november year september squadron supported advance allied ground forces western north coast new_guinea attacking japanese positions providing fighter protection recently established escorting australian united_states bombers late operated japanese positions shipping eastern netherlands east indies squadron took borneo campaign final weeks war squadron reduced returned australia december received new aircraft undertook training exercises disbanded april history operations raaf received fighter aircraft arrival allowed service expand combat force forming new equipped squadrons join squadrons operated type area squadron formed new_south_wales july fourth new squadrons established following squadron february squadron march squadron june final unit squadron formed september squadron began receive fighters august conducted training aircraft early october squadron began moving war zone new_guinea october destination changed island squadron operational wing november wing controlled operational group mobile formation established november support planned allied advance north coast new_guinea late november december squadron participated attacks japanese positions alongside squadrons equipped operations undertaken support landings conducted american forces december 26th month addition bombing japanese positions squadron escorted raaf bombers occasions operations squadron moved mainland new_guinea january completed 12th month squadron began operations wing day ground attack escort sorties undertaken squadron january supported australian_army forces engaged range campaign squadron mainly escort australian bomber transport aircraft february early march conducted small number ground attack sorties escort duties unpopular wing fighter pilots believed american officers charge air effort new_guinea assigning australian units tasks reality allied fighter units recently arrived new_guinea initially tasked escort missions period march wing moved replace transferred squadron advance departed march entire squadron operational late month week march squadron units wing struck japanese positions nearby island operation united_states_navy boats march attacked sank american patrol boats killing seven sailors wounding inquiry conducted incident found pilots informed friendly ships area april wing received orders time support operation reckless american landing western new_guinea main party squadron departed cape gloucester april bound mainland new_guinea arrived 24th month squadron began flying patrols american day squadron continued provide air defence early detachment squadron operated owing food shortages area pilots arrived rations days loaded aircraft unit moved permanently airfield near escorted bombers formed force protecting army landings 27th overall squadron flew sorties operations included air air combat war june squadron intercepted group fighters bombers near australian airmen downed loss pilot major air battle fought raaf pacific war june escorting convoy sighted japanese fighter australian aircraft attacked shot near final aerial victory achieved raaf new_guinea campaign squadron continued fly defensive patrols july island squadron sixth months intensive effort needed pack stores occasion caused widespread fatigue airmen ground crew july squadron supported military offensive western new_guinea squadron operated navy boats strikes japanese positions shipping july operations undertaken support army landing july wing pilots completed month operational tour july replaced inexperienced pilots weeks august squadron flew patrols intensive operations trying official history stating wing pushed limit operational capacity squadron aircraft lost period wing attacked japanese airfields september squadron flew sorties targets squadron struck airfields japanese shipping easternmost islands months operations undertaken support american landings philippines began october involved lengthy flights operational group redesignated october time squadron remained wing alongside squadrons squadron aircraft began staging airfields early december moved island december january november known australian fighter pilot world war posted squadron remained unit end war completed combat sorties operations squadron continued attack japanese positions eastern early squadron flew sorties january aircraft fired rounds machine gun ammunition dropped pounds bombs fewer sorties flown february march april squadron ceased operations prepare invasion island east coast borneo wing originally intended land delays moving unit australia wing substituted shortly assault convoys departed result wing days pack stores prepare role landing main squadron disembarked took longer anticipated repair island airfield unit unable flying operations july period squadron ground crew worked australian_army engineers build roads personnel spent time line july end war squadron operated borneo support invasion strike flown japanese positions area july aircraft squadrons attacked airfields near squadron conducted final combat operation august based time japanese government intention surrender announced 15th month squadron suffered fatalities war following armistice squadron undertook dropping reconnaissance sorties november flown australia remainder unit personnel arrived sydney december board british aircraft carrier hms glory returning australia squadron moved new_south_wales december personnel sent leave january squadron rapidly reduced comprised personnel july unit located near sydney august moved outside newcastle august received fighters single trainer squadron undertook training including exercises australian british warships march july april squadron took cloud experiment role aircraft sprayed silver clouds tanks beneath wings goal generating rain squadron disbanded april
No. 78 Squadron RAAF