raaf maintenance unit royal_australian_air_force raaf formed july raaf point cook victoria moved nearby march aircraft equipment early years depot supported survey flights australia pacific region strength increased staff 1930s world war assembled tested repaired aircraft ranging flying fortresses depot engaged aircraft research development shortly war introduced jets raaf service ceased airframe maintenance continued service engines 1970s main focus ground based equipment handled aircraft components depot disbanded december functions having taken units private contractors time disbandment oldest raaf unit continuous operation history pre war years units formed royal_australian_air_force raaf new service established march original components known april unit formally come existence july prior comprised elements melbourne handling aircraft equipment responsible motor vehicle repair officially established raaf point cook victoria july component dissolved continued operate detachment unit inaugural commanding officer squadron leader overall charge january depot organised headquarters stores aircraft repair engine repair sections vehicle repair section transferred april seaside atmosphere deemed unsuitable long term location aircraft maintenance september government purchased land near railway station kilometres inland express purpose constructing dedicated home warehouse air_force depot staffed officers seventy seven ranks relocated new base march occupied large hangar included administration block living quarters buildings cost build receiving assembling testing maintaining raaf equipment responsible supporting research flights july departure point northern survey flight comprising northern central australia command chief air staff wing commander later air marshal sir following month formed survey flight consisting amphibious command flight lieutenant later air vice marshal photograph new coasts far north wing commander returned command depot april august handing wing commander served post december mid-1930s comprised staff range aircraft included dragon north american later augmented purchase advanced north american licensed built australia commanding officers decade included february april april january january cope new policy rapid expansion raaf recruit training section formed depot auspices march reorganised september acquired sub unit ongoing photographic survey work world war squadrons raised world war base prime focus continued aircraft depot following outbreak hostilities september began expanding handle raaf growing number training combat aircraft depot assembled tested new aircraft ferried operational areas northern australia new_guinea responsible maintenance service aircraft including engines instruments armament raaf equipment repaired damaged aircraft flying fortresses depot undertook research development types including ran comparative performance studies case example delivered testing july june soon aircraft started arriving depot commenced handling armament trials continued months identifying overcoming issues aircraft guns freezing high altitudes unusual levels carbon cockpit fighter aces pilot conducted comparative trials buffalo bell depot began operational units march following month performance tested version model entered production special duties performance flight responsible conducting performance trials early war years december separate organisation aircraft performance unit evolve depot wartime commanding officers wing commander held post december november tenure investigating crash vengeance designed clip prevent accidental release pilot safety harness later adopted january strength increased highest level staff post war years jet flight australia assembled jet australia maiden flight october year helicopter raaf service arrived depot received sole high performance engined built sent converted components scrapped depot took delivery australian built jet bomber july shortly modified long range flight prior unit taking london air race september year australian built sabre jet fighter delivered airframe maintenance transferred nos aircraft depots serviced different aircraft types existence continued maintain engines began supporting telecommunications equipment engine repair facilities closed staff transferred queensland prepare introduction swing wing bomber australian service concentrate maintaining new aircraft engines focus shifted ground equipment supported navigational aids air traffic control telecommunications motor transport air_force sections defence government presented queen colour november september following year strength staff pioneered support new technologies air_force fields electronics responsible developing testing components jets restructuring began impact heavily raaf technical services 1990s functions largely taken units private contractors disbanded december time oldest raaf unit continuous operation according oldest continuously operating maintenance depot air force
No. 1 Aircraft Depot RAAF