wing raaf wing royal_australian_air_force raaf wing operated world war formed april queensland led group captain wing soon deployed dutch new_guinea comprised squadrons flying fighters dive bombers succeeded group captain wing took defence undertaking interception patrol occasional ground attack anti shipping duties july original squadrons disbanded transferred operational formations netherlands east indies squadron arrived operating remained february wing headquarters returned australia disbanded following month history wing formed april queensland command group captain early month headquarters deployed described official history raaf world war little port dutch new_guinea controlling squadron flying fighters squadron fighters squadron dive bombers wing purpose assist defence operating undertook air defence patrol tasks western new_guinea making contact enemy forces exchanged fire japanese bombers escaped cloud airfield completed late june nos squadrons began arriving early month wing acquired operational base unit medical receiving station mobile fighter sector headquarters relations strained opinion problems understood mountains posted july lead bombing gunnery establishment south_australia later year form wing group captain charge fighter wing darwin assumed command wing following enemy contact generally sporadic inconclusive september force thirty japanese bombers escorting fighters heading intercepted fourteen wing guns failed fire oil contact australian aircraft claimed bomber fighters destroyed loss squadron fully operational september mainly given patrol duty rarely saw enemy activity following month squadron converted transferred new formation wing controlled units thursday island field late early squadron actively engaged air defence enjoying success japanese bombers escorts participating attacks infrastructure shipping dutch new_guinea squadron departed april squadron subsequently reduced transferred nos replaced dutch australian squadron arrived canberra early operational 9th month month handed command wing group captain july squadron withdrawn queensland reduced status ahead converting heavy bombers eventually serving new formation wing departed september establish army cooperation formation wing raaf units late squadron remained february declared non operational squadron returned operational status departed eventual service april year wing headquarters returned disbanding june
No. 72 Wing RAAF