wing raaf wing royal_australian_air_force raaf operational training wing headquartered new_south_wales comprises nos squadrons operating hawk lead fighter squadron technical training unit squadron located raaf base western_australia responsible converting new pilots fast jets squadron conducts introductory fighter courses units fly support missions australian_army formed fighter wing november wing comprised flying units nos squadrons operating theatre world war war equipped early 1950s wing based malta garrison duties royal_air_force operating squadrons jet fighters equipped deployed nos squadrons malaya flying sorties communist insurgents final years emergency 1960s tasked providing regional air defence indonesia malaysia supplied equipment personnel raaf contingent operating thailand wing disbanded november formed present role operational training wing february history world war wing established november queensland command wing commander later group captain wing came control mobile strike force formed support allied armies advanced theatre wing flying units originally consisted squadron operating fighters nos squadrons operating squadrons released duty planned nos squadrons took place making formation force wing flew combat air patrols ground attack missions operation reckless assault new_guinea april middle year wing flying hours new_guinea consistently higher counterparts formed australian tactical air force october wing constituted fighter contingent recently arrived wing operated areas operations bypassed main allied thrust philippines japan led poor morale late early april newly appointed officer commanding wing group captain helped bring called mutiny protest employment australian fighter squadrons apparently worthless ground attack missions subsequent inquiry cleared pilots involved finding motives sincere arthur retained command wing invasion commenced augmented squadron wing minute replacement wing delayed moving aircraft forward northern australia days prepare operation addition flying squadrons wing complement included medical clearing station repair unit arthur succeeded wing commander june july wing took assaults undertaking convoy escort joined squadron ground attack missions close support july flew sorties dropping pounds bombs rounds ammunition loss aircraft pilots killed missing cold war following end hostilities wing comprising nos squadrons departed australia arriving december formation based initially new south wales squadrons reduced status squadron disbanded july wing remaining squadrons relocated june raaf station new_south_wales august equipped group captain completed appointment officer commanding december base squadron formed wing june base squadron administrative logistical unit intended wing self supporting mobile case deployment maintenance squadron formed month responsibility aircraft equipment operated wing nos squadrons disbanded march april respectively nos squadrons disbanded april forming station headquarters remainder year wing aircraft staff gradually transferred units december reduced strength airmen officers declared non operative wing established january comprising nos squadrons wing raaf equip jet aircraft flying units took delivery fighters allocated wing subsequently equipped vampire leased royal_air_force exchange australia commitment support raf operations middle_east fighter squadrons base squadron maintenance squadron wing deployed malta duties wing commander later group captain raaf presence essentially symbolic gesture demonstrate commonwealth solidarity midst cold war combat squadrons half strength operating aircraft addition vampires trainers provided personnel departed australia july posting overseas minimum years families permitted journey operational control raf group wing circumstances combat express permission australian government airmen participated nato exercises stationed malta year took second place gunnery contest mason cup originally based royal_navy airfield south east malta wing moved june centrally located raf station command given group captain time plans form far east strategic reserve contain communist aggression british australian governments began discuss withdrawing wing middle_east planned year garrison complete handed command wing commander september wing flew sorties december returned australia following month following tour mediterranean wing reorganised march wing headquarters formed nos squadrons disbanded squadron remained wing augmented march nos squadrons april squadron absorbed maintenance functions squadron nos squadrons initially operated squadron based flew november wing equipped units stationed group captain took command wing deploying october february raaf base malaya flying units consisted nos squadrons squadron remained subsequently joining wing formed squadron aircraft wear air_force new based flew ground attack missions communist guerrilla forces stages emergency ground support aircraft provided maintenance squadron armed missiles responsible regional air defence indonesia malaysia combat took place october december detachment initially squadron later squadron based conduct combat patrols indonesian malaysian border borneo response communist squadron formed singapore wing aircraft personnel years squadron operated thailand manned personnel wing serving month year raaf careful acknowledge connection units malaysia policy neutrality war squadron disbanded july squadron equipped fighters relieved squadron wing disbanded november nos squadrons independent units command headquarters raaf squadron returned conversion replaced equipped squadron squadron formed squadron disbanding years later squadron october squadron disbanded month wing formed february charge technical training hawk headquartered comprised squadron squadron western_australia operating hawks operational conversion unit operating units previously wing squadron role convert graduates fast jets squadron conduct lead fighter courses convert pilots fighter february wing came control newly established formed merging merger expanded wing responsibilities took lead training wing july technical training unit squadron detachments added wing complement subsequently returned control wing wing strength consisted nos squadrons operating hawks squadron squadron continues provide fast jet conversion recently graduated pilots courses squadron conducts introductory fighter courses preparatory students undertaking conversion classic squadron squadrons fly close support missions australian_army
No. 78 Wing RAAF