squadron raaf squadron royal_australian_air_force raaf training bomber squadron formed served training unit based england world war squadron disbanded formed start subsequently saw combat light bomber maritime patrol squadron world war took disbanded war squadron raised raaf bomber operational conversion unit primarily served capacity time maintained secondary strike capability tasked reconnaissance duties squadron currently based raaf base queensland equipped boeing aircraft january history world war squadron formed england june flying training unit unit initially designated australian training squadron role train fighter pilots service squadron designated australian squadron time western squadron moved day formed june september 1st training wing unit established command training squadrons england squadrons january squadron redesignated squadron units renamed time squadron moved february squadron different types aircraft train pilots including aircraft types outdated suitable elementary flight training date service combat units france like units 1st training wing squadron continued train pilots end war undertaken personnel occupied awaited transport australia strengthen squadron disbanded march personnel left return australia year world war january squadron located raaf station richmond outskirts sydney equipped patrol aircraft redesignated squadron squadron responsible conducting reconnaissance patrols australia east coast undertaking training exercises ran duties continued squadron designated early gained additional role providing conversion training new pilots air gunners squadron maritime patrol activities hindered limitations aircraft obsolete inadequate range bomb load following outbreak world war squadron escorted convoys australian east coast undertook training exercises australian_army ran april crashed near return leg air navigation exercise killing crew members december crashed golf course richmond night reconnaissance flight killing crew members squadron replaced mark lockheed hudson light bombers april modern aircraft capable longer range higher speed greater squadron continued based richmond detachments east coast squadron escorted troop convoys august squadron conducted long range patrols searching german raiders present success squadron continued maritime patrol tasks months outbreak pacific war december time squadron comprised aircraft based richmond based near melbourne late december squadron dispatched malaya good losses suffered squadrons squadron equipped longer ranged january early january aircraft dispatched undertake urgent photo reconnaissance japanese base orders air vice marshal aircraft suffered mechanical problems arriving forward airfield operation conducted successfully january longest photo reconnaissance flight undertaken land based raaf aircraft world war january flight aircraft detached squadron transferred newly formed squadron port new_guinea squadron maritime patrol role increased importance japanese submarines began operating australian east coast june crew squadron hudson attacked believed submerged submarine kilometres northeast sydney squadron gave mark equipped models late august squadron moved established detachment aircraft bay new_guinea bay detachment formed provide reconnaissance bomber support australian garrison expected attacked japanese forces landed bay night august sparking ended allied victory early september squadron flew reconnaissance anti shipping patrols airfields bay battle squadron attacked convoy japanese destroyers patrol boats carrying reinforcement troops bay august squadron claimed damaged destroyer operation japanese force actually damage following allied victory bay squadron continued patrol region near sank japanese transport ship near september based elements squadron moved near town port new_guinea october conducted anti submarine patrols alongside squadron november squadron supported australian_army force engaged track campaign dropping supplies evacuating sick soldiers december near end month squadron conducted night bombing raids japanese included attack destroyer end december squadron concentrated field undertook reconnaissance anti submarine patrols night january japanese aircraft attacked field destroying squadron damaging remainder squadron unable conduct operations weeks attack damaged aircraft subsequently repaired march squadron participated searching barges attacking carrying survivors japanese ships sunk unit high rate flying activities squadron increasingly suffered mechanical problems contributed drop number hours flown squadron march july commanded squadron raaf units new_guinea banned squadron taking combat operations poor condition decided time equip squadron australian built effect change squadron hudson crews flew aircraft australia replaced new equipped september period squadron ground crew frequently labourers aircraft maintain receiving new aircraft squadron tasked anti shipping attacks squadron attack japanese convoy near night october squadron pilot claimed damaged cruiser squadron bombed japanese positions october conjunction squadron addition offensive operations squadron regularly flew anti submarine patrols protect allied shipping november squadron moved wing raaf alongside squadrons november march squadron took attacks major japanese base struck targets region support naval ground forces engaged march squadron mainly undertook convoy escort anti submarine patrols proved uneventful squadron operations hampered mechanical problems issued unit following service raaf squadrons problem continued october received allocation recently built aircraft squadron saw action late late october units wing conducted attacks locations support australian 5th division landing bay subsequent operations island december january squadron moved airfield continued support australian_army operations area new_guinea targets range squadron saw little combat despite limited nature raids conducted squadron offensive operations hampered shortage bombs detachment aircraft deployed late april participate attacks japanese positions near alongside squadrons squadron conducted little operational flying late june commander recommended monthly report squadron disbanded equipped sent active area respond proposal australian squadrons similarly employed time squadron combat operations undertaken detachment deployed july aircraft bombed japanese positions area alongside operated squadron following end war squadron dropped advise japanese troops country surrendered continued anti submarine patrols september squadron posted units located australia replaced squadrons squadron began regular flights bay month squadron remained october returned australia disbanded queensland 31st month squadron suffered fatalities world war operational conversion unit february squadron redesignated squadron unit based queensland equipped heavy bombers squadron formed wing primarily responsible training serve wing line units squadrons training effort increased squadron deployed malaya australia contribution emergency october year squadron deliberately flown cloud resulted british atomic bomb test operation hurricane took place western australian aircraft role determining level caused atomic blast squadron performed similar duties subsequent british atomic bomb tests heavily contaminated flights flown squadron lost day april written collapsed landing destroyed collided ground queensland injured accidents squadron replaced canberra jet bombers early unit operational aircraft july transition canberra squadron remaining posted lincoln conversion flight continued support squadron malaya replacement posted squadron squadron suffered number accidents years damaged result defects aircraft squadron continued training duties new aircraft included regular deployments darwin participate air defence exercises training flights malaya new_zealand early squadron personnel transferred squadron bring unit strength deployed australia commitment vietnam war point onwards squadron heavily engaged training service late 1960s squadrons scheduled equipped strike aircraft mechanical problems united_states_air_force caused raaf postpone acceptance aircraft leading requirement interim aircraft equip squadrons leased squadron equipped aircraft september october proved highly successful severely damaged flight attempted emergency landing cable failed repaired squadron remaining handed october prior delivery squadron arrived june unit flew sorties aircraft 13th month squadron main role remained operational conversion unit secondary strike role august squadron gained photo reconnaissance role issued aircraft modified aircraft concentrated squadron included photo analysts specialised training conducted australia nearby countries occasionally deployed united_states exercises held june squadron expanded include survey flight undertook photo survey flights operation army leased flight conducted surveys south eastern australia northern australia fiji parts indonesia malaysia disbanded squadron replaced purchased training purposes purchase allowed australia mainly strike reconnaissance purposes extended type expected life raaf service assigned squadron unit aircraft transferred squadron squadron typically seven operational point time decided retire replace lockheed martin lightning aircraft time expected delivered result delays program government decided early equip squadrons boeing aircraft interim basis squadron progressively retired months major aircraft type flew september final operational conversion course completed remaining transferred squadron november squadron began process converting years squadron operated bomber reconnaissance unit squadron formally retired ceremony held december squadron declared operational new aircraft days later squadron began equipped january operational aircraft march year squadron super operational conversion course completed october federal government announced plans purchase supplement fleet squadron expected begin taking delivery point transferred squadron squadron expected achieve initial operating capability june operating capacity
No. 6 Squadron RAAF