long range flight raaf long range flight temporary royal_australian_air_force unit formed participate london air race known air race flight established february equipped canberra bombers specially modified june august following extensive training departed mid september race began october flight aircraft placed second total flying time hours minutes aircraft forced race tyres burst landing island refuel completed flight repaired brief period new_zealand aircraft returned australia modified standard configuration flight disbanded november history training long range flight formed raaf base february begin preparations raaf participation london air race squadron leader unit initial commanding officer february held position senior wing commander assumed command man fly jet aircraft australia previously commanded raaf aircraft research development unit announcing appointment command long range flight minister air described raaf outstanding test pilot flight received aircraft canberra bomber june aircraft built britain raaf canberra flown australia wing commander july journey completed hours minutes setting unofficial record route flight second aircraft arrived july australian built canberra assigned long range flight shortly completed second australian built canberra assigned flight august aircraft modified specialised role modifications included fitting distance measuring equipment aircraft fuel tanks bomb bays wing commander told journalists august australian preferred british models grounds national prestige aircraft fitted superior navigation equipment retained flight reserve aircraft modifications completed time race long range flight undertook intensive training lead race involved making regular long range return flights ceylon singapore air bases australia exercises establish fuel consumption rates practice navigation practices race training flight broke australian new_zealand air speed records setting fastest time crossing flight raaf base august engineer attached long range flight route september raw visited government aircraft factories facility melbourne thank workers building canberra bombers raaf race aftermath selected australia entries london air race departed bound september arrived 16th month detachments long range flight ground crew stationed airport ceylon indian_ocean detachments departed australia september detachments stationed airport left board raaf transport september detachments led raaf navigator main role develop flight plan leg race provide time spent ground raaf supported aircraft countries deploying air traffic control team specialised radar equipment neptune long range patrol aircraft perth search rescue coverage aircraft carrier destroyer stationed provide weather reports race london air race began october piloted wing commander took london airport piloted followed minutes later manned pilot navigator aircraft flew separately brief stop continued airport tyres burst landing island putting race time minutes ahead minutes ahead royal_air_force raf continued landed raaf airfield south_australia refuel nose wheel locked landing ice able repaired aircraft took local time repairs delayed aircraft minutes arrived airport local time placed second race flight time hours minutes winning aircraft completed flight hours minutes prize money awarded raw placing second later donated october replacement tyres flown repair aircraft departed 12th month flew total flying time hours minutes later told journalists crew drunk beer gone swim waiting aircraft repaired later flew demonstration flights airport returned october aircraft transferred aircraft november returned standard configuration long range flight overseas detachments returned australia november flight disbanded 16th month total cost raaf entry air race minister mcmahon claimed bargain rate given results air force participation long range flight disbanded wing commander returned subsequently appointed officer order british empire december leading flight participating london air race squadron leader raw awarded role race decoration presented brisbane march raw assumed command squadron december raaf squadron equipped canberra bombers flight lieutenant raw pilot race airmen killed june crashed near wing commander presided man court inquiry investigated cause accident gate guard
No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF