wing raaf wing royal_australian_air_force raaf wing world war unit formed eventually comprised squadrons equipped fighter aircraft wing headquarters absorbed newly formed group july wing established provide fighter protection allied offensive darwin northern australia eastern netherlands east indies operation effectively cancelled june leaving wing clear mission unit remained darwin moved december march small number japanese aircraft remaining area wing aircraft mainly ground attack role end war wing squadrons participated borneo campaign history darwin early general commander allied air forces adopted goal landing forces island eastern establishing bomber base accordingly early march air vice marshal led presented proposal raaf contribute fighter wings units operation time scheduled june wings equipped march group captain raaf highest scoring flying ace war reluctantly accepted command projected wing request transfer europe rejected chief air staff air vice marshal meeting jones stated wing highest priority supplies equipment wing formed darwin northern territory initially comprised squadrons transferred wing squadrons seen extensive combat europe northern australia based near darwin squadrons equipped aircraft time wing establishment received superior june august general commander allied forces decided june postpone operation allied forces landed philippines communicated wing continued develop plans involvement operation late august effective cancellation operation left wing clear mission pilots left train september air commodore commander reported wing morale drop given active role transferred southern australia period wing pilots observed wing making occasional attacks japanese positions sought approval conduct similar operations agree believed risks associated flying edge range attack targets benefits morale mid september gained agreement headquarters deploy wing recently captured island raaf units raised morale wing short time prepare overseas november received orders begin movement soon possible visited island late month visit observed likely supply shortages wing operations wing headquarters left darwin december squadron departed december squadron trip destroyed damaged result landing accidents new_guinea december expected living facilities initially basic traded liquor services engineer units improve wing camp site wing began flying night defence patrols shortly squadron arrived time major allied base attacked japanese aircraft multiple occasions night december shot japanese bomber island proved japanese raids lack aerial opposition meant wing aircraft increasingly japanese positions near january wing flew ground attack sorties losing process lack opportunities aerial combat disappointed wing pilots contributed decline morale wing completed march squadron left darwin february arrived island days later later month squadron joined wing squadron previously operated new_guinea nearby islands withdrawing darwin january receive mark viii final ship carrying wing personnel equipment darwin arrived early march wing commander appointed wing wing leader october assumed temporary command unit days late march trip manila march wing commander assumed command reached end appointment disillusioned wing dissatisfaction tasks undertaken wing led mutiny april april senior officers attempted resign protest believed fighter aircraft ground attack operations isolated japanese positions action taken officers later court selling liquor wing units participated australian led borneo campaign squadron attached wing deployed june operation landings squadron provided air defence flew close air support sorties alongside squadron shot japanese aircraft june april squadron attached wing took landing delays repairing airfield meant combat june squadron subsequently supported landing july shot japanese aircraft early hours july period squadron remained continued fly ground attack sorties japanese positions nearby island july absorbed newly formed group intended wing flying squadrons come command group event took operational control squadron war ended memorial plaque wing unveiled australian war memorial november
No. 80 Wing RAAF