wing raaf wing royal_australian_air_force raaf transport air air wing coming control headquartered queensland wing comprises squadron operating tanker transports squadron operating boeing iii heavy transports squadron operating light transports australian_army aircraft support australian military humanitarian operations worldwide formed year world war undertake ground attack missions theatre wing reorganised transport formation headquartered new_south_wales flying relocated new_south_wales began operating lockheed hercules disbanded wing established richmond flying boeing tanker transports hercules squadron converted squadron retired operational having previously flown squadron converted hercules transferred wing wing headquarters relocated richmond january history attack formation established march command group captain attack wing comprised flying units squadron operating squadron operating wing initially based island theatre order battle operation assault north west borneo commencing june included nos squadrons operational base unit medical clearing station repair unit total personnel delays getting aircraft operational forward base meant wing completed combat missions end pacific war conducting rocket machine gun attacks targets august squadron took operation squadron unit lost aircraft action wing originally augmented combat unit squadron flying formed squadron undergoing training war ended disbanded new_south_wales january december shortly end pacific war commanding officer squadron squadron leader crashed takeoff squadron parked airfield people ground died accident including officer commanding wing group captain january march escorted wing japan service august year nos squadrons disbanded new south wales initial transport formation formed new_south_wales july transport wing assigned control nos squadrons flying wing augmented base squadron maintenance squadron formed august initially flew supply missions australian administered territory new_guinea times weekly flights japan support schedule continued december service taken squadron disbanded february august year crews nos squadrons departed europe berlin commitment lasted year australians responsible delivering million tons supplies passengers squadron disbanded march formed station headquarters june wing comprising nos squadrons relocated nearby raaf station richmond following return crews berlin wing able release squadron participate control composite wing commencing june having passengers evacuated injured troops squadron left malaya november returned wing richmond month earlier wing flown supply observation flights connection british atomic test western australia squadron disbanded richmond march forming day transport unit japan composite wing controlled raaf units korean war immediate aftermath squadron returned australia wing years later following disbandment wing wing relocated canberra help satisfy federal government transport needs returned richmond years later leaving contingent flight july formed squadron left control wing independent unit directly administered tasked having earlier augmented complement december wing began operating lockheed hercules medium transports squadron took delivery remained service years accident free flying hours official history post war air_force described hercules probably biggest step aircraft capabilities raaf received considering roughly times effective taking account improvements range speed fighter wing squadrons deployed october february seven required ferry staff equipment squadron australia malaya compared hercules squadron training flight previously squadron responsible developing new techniques aerial transport came directly control wing headquarters december hercules troop carrying flights combat zone squadron joined commonwealth singapore borneo commencement indonesia malaysia similar missions undertaken years squadron received raaf canada tactical transports april replacing august service vietnam war vietnam month wing disbanded primarily support australian_army overarching wing headquarters hercules considered inappropriate squadron disbanded equipment staff divided nos squadrons independently operating units command headquarters raaf base richmond following establishment richmond squadron february flying hercules squadron formed provide maintenance hercules squadrons squadron mainly tactical squadron strategic owing longer range forming hercules units new wing deemed necessary continuing based richmond hercules provided long range transport medical evacuation services vietnam war squadron replaced models formed squadron june continued serve vietnam australian forces withdrawn based richmond relocated queensland squadron continued operate richmond transferred queensland vietnam post vietnam eras military transport duties hercules undertook disaster relief operations australia pacific current transport formation wing formed richmond february newly established replaced richmond commanded group captain wing flying units consisted squadron operating boeing tanker transports nos squadrons operating hercules respectively maintenance squadron development unit evolved control squadron responsible day day maintenance hercules squadron transport unit based canberra squadron flying air navigation trainers raaf base east sale victoria wing june july respectively hercules nos squadrons grand total accident free flying hours lockheed presented wing trophy commemorate milestone wing commanded later air chief marshal angus houston appointed chief raaf officer raised position australian armed services squadron transferred wing controlled wing received duke proficient wing squadron disbanded october year transferring functions nos squadrons nos squadrons flying respectively joined hercules squadrons wing nos squadrons transferred wing headquartered richmond later wing richmond squadron replaced models squadron transferred squadron formally march raaf operations concentrated squadron november squadron transferred prior boeing iii heavy transports relocating squadron retired end replaced light transports squadron transferred wing october aircraft operated wing known general public involvement disaster relief emergency transport australia region participation overseas efforts hercules employed federal government provide air transport pilots dispute curtailed operations domestic evacuated australian nationals middle_east gulf war transported australian troops operation end vietnam war raaf transport relatively routine nature involved humanitarian relief operation marked beginning shift wing combat ready operational focus hercules evacuated civilians following coup july detachments wing hercules supported operations september february wing operations staff accompanied hercules nos squadrons relief efforts following bombings october february rotating detachment hercules deployed support australian contribution wars afghanistan iraq operational flying hours march july july undertook reconnaissance transport missions solomon islands intervention took operation sumatra assist wake boxing day raaf contribution operation new guinea assist following november included hercules september undertook type evacuation raaf service transporting injured australian troops afghanistan hercules king airs employed flood relief queensland victoria early february year hercules transported medical staff equipment aid victims earthquake following month flew sorties japan supporting relief efforts earthquake delivered water cannon help contain damage nuclear power plant january wing headquarters relocated richmond renamed april wing current complement squadron operational tanker transport receiving fourth aircraft march squadron took delivery november squadron operating king airs australian_army units based exception squadron located
No. 86 Wing RAAF