raaf geographically based commands raised royal_australian_air_force raaf world war established april evolved raaf primary mobile formation theatre september garrison force new_guinea headquartered initially bay august conducted operations new_guinea end war designated december headquartered port march disbanded february history prior world war royal_australian_air_force small elements directly controlled melbourne war broke raaf began command structure expected increases manpower units march australia divided geographically based command control zones roles area commands air defence protection adjacent sea lanes aerial reconnaissance led air officer commanding controlled administration operations air bases units boundary dissolved split created making total commands static area command system suited defence offensive posture september air_force created large mobile formation known act self contained tactical air force able pace allied advances theatre september static garrison force new_guinea similar area commands mainland australia new mobile group required support advance north philippines japan formed november later australian tactical air force initially came group control better reflect new status head air vice marshal recommended renaming agree april settled calling commanded formation command headquartered bay july group position western new_guinea efforts supply group independent command month headquarters transferred september wing detached given task supporting australian 6th division campaign headquartered northern new_guinea wing comprised nos augmented flight army cooperation squadron composite wing formed august headquartered port came command major operational formation army cooperation wing began moving australia october time controlled squadrons new_guinea area wing equipped transfer northern command undertake operations proposed airfield ready instead transferred following year took february directed operations new_guinea end hostilities group captain assumed command wing april maximize support australian ground troops lead final assault wing extant squadrons joined nos approximately struck japanese positions prior amphibious landings cut retreating enemy troops entire month wing dropped tons bombs flew excess sorties wing suffered fuel ordnance shortages stage squadrons load captured japanese bombs wing commanded group captain comprising tactical reconnaissance squadron flying mainly reconnaissance transport units suffered shortages equipment pilots augmented detachment squadron flying aircraft flew slightly sorties campaign end june month tasked acting reserve operation invasion july group formed static command headquartered dutch_east_indies elements freed garrison duties combat units advanced borneo wing continued operations day pacific war flying final mission involving thirty hours news arrived allied victory august wing disbanded port day wing squadrons subsequently dropped remaining pockets japanese resistance making aware surrender wing disbanded january wing suffered morale problems following end war owing inactivity result wing commanding officer sent headquarters frank report tone earning wing left february disbanded melbourne month redesignated december headquarters transferred port march following year handed command june area headquarters disbanded port february
Northern Command (RAAF)