RAAF OOB august 1942

[maxs75]

Is somebody able to correct the following OOB for august 1942?
In particular I don't know the bases of squadrons listed under "Somewhere in Australia".

5th USAAF:

Port Moresby:
80 FS (8 FG) P-39 and P-400 (to Milne 9/42)
41 FS (35FG) P-39 and P-400

Darwin area:
49 FG (7,8,9 FS) P-40

Australia (Townsville area, NE Austr.)
39, 40 FS (35FG) P-39 (Pt. Moresby 6-7/42)
35, 36 FS (8FG) P-39 and P.400 (to Milne 9/42)
8 PhRS F-4/P-38

22 BG (M) (2,19,33,408 BS) B-26
43 BG(H) (63,64,65,403 BS) B-17 (and B-24/LB-30?) (last two not operational)
19 BG(H) (28, 30, 93, 435 BS) B-17 (and B-24/LB-30?) at Mareeba
3 BG (L) 13, 90 BS: B-25; 89 BS A-20 (to Pt. Moresby 9/42), 8 BS: A-24 or A-20 (?)

South Australia:
38 BG (M) only 71 and 405 BS, not op.

RAAF:
Milne Bay:
No. 75, 76 P-40E

Pt. Moresby:
No. 100 Det. Beaufort TB

Horn Is.
No. 32 Hudson, No 6 from 8/42 ?

Darwin area:
No. 77 P-40E
No. 2, 13 Hudson
No. 12 Wirraway??

Townsville area:
No. 11, 20 Catalina
No. 7 Hudson
No. 33 Empire transports

West. Austr.
No. 14 Hudson
No. 25 9xBuffalo, Wirraway?

East. Austr.
No. 73 Anson ASW
No. 18 (B-25 from 9/42)
No. 31 (Beaufighter from 9/42)
No. 24 7x P-39F, Wirraway?
No. 30 Beaufighter Ic

Somewhere in Australia:
1 PRU 5x Buffalo
No. 4 and 21 Wirraway ?
No. 22 Boston (New Guinea 10/42)
No. 23 6xP-39D + Wirraway?
No. 5 Wirraway ?? Dont' know if in existence

Max

[Wildcat]

Max,
No. 6 sqn Hudson left Richmond on the 21st and deployed to Horn Is on the 23rd.

No. 12 sqn Wirraway Pell airfield (Darwin area)

No. 25 sqn 17xWirraway + 9xBuffalo(al U/S) Pearce, Western Aust.

N0. 31 sqn Formed at Wagga Wagga on the 14th Aug. No a/c till Sept.

No. 30 sqn Beaufighter moved from Richmond to Bohle River (near Townsville) mid Aug.

No. 24 sqn Wirraway and 5-6 P-39's Bankstown (near Sydney) This sqn had been virtually destroyed over Rabaul in Feb '42.

No. 1PRU 4xBuffalo and 1xWirraway left Laverton and deployed to Hughes airfield (near Darwin) on the 17th and 19th. Note 1x Buffalo and the Wirraway were destroyed in Jap. air raid on the 23rd Aug.

No. 4 sqn Wirraway left Camden (NSW) and deployed to Kingaroy (QLD) late Aug.

No. 21 sqn I believe was disbanded when it arrived back in Aust from Singapore/Malaya and wasn't reformed until Sep '43 with Vengeance.

No. 22 sqn Boston was at Richmond in Aug. flying A/S patrols. Moved to New Guinea in Oct.

No. 23 sqn 13xWirraway 4xP-39 at Lowood in QLD

No. 18NEI sqn B25s were based in Canberra

No. 5 sqn Wirraway, Toowoomba QLD.

No. 7 sqn moved to Nowra NSW on the 17th to rearm with Beauforts

No. 9 sqn Walrus had a detachment aboard HMAS Australia operating around the Solomons and a detachment onborad HMAS Canberra which was sunk off Guadalcanal on the 8th of Aug. The squadrons main base was at Rathmines NSW. Also had detachments on other ships HMAS Westralia being another one.

No. 34 sqn was also in the Darwin area equipped with a varity of a/c such as Anson, tiger moth and DH Dragon used in the transport role.

No. 35 sqn was a similar sqn to 34 being a transport unit with a variety of a/c however they were based at Maryland in Western Australia.

No. 36 sqn was another tranport unit based at Essendon (near Melbourne) in Aug '42. They were equipped with DC2's and alot of other types.

No. 41 sqn formed at Townsville in Aug 21 '42 with Short Empire flying boats in the transport role, they flew there first ops that same day.

Also 11 and 20 were at Bowen (south of Cairns). 77 was based at Batchelor near Darwin. 73 was at Cootamundra. 13 was at Hughes near Darwin. 14 was at Pearce WA.

Hope this helps.

[Wildcat]

Also the 8th BS was equipped with A-24's in early '42, they were originally to go to the Phillipines but instead deployed to Port Moresby in March '42. Whether they still had A-24's in August I don't know, as I believe they suffered heavy losses over New Guinea. Sys probably knows more about the USAAF side of things.

[maxs75]

Thank you very much for the answer. I was sure of you answer when I posted the question!

According to the adf-serials website, No. 23 squadron recieved 6 P-39D on 17 august and another one on th 31st.

Do you know the main base of No. 100 squadron Beaufort TB?

You are right also about the USAAF A-24. They were retired from combat at the end of july after a disastrous mission. After that the 8th BS was combined with 89th because of lack of A-20.
Also I found that USAAF 35 FG had P-400 and 8th FG had P-39. Only later they flew a mix of planes.

Max

[Wildcat]

No worries Max.
The main part of 100 sqn was based at Laverton near Melbourne in Victoria in August conducting A/S and convoy escort patrols.

[maxs75]

Thank you. Probably more questions later....

Max

[Wildcat]

Any time mate.

[maxs75]

I'm now trying to complete the RAAF OOB in november 1943.

Papua, Goodenough, Kiriwina (where is each squadron?)
No. 22 A-20A
No. 30 Beaufighter
No. 6, 8, 100 Beaufort
No. 75, 78 P-40N
No. 76 P-40M
No. 77 P-40K
No. 79 Spitfire V
No. 4 Boomerang/Wirraway
No. 24 A-35

Merauke
No. 12 Vengeance
No. 86 P-40M

Darwin
No. 54 RAF, 452, 457 Spitfire V
No. 2 Hudson
No. 31 Beaufighter
No. 18 NEI B-25C/D
No. 83 Boomerang (Melville Is.)
No. 84 P-40N (Horn Is.)

Townsville area
No. 7 Beaufort
No. 80 P-40N
No. 5 Boomerang
No. 11, 20, 43 Catalina (?)
No. 66, 71 Anson
No. 33, 36 C-47
No. 41 Empire, Do-24

South West
No. 14 Beaufort
No. 85 Boomerang
No. 25 Vengeance
No. 35 C-47

South East
No. 21, 23 Vengeance
No. 82 P-40M
No. 13 Hudson/Beaufort?
No. 32 Beaufort
No. 34 C-47
No. 37, 38 Hudson/C-60
No. 67, 73 Anson

Max

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by maxs75

I'm now trying to complete the RAAF OOB in november 1943.

Papua, Goodenough, Kiriwina (where is each squadron?)
No. 22 A-20A
Kiriwina
No. 30 Beaufighter
Goodenough Is, mid month deployed to Kiriwina for strikes against New Britain
No. 6, 8, 100 Beaufort
6 as above, 8 Goodenough Is, 100 Milne Bay, deployed to Goodenough around the 22nd
No. 75, 78 P-40N
75 P40N + 2 P38 (F4) Goodenough Is, 78 deployed from Camden NSW to Kiriwina on the 13th
No. 76 P-40M
Kiriwina
No. 77 P-40K
Goodenough Is
No. 79 Spitfire V
Kiriwina

No. 4 Boomerang/Wirraway
Berry Strip, New Guinea
No. 24 A-35
A31's not A35's Tsili Tsili, New Guinea

Merauke
No. 12 Vengeance
No. 86 P-40M
Both correct

Darwin
No. 54 RAF, 452, 457 Spitfire V
54 at Darwin, 452 at Strauss,Darwin, 457 at Livingstone,Darwin
No. 2 Hudson
Hughes, Darwin
No. 31 Beaufighter
Coomalie Creek, Darwin
No. 18 NEI B-25C/D
Batchelor, Darwin
No. 83 Boomerang (Melville Is.)
I have 83 as being at Strathpine, Queensland
No. 84 P-40N (Horn Is.)
correct

Townsville area
No. 7 Beaufort
Ross River, Townsville
No. 80 P-40N
Aitkenvale, Townsville
No. 5 Boomerang
Mareeba, Far North Queensland

No. 11, 20, 43 Catalina (?)
All Catalina sqdn's. 11 and 20 at Cairns. 43 at Karumba
No. 66, 71 Anson
66 Anson, Bundaberg Queensland. 71 Anson Lowood Queensland
No. 33, 36 C-47
33 Port Moresby, 36 Aitkenvale
No. 41 Empire, Do-24
Townsville

South West
No. 14 Beaufort
Pearce, Western Australia
No. 85 Boomerang
Guildford, WA
No. 25 Vengeance
Pearce, WA
No. 35 C-47
Pearce, WA

South East
No. 21, 23 Vengeance
both at Lowood, QLD
No. 82 P-40M
Bankstown, NSW
No. 13 Hudson/Beaufort?
Beaufort and Ventura. Fairbairn, Canberra with deteachment at Coffs Harbour, NSW
No. 32 Beaufort
Camden, NSW
No. 34 C-47
Parafield, SA
No. 37, 38 Hudson/C-60
37 at Laverton with Lodestars. 38 at Richmond NSW, Hudsons
No. 67, 73 Anson
67 at Laverton, 73 at Nowra, NSW
Max

Hope that helps.

[Wildcat]

Also:-
9 sqn (Walrus) based at Rathmines but with a detachment onboard HMAS Australia at sea in the Pacific.
107 sqn (Kingfishers) based at Rathmines.
1 PRU (Wirraway and P38 (F4) Lightning. based at Coomalie Creek near Darwin.
There was also No2 Air Ambulance Unit which operated a varity of a/c throughout Aust and New Guinea and 8 Communication Flights operational at this time in Aust and New Guinea, but I don't have their locations for Nov 43.

[maxs75]

Wildcat, thank you very much! Great answer!
Where is Karumba (No.43 sqn.)?
I never realized that the Vengeance were A-31 variant.
Did No. 83 Sqn go to Melville Is. earlier or later?

Max

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by maxs75

Wildcat, thank you very much! Great answer!
Where is Karumba (No.43 sqn.)?

Always a pleasure Max. Karumba is on the Western side of Capr York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. Basically directly west of Cairns but on the other side of the Peninsular.

Originally Posted by maxs75

I never realized that the Vengeance were A-31 variant.

The RAAF had both varients, the A-31 (MkI & II) and the A-35 (MkIV). However it was the A-31's which saw combat with the squadrons in New Guinea.

Originally Posted by maxs75

Did No. 83 Sqn go to Melville Is. earlier or later?

I have 83 sqn being at Melville Is in Dec 43 to Jan 44.
HTH

[RS_Hawks]

G'day looking for when the RAAF Spitfire Mk5's 1 st got to Port Moresby or New Guinea in gen i'v been looking on the net with no luck can you help !!

[maxs75]

Thanks again Wildcat!

RS Hawks,
It was probably in june 1943. No. 73 Wing went to Goodenough Island (north of the south eastern tip of New Guinea. No. 79 squadron with Spit V was part of the wing. I don't know if occasionally some Spit. went ot Moresby or somewhere else, but I believe that june 1943 was the first case that a whole squadron was operational there.

Max

[Wildcat]

No worries Max.
RS Hawks, Max is right. 79 sqn deployed to Goodenough Is in June 43. Here are some dates :-
16-6-43. B flight arrives at Jackson strip, Port Moresby
17-6-43. B flight flies to Gurney field, Milne Bay
17-6-43. C flight arrives at Port Moresby
18-6-43. C flight arrives at Milne Bay
21-6-43. C flight departs Milne Bay for Vivigani Strip, Goodenough Is
26-6-43. B flight arrives at Vivigani strip.
HTH