No. 71 Wing RAAF
| No. 71 Wing RAAF | |
|---|---|
Tactical reconnaissance crews of No. 71 Wing being briefed at Tadji Airstrip in New Guinea, June 1945
|
|
| Active | 1943–46 |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Attack |
| Size | Four–five flying squadrons |
| Part of |
No. 9 Group (1943–44) No. 10 Group (1944) Northern Command (1944–45) |
| Engagements |
World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Ian McLachlan (1943) Blake Pelly (1943–44) Colin Hannah (1944) Val Hancock (1945) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Beaufort; Beaufighter |
| Fighter | P-40 Kittyhawk |
World War II
No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts. The wing's mainstay soon became the Beaufort, which eventually equipped five squadrons attached to the formation. No. 71 Wing took part in the New Guinea campaign under the auspices of No. 9 Group, before transferring to No. 10 Operational Group for the Western New Guinea campaign during 1944. It then returned to the control of Northern Command (formerly No. 9 Group) to support Australian ground forces in the Aitape–Wewak campaign, and completed its final combat mission only hours before the Japanese surrender in August 1945. No. 71 Wing remained in New Guinea following the war and was disbanded in January 1946.
No. 71 Wing was formed on 26 February 1943 to control four flying squadrons based at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea: No. 6 Squadron, operating Lockheed Hudson bombers; No. 75 Squadron, operating P-40 Kittyhawk fighters; No. 77 Squadron, operating Kittyhawks; and No. 100 Squadron, operating Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers. Its inaugural commanding officer was Wing Commander (later Group Captain) Ian McLachlan. The wing came under the aegis of No. 9 Operational Group, described by historian Alan Stephens as the RAAF's "premier fighting unit" in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA), whose purpose was to act as a mobile strike force in support of advancing Allied troops. In March the Beauforts took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, "the decisive aerial engagement" in the SWPA according to General Douglas MacArthur, but was unable to score any hits against Japanese ships.
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