No. 73 Wing RAAF

No. 73 Wing RAAF
Commanders and personnel of No. 73 Wing Headquarters and its three squadrons, Nos. 75, 76 and 79, at Los Negros in the Admiralty Islands, May 1944
Active	1943–44
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Role	Attack (1943) Fighter (1943–44)
Size	Three flying squadrons
Part of	No. 9 Operational Group
Engagements	World War II New Guinea campaign Battle of the Bismarck Sea New Britain campaign Battle of Arawe Admiralty Islands campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Blake Pelly (1943) Ian McLachlan (1943) Gordon Steege (1943–44)
Aircraft flown
Attack	Boston; Beaufighter
Fighter	P-40 Kittyhawk; Spitfire

World War II

No. 73 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised three attack squadrons flying CAC Wirraways, Douglas Bostons, and Bristol Beaufighters, with which it took part in the New Guinea campaign until mid-year. It was then reorganised with three fighter squadrons operating P-40 Kittyhawks and Supermarine Spitfires; in this form it saw action in the New Britain and Admiralty Islands campaigns through 1943–44. The wing was disbanded at Los Negros in August 1944, and by the beginning of 1945 its squadrons had been absorbed into other RAAF wings under No. 10 Operational Group (later the Australian First Tactical Air Force).

Formed in February 1943, No. 73 Wing consisted of No. 4 Squadron (flying CAC Wirraways), No. 22 Squadron (Douglas Bostons) and No. 30 Squadron (Bristol Beaufighters). Based at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the wing was under the control of No. 9 Operational Group, 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.