No. 78 Wing RAAF
| No. 78 Wing RAAF | |
|---|---|
No. 78 Wing's crest
|
|
| Active | 1943–67 2000–current |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Operational training |
| Part of | Air Combat Group |
| Headquarters | RAAF Base Williamtown |
| Motto(s) | Fight |
| Engagements |
World War II
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Wilfred Arthur (1945) Alan Rawlinson (1945–46) Dick Cresswell (1947–48) Brian Eaton (1952–54) Glen Cooper (1957–60) |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Trainer | Hawk 127 |
World War II
No. 78 Wing is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operational training wing, headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales. It comprises Nos. 76 and 79 Squadrons, operating the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter, and No. 278 Squadron, a technical training unit. No. 79 Squadron, located at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia, is responsible for converting new pilots to fast jets, while No. 76 Squadron at Williamtown conducts introductory fighter courses; both units also fly support missions for the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army.
Formed as a fighter wing in November 1943, No. 78 Wing comprised three flying units, Nos. 75, 78 and 80 Squadrons, operating P-40 Kittyhawks in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. After the war, it re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs at Williamtown. During the early 1950s, the wing was based at Malta on garrison duties with the Royal Air Force, operating two squadrons of De Havilland Vampire jet fighters. Re-equipped with CAC Sabres, it deployed with Nos. 3 and 77 Squadrons to Malaya in 1958–59, flying sorties against communist insurgents in the final years of the Emergency. In the 1960s, it was tasked with providing regional air defence during the Konfrontasi between Indonesia and Malaysia, and supplied the equipment and personnel for the RAAF contingent operating from Ubon Air Base in Thailand. No. 78 Wing was disbanded in November 1967, and re-formed for its present role as an operational training wing in February 2000.
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