No. 80 Squadron RAAF

No. 80 Squadron RAAF
No. 80 Squadron Kittyhawks being prepared for ground attack missions in November 1944
Active	1943–46
Country	Australia
Branch	Royal Australian Air Force
Type	Fighter
Part of	No. 78 Wing
Engagements	New Guinea Campaign Borneo Campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Glen Cooper John Waddy
Insignia
Squadron code	BU
Aircraft flown
Fighter	P-40 Kittyhawk

No. 80 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter squadron that operated during World War II. The squadron was formed in September 1943 and was disbanded in July 1946 after seeing action in the South West Pacific Theatre of the war.

No. 80 Squadron was formed at Townsville, Queensland, on 10 September 1943 and was equipped with P-40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft, under the command of the then temporary Squadron Leader Glen Cooper. It moved to Aitkenvale on 9 October and commenced flight training. On 13 November it became part of RAAF's main mobile unit, No. 10 Operational Group, upon its formation. This group's main role was to support the rapid advance of Allied units along the north coast of New Guinea. Once its training was completed the squadron moved again to Nadzab in New Guinea on 24 February 1944.

The squadron flew its first combat sorties two days after arriving in New Guinea. Its initial operations included patrols around Nadzab, escorting Allied bombers and ground attack missions against Japanese forces in and around Alexishafen and Madang. The squadron moved to Cape Gloucester, New Britain on 21 March to escort convoys and conduct armed reconnaissance patrols. It moved again on 29 April to Tadji on the New Guinea mainland where it flew patrols to protect the Allied landing at Hollandia. The squadron moved to Hollandia after it was secured, arriving there on 15 May.