THE WAY WE WERE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE 79 SQUADRON
98 FLYPAST November 2018Aussie
Firebirds
Andrew Thomas refl ects on the heritage of the Royal Australian Air Force’s 79 Squadron –
a unit that has led four distinct lives
operational state after
delivery of its first Spitfire Mk.Vc
on May 3, 1943.
In preparation for attacks on
enemy bases in New Britain, an
island on Papua New Guinea, the
squadron was ordered to Vivigani
on Goodenough Island, located in
the Solomon Sea. The move began
in early June, with the ground
party sailing on the MV Cremer.
This was the first RAAF Spitfire
squadron to be based outside
Australia but sadly it soon suffered
its first casualty when on June
13, EE807 crashed on landing at
Cairns in northern Queensland,
and Fg Off Paul Brennan DFC DFM,who had claimed ten victories over
Malta, was killed.
Soon afterwards the squadron
became operational at Vivigani
as part of 73 (F) Wing, alongside
the Curtiss Kittyhawks of 76
and 77 Squadrons. The Spitfires
were tasked with protecting the
base against Japanese reprisals
following RAAF strikes on Gasmata
airfield in New Britain in late July.
In the event, none materialised.
During early August in
preparation for the next phase
of the campaign – the seizure of
bases in the Markham Valley on
the north coast of New Guinea –
79 Squadron moved forward toKiriwina Island where it contributed
to an interlinked defence system
stretching via Goodenough to
Milne Bay on mainland New Guinea.
This was to counter attacks from
Japanese Naval Air Force bases
in Rabaul or the Japanese 4th Air
Army from northern New Guinea.
The Australian landing on New
Guinea’s rugged north coast
began on September 4 with Lae
and Salamaua soon falling. The
enemy then became much more
active, bombing Goodenough and
Kiriwina, resulting in casualties
and damage to buildings. The unit
remained on defensive duties
but claimed its first victoryW
hen 79 Squadron RAAF was
re-formed in 1998 it was the
start of its fourth chapter.
It had been in the fighter role for
each but had operated in
numerous guises.
Its first incarnation dates to
World War Two. By early 1943
the first Spitfires had arrived in
Australia to counter Japanese
air attacks. Formed at Laverton,
Victoria on April 26, 1943, 79
Squadron was Australia’s first all-
Spitfire unit.
It was commanded by a highly
experienced eight-victory ‘ace’,
Sqn Ldr Alan Rawlinson, and under
him the unit worked up to anMain picture
To celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2003,
79 Squadron decorated one of its Hawks in
a striking colour scheme, which included its
wartime ‘UP’ code letters. RAAF