Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force, formed on 31 March 1921 out of the Australian Flying Corps, grew into the world’s fourth-largest air force by 1945, fought in Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, flew the F-111 for 37 years, and in 2026 is an air force of 72 F-35As, Growlers, Wedgetails and Poseidons that is betting much of its future on long-range missiles and the home-built MQ-28 Ghost Bat.
The Royal Australian Air Force story: Point Cook in 1914, the F-111 for 37 years and a bet on the Ghost Bat
1914–1939: from Point Cook to an independent air force
Australian military flying began at Point Cook, west of Melbourne, where Eric Harrison took a Bristol Boxkite up on 1 March 1914 for the new Central Flying School; the first course, which included Lieutenant Richard Williams, began on 17 August. The Australian Flying Corps that grew from it sent a Half Flight to Mesopotamia in May 1915, then four squadrons to Egypt, Palestine and the Western Front. About 3,700 men served in it and 175 were killed; Frank McNamara won the Victoria Cross for landing behind Turkish lines to rescue a downed comrade. The corps was disbanded in 1919. On 31 March 1921 the Australian Air Force was formed as a separate service with 21 officers, 128 other ranks and 170 aircraft, most of them an Imperial gift; the “Royal” prefix followed on 31 August 1921. It was the second such service in the Commonwealth after the RAF, and between the wars it was kept very small: 50 officers and 300 men in 1924.
1939–1945: Empire training, Bomber Command and the Pacific
Rearmament came late. By September 1939 the RAAF had 12 squadrons and 246 aircraft. Under the Riverdale agreement of 17 December 1939 Australia undertook to supply 28,000 aircrew over three years to the Empire Air Training Scheme, and thousands of Australians ended up in RAF and RAAF Article XV squadrons in Europe. No. 10 Squadron, flying Sunderlands from Britain, was the first Commonwealth squadron on active service in the war. Bomber Command took about 2 per cent of Australian enlistments but a far larger share of the dead: No. 460 Squadron alone lost 1,018 aircrew. At home, the Japanese raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942 found two RAAF squadrons with Wirraways and Hudsons; Kittyhawks of Nos 75 and 76 Squadrons then fought at Port Moresby and Milne Bay. By 1945 the RAAF had 216,900 men and women through its ranks, nearly 6,000 aircraft and 70 squadrons, and was the fourth-largest air force in the world.
1948–1972: Berlin, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam
The post-war air force stayed busy. A RAAF detachment flew the Berlin Airlift in 1948–1949. No. 77 Squadron, still in Japan, flew the first Commonwealth ground-support sorties in Korea on 2 July 1950 with Mustangs, lost its commanding officer, Lou Spence, in September, and swapped to Meteors in 1951, which proved outclassed by the MiG-15 and were switched to ground attack. Its war cost 41 pilots and almost 60 aircraft for five MiGs credited. In Malaya, No. 1 Squadron’s Lincolns dropped about 85 per cent of the Commonwealth’s bomb tonnage between 1950 and 1958, and Sabres and Canberras based at Butterworth stayed through Confrontation. In Vietnam, Caribous arrived at Vung Tau in August 1964, Iroquois of No. 9 Squadron supported the task force from 1966, and No. 2 Squadron’s Canberras flew about 12,000 sorties from Phan Rang until June 1971, losing two aircraft.
1973–2010: the F-111, the Hornet and East Timor
The F-111 defined the next era, though it arrived badly. Ordered on 24 October 1963, it was held up by structural problems for so long that Australia leased 24 F-4E Phantoms from 1970 to 1973; the first F-111Cs reached No. 82 Wing in June 1973. They then served for 37 years, the region’s longest-reaching strike aircraft, until the last flight on 3 December 2010; eight were lost with ten aircrew, and the fuel-tank deseal/reseal programme left a lasting legacy of illness and compensation claims. The fighter force went from the Sabre to the Mirage III in 1964 and to 75 F/A-18 Hornets, chosen on 20 October 1981 and mostly assembled at Avalon. In September 1999 the RAAF flew the evacuation of Dili and then the airlift for INTERFET in East Timor, with F-111s and Hornets held at Tindal as a deterrent.
2001–2024: Afghanistan, Iraq and Operation Okra
After 11 September 2001 Hornets guarded Diego Garcia and 707 tankers flew from Kyrgyzstan. In March 2003, No. 75 Squadron took 14 Hornets to the invasion of Iraq, began as escorts and ended flying close air support, with 350 sorties and 122 laser-guided bombs under rules tighter than those of the Americans; Orions and Hercules stayed in the region until 2009. Operation Okra began in October 2014 with six Super Hornets, a Wedgetail and a KC-30A in the United Arab Emirates. The last RAAF strike over Iraq and Syria was flown on 14 January 2018 and the final air rotation ended in September 2020. Okra’s worst moment came on 17 September 2016, when RAAF aircraft took part in a coalition strike near Deir ez-Zor that hit Syrian Army troops; Australia acknowledged its part and expressed regret. Okra formally closed on 20 December 2024.
2024–2026: a fifth-generation force, drones and long-range strike
Today the RAAF is a modern air force, and still a small one. The 72nd and final F-35A was delivered in December 2024; the type equips three squadrons at Williamtown and Tindal alongside 24 Super Hornets and 12 Growlers at Amberley. Six Wedgetails, fourteen Poseidons, Triton drones and the new MC-55A Peregrine give it reach over the sea approaches, and KC-30As and C-17s let it deploy across the world, as the Wedgetail did to protect the aid route into Ukraine in 2023–2025 and to the Gulf in March 2026. The weaknesses are numbers and depth: the 2026 National Defence Strategy spends heavily on long-range missiles and the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, but the Wedgetail needs replacing within a decade, the C-27J is to go, and the airlift fleet is ageing. Whether Ghost Bat makes up for a fighter force capped at 72 F-35s is the open question.
The Royal Australian Air Force in numbers
Service
- Official name
- Royal Australian Air ForceThe name used by the Department of Defence; the service brands itself simply as “Air Force”. The English Wikipedia article carries the same title
- Founded
- 31 March 1921Formed as the Australian Air Force; the “Royal” prefix was approved in June 1921 and took effect on 31 August 1921. Its predecessor, the Australian Flying Corps, flew from Point Cook from 1 March 1914
- Part of
- Australian Defence ForceAlongside the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army, under the Chief of the Defence Force, David Johnston, appointed in 2024
- Headquarters
- Russell Offices, CanberraAir Force Headquarters; Defence Establishment Fairbairn in Canberra stopped being an RAAF base in 2003 but still hosts VIP flying
- Chief of Air Force
- Air Marshal Stephen ChappellIn post since 3 July 2024, succeeding Air Marshal Robert Chipman
- Birthplace
- Point Cook, VictoriaDescribed as the oldest continually operating military airfield in the world; home of the RAAF Museum and part of RAAF Williams
Strength
- Personnel
- About 16,100 active, 5,500 reserve16,085 permanent and 5,499 reserve in the figures quoted by Wikipedia; a current official Air Force headcount was not confirmed on a Defence page reached for this dataset
- Combat aircraft
-
- F-35A Lightning II — 72
- F/A-18F Super Hornet — 24
- EA-18G Growler — 12
All 72 F-35As have been delivered (the last in December 2024). One Growler was written off in 2018 and replaced in 2023
- Surveillance and control
-
- E-7A Wedgetail — 6
- P-8A Poseidon — 14
- MQ-4C Triton — 3 of 4
- MC-55A Peregrine — 4 on order, first delivered January 2026
The Air Force site still shows 13 Poseidons; Wikipedia records the 14th and final one delivered in May 2026
- Air mobility
-
- KC-30A MRTT — 7
- C-17A Globemaster III — 8
- C-130J-30 Hercules — 12
- C-27J Spartan — 10
- VIP: 2 Boeing 737 BBJ, 3 Falcon 7X
20 new C-130Js are to replace and expand the Hercules fleet; the 2026 NDS says the C-27J will be retired
- Trainers
-
- PC-21 — 49
- Hawk 127 — 33
PC-21s at East Sale and Pearce; Hawks with Nos 76 and 79 Squadrons as lead-in fighters. A CAE-built Future Air Mission Training System worth more than A$300 million starts at East Sale in 2026
- Uncrewed combat aircraft
- MQ-28A Ghost Bat in testEight Block 1 prototypes; three Block 2 test aircraft funded in February 2024 and six operational Block 2 ordered on 9 December 2025; planned in service around 2028
- Defence investment
- About A$425 billion over ten yearsThe 2026 Integrated Investment Program figure; Wikipedia reports a target of 3 per cent of GDP by 2033 on the NATO definition
Infrastructure
- Main flying bases
-
- Williamtown — F-35A, E-7A, Hawk
- Amberley — Super Hornet, Growler, KC-30A, C-17A, C-27J
- Tindal — F-35A, Triton fleet
- Edinburgh — P-8A, Triton control, MC-55A
- Richmond — C-130J
- East Sale — PC-21, Central Flying School, Roulettes
- Pearce — PC-21, Hawk
Darwin, Townsville and Wagga are also active RAAF bases; RAAF Williams (Point Cook and Laverton) hosts the museum and training units
- Bare bases
-
- Curtin (WA)
- Learmonth (WA)
- Scherger (Qld)
Runways and buildings kept by caretaker staff and opened for exercises and contingencies
- Former overseas base
- Butterworth, MalaysiaRAAF Sabres, Mirages and Orions flew from Butterworth from 1958; the base was handed to Malaysia in 1988
- Fighter squadrons
- 5 (3 F-35A, 1 F/A-18F, 1 EA-18G)Plus No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit on the F-35A
- Display team
- The RoulettesFlown by the Central Flying School at East Sale on the PC-21
How the Royal Australian Air Force is organised
One of the three services of the Australian Defence Force, run from Air Force Headquarters in Canberra by the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell. Its five fighter squadrons fly from three bases: three F-35A squadrons at Williamtown and Tindal, and the Super Hornets and Growlers at Amberley. Wedgetails, Poseidons, Tritons and the new MC-55A Peregrine watch the sea approaches, and the tankers and transports fly from Amberley and Richmond.
Air Force Headquarters
One of the three services of the Australian Defence Force, beside the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army, under the Chief of the Defence Force, David Johnston. Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, a fighter pilot who commanded No. 1 Squadron and No. 82 Wing, has been Chief of Air Force since 3 July 2024, when Air Marshal Robert Chipman became Vice Chief of the Defence Force.
Nos 3, 77 and 75 Squadrons
The F-35A force: all 72 have been delivered, the last in December 2024. No. 3 Squadron was the first to convert and became operational in 2021; No. 77 followed from January 2021, both at Williamtown with No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit, and No. 75 Squadron flies from Tindal. Wikipedia gives the plan as 56 of the 72 jets based at Williamtown.
Nos 1 and 6 Squadrons
No. 1 Squadron flies 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets, bought in 2007 as an interim replacement for the F-111, and was the first unit outside the United States to fly the type. No. 6 Squadron flies 12 EA-18G Growlers, at initial operating capability since 30 April 2019. The 2026 National Defence Strategy adds LRASM and JASSM to the Super Hornet and AARGM-ER to the Growler.
Nos 2, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Squadrons
No. 2 Squadron flies six E-7A Wedgetails from Williamtown, deployed to protect the Ukraine aid route in 2023–2025 and to the Gulf in March 2026. At Edinburgh, No. 92 Wing’s Nos 11 and 12 Squadrons fly the P-8A Poseidon, 14 since May 2026 according to Wikipedia, with No. 292 Squadron training their crews; No. 9 Squadron controls the MQ-4C Tritons based at Tindal, and No. 10 Squadron received the first MC-55A Peregrine in January 2026.
Nos 33, 35, 36, 37 and 34 Squadrons
At Amberley, No. 33 Squadron flies seven KC-30A tankers, No. 36 eight C-17As and No. 35 ten C-27Js, which the 2026 National Defence Strategy says will be retired. No. 37 Squadron flies 12 C-130J-30s from Richmond, with 20 new ones planned, and No. 34 Squadron flies the VIP 737 BBJs and Falcon 7Xs from the RAAF apron at Canberra Airport.
Central Flying School, No. 2 Flying Training School and Nos 76 and 79 Squadrons
49 PC-21s fly with the Central Flying School and its Roulettes display team at East Sale and with No. 2 Flying Training School at Pearce, where Singapore’s No. 130 Squadron also trains. 33 Hawk 127 lead-in fighters fly with No. 76 Squadron at Williamtown and No. 79 at Pearce. A Future Air Mission Training System worth more than A$300 million starts at East Sale in 2026.
What the Royal Australian Air Force flies today
Every type on charge, linked to its Book of Beasts page where one exists. Counts are aircraft on the books, not aircraft available on a given day.
| Type | Role | In service | Since | Units | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIIn service | Stealth multirole fighter | 72 | 2018 | — | 72 bought in two tranches: 14 committed on 25 November 2009 and 58 more on 23 April 2014. The last was delivered in December 2024. | |
| Boeing F/A-18F Super HornetIn service | Two-seat strike fighter | 24 | 2010 | — | 24 bought in 2007 as an interim replacement for the F-111. | |
| Boeing EA-18G GrowlerIn service | Electronic attack | 12 | 2017 | — | 12 delivered by July 2017. A46-311 was written off after an engine failure at Nellis in January 2018; a replacement was ordered in 2022 and delivered in February 2023. | |
| Boeing E-7A WedgetailIn service | Airborne early warning and control | 6 | 2009 | — | Six bought; contract December 1999. | |
| Boeing P-8A PoseidonIn service | Maritime patrol and anti-submarine | 14 | 2016 | — | The Air Force site shows 13; Wikipedia records the 14th and final aircraft delivered in May 2026. Ordered in steps: eight plus options (2014), four more (2016), two more (2020). | |
| Northrop Grumman MQ-4C TritonIn service | High-altitude maritime surveillance drone | 3 | 2024 | — | Four ordered; three delivered (16 June 2024 and two on 27 June 2025). | |
| L3Harris/Gulfstream MC-55A PeregrineIn service | Signals intelligence and electronic warfare | — | 2026 | — | Four ordered; the first was delivered in January 2026 and three more were due during 2026.
MoreWikipedia’s inventory shows three; the number delivered by October 2026 was not confirmed on an official page. |
|
| Airbus KC-30A Multi Role Tanker TransportIn service | Tanker and transport | 7 | 2011 | — | Five delivered 2011–2012, two more announced in July 2015 (2017 and 2019). | |
| Boeing C-17A Globemaster IIIIn service | Strategic airlifter | 8 | 2006 | — | First December 2006, eighth November 2015. | |
| Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 HerculesIn service | Tactical airlifter | 12 | 1999 | — | 12 delivered 1999–2001. 20 new C-130J-30s are planned to replace and expand the fleet. | |
| Leonardo C-27J SpartanIn service | Light tactical airlifter | 10 | 2015 | — | First 25 June 2015, tenth 2 April 2018. | |
| Boeing 737 BBJIn service | VIP transport | 2 | — | Two, per Wikipedia’s inventory (listed as 737 MAX 8 BBJ). | ||
| Dassault Falcon 7XIn service | VIP transport | 3 | — | Three, per Wikipedia’s inventory. | ||
| Beechcraft King Air 350In service | Light transport and training | 8 | 2009 | — | Eight, per Wikipedia’s inventory. | |
| Pilatus PC-21In service | Basic and advanced trainer, forward air control | 49 | 2017 | — | 49 under AIR 5428, announced September 2015; delivered 2017 to November 2019. | |
| BAE Systems Hawk 127In service | Lead-in fighter trainer | 33 | 2000 | — | 33 per Wikipedia’s inventory. |
On order
| Type | Ordered | First delivery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing MQ-28A Ghost BatOn order | 9 | 2028 | Collaborative combat aircraft designed and built in Australia.
MoreAfter eight Block 1 prototypes, three Block 2 test aircraft were funded in February 2024 (A$400 million) and six operational Block 2 aircraft on 9 December 2025 (A$1.4 billion, with Block 3 development). It fired an AIM-120 at a target drone over Woomera in December 2025. Service entry is planned around 2028; the year is Wikipedia’s. |
|
| Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 HerculesOn order | 20 | Fleet expansion and renewal announced in July 2023 by Defence Minister Richard Marles, budgeted at A$9.8 billion, to replace the 12 current C-130Js.
MoreDelivery dates were not confirmed in the sources checked. |
||
| L3Harris/Gulfstream MC-55A PeregrineOn order | 3 | 2026 | Four ordered; the first arrived in January 2026 and the other three were due during 2026. | |
| Northrop Grumman MQ-4C TritonOn order | 1 | Four ordered against a requirement once stated as six or seven; three delivered by June 2025. |
Every type the Royal Australian Air Force has retired
49 types, from the Bristol Boxkite to the Lockheed P-3B/C and AP-3C Orion. Peak figures are airframes taken on charge over the whole service life, not fleet strength on any one date.
| Type | Role | Peak | Served | Replaced by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed P-3B/C and AP-3C Orion | Maritime patrol | — | 1968–2023 | P-8A Poseidon, MC-55A | Fleet totals were not confirmed in the sources checked. | |
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornet | Multirole fighter | 75 | 1985–2021 | F-35A | 57 single-seat A and 18 two-seat B. | |
| Pilatus PC-9/A | Trainer | 67 | 1987–2019 | PC-21 | 67 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| General Dynamics F-111C/G and RF-111C | Long-range strike | 43 | 1973–2010 | F/A-18F Super Hornet | 24 F-111C (four later converted to RF-111C), four ex-USAF F-111A rebuilt to C standard (1982) and 15 F-111G (bought 1992, delivered 1994). The total of 43 is Wikipedia’s. | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou | STOL transport | 29 | 1964–2009 | C-27J Spartan | 29 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Boeing 707 | Transport and tanker | 8 | 1979–2008 | KC-30A | Eight per Wikipedia’s list; four converted to tankers 1988–1992. | |
| Aermacchi MB-326H | Jet trainer | 87 | 1968–2001 | Hawk 127, PC-9/A | 87 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Douglas C-47 Dakota | Transport | 124 | 1943–1999 | — | 124 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| CAC Winjeel | Trainer | 64 | 1955–1995 | CT-4A, PC-9/A | 64 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| NZAI CT-4A Airtrainer | Basic trainer | 51 | 1975–1993 | PC-9/A | 51 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Bell UH-1 Iroquois | Utility helicopter | 66 | 1962–1989 | Army aviation | 66 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Boeing CH-47C Chinook | Heavy-lift helicopter | 12 | 1974–1989 | Army aviation | 12 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Dassault Mirage IIIO/D (GAF-built) | Interceptor and ground attack | 116 | 1964–1988 | F/A-18 Hornet | 116 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| GAF Canberra B.20 | Bomber | — | 1951–1982 | F-111C | Wikipedia’s list gives 55; the precise mix of Australian-built and imported airframes was not confirmed. | |
| Lockheed P-2 Neptune | Maritime patrol | 24 | 1951–1977 | P-3 Orion | 24 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II | Interim strike fighter | 24 | 1970–1973 | F-111C | Leased from the USAF; one lost. | |
| CAC CA-27 Sabre | Day fighter | 112 | 1956–1971 | Mirage III | 112 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| de Havilland Vampire | Jet fighter and trainer | 196 | 1948–1970 | Sabre, MB-326H | 196 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Gloster Meteor F.8 | Jet fighter | 111 | 1946–1963 | Sabre | 111 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Avro Lincoln | Heavy bomber | 93 | 1946–1961 | Canberra | 93 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| CAC/North American Mustang | Fighter | — | 1944–1960 | Meteor, Vampire | About 500 received or ordered by late 1945 (Wikipedia); the aircraft list says 499 or more. | |
| CAC Wirraway | Trainer and general purpose | 755 | 1939–1958 | Winjeel | 755 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Bristol Beaufighter | Strike fighter | 581 | 1942–1957 | — | 581 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Avro Anson | Trainer and patrol | 1,020 | 1937–1955 | — | 1,020 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| de Havilland Mosquito | Fighter-bomber and reconnaissance | — | 1942–1954 | — | 285 or more per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Consolidated PBY Catalina | Flying boat | 168 | 1940–1950 | — | 168 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Consolidated B-24 Liberator | Heavy bomber | — | 1944–1948 | Lincoln | 277 in the aircraft list, 287 in Wikipedia’s history article. | |
| Lockheed Hudson | Reconnaissance bomber | — | 1940–1948 | Beaufort, Ventura | Total not confirmed. | |
| Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk and Kittyhawk | Fighter-bomber | — | 1941–1947 | Mustang | 848 or more Kittyhawks per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Avro Lancaster | Heavy bomber | — | 1942–1946 | Lincoln | Wikipedia’s list gives 83 or more on RAAF strength; most Lancasters flown by Australians belonged to the RAF. | |
| CAC Boomerang | Fighter and army cooperation | 250 | 1942–1946 | — | 250 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Bristol/DAP Beaufort | Torpedo bomber | 701 | 1941–1946 | — | 701 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Vultee Vengeance | Dive bomber | 342 | 1942–1946 | — | 342 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Short Sunderland | Maritime patrol flying boat | — | 1939–1946 | — | Total not confirmed. | |
| North American B-25 Mitchell | Medium bomber | 50 | 1942–1946 | — | 50 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Lockheed Ventura | Patrol bomber | 92 | 1942–1946 | — | 92 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Supermarine Spitfire | Fighter | — | 1941–1945 | Mustang | 928 or more per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Douglas A-20 Boston | Light bomber | 69 | 1942–1945 | — | 69 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Hawker Demon | Two-seat fighter | 64 | 1935–1945 | — | 64 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Brewster Buffalo | Fighter | 63 | 1941–1943 | — | 63 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Gloster Gladiator | Biplane fighter | — | 1940–1941 | Hurricane, Tomahawk | Wikipedia’s list gives 30; the aircraft were RAF-supplied in the Middle East. | |
| Hawker Hurricane | Fighter | — | 1941–1941 | Tomahawk | Briefly with No. 3 Squadron in early 1941; total not confirmed. | |
| Gloster Gauntlet | Biplane fighter | — | 1940–1940 | Gladiator | A handful with No. 3 Squadron; total not confirmed. | |
| Bristol Bulldog | Fighter | 8 | 1930–1940 | Demon | Eight per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Airco DH.9 and DH.9A | Bomber | 61 | 1920–1930 | — | 61 per Wikipedia’s list, many from the Imperial gift. | |
| Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a | Fighter | 35 | 1921–1928 | Bulldog | 35 per Wikipedia’s list. | |
| Avro 504 | Trainer | 132 | 1916–1928 | — | 132 across variants per Wikipedia’s list, including Flying Corps aircraft. | |
| Lockheed C-130A/E/H Hercules | Tactical airlifter | 36 | 1958– | C-130J, C-17A | 36 per Wikipedia’s aircraft list. | |
| Bristol Boxkite | First military trainer | — | 1914– | — | Number not confirmed. |
Where the Royal Australian Air Force flies from
Black pins are active bases, hollow pins the airfields that have closed. Point Cook, where Australian military flying began on 1 March 1914, is still an RAAF base; the fighters fly from Williamtown, Amberley and Tindal, and Curtin, Learmonth and Scherger are bare bases opened for exercises and contingencies. Fairbairn in Canberra stopped being an RAAF base in 2003 but still hosts VIP flying, and Butterworth in Malaysia, an RAAF station from 1958 to 1988, is listed for its history and today’s small RAAF presence. Laverton’s closed airfield has no published aerodrome data and carries no pin.
Australia
One of the 16 bases above sits outside Australia, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas base.
| Base | ICAO | Status | Runway | Units and aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defence Establishment Fairbairnformer RAAF Base FairbairnAustralian Capital Territory | YSCB | Active | 17/35— m12/30— m |
|
| RAAF Base AmberleyQueensland | YAMB | Active | 15/333,047 mconcrete/asphalt (grooved)04/221,523 mconcrete/asphalt (grooved) |
|
| RAAF Base CurtinWestern Australia | YCIN | Active | 11/293,049 m | — |
| RAAF Base DarwinNorthern Territory | YPDN | Active | 11/293,354 mgrooved18/36— m |
|
| RAAF Base East SaleVictoria | YMES | Active | 04/22— m09/27— m |
|
| RAAF Base EdinburghSouth Australia | YPED | Active | 18/362,560 masphalt (grooved) |
|
| RAAF Base LearmonthWestern Australia | YPLM | Active | 18/363,047 m | — |
| RAAF Base PearceWestern Australia | YPEA | Active | 05/23— m18L/36R— m18R/36L— m |
|
| RAAF Base Point CookVictoria | YMPC | Active | 04/22— m17/35— m08/26— mgrass |
|
| RAAF Base RichmondNew South Wales | YSRI | Active | 10/282,134 m |
|
| RAAF Base SchergerQueensland | YBSG | Active | 12/303,049 m | — |
| RAAF Base TindalNorthern Territory | YPTN | Active | 14/322,744 masphalt (grooved) |
|
| RAAF Base TownsvilleQueensland | YBTL | Active | 01/192,438 masphalt (grooved)07/251,100 m |
|
| RAAF Base WaggaNew South Wales | YSWG | Active | 05/231,768 m12/30894 mclay |
|
| RAAF Base WilliamtownNew South Wales | YWLM | Active | 12/303,058 masphalt (grooved) |
|
| RMAF ButterworthPenang, Malaysia | WMKB | Active | — |
|
| RAAF Base LavertonRAAF Williams, Laverton BaseVictoria | Closed 1996 | — | — |
No air base matches that search.
Who is stationed where in the Royal Australian Air Force
Flying units by base, current units first. RAAF flying units are numbered squadrons, and many numbers have outlived several bases and types: No. 77 Squadron flew Sabres from Butterworth, Mirages and Hornets from Williamtown, and now the F-35A. United States Army Air Forces units, the US Marine rotation at Darwin, Singapore’s No. 130 Squadron at Pearce, the Army’s helicopters at Townsville and civil tenants are listed and marked as not RAAF. Where a squadron’s base or dates rest on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- No. 3 SquadronFighter squadron · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- No. 77 SquadronFighter squadron · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- No. 2 Operational Conversion UnitOperational conversion unit · active
- F-35A Lightning II
- No. 76 SquadronLead-in fighter training squadron · active
- BAE Systems Hawk 127
- No. 2 SquadronAirborne early warning and control squadron · active
- Boeing E-7A Wedgetail
- No. 4 SquadronSquadron (role not stated on the base page) · active
- —
- Nos 26, 381 and 453 Squadrons and Nos 41, 42, 44, 78 and 81 WingsWings and support squadrons · active
- —
- No. 3 Squadron (F/A-18 Hornet era)1986–2017
- F/A-18A/B Hornet
- Nos 3, 76 and 77 Squadrons and No. 2 OCU (Meteor, Sabre and Mirage era)1955–1987
- Gloster Meteor, CAC Sabre, Dassault Mirage IIIO/D
- No. 4 Operational Training Unit1942–1944
- —
- No. 1 SquadronStrike fighter squadron · active
- Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet
- No. 6 SquadronElectronic attack squadron · active
- Boeing EA-18G Growler
- No. 33 SquadronAir-to-air refuelling and transport squadron · active
- Airbus KC-30A MRTT
- No. 35 SquadronBattlefield airlift squadron · active
- Leonardo C-27J Spartan
- No. 36 SquadronStrategic airlift squadron · active
- Boeing C-17A Globemaster III
- Nos 95 and 96 Wings; Nos 23, 295 and 382 Squadrons; No. 1 Combat Communications Squadron; No. 2 Security Forces SquadronWings and support units · active
- —
- No. 82 Wing (F-111 era: Nos 1 and 6 Squadrons)1973–2010
- General Dynamics F-111C, F-111G and RF-111C
- No. 82 Wing (interim F-4E Phantom II)1970–1973
- McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
- Nos 1 and 6 Squadrons (Lincoln and Canberra era)1948–1968
- Avro Lincoln, GAF Canberra B.20
- RAAF MuseumMuseum · active
- Over 40 aircraft on display
- No. 100 Squadron (Air Force Heritage Squadron)Heritage flying squadron · active
- Historic Air Force aircraft
- No. 21 SquadronSquadron (role not stated on the base page) · active
- —
- No. 1 Security Forces Squadron (5 Rifle Flight); Australian Air Force Cadets HeadquartersSupport units · active
- —
- RMIT Flight TrainingCivil flying school (tenant) · civil
- —
- Central Flying School (Australian Flying Corps)1914–1919
- Bristol Boxkite, Deperdussin monoplane, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2
- No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps1916–1916
- —
- No. 1 Flying Training School1921–
- —
- No. 75 SquadronFighter squadron · active
- F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18A/B Hornet (to the F-35 conversion)
- No. 17 Squadron; detachments of Nos 2 and 452 Squadrons and security, health and police unitsSupport units · active
- —
- No. 452 Squadron (headquarters and Darwin Flight)Air traffic control squadron · active
- —
- No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting UnitAir surveillance and control · active
- —
- No. 13 SquadronAirbase operations squadron · active
- —
- US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, Air Combat ElementAllied aviation element (rotational) · allied
- —
- No. 11 SquadronMaritime patrol squadron · active
- Boeing P-8A Poseidon, Lockheed P-3 Orion (former)
- No. 10 SquadronMaritime patrol / intelligence squadron · active
- Lockheed P-3 Orion (former)
- No. 9 SquadronRemotely piloted maritime surveillance squadron · active
- Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton
- Nos 24, 87, 292 and 453 Squadrons; No. 1 Remote Sensor Unit; Air Warfare CentreSupport, training and warfare units · active
- —
- No. 2 Flying Training SchoolFlying training school · active
- Pilatus PC-21
- No. 79 SquadronLead-in fighter training squadron · active
- BAE Systems Hawk 127
- No. 130 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air ForceBasic flying training squadron · foreign
- Pilatus PC-21
- No. 25 (City of Perth) Squadron; No. 453 Squadron Pearce Flight; security and health detachmentsSupport units · active
- —
- Central Flying School (incl. the Roulettes)Flying instructors’ school and display team · active
- Pilatus PC-21
- No. 32 SquadronMulti-role and training squadron · active
- Beechcraft King Air
- Officers’ Training School; Air Mission Training School; School of Air Traffic Control; No. 30 SquadronTraining schools and support · active
- —
- No. 1 Operational Training Unit1943–
- Bristol Beaufort
- No. 37 SquadronTactical airlift squadron · active
- Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules
- No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron; No. 285 Squadron; No. 3 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron; Air Movements Training and Development UnitSupport and training units · active
- —
- No. 36 Squadron (Richmond years)1958–2006
- Lockheed C-130A/H Hercules
- Caribou and Boeing 707 units—
- DHC-4 Caribou, Boeing 707
- No. 27 (City of Townsville) SquadronAirbase operations squadron · active
- —
- No. 383 SquadronContingency response squadron · active
- —
- 5th Aviation Regiment (Australian Army)Army helicopter regiment · army
- CH-47F Chinook, UH-60M Black Hawk
- No. 10 Squadron (Townsville years)—
- Avro Lincoln, Lockheed P-2 Neptune
- No. 35 Squadron (Caribou era)—
- DHC-4 Caribou, Bell UH-1 Iroquois
- No. 1 Recruit Training UnitRecruit training · active
- —
- RAAF School of Technical TrainingTechnical training school · active
- —
- No. 31 SquadronAirbase operations squadron · active
- —
- No. 2 Service Flying Training School1940–
- —
- No. 34 SquadronVIP transport squadron · active
- Boeing 737 BBJ
- Australian Defence Force Helicopter School1990–1998
- —
- No. 19 SquadronAirbase support squadron · active
- —
- No. 92 Wing Detachment AlphaMaritime patrol detachment · active
- —
- No. 77 Squadron (Butterworth years)1958–1969
- CAC Sabre
No unit matches that search.
Royal Australian Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
1 March: first flight of the Central Flying School at Point Cook, a Bristol Boxkite flown by Eric Harrison.
27 May: the Australian Flying Corps’ Mesopotamian Half Flight begins operations.
31 March: the Australian Air Force is formed with 21 officers, 128 other ranks and 170 aircraft. 31 August: it becomes the Royal Australian Air Force.
10 October: No. 10 Squadron’s Sunderlands make the first Commonwealth operational flight of the war. 17 December: Australia signs the Empire Air Training Scheme agreement.
19 February: Japanese aircraft bomb Darwin. August–September: Kittyhawks of Nos 75 and 76 Squadrons fight at Milne Bay.
The war ends with 216,900 having served in the RAAF, then the fourth-largest air force in the world.
2 July: No. 77 Squadron flies its first Korean War sortie. June: two squadrons are committed to Malaya.
August: RAAF Caribous arrive at Vung Tau, South Vietnam. December: No. 75 Squadron is the first to fly the Mirage III.
June: the first F-111Cs reach No. 82 Wing, a decade after they were ordered.
May: the first F/A-18 Hornets are ferried across the Pacific.
September: the RAAF evacuates Dili and flies the INTERFET airlift into East Timor.
March–April: No. 75 Squadron’s 14 Hornets fly 350 sorties in the invasion of Iraq.
3 December: the F-111 flies for the last time; Super Hornets have replaced it.
October: Operation Okra begins with six Super Hornets, a Wedgetail and a KC-30A in the UAE.
The first F-35As arrive in Australia.
27 February: the MQ-28 Ghost Bat flies for the first time. 29 November: the classic Hornet is retired.
16 June: first MQ-4C Triton arrives. 3 July: Air Marshal Stephen Chappell becomes Chief of Air Force. December: the 72nd F-35A is delivered; Operation Okra closes on 20 December.
January: first MC-55A Peregrine. 10 March: an E-7A deploys to the Gulf. 16 April: the 2026 National Defence Strategy is released. May: the 14th P-8A is delivered.
Every war the Royal Australian Air Force has fought
Sorties and losses where the record gives them, and an honest blank where it does not.
- First World War 1915–1918 Reconnaissance, bombing and fighter operations with four squadrons attached to the British
- Second World War: Europe, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic 1939–1945 Bomber, fighter and maritime patrol squadrons, plus thousands of Australian aircrew trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme and posted to RAF units
- Second World War: the Pacific 1941–1945 Air defence, strike, maritime patrol and transport; 53 RAAF squadrons served in the Pacific by 1945
- Berlin Airlift 1948–1949 RAAF crews flew transport sorties into Berlin with the RAF
- Malayan Emergency 1950–1960 Bombing and transport against the communist insurgency, then air defence from Butterworth
Royal Australian Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Royal Australian Air Force and the aircraft it flies. This list refreshes itself — new Afterburner stories appear here automatically.
Everything people ask about the Royal Australian Air Force
What is the Royal Australian Air Force called officially?
What aircraft does the RAAF fly in 2026?
Is the RAAF the second-oldest air force in the world?
How many F-35s does Australia have?
Why did Australia keep the F-111 for so long?
What did the RAAF do in the Korean War?
Did the RAAF bomb Syria?
What is the MQ-28 Ghost Bat?
Where are the RAAF’s fighter jets based?
Did Australia send the Wedgetail to the Middle East war in 2026?
Read the aircraft the Royal Australian Air Force flew
Every type with a page in the Book of Beasts, in service first, then by the year it left the fleet.
Every fact, checked
- Defence Ministers: Appointment of Australian Defence Force senior leadership (9 April 2024)AVM Stephen Chappell to become Chief of Air Force on promotion in early July 2024; Air Marshal Robert Chipman to Vice Chief of the Defence Force.
- Air Force: F-35A Lightning II72 aircraft, three squadrons (two operational, one training) at Williamtown and Tindal; first accepted 2018.
- Air Force: EA-18G Growler12 aircraft with No. 6 Squadron at Amberley; initial operational capability April 2019.
- Air Force: E-7A WedgetailSix aircraft, No. 2 Squadron, Williamtown; Boeing 737-700 with MESA radar.
- Air Force: P-8A Poseidon13 aircraft shown; Nos 11, 12 and 292 Squadrons, No. 92 Wing, Edinburgh; first arrival 2016.
- Air Force: MQ-4C TritonNo. 9 Squadron operates the Triton from Edinburgh; the fleet is based at Tindal.
- Air Force: C-130J-30 Hercules12 aircraft with No. 37 Squadron at Richmond, delivered 1999–2001.
- Air Force: Hawk 127Lead-in fighter trainer with No. 76 Squadron (Williamtown) and No. 79 Squadron (Pearce).
- Air Force: MC-55A PeregrineISR and electronic warfare aircraft for No. 10 Squadron at Edinburgh; delivered January 2026.
- Australian War Memorial: Korean War 1950–5377 Squadron first Commonwealth and UN unit in action; conversion to Meteors; 17,000 Australians served, 340 killed.
- Australian War Memorial: Vietnam War 1962–75Caribou flight to Vung Tau August 1964; Iroquois with the task force; Canberras 1967; over 60,000 Australians served, 523 died.
- DVA Anzac Portal: Malayan Emergency 1948–1960Two RAAF squadrons committed June 1950; eight RAAF deaths (AWM Roll of Honour); Butterworth handed to Malaysia in 1988.
- DVA Anzac Portal: Indonesian Confrontation 1962–1966Background and timeline of the Confrontation; no RAAF unit detail on the page.
- Department of Defence: Operation OkraEstablished 2014, now ceased; more than 4,800 ADF personnel deployed; Air Task Group, Task Group Taji, Special Operations Task Group.
- Defence Ministers: Australia deepens collaboration with NATO (26 June 2025)E-7A to Europe for Poland at NATO’s request, August to November 2025, up to 100 personnel, Operation Kudu.
- Defence Ministers: Australia to provide defensive military assistance to Gulf (10 March 2026)E-7A Wedgetail and personnel for an initial four weeks; AMRAAMs for the UAE; Australia not taking offensive action against Iran.
- Defence Ministers: Funding boost for Australian-made Ghost Bat (9 December 2025)A$1.4 billion for six operational Block 2 MQ-28A and Block 3 development; AIM-120 live fire at Woomera.
- Defence Ministers: Investing in the future of Australian Air Mission Training (12 December 2025)More than A$300 million for a CAE-built mission training system at East Sale from 2026.
- Department of Defence: 2026 National Defence Strategy and 2026 Integrated Investment ProgramAround A$425 billion over the decade; follows the 2023 Defence Strategic Review and 2024 NDS.
- Department of Defence: media releases listingLists “Air Force Poseidons return from the Philippines” (27 February 2026).
- Airservices Australia: AIP current editions (ERSA effective 3 September 2026)Index of the ERSA edition in force when this dataset was compiled; links to every aerodrome facilities (FAC) page.
- ERSA FAC YWLM Williamtown (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 32 47 42 S, 151 50 04 E; elevation 31 ft; runway 12/30, grooved, 45 m wide; operator RAAF Airbase Operations Centre; MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YAMB Amberley (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 27 38 26 S, 152 42 43 E; elevation 91 ft; runways 04/22 and 15/33 (grooved, 45 m wide); MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YPTN Tindal (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 14 31 16 S, 132 22 40 E; elevation 443 ft; runway 14/32, grooved, 45 m wide; MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YPDN Darwin (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 12 24 53 S, 130 52 36 E; elevation 103 ft; runways 11/29 and 18/36; JOINT, operated by Darwin International Airport Pty Ltd and RAAF Base Darwin. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YPED Edinburgh (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 34 42 09 S, 138 37 15 E; elevation 67 ft; runway 18/36, grooved, 45 m wide; MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YPEA Pearce (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 31 40 04 S, 116 00 54 E; elevation 150 ft; runways 05/23, 18L/36R and 18R/36L; MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YMES East Sale (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 38 05 56 S, 147 08 58 E; elevation 23 ft; runways 04/22 and 09/27; MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YSRI Richmond (NSW) (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 33 36 02 S, 150 46 51 E; elevation 67 ft; runway 10/28; MIL. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YBTL Townsville/Townsville Intl (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 19 15 09 S, 146 45 55 E; elevation 18 ft; runways 01/19 and 07/25; JOINT; operators RAAF and Townsville Airport Pty Ltd. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YSWG Wagga Wagga (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 35 09 55 S, 147 27 59 E; elevation 724 ft; runways 05/23 (sealed) and 12/30 (grassed red clay); certified aerodrome operated by Wagga Wagga City Council. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YMPC Point Cook (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 37 55 56 S, 144 45 12 E; elevation 14 ft; runways 04/22, 08/26 (grass) and 17/35; MIL; civil landings need the commanding officer’s approval. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YPLM Learmonth (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 22 14 08 S, 114 05 19 E; elevation 19 ft; runway 18/36; MIL; operator Department of Defence (Air Force Headquarters) and Shire of Exmouth. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YCIN Curtin (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 17 34 53 S, 123 49 42 E; elevation 300 ft; runway 11/29; MIL; operator Department of Defence (13SQN), Derby. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YBSG Scherger (RAAF) (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 12 37 26 S, 142 05 14 E; elevation 145 ft; runway 12/30; MIL; run from the Airbase Operations Centre at RAAF Base Townsville. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- ERSA FAC YSCB Canberra (effective 3 September 2026)Airservices Australia. Reference point 35 18 25 S, 149 11 42 E; elevation 1,887 ft; runways 12/30 and 17/35; certified civil aerodrome with a RAAF military (VIP) apron. The FAC page gives runway bearing, pavement and width but not runway length.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base WilliamtownOfficial; 30 km north of Newcastle; F-35A, E-7A, Hawk 127 and PC-21; Air Combat Group and Surveillance and Response Group headquarters; five wings and eight squadrons.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base AmberleyOfficial; 40 km south-west of Brisbane; established 1940; Defence’s largest operational air base; wings and support units; Super Hornet circuits.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base Point CookOfficial; birthplace of the AFC and RAAF; 341 hectares; National Heritage List 29 August 2007; units, RAAF Museum.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base TindalOfficial; 15 km from Katherine; built 1942 as Carson’s Airfield; operational base 1984; opening 1 October 1988; units and exercises.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base DarwinOfficial; shares the runway with Darwin International Airport; units incl. the US Marine Rotational Force air combat element; Bradshaw Field Training Area.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base EdinburghOfficial; 25 km north of Adelaide; No 92 Wing P-8A; squadrons and the Air Warfare Centre.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base PearceOfficial; Bullsbrook, 35 km north of Perth; pilot training; 2FTS, 79 Squadron, RSAF 130 Squadron.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base East SaleOfficial; Gippsland; established 22 April 1943; CFS from 1947; schools, 32 Squadron, Roulettes.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base RichmondOfficial; 50 km north-west of Sydney; C-130J Hercules; units.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RAAF Base TownsvilleOfficial; units incl. 27 and 383 Squadrons and Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment; forward operating base role.
- Royal Australian Air Force: RMAF Base ButterworthOfficial; HQIADS; Australian units 19 Squadron and 92 Wing Detachment Alpha; the RAAF’s only permanent major air base outside Australia.
- AIP Malaysia, AD 2 WMKB Butterworth (AIP AMDT 03/26, effective 11 August 2026)Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia; source of the Butterworth coordinates as given in the Malaysian dataset (_my/stations.json); not re-fetched for this file.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman James Hensley / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photos: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Photo: Tech. Sgt. Amy Lovgren / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Lawrence Crespo / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: André Gerwing / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Chad Slattery / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: DUNCAN KIRK from Coeur d’Alene, United States / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Bidgee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 au) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew B. Fredericks / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: DoD photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald, U.S. Air Force. (Released) / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: TSGT CURT EDDINGS / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Royal Air Force Vampire. [[User:Ad Meskens|Ad Meskens You are free to use this picture for any purpose as / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Quay Drawdy / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Bidgee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5 au) · Photo: Dumplestilskin at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: clipperarctic / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Roland Balik / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Bidgee / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Chris Phutully / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Royal Air Force Lancaster. The wub / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Royal Air Force Spitfire. ChowellsNoise reduction and shadows lifted by Diliff. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5) · Photo: Alert5 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Eric Friedebach / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo: RAAF / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Royal Air Force Beaufighter. [[User:Ad Meskens|Ad Meskens You are free to use this picture for any purpose as / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Royal Air Force Mosquito. Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Luchtmacht / Photo Prints, Royal Netherlands Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Royal Air Force Gladiator. San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Royal Air Force Gauntlet. San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Royal Air Force Hurricane. [[User:Ad Meskens|Ad Meskens You are free to use this picture for any purpose as / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Andre Gerwing / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Royal Air Force Bulldog. [[User:Ad Meskens|Ad Meskens You are free to use this picture for any purpose as / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Airco DH.9 and DH.9A. Julian Herzog / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Avro 504. [[User:Ad Meskens|Ad Meskens You are free to use this picture for any purpose as / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Hpeterswald / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)