No. 5 Squadron RAAF
No. 5 Squadron RAAF | ||
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Patrol Supermarine Seagull | |
No. 5 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force training, army co-operation and helicopter squadron. The squadron was formed in 1917 as a training unit of the Australian Flying Corps in Britain, readying pilots for service on the Western Front. It subsequently became a naval fleet co-operation squadron, but was later redesignated as No. 9 Squadron RAAF before being re-formed as an army co-operation squadron during World War II. In the mid-1960s, it was re-formed as a helicopter squadron, before being disbanded in December 1989, when it was used to form the Australian Defence Force Helicopter Training School.
History
World War I and interbellum
No. 5 Squadron was formed at Shawbury in England on 15 June 1917, as a unit of the Australian Flying Corps, under the command of Captain Andrew Lang, and was initially known as "29 (Australian) (Training) Squadron" of the Royal Flying Corps. During August 1917, Major Henry Petre assumed command of the squadron. Its Australian Flying Corps designation ("No. 5 (Training) Squadron, AFC") was officially recognised in early 1918.[2] Equipped with a variety of aircraft, including Maurice Farman Shorthorns, Airco DH.6, Avro 504s, Sopwith Pups, S.E.5as and Sopwith Camels, the squadron provided training to Australian pilots in Britain during World War I. After completing their training with No. 5 Squadron Australian pilots could be posted to one of the operational squadrons but to begin with the squadron's main role was to train pilots and observers for service in No. 1 Squadron in the Middle East. Later, when equipped with Camels, the squadron supplied pilots to 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps. During the war, the squadron graduated on average of eight pilots per month, who were trained by combat experienced pilots transferred from the operational squadrons. No. 5 Squadron was embarked to return to Australia in May 1919 and was for formally disbanded on reaching Australia the following month.[3][4]
On 20 April 1936, No. 5 Squadron was re-formed at
World War II
On 9 January 1941, No. 5 Squadron was re-formed at
In September 1945, shortly after the end of the war, the squadron received three or four
Cold War
No. 5 Squadron was re-formed in 1964 as a helicopter squadron equipped with Bell
On 12 April 1966,
In the mid-1970s and mid-1980s, the squadron contributed Iroquois to peacekeeping missions in the Middle East Egypt, firstly to Ismailia with the United Nations Emergency Force and then later to the Sinai as part of the Multinational Force and Observers.[10][11]
The squadron acquired AS350B Squirrel utility helicopters in early 1984, and along with the Iroquois UH1-Hs, the squadron continued the training role and Army support, in addition to providing aid to the civil community in times of natural disaster. In December 1989, No. 5 Squadron was disbanded and absorbed into the Australian Defence Force Helicopter School (ADFHS) in 1990.[10][11]
See also
References
- Citations
- ^ RAAF Historical Section 1995, p. 22.
- ^ "5 (Training) Squadron AFC". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- ^ Eather 1995, p. 14.
- ^ a b Barnes 2000, p. 33.
- ^ a b c RAAF Historical Section 1995, pp. 15–22.
- ^ Eather 1995, p. 30.
- ^ Barnes 2000, pp. 33–36.
- ^ "5 Squadron RAAF". Second World War, 1939–1945 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- ^ Barnes 2000, p. 37.
- ^ a b Eather 1995, p. 31.
- ^ a b Barnes 2000, pp. 37–42.
- Bibliography
- Barnes, Norman (2000). The RAAF and the Flying Squadrons. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-130-2.
- Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-15-3.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 2: Fighter Units (PDF). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42794-9.
Further reading
- Brown, Ernest John (2000). The History of 5 RAAF Squadron: Boomerang and Wirraway Fighters in the Bougainville Campaign. Winmalee, New South Wales: Blackletter Editorial Services.
- Moremon, John (2017). "No 5 Squadron" (PDF). Wings. 69 (1). RAAF Association: 22–27.
External links
- "5 Squadron". RAAF Museum. 21 February 2022.