No. 86 Squadron RAAF
| No. 86 Squadron RAAF | |
|---|---|
New Guinea Campaign | |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron code | MP[1] |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | P-40 Kittyhawk (1943–1945) P-51 Mustang (1945) |
No. 86 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fighter squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed in March 1943 and was deployed to Merauke in Dutch New Guinea in July that year. While No. 86 Squadron was stationed at Merauke until April 1944, it saw little combat. After being transferred back to Australia its aircraft and personnel were transferred to other units, and only a nucleus of the squadron remained. While it was re-equipped with new aircraft in June 1945, the war ended before the squadron was ready for combat and it was disbanded in December 1945.
History
No. 86 Squadron was formed at
In early July 1943 No. 86 Squadron moved to Merauke in Dutch New Guinea to protect this base against Japanese air attack. Until this point the base had been protected by
From September 1943, the RAAF units in the Merauke–Torres Strait area had little to do as few Japanese aircraft operated in the area.[5] No. 86 Squadron next saw combat against Japanese aircraft on 22 and 23 January 1944 when it intercepted and destroyed two G4Ms and one Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter near Cape Valsch; after these engagements the Japanese ceased sending aircraft into the Merauke area.[3]
No. 86 Squadron also undertook other tasks in addition to its air defence duties. The squadron regularly conducted patrols of the Merauke area, escorted supply ships and exercised with Australian Army units.[2] It also undertook several ground attack missions, including an operation on 31 January 1944 in which four Japanese barges were sunk in the mouth of the Lorentz River.[3] The official history of the RAAF in this period notes that although the two squadrons on Merauke and Horn Island saw little action, they "fulfilled a very useful purpose" by protecting the flank of the Allied forces in New Guinea.[6]
The squadron's tour of duty at Merauke ended on 25 April 1944, when it was replaced by
In late June 1944, No. 86 Squadron moved from Bohle River Aerodrome to Macrossan. It received more Kittyhawks and undertook training, and in June 1945 began to be re-equipped with North American P-51D Mustang fighters. The squadron established detachments at Merauke and Thursday Island, but the war ended before it could move forward into the combat zones. No. 86 Squadron was disbanded at Bohle River Aerodrome on 20 December 1945.[8]
Notes
- ^ "RAAF Squadron Codes". Encyclopedia. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ a b c RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 92
- ^ a b c d Eather (1995), p. 97
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 114
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 116
- ^ Odgers (1968), p. 117
- ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995), pp. 92–93
- ^ Eather (1995), p. 98
References
- Eather, Steve (1995). Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force. Weston Creek: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-15-3.
- OCLC 246580191.
- RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Volume 2 Fighter Units. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42794-9.