No. 8 Squadron RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 8 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force
flying training squadron of World War I
and medium bomber squadron of World War II
. The Squadron was first formed in October 1917 and was disbanded in January 1946 after seeing action during the Pacific War
.
, England
on 25 October 1917. The squadron received its first aircraft in January 1918 and trained replacement pilots for No. 4 Squadron
until being disbanded on 30 April 1919.
No. 8 Squadron was reformed as a bomber-reconnaissance unit at RAAF Base Fairbairn on 11 September 1940. Due to a shortage of other aircraft the Squadron was initially equipped with ex-civilian Douglas DC-2
and Douglas DC-3
transport aircraft which were used to conduct patrols off the Australian coast and for transport tasks. The Squadron was reequipped with Lockheed Hudson
medium bombers in May 1940 and was deployed to Singapore
in August. The Squadron first saw action within hours of the outbreak of war in the Pacific in December 1941 when it attacked Japanese shipping off Malaya
. The Squadron suffered heavy losses in the first days of the Malayan Campaign
and was virtually amalgamated with No. 1 Squadron RAAF
later in December. No. 8 Squadron handed its remaining Hudsons to No. 1 Squadron in January 1942 and was evacuated to Palembang
in Sumatra
where it received replacement Hudsons. The Squadron continued to suffer heavy losses and was disbanded at Batavia
on 16 February with its personnel returning to Australia.
No. 8 Squadron was reformed at RAAF Station Fairbairn on 12 March 1943 equipped with DAP Beaufort
bombers as a medium and torpedo bomber squadron. The Squadron moved to Goodenough Island
in August and began flying combat missions against Japanese positions and shipping in the New Britain
area. The Squadron moved to the New Guinea
mainland in April 1944 and flew strikes against Japanese positions near Wewak
until the end of the war. No. 8 Squadron was disbanded at Tadji
in New Guinea on 19 January 1946.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
flying training squadron of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and medium bomber squadron of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Squadron was first formed in October 1917 and was disbanded in January 1946 after seeing action during the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
History
No. 8 Squadron was first formed as a flying training squadron of the Australian Flying Corps at YatesburyYatesbury
Yatesbury is a village adjacent to Cherhill, 1 mile north of the A4 road between Calne and Marlborough in Wiltshire, England. Yatesbury forms part of The Oldbury Benefice, which comprises the five parishes of Cherhill, Compton Bassett, Heddington, Calstone Wellington and Yatesbury.-RAF...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 25 October 1917. The squadron received its first aircraft in January 1918 and trained replacement pilots for No. 4 Squadron
No. 4 Squadron RAAF
No. 4 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron responsible for training forward air controllers. The squadron was previously a fighter and army co-operation unit active in both World War I and World War II.-World War I:...
until being disbanded on 30 April 1919.
No. 8 Squadron was reformed as a bomber-reconnaissance unit at RAAF Base Fairbairn on 11 September 1940. Due to a shortage of other aircraft the Squadron was initially equipped with ex-civilian Douglas DC-2
Douglas DC-2
The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247...
and Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
transport aircraft which were used to conduct patrols off the Australian coast and for transport tasks. The Squadron was reequipped with Lockheed Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
medium bombers in May 1940 and was deployed to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in August. The Squadron first saw action within hours of the outbreak of war in the Pacific in December 1941 when it attacked Japanese shipping off Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. The Squadron suffered heavy losses in the first days of the Malayan Campaign
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
and was virtually amalgamated with No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 1 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron based at RAAF Amberley. The squadron is currently being re-equipped with F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters.-World War I:...
later in December. No. 8 Squadron handed its remaining Hudsons to No. 1 Squadron in January 1942 and was evacuated to Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
in Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
where it received replacement Hudsons. The Squadron continued to suffer heavy losses and was disbanded at Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
on 16 February with its personnel returning to Australia.
No. 8 Squadron was reformed at RAAF Station Fairbairn on 12 March 1943 equipped with DAP Beaufort
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
bombers as a medium and torpedo bomber squadron. The Squadron moved to Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island
Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It lies to the east of mainland New Guinea and south west of the Trobriand Islands.It should not be confused with Goodenough's Island...
in August and began flying combat missions against Japanese positions and shipping in the New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
area. The Squadron moved to the New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
mainland in April 1944 and flew strikes against Japanese positions near Wewak
Wewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
until the end of the war. No. 8 Squadron was disbanded at Tadji
Tadji, Papua New Guinea
Tadji is a small town on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is located to the east of Aitape....
in New Guinea on 19 January 1946.
Aircraft operated
- Avro 504Avro 504The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
(January 1918 – April 1919) - Sopwith PupSopwith PupThe Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
(January 1918 – April 1919) - Sopwith CamelSopwith CamelThe Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
(January 1918 – April 1919) - Sopwith SnipeSopwith SnipeThe Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of that conflict, in late 1918.The Snipe was not a fast aircraft...
(?-April 1919) - Douglas DC-2Douglas DC-2The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247...
(September 1939 – May 1940) - Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
(September 1939 – May 1940) - Lockheed HudsonLockheed HudsonThe Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
(May 1940 – February 1942) - DAP BeaufortBristol BeaufortThe Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
(March 1943 – January 1946)