No. 82 Squadron RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force

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...

 fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in June 1943 and was disbanded in October 1948 after seeing action during 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...

 and participating in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force

British Commonwealth Occupation Force

The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...

.

History

No. 82 Squadron was formed at Bankstown, New South Wales

Bankstown, New South Wales

Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European...

 on 18 June 1943. The Squadron was to be equipped with P-40 Kittyhawk fighters but was initially partially equipped with P-39 Airacobras. The Squadron conducted training at Bankstown until April 1944 when it moved to Townsville, Queensland

Townsville, Queensland

Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...

 for further training. No. 82 Squadron moved to Noemfoor island

Noemfoor

Numfor is one of the Biak Islands in Papua province, Indonesia. It was the site of conflict between Japanese and the Allied forces during World War II, and was major airbase for both sides.-Geography:The island is situated just north of the large Cenderawasih Bay...

 in August 1944 and flew its first combat mission on 7 September. The Squadron conducted ground attack missions in 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...

 until March 1945 when it moved to Morotai Island in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI).

From Morotai No. 82 Squadron conducted ground attack missions in the NEI and escorted Allied convoys carrying troops bound for the liberation of Borneo

Borneo campaign (1945)

The Borneo Campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between 1 May and 21 July, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. Allied naval and...

. The Squadron moved to Labuan island

Labuan

Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...

 off Borneo

Borneo

Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....

 in June and flew in support of the Australian Army

Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

 units in Borneo until the end of the war.

Shortly after the end of the war No. 82 Squadron was selected to form part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force

British Commonwealth Occupation Force

The British Commonwealth Occupation Force , was the name of the joint Australian, Canadian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 21 February 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952...

 in Japan. The Squadron was reequipped with P-51D Mustang fighters in September and deployed to Japan in March 1946. From April the Squadron conducted surveillance patrols over Japan as well as participating in routine exercises and flypasts. No. 82 Squadron was disbanded at Iwakuni, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 on 22 October 1948 as part of the reduction of Australian forces in Japan.

Aircraft operated

• P-40 Kittyhawk (June 1943 – September 1945)
• P-39 Airacobra (June 1943 – ?)
• P-51D Mustang (September 1945 – October 1948)