No. 3 Squadron RAAF
Encyclopedia
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force
fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet
aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown
, near Newcastle, New South Wales
.
two-seat reconnaissance
/general purpose aircraft. To avoid confusion with the British No. 3 Squadron RFC
, it was known to the British military as "No. 69 Squadron RFC", until well into 1918. This terminology was never accepted by the squadron or the Australian Imperial Force
.
The squadron participated in bombing, artillery spotting and reconnaissance missions supporting ANZAC and other British Empire
ground forces, and by the end of the War had flown over 10,000 operational hours, shooting down 51 enemy aircraft.
In April 1918, the squadron under Major David Blake
, became responsible for the remains of the "Red Baron", Manfred von Richthofen
, after he was shot down in its sector. Blake initially believed that one of the squadron's R.E.8s may have been responsible but later endorsed the theory that an Australian anti-aircraft machine gunner actually shot down the Red Baron.
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During World War II, No. 3 squadron served in the Mediterranean Theatre
as part of the Allied
Desert Air Force
(later the First Tactical Air Force), supporting the 8th Army
.
The unit first saw action over Egypt
in late 1940, operating obsolete Gloster Gladiator
biplane
fighters against the Italian
Regia Aeronautica
. It briefly converted to Hawker Hurricane
s, and then flew P-40
Tomahawks and Kittyhawks from 1941, often engaging in intense air battles with the German
Luftwaffe
. No. 3 Squadron's longest-serving Commanding Officer
(CO) during the war was Squadron Leader
Bobby Gibbes
, whose tour lasted from February 1942 to April 1943.
Gibbes was replaced by Squadron Leader Brian Eaton
, who led the unit until February 1944. During this period, No. 3 Squadron took part in the Allied invasions of Sicily
and Italy
. It re-equipped with P-51 Mustang
s in November 1944 and continued to operate in Italy until the end of the European war in May 1945. No. 3 Squadron's record of 217.5 enemy aircraft destroyed made it the highest-scoring RAAF fighter squadron. It was disbanded after the war and No. 4 Squadron RAAF
was renamed No. 3.
, New South Wales
. It operated CA-27 Sabres
out of Butterworth, Malaya, from 1958 engaging in warlike operations associated with the Malayan Emergency
and Konfrontasi. The squadron was disbanded in 1967.
As Australian involvement in the Vietnam War
intensified, 3 Sqn was reformed and equipped with Mirage IIIO fighters at Wlliamtown in August–September 1967. An acting CO
, Wing Commander
Vance Drummond, was killed during this period in "2v2" air combat manoeuvres at No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
. Wing Commander Jake Newham (later RAAF Chief of Air Staff) became the CO. No. 3 Squadron's role was fighter ground attack and its aircraft were camouflaged and fitted with a Doppler navigation system and radar with additional ground mapping and terrain avoidance capability.
A photo reconnaissance capability was developed using the Fairchild KA56 panoramic camera and a transportable high speed photoprocessing and interpretation cabin. The role of the squadron included being able to deploy at eight days notice to a bare base and operate there unsupported for 28 days.
The Mirage III was a maintenance intensive aeroplane and tasks such as engine overhauls and radar and instrument repair had to be performed while deployed. As a result there were about 190 personnel in the squadron including four engineer officers and a supply officer. Six C130 aircraft were needed to move the squadron.
Pilots were required to be proficient in both the air to air and air to ground roles including 45 degree dive bombing at night. Once these capabilities had been demonstrated, the Squadron deployed to RAAF Butterworth in February 1969.
During this period, the aircraft became known as "lizards", in reference to their camouflage paint scheme and low altitude operations. The frill neck lizard was adopted as an informal squadron insignia. With 75 Squadron RAAF
, 3 Sqn maintained a detachment at RAF Tengah, Singapore and both squadrons were temporarily based at Tengah for several months while the runway at Butterworth was being resurfaced. was used to move the squadron's equipment.
On 29 August 1986, after returning to Australia, 3 Sqn became the first operational RAAF unit to receive F/A-18 Hornet
s (serial numbers A21-8 and A21-9).
, elements of 3 Sqn were deployed to Diego Garcia
, in the Indian Ocean, to relieve 77 Squadron
, providing air defence for the Coalition base there.
3 Sqn personnel also participated in Operation Falconer
, 75 Sqn's deployment to the Iraq War during 2003.
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. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
, near Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
.
World War I
No. 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps was formed at Point Cook, Victoria on 19 September 1916. Shortly afterwards, the unit moved to England for training, before becoming the first AFC unit deployed to France, in 1917, equipped with the R.E.8Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8
The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War designed by John Kenworthy. Intended as a replacement for the vulnerable B.E.2, the R.E.8 was more difficult to fly, and was regarded with great suspicion at first in the Royal...
two-seat reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
/general purpose aircraft. To avoid confusion with the British No. 3 Squadron RFC
No. 3 Squadron RAF
No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4 and T3 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.No 3 Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests....
, it was known to the British military as "No. 69 Squadron RFC", until well into 1918. This terminology was never accepted by the squadron or the Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
.
The squadron participated in bombing, artillery spotting and reconnaissance missions supporting ANZAC and other British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
ground forces, and by the end of the War had flown over 10,000 operational hours, shooting down 51 enemy aircraft.
In April 1918, the squadron under Major David Blake
David Valentine Jardine Blake
Major General David Valentine Jardine Blake was a notable member of the Australian Army in both World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of Major General.-World War I:...
, became responsible for the remains of the "Red Baron", Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
, after he was shot down in its sector. Blake initially believed that one of the squadron's R.E.8s may have been responsible but later endorsed the theory that an Australian anti-aircraft machine gunner actually shot down the Red Baron.
World War II
Mediterranean Theatre of World War II
The African, Mediterranean and Middle East theatres encompassed the naval, land, and air campaigns fought between the Allied and Axis forces in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and Africa...
as part of the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
(later the First Tactical Air Force), supporting the 8th Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
.
The unit first saw action over Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in late 1940, operating obsolete Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
fighters against the Italian
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
. It briefly converted to Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s, and then flew P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
Tomahawks and Kittyhawks from 1941, often engaging in intense air battles with the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. No. 3 Squadron's longest-serving Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
(CO) during the war was Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Bobby Gibbes
Bobby Gibbes
Robert Henry Maxwell Gibbes DSO, DFC & Bar, OAM was a leading Australian fighter ace of World War II. He was officially credited with shooting down 10¼ enemy aircraft, although his score is often reported as 12 destroyed...
, whose tour lasted from February 1942 to April 1943.
Gibbes was replaced by Squadron Leader Brian Eaton
Brian Eaton
Air Vice Marshal Brian Alexander Eaton CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . Born in Tasmania and raised in Victoria, he joined the RAAF in 1936 and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the outbreak of World War II...
, who led the unit until February 1944. During this period, No. 3 Squadron took part in the Allied invasions of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and Italy
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
. It re-equipped with P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s in November 1944 and continued to operate in Italy until the end of the European war in May 1945. No. 3 Squadron's record of 217.5 enemy aircraft destroyed made it the highest-scoring RAAF fighter squadron. It was disbanded after the war and No. 4 Squadron RAAF
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:...
was renamed No. 3.
Cold War
The squadron re-formed on 1 March 1956 at RAAF Base WilliamtownRAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Tactical Fighter group. The base is located north of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales in the Local Government Area of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It operated CA-27 Sabres
CAC Sabre
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Allward, Maurice. F-86 Sabre. London: Ian Allen, 1978. ISBN 0-71100-860-4.* Curtis, Duncan. North American F-86 Sabre. Ramsbury, UK: Crowood, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-358-9....
out of Butterworth, Malaya, from 1958 engaging in warlike operations associated with the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
and Konfrontasi. The squadron was disbanded in 1967.
As Australian involvement in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
intensified, 3 Sqn was reformed and equipped with Mirage IIIO fighters at Wlliamtown in August–September 1967. An acting CO
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Vance Drummond, was killed during this period in "2v2" air combat manoeuvres at No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet. New RAAF pilots enter 2OCU for training after first qualifying to fly jet fighters in No. 76 Squadron...
. Wing Commander Jake Newham (later RAAF Chief of Air Staff) became the CO. No. 3 Squadron's role was fighter ground attack and its aircraft were camouflaged and fitted with a Doppler navigation system and radar with additional ground mapping and terrain avoidance capability.
A photo reconnaissance capability was developed using the Fairchild KA56 panoramic camera and a transportable high speed photoprocessing and interpretation cabin. The role of the squadron included being able to deploy at eight days notice to a bare base and operate there unsupported for 28 days.
The Mirage III was a maintenance intensive aeroplane and tasks such as engine overhauls and radar and instrument repair had to be performed while deployed. As a result there were about 190 personnel in the squadron including four engineer officers and a supply officer. Six C130 aircraft were needed to move the squadron.
Pilots were required to be proficient in both the air to air and air to ground roles including 45 degree dive bombing at night. Once these capabilities had been demonstrated, the Squadron deployed to RAAF Butterworth in February 1969.
During this period, the aircraft became known as "lizards", in reference to their camouflage paint scheme and low altitude operations. The frill neck lizard was adopted as an informal squadron insignia. With 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the...
, 3 Sqn maintained a detachment at RAF Tengah, Singapore and both squadrons were temporarily based at Tengah for several months while the runway at Butterworth was being resurfaced. was used to move the squadron's equipment.
On 29 August 1986, after returning to Australia, 3 Sqn became the first operational RAAF unit to receive F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
s (serial numbers A21-8 and A21-9).
Post-Cold War
The squadron continues to operate the Hornets from its home base at RAAF Base Williamtown. In February 2002, during the Afghanistan WarWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
, elements of 3 Sqn were deployed to Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
, in the Indian Ocean, to relieve 77 Squadron
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
, providing air defence for the Coalition base there.
3 Sqn personnel also participated in Operation Falconer
Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq
The Howard Government supported the disarmament of Iraq during the Iraq disarmament crisis. Australia later provided one of the four most substantial combat force contingents during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, under the operational codename Operation Falconer. Part of its contingent were among the...
, 75 Sqn's deployment to the Iraq War during 2003.
Aircraft operated
- Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War designed by John Kenworthy. Intended as a replacement for the vulnerable B.E.2, the R.E.8 was more difficult to fly, and was regarded with great suspicion at first in the Royal...
(1917–1918) - Gloster GauntletGloster Gauntlet-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crawford, Alex. Bristol Bulldog, Gloster Gauntlet. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-04-6....
, Gloster GladiatorGloster GladiatorThe Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
, Westland LysanderWestland LysanderThe Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
(August 1940 – January 1941) - Hawker HurricaneHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
(January–May 1941) - P-40 Tomahawk/KittyhawkCurtiss P-40The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
(May 1941 – November 1944) - P-51D MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(November 1944 – July 1946) - CAC SabreCAC Sabre|-See also:-Bibliography:* Allward, Maurice. F-86 Sabre. London: Ian Allen, 1978. ISBN 0-71100-860-4.* Curtis, Duncan. North American F-86 Sabre. Ramsbury, UK: Crowood, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-358-9....
(1956–1967) - Mirage III (1967–1986)
- F/A-18 HornetF/A-18 HornetThe McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
(August 1986–current)
External links
- RAAF Museum No. 3 Squadron
- Boeing RAAF Hornets 20th Anniversary
- 3 Squadron RAAF Association Australia's Top Guns