No. 6 Squadron RAAF
Royal Australian Air Force squadron / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) electronic attack squadron. It was formed in 1917 as a training unit based in England during World War I. The squadron was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939. It subsequently saw combat as a light bomber and maritime patrol squadron during World War II, and took part in the New Guinea Campaign and New Britain Campaign before being disbanded after the war.
No. 6 Squadron RAAF | |
---|---|
Active | 1917–1919 1939–1945 1948–current |
Country | Australia |
Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
Role | Training (1917–1919) Bomber (1939–1945) Training (1948–2016) Electronic warfare (2017–current) |
Part of | No. 82 Wing |
Garrison/HQ | RAAF Base Amberley |
Motto(s) | Nous Reviendrons (Latin: "We Shall Return")[1] |
Engagements | World War I World War II |
Battle honours[2] | Moresby 1942 New Britain 1943 |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | D. E. L. Wilson (1939–1940) Colin Hannah (1942–1943) Ray Funnell (1972–1975) Geoff Shepherd (1991–1993) |
Aircraft flown | |
Attack | F-4 Phantom II (1970–1972) F/A-18F Super Hornet (2011–2016) |
Bomber | Hudson (1940–1943) Beaufort (1943–1945) Lincoln (1948–1955) Canberra (1955–1970) F-111 (1973–2010) |
Electronic warfare | EA-18G Growler (2017–current) |
Patrol | Anson (1939–1940) |
Reconnaissance | Learjet (1982–1987) |
The squadron was re-raised in 1948 as the RAAF's bomber operational conversion unit. It has primarily served in this capacity since that time, though it has maintained a secondary strike capability and was also tasked with reconnaissance duties between 1979 and 1993. No. 6 Squadron is based at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, and was equipped with Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft from January 2011 to December 2016. The squadron converted to Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft in 2017.