F RAAF WWII PILOT (PACIFIC 1944/45)

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF for short) is an Australian air force that was founded in 1914 under the name of the Australian Flying Corps, and was recognized as a separate type of armed force in 1921. RAAF pilots had their baptism of fire already during World War I, fighting over the skies of Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, but also France. During the Great War, the RAAF had 75 aces. During World War II, Australian pilots flew over the Mediterranean basin and took part in bomb expeditions over Germany, where they were under the command of the British Air Force (RAF). Australian aviation also played a role in the initial period of the Pacific War, when RAAF pilots fought over Southeast Asia and the skies of New Guinea. From 1942, Australian fighter units began to receive P-40 aircraft imported from the USA, and later the native CAC Boomerang design. Australian aviation was also very important during the fighting on the Solomon Islands. It is estimated that during the entire Second World War, about 215,000 people served in the RAAF, of which about 11,000 died in action.