No. 4 Squadron RAAF facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No. 4 Squadron RAAF |
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No. 4 Squadron's crest
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| Active | 1916–1919 1937–1939 1940–1948 2009–current |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Role | Forward air control Forward air control training Joint Terminal Attack Controller Special operations |
| Part of | No. 82 Wing |
| Base | RAAF Base Williamtown |
| Motto(s) | "Cooperate to Strike" |
| Engagements | World War I World War II War in Afghanistan |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Sopwith Camel Sopwith Snipe Hawker Demon CAC Wirraway CAC Boomerang P-40 Kittyhawk CAC Mustang |
| Reconnaissance | Auster AOP III |
| Trainer | De Havilland Moth Minor Avro Anson Pilatus PC-9 Pilatus PC-21 |
No. 4 Squadron is a special unit in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It includes highly trained Combat Controllers and aircrew. These aircrew fly Pilatus PC-21 planes. The squadron also trains people to become Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs).
This squadron used to be a fighter and army support unit. It was active in both World War I and World War II. It first formed in 1917 and fought on the Western Front. After World War I, it was disbanded. It was brought back in 1937 and again in 1940. In 1942, it went to New Guinea. There, it helped ground forces by finding targets for artillery. It also did reconnaissance (scouting) and gave close air support. The squadron helped in campaigns in Huon Peninsula, New Britain, and Borneo. It was disbanded in 1948.
No. 4 Squadron was re-formed on July 2, 2009. Its new job was to train forward air controllers. It also supports the Army's Special Operations Command.
Contents
What No. 4 Squadron Does
No. 4 Squadron has three main parts, called flights: A, B, and C. It also has teams for maintenance, logistics, and administration.
A Flight: Flying and Training
A Flight has aircrew who fly four special Pilatus PC-21 aircraft. These planes are used for Forward Air Control (FAC) training. The PC-21s here look different from other RAAF PC-21s. They are grey. These aircraft are based at RAAF Base Williamtown. They help train Australian Defence Force (ADF) Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs).
B Flight: Combat Control Team (CCT)
B Flight is the Combat Control Team (CCT). Its members are called Combat Controllers. They do scouting, guide air attacks, and lead special missions. They often work with other special forces units. These include the SASR or Commandos.
Combat Controllers do many important jobs. They guide air support for ground troops. They check landing zones for aircraft. They also observe weather for aviation. They help manage airspace during missions.
The Special Tactics Project started in 2007. It trained air force people to be Combat Controllers. This was like the US Air Force combat controllers. The Army's Special Operations Command asked for this in 2006. Between 2008 and 2009, three groups finished training. Four members went to Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Group. Combat Controllers were always with this group from 2008 until they left. In July 2009, the Special Tactics Project became B Flight of No. 4 Squadron.
Anyone in the ADF can try to become a Combat Controller. First, they do an 8-week course. This course teaches basic ground skills. It also gets them ready for the Special Forces Entry Test. Volunteers must pass this test. They also complete commando training. Then, they take courses in Joint Terminal Attack Control, Aviation Meteorology, and Air Weapons Delivery. After almost two years of training, a Combat Controller gets a grey beret. This beret has a special commando dagger badge.
C Flight: JTAC Training
C Flight runs the ADF Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) course. They also make sure graduates stay skilled. In 2005, the RAAF was the first foreign air force to get JTAC approval from the US.
The JTAC course lasts six weeks. It teaches how to plan, brief, control, and report on close air support. Close air support means aircraft helping ground troops directly. The course happens twice a year. The goal is to train 32 students each year. More than 300 students have finished the course since 1997.
History of No. 4 Squadron
World War I Service
No. 4 Squadron began as part of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC). It started at Point Cook, Victoria, on October 16, 1916. Captain Andrew Lang took command on October 25. The squadron had one officer and 26 men. Soon after, they went to Britain for more training. They arrived in France on December 18, 1917.
On the Western Front, they were part of No. 80 Wing. They flew Sopwith Camels and Snipes. Their jobs included fighting enemy planes and supporting the army. They also attacked German airfields. No. 4 Squadron shot down more enemy planes than any other AFC unit. They claimed 199 enemy aircraft destroyed. They also destroyed or forced down 33 enemy balloons.
Many famous pilots served in this unit. Captain Harry Cobby was the AFC's top ace. He destroyed 29 aircraft and balloons. Captain George Jones shot down seven planes. He later became the RAAF's Chief of the Air Staff. Other aces like Roy King and Edgar McCloughry also flew with the squadron.
After the war ended, No. 4 Squadron stayed in Germany. They were part of the British Army of Occupation. They returned to Australia in March 1919. The squadron was disbanded in Melbourne in June.
World War II Service
No. 4 Squadron was re-formed on May 3, 1937. It was a general reconnaissance unit at RAAF Station Richmond. They first flew Hawker Demons. Then they got their first Avro Anson planes. On March 1, 1939, it became No. 6 Squadron.
No. 4 Squadron was re-formed again on June 17, 1940, at Richmond. This time, it was an army support unit. They started with Demons and De Havilland Moths. In September, they switched to CAC Wirraways. They moved to Canberra later that month. On May 20, 1942, the squadron went to Camden Airfield. They flew anti-submarine patrols and trained with the army. In November, they moved to Queensland and then to New Guinea.
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In New Guinea, the squadron first helped American and Australian forces. This was during the Battle of Buna-Gona. For the rest of the war, the squadron supported the army. They helped spot targets for artillery. They also did scouting and provided close air support. On December 26, 1942, a No. 4 Squadron Wirraway shot down an A6M Zero. This was the only time a Wirraway got an air-to-air kill in the war. The pilot, John Archer, received the US Silver Star. On January 31, 1943, part of the squadron went to Wau. They took part in the Battle of Wau.
In May 1943, No. 4 Squadron received CAC Boomerang fighter planes. They used these for tactical reconnaissance. They still used some Wirraways too. The squadron supported the Australian 7th and 9th Divisions. This was during the Huon Peninsula campaign. They also used six Piper Cubs for communication. The squadron kept helping Australian, US Army, and US Marine Corps units. They served in New Guinea and New Britain. In March 1945, they moved to Morotai and then to Labuan. This was to support Australian ground forces in the Borneo campaign. They helped the 9th Division in North Borneo. They also supported the 7th Division's landing at Balikpapan. During the war, 37 squadron members died.
After World War II
After the war, No. 4 Squadron returned to Australia on November 14, 1945. They were based in Canberra again. They got P-40 Kittyhawks. They had received a few of these planes in Borneo. Later, they got CAC Mustangs and Austers in early 1947. After training, the squadron showed off its firepower. This was for cadets at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. The demonstration was near Braidwood in September 1947. On March 7, 1948, No. 4 Squadron was re-numbered as No. 3 Squadron and stopped existing under its old name.
No. 4 Squadron was re-formed on July 3, 2009. It is now based at RAAF Base Williamtown. Its job is to train forward air controllers. The Forward Air Control Development Unit (FACDU) joined the new unit. FACDU used Pilatus PC-9s. The Special Tactics Project also joined. This kept the forward air control training at Williamtown. This training had been done by FACDU and No. 4 Flight before. No. 4 Flight used Winjeels from 1970 to 1989. No. 4 Squadron's Pilatus PC-9s were replaced with Pilatus PC-21s in 2020.
Aircraft Flown by No. 4 Squadron
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No. 4 Squadron has used these aircraft over the years:
- Sopwith Camel (1917–1918)
- Sopwith Snipe (1918–1919)
- Hawker Demon (1937 and 1940)
- Avro Anson (1937–1939)
- de Havilland Moth Minor (1940–1941)
- CAC Wirraway (1940–1945)
- de Havilland Tiger Moth (1942–?)
- CAC Boomerang (1943–1945)
- Piper Cub (1943–1944)
- Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk (1945–1947)
- CAC Mustang (1947–1948)
- Auster AOP III (1947–1948)
- Pilatus PC-9 (2009–2019)
- Pilatus PC-21 (2020–current)
