|
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force base and headquarters to Australia's Air Combat Group. The base is located north〔 of the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales ( by road) in the local government area (LGA) of Port Stephens. The military base shares its runway facilities with Newcastle Airport. The nearest towns are Raymond Terrace, located west of the base and Medowie, , north of the base, which is home to many of the base's staff. == History == RAAF Station Williamtown was established on 15 February 1941 to provide protection for the strategic port and steel manufacturing facilities of the Hunter Region. The base was initially served by four runways, each in length to meet the needs of the Williamtown Flying School. The School consisted of 62 buildings which accommodates 366 officers and men. A number of Australian Empire Air Training Scheme squadrons were formed at Williamtown before proceeding overseas and No. 4 Operational Training Unit was located at Williamtown from October 1942 until the unit was disbanded in April 1944. Following World War II Williamtown was retained as the RAAF's main fighter base and was equipped with squadrons of Gloster Meteor and F-86 Sabre fighters. In 1961 the squadron of Meteors were replaced with the Dassault Mirage aircraft.〔 On-base facilities were gradually expanded post war and through until the late 1960s. In 1983 the role of Williamtown was upgraded to a tactical fighter base in preparation of the replacement of the Mirages with 75 F/A-18 Hornets in 1989. The following year Williamtown became headquarters for the Tactical Fighter group and acquired new headquarter buildings, hangars, workshops, stores, medical facilities and a base chapel.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「RAAF Base Williamtown」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|