RAAF 100 Sqd Beaufort MkVIII 2014-08-23

The Luckiest RAAF Beaufort "Scott's Homin' Pigeon"

  1. Jello
    History:

    No 100 Squadron was formed in February 1942 out of a nucleus of surviving personnel from the
    Royal Air Force's No 100 Torpedo Bomber Squadron who had escaped from Malaya. The first RAAF
    Squadron to be equipped with Australian-built Beauforts, No 100 Squadron was deployed to
    Queensland in May 1942, where it conducted further torpedo bomber training and anti-submarine
    patrols.

    In June 1942, a detachment of No 100 Squadron Beauforts based at Port Moresby carried out the
    RAAF's first Beaufort operation when seven aircraft bombed shipping in the Lae area. Despite the
    loss of one bomber and severe damage to another, the mission was a success and resulted in the
    sinking of a Japanese merchant vessel.

    No 100 Squadron deployed to Milne Bay in September, flying reconnaissance and bombing missions
    against coastal shipping. On 6 October 1942, the Squadron conducted the first land-based torpedo
    strike and over the succeeding months a number of enemy vessels were damaged or sunk – including a
    Japanese cruiser.

    No 100 Squadron also took part in the famous Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943, when eight
    torpedo-armed Beauforts met with limited success against a dispersed Japanese convoy. This mission
    proved to be the squadron's last torpedo-bombing mission and thereafter it operated solely in the
    level-bombing mode – striking targets by night, in particular, the Japanese fortress at Rabaul.

    From October 1943 onwards, the squadron had a succession of moves, finally ending up at Tadji.
    Bombing operations against Japanese troop concentrations hidden in the jungles continued
    throughout this period.

    On 11 September 1944, the squadron conducted operation 'Wewak Welter' - an all-out offensive
    against the Japanese airfield at Wewak - dropping over 35 380 kg (78,000 lb) of bombs on the
    target.

    After the war No 100 Squadron was involved in leaflet drops to Japanese positions and escorting
    single-engine fighters on ferry flights back to Australia. The squadron disbanded in New Guinea on
    19 August 1946.