Australian Ace

摘要

One of five Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) units to operate the Bristol Beaufighter in the Pacific theatre (two others used them in Europe), No.31 Squadron was armed with the robust twin-engined fighter from August 1942 until disbandment in 1946. The unit was formed at RAAF Base Wagga in New South Wales and received its first Beaufighter on August 23. Under the leadership of Sqn Ldr Charles Read, who later went on to become Chief of the Air Staff, the squadron moved to its operational base at Coomalie Creek in the country's Northern Territory on November 12, starting combat operations five days later. During its first engagement with the Japanese, one Beaufighter was lost, but on December 2 the unit destroyed 18 enemy aircraft on the ground, without loss.