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ORIGINAL: el cid again

Fourth -

RAAF No 34 Squadron - pre dates the war - and should not wait until 1942 to appear. Indeed - it should start at Singapore with Blenheim Is - and upgrade to Blenheim IVs (by which time IRL it was in India). It is somewhat incorrectly shown as an air transport unit - although it began as one: by the time PTO erupts into war it is a bomber unit. This is air group slot 1504. Aircraft type 171 upgrading to 173.

[size="2"]
• [font="arial"] 6 Officers[/font]
• [font="arial"]13 NCO's[/font]
• [font="arial"]15 Airmen[/font] [/size]

[size="2"]
• [font="arial"]Alice Springs[/font]
• [font="arial"]Batchelor[/font]
• [font="arial"]Daly Waters[/font]
• [font="arial"]Katherine[/font]
• [font="arial"]Mt. Eba[/font]
• [font="arial"]Oodnadatta[/font]
• [font="arial"]Port Pirie[/font]
• [font="arial"]Tennant Creek[/font] [/size]

el cid again
OK - thanks. Looks like - in AE - with more slots - we should add four more group HQ. We probably should also create a 9 Group independent of Central. For RHS WITP we probably should not have a 9 Group at all - but just Central. Any data on when the four other groups formed up - or where exactly?

Official Histories - Volume I - Royal Australian Air Force, 1939-1942 page 588.

The exception among the R.A.A.F. operational units to come under the control of R.A.A.F. Command were, as mentioned, all Australian operational air units serving in New Guinea. These units, originally controlled from North-Eastern Area Headquarters, had already been brought within the control of a R.A.A.F. group-No. 9 Operational Group-which had been formed on 1st September 1942 to provide what in effect was a mobile offensive force. Under the strong leadership of Group Captain Garing, its first commanding officer, the group quickly achieved cohesion among the R.A.A.F's operational squadrons, forming them into an effective striking force at the most critical combat period in the New Guinea campaign. Initially the group came under the operational control of Allied Air Forces Headquarters, a control soon to be exercised by Whitehead as Commander of Advanced Echelon, Fifth Air Force.

Official Histories - Volume I - Royal Australian Air Force, 1939-1942 page 633.

At Port Moresby the R.A.A.F's No. 9 Operational Group had been working at full pressure during these operations and in close harmony with Whitehead's Advance Echelon of the Fifth Air Force. As Garing saw
the group's purpose it was that of a mobile task force for service with the forward elements of the main Allied forces-a role for which he, as commander, was admirably suited. In organisation, as he saw it, the immediate objective was a seven-squadron formation. At the end of October 1942 he had under his command only four of these units- a torpedo-bomber unit (No . 100 Beaufort Squadron), a long-range fighter unit (No. 30 Squadron), an attack bomber, or, as the R.A.A.F. termed it, "intruder" unit-No. 22 (Boston) Squadron only then moving in
from the mainland-and a general reconnaissance unit-No . 6 (Hudson) Squadron which had moved from Horn Island that month. The other three squadrons Garing considered necessary to give his force tactical balance were a dive bomber unit, and two escort fighter squadrons, one for medium-altitude and one for high-altitude operations.

Official Histories - Volume II - Air War Against Japan, 1943-1945 page 24.

When formed in 1942, No. 9 Group had only operational control of the squadrons in New Guinea, administrative control being exercised by North-Eastern Area, with headquarters at Townsville, Queensland. However, on 1st January 1943, No . 9 Group became a separate command and Hewitt had complete operational and administrative control of it. In February 1943, Air Force Headquarters issued orders setting up two subordinate wing headquarters within the group: No. 71 at Milne Bay and No. 73 at Port Moresby.

Official Histories - Volume II - Air War Against Japan, 1943-1945 page 198.

Concurrently with the withdrawal of No. 10 Group from Nadzab, Kenney was reorganising areas of responsibility . On 26th February he had issued instructions that by 1st March, Bostock's command was to take over control of No. 9 Operational Group, but not its tactical units (except one Beaufort squadron). At the same time he extended the responsibility of R.A.A.F. Command to include the Port Moresby-Milne Bay areas, for which, up to then, the Fifth Air Force had been responsible. This was an extension of the area system of command prevailing on the mainland of Australia. Bostock was to take over anti-submarine patrol and passive defence measures and set up at Port Moresby operational training facilities for R.A.A.F. crews who were to join operational squadrons in the South-West Pacific Area.
After this reorganisation, Bostock, on 2nd March, informed Air Force Headquarters that he desired the title of No. 9 Group changed to "Northern Area" and the title of No. 10 Group changed to "Tactical Air Force, R.A.A.F. ". He also proposed "to seek the approval of the Commander, Allied Air Forces, for the transfer of the maximum number of squadrons from the defensive areas to the Tactical Air Force". The effect of this policy would be to reduce No. 9 Group to a line of communication are a similar to those in Australia, and build up No. 10 Group to a large mobile tactical force.

Official Histories - Volume II - Air War Against Japan, 1943-1945 page 182.

The two R.A.A.F. organisations which controlled nearly all the experienced squadrons in contact with the enemy were North-Western Area and No. 9 Group. At the end of 1943 the North-Western Area force was committed to the dual task of defending northern Australia and aiding New Guinea operations by attacking the Japanese rear and flank. Earlier the R.A.A.F. had intended that No. 9 Group should be a mobile force capable of rapid movement, but in fact it was not. It had become a standard area force, similar to those of other R.A.A.F. areas on the mainland, and its mobility was limited. Air Vice-Marshal Bostock proposed that its name be changed to "Northern Area" so that its function would be better understood.
In September 1943 General Kenney asked Bostock to provide him with a mobile Australian force . By that time the R.A.A.F. had received more than 100 Vultee Vengeance dive bombers . It was therefore decided that the new force would consist of a dive bomber wing and a fighter wing, with their servicing and other necessary units. The fighters would protect the dive bombers during their attack missions. The group was to be ready for action at the end of 1943, and would probably be assigned to the New Britain area.
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On 13th November Air Force Headquarters issued orders creating the new formation, which was to be known as No. 10 (Operational) Group. It was assigned as a subordinate force within No. 9 (Operational) Group. The units placed under the new group were:

No. 10 (Operational) Group Headquarters (Group Captain Scherger)
No. 13 Signals Unit.
No. 25 Stores Unit.
No. 11 R.A.A.F. Postal Unit.
No. 10 Replenishing Centre.
No. 7 Transport and Movements Office.
No. 2 Malaria Control Unit.
No. 77 Wing Headquarters (Wing Commander Fyfe)
No. 21 Dive Bomber Squadron.
No. 23 Dive Bomber Squadron.
No. 24 Dive Bomber Squadron.
No. 47 Operational Base Unit.
No. 11 Repair and Salvage Unit.
No. 23 Medical Clearing Station.
No. 78 Wing Headquarters (Wing Commander Brookes)
No. 80 Fighter Squadron.
No. 452 Fighter Squadron.
No. 457 Fighter Squadron.
No. 111 Fighter Sector Headquarters.
No. 48 Operational Base Unit.
No. 22 Repair and Salvage Unit.
No. 24 Medical Clearing Station.

Some of these units were not yet in existence and had to be formed and ready for movement by 1st December. Shipping was asked for to transport the group from Brisbane on 1st December. Preparing the group within five weeks posed a difficult problem and in spite of great efforts the departure from Australia had to be postponed until 1st January 1944.

ORIGINAL: el cid again

Reviewing the unit change notes, I found one erattum almost immediately: 32 Squadron RAAF formed up on the date said with the equipment said - but at Port Moresby vice Sydney.

It appears that the unit I described is - as you said - an RAF Squadron - vice an RAAF squadron. It appears that this unit already is in the data set in that form as well. It appears your material is substantially similar to the unit history - with the notable exception of the disbandment of the unit - which in fact seems not to have happened (else it reformed). Apparently the unit still exists - operating 5 machines of two types today.