No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF
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No. 1 Long Range Flight was a temporary Royal Australian Air Force unit formed to participate in the 1953 Christchurch Centenary air race which was flown between London in Britain and Christchurch in New Zealand.
No. 1 Long Range Flight was formed on 16 February 1953 and was equipped with two Australian-built Canberra bombers fitted with long range fuel tanks. After seven months of training and preparations the Flight's aircraft departed for the United Kingdom in September 1953 ahead of the commencement of the race on 9 October 1953. Detachments to service the aircraft during the race were stationed at Bahrain, Columbo and Cocos Island. While one of the two Canberras was effectively put out of the race when a tire burst upon landing at Cocos Island the other aircraft completed the race, coming second after arriving in Christchurch just after midnight on 10 October following a flight of 22 hours, 29 minutes. The other RAAF Canberra was repaired and arrived in Christchurch on 12 October.
Following the race the two Canberra aircraft were converted back to a standard configuration and No. 1 Long Range Flight was disbanded on 16 November 1953.
Source: RAAF Historical Section (1995), Units of the Royal Australian Air Force. A Concise History. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
