No. 86 Wing RAAF

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86 Wing
Active	1946–1964, 1987–current
Branch	RAAF
Role	Tactical and strategic air lift
Part of	Air Lift Group
Motto	Precision
Insignia
Callsign	TITAN

86 Wing RAAF
Components	36 Squadron 37 Squadron 38 Squadron

No. 86 Wing is a Royal Australian Air Force Transport Wing. Coming under the aegis of Air Lift Group, it is headquartered at RAAF Richmond, New South Wales. In addition to its military transport role the Wing, and in particular its C-130 Hercules aircraft, are known for their frequent civil disaster relief duties, being labelled by ABC-TV "one component of Australia's helping hand".^[1]

[edit] History

No. 86 Wing Dakotas during a fly-past in 1952

Formed as No. 86 (Transport) Wing at Schofields, New South Wales, in August 1946, the Wing originally comprised 36, 37 and 38 Squadrons, flying C-47 Dakotas. On 22 June 1949, it relocated to RAAF Richmond.

The Wing disbanded in 1964 but was reformed at Richmond on 2 February 1987, consisting of 33 Squadron, operating Boeing 707s, and 36 and 37 Squadrons, flying C-130 Hercules. 486 Maintenance Squadron and Air Movements Training and Development Unit (AMTDU) were also under its control.

32 Squadron, flying HS-748 air navigation trainers at RAAF East Sale, and 34 Squadron, the RAAF's VIP transport unit based at RAAF Fairbairn, became part of 86 Wing in 1988-89. During 1994-95, the Wing was commanded by Air Commodore (later Air Chief Marshal) Angus Houston,^[2] who in 2005 was appointed Chief of the Defence Force.

86 Wing currently comprises the same flying units with which it was formed in 1946: 36, 37 and 38 Squadrons. RAAF C-130 operations were concentrated in No. 37 Squadron in late 2006 when No. 36 Squadron transferred its C-130Hs prior to requipping with the C-17 Globemaster III and relocating to RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. No. 38 Squadron is also based at Amberley with a detachment at RAAF Base Townsville and operates the RAAF's DHC-4 Caribou tactical transports.