201 FLIGHT RAAF
RADIO AND RADAR EXPERIMENTATION
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

201 Flight RAAF was established at Laverton in Victoria on 10 March 1945 to continue with the secret radio and radar experimentation work undertaken by the USAAF's 380th Bomb Group. Most of 201 Flight personnel were stationed at nearby Ascot Vale.

They conducted aerial electronic surveillance of Japanese radar stations. 201 Flight was alloted 6 Liberators, but they only ever received four. The first and second B-24's arrived on 5 April and 27 April 1945. They were modified by 1 Aircraft Performance Unit (1APU). The ball turret was removed to fit a radar scanning dome. In addition an enclosed radar operators cabin was installed.  Modifications were not completed until July 1945.

There were only four aircrews attached to 201 Flight. Some of the unit moved to Darwin, but as the war was almost over, they had trouble finding ways to occupy their spare time. The war ended and the Flight relocated to Laverton in October 1945. It did not fly any operational missions.

201 Flight RAAF was disbanded on 15 March 1946.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Tocumwal to Tarakan"
"Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator"
By Michael V. Nelmes

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 12 September 1999

This page last updated 20 February 2020