NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES AIR FORCE
AT ARCHERFIELD

The Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEI-AF) had two combat squadrons in Australia during World War 2.

- 120 Squadron was formed in Canberra on 10 December 1943 120. They were equipped with P-40N Kittyhawks.

- 18 Squadron NEI-AF flew B-25 Mitchells. The 18th Squadron flew from Batchelor from 1942 until the end of the war.

There were no formal Dutch Transport Squadrons in Australia until September 1944. There were initially two transport sections:-

NEI-Transport Section, Brisbane (NEI-TSB)
NEI-TSB was equipped with three Lockheed Lodestars and five B-25 Mitchell´s. They were based at Archerfield.

NEI-Transport Section, Melbourne (NEI-TSM)
NEI-TSM was equipped with a number of de-armed B-25 Mitchell´s and nine Lockheed Lodestars

Both of these Transport Sections were used to ferry men and material to 120 Squadron NEI-AF in Merauke (later Biak) and 18 Squadron NEI-AF at Batchelor.

In November 1944, both the above Transport Sections were combined into No. 1 NEI-Transport Squadron. The aircraft pool was expanded with four C-47´s and five Lockheed 12a light transports.

On 15 August 1945, the unofficial transports used by the Netherlands East Indies KLM (KNILM) was renamed 19 (NEI) Transport Squadron and officially taken on the strength of the RAAF. It had 13 Dakota´s.

Dutch Lockheed Lodestar damaged at Archerfield
on 18 February 1942

How the 3rd Bomb Group USAAF acquired (stole)
their B-25 Mitchells from the Dutch Air Force

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 28 December 1999

This page last updated 21 February 2020