page_title: No. 71 Wing RAAF
section_title: New Guinea campaign
hierarchical_section_title: No. 71 Wing RAAF / History / New Guinea campaign
caption_attribution_description: Vivigani, Goodenough Island, Papua. c. 1943-10. In the Operations Room of the Fighter Sector, No. 71 Wing RAAF. From left: 276836 Flying Officer (FO) H. Devon, Goondiwindi, Qld (at telephone); 256116 Flight Lieutenant R. D. Kennedy, Kew, Vic; 654 Squadron Leader J. Lower, Aldgate, SA; 265862 FO J. G. Nicholas, Mosman, NSW.
context_page_description: No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts. The wing's mainstay soon became the Beaufort, which eventually equipped five squadrons attached to the formation. No. 71 Wing took part in the New Guinea campaign under the auspices of No. 9 Group, before transferring to No. 10 Operational Group for the Western New Guinea campaign during 1944. It then returned to the control of Northern Command to support Australian ground forces in the Aitape–Wewak campaign, and completed its final combat mission only hours before the Japanese surrender in August 1945. No. 71 Wing remained in New Guinea following the war and was disbanded in January 1946.
context_section_description: No. 71 Wing was formed on 26 February 1943 to control four flying squadrons based at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea: No. 6 Squadron, operating Lockheed Hudson bombers; No. 75 Squadron, operating P-40 Kittyhawk fighters; No. 77 Squadron, operating Kittyhawks; and No. 100 Squadron, operating Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers. Its inaugural commanding officer was Wing Commander (later Group Captain) Ian McLachlan. The wing came under the aegis of No. 9 Operational Group, described by historian Alan Stephens as the RAAF's "premier fighting unit" in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA), whose purpose was to act as a mobile strike force in support of advancing Allied troops. In March the Beauforts took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, "the decisive aerial engagement" in the SWPA according to General Douglas MacArthur, but was unable to score any hits against Japanese ships.
  McLachlan relinquished command in June 1943 to become senior air staff officer at No. 9 Group headquarters; No. 71 Wing headquarters moved to Goodenough Island the same month. Between July and October, its squadrons carried out operations against enemy bases, shipping and lines of communication along the coast of New Britain. In August, the wing was given responsibility for Goodenough, where it was joined the following month by No. 8 Squadron, flying Beauforts. No. 6 Squadron had meanwhile converted to Beauforts from Hudsons; it remained at Milne Bay along with No. 100 Squadron, until both transferred to Goodenough in November. Between October 1943 and February 1944, the three Beaufort squadrons took part in a series of major attacks on Rabaul, bombing and strafing airfields, infrastructure and shipping; the Japanese withdrew their aircraft from Rabaul the following month. Wing Commander (later Group Captain)  Blake Pelly held command of the wing from October 1943 until May 1944, apart from a period of leave in January–February 1944, when Wing Commander Colin Hannah, previously in charge of No. 6 Squadron, assumed temporary command.
caption: Fighter Sector Operations Room of No. 71 Wing on Goodenough Island, Papua, October 1943
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