[_RAAF_Smouch]

Here is some information that one of our members found:

The 'PU' code currently used actually applies to No.1 PRU Squadron.

No.1 Squadron used (at various times) A, US and NA. 'A' was allocated to the initial delivery of Hudson's received by Australia in 1939. The code 'US' was assigned to No.1 Squadron in April 1940, just prior to it's move to Singapore in July 1940. It retained that code throughout the disastrous Malayan campaign and it's return to Australia (or what was left of the Squadron) at the end of March 1942; whence due to the very high losses it had suffered the Squadron was disbanded.

Upon it's being reformed with Bristol Beaufort light bombers in December 1943, No.1 Squadron was allocated the code 'NA'. It operated the Beaufort out of Darwin against the Islands to the north until January 1945, whence it was the first RAAF Squadron to convert to the de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI.

The 'NA' code saw the longest use with No.1 Squadron, although 'US' certainly reflects the more dramatic and tumultuous period of it's service in WWII.

The "PU" code was allocated to No.1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit (PRU). This Unit was formed at Laverton, Victoria in June 1942. It's role was to perform long-range strategic or tactical photographic reconnaissance missions. It's initial equipment was six Brewster Buffalo fighters with guns and armour removed and extra fuel tanks installed. The Unit moved to 32 Mile Airfield at Coomalie Creek, Darwin (later named Hughes Field) on 19 Agust 1942. From there it conducted reconn flights over the Timor Sea and DEI Japanese-held Islands to the north west. In time it collected a motley selection of aircraft including the above mentioned Buffalo's, plus Wirraway's, P-43 Lancers and P-38 Lightnings. Rarely did it's TOC inlcude more than six aircraft at any one time.

In May 1944 No.1 PRU received it's first PR.40 Mosquito's. The greatly increased range of the Mosquito allowed 1 PRU to fly as far afield as the Balikpapan. And when it moved to Biak it could overfly the Halmaheras and the Philippines.

On 9 September 1944 No.1 PRU was disbanded and from it No.87 (PRU) Squadron was formed. At this time the Squadron code was changed from 'PU' to 'QK'. No.87 (PRU) Squadron performed the same role as 1 PRU for the remainder of the War.


The information was in two separate posts. So I guess that the game in a sense is historically correct if you were to fly as No. 1 PRU.

If you were to visit our Squad's site (www.raafsquad.com) you would see that we use four different squadrons with No1 Sqdrn being our CO's squadron.

So with this information would it still be possible to either, add a No1 Squadron, and leave the current No. 1 PRU as is. Or remove the PRU and replace it with a new No. 1 Sqn RAAF?

We thought we would just ask and see how things went.

~S~