trucker17
April 30th, 2014, 16:41
Lake boga was a sea plane base from WWII used by the allied forces.
Lake Boga is located about 154 miles from Laverton.
Laverton was an aircraft repair depot used by the allied forves during WWII.
Lake Boga.
Lake Boga Flying Boat Base was a Royal Australian Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) (RAAF) flying boat base at Lake Boga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Boga), Victoria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)), Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia) during World War II.
When the Imperial Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese) attacked Darwin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin,_Northern_Territory) and Broome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broome,_Western_Australia) in 1942 resulting in the loss of 16 flying boats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_boat), the establishment of a safe haven for flying boats was required inland as a remote facility outside the sphere of Japanese airplanes. Lake Boga was picked as it allowed almost unlimited choice of landing/take off directions and was free of obstructions. It was also close to nearby infrastructure.
Required for Australian, Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_East_Indies_Air_Force) and United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) flying boat servicing and repairs, Lake Boga was commissioned in June 1942. No. 1 Flying Boat Repair and Service Depot (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._1_Flying_Boat_Repair_and_Servi ce_Depot&action=edit&redlink=1) was set up to provide the repair and servicing requirements. Lake Boga was recommended by Squadron Leader Gareth O'Brien since he was familiar with the area having grown up in Kerang. Of note, Myles O'Brien (Father to Gareth) was the local solicitor and owned the first auto-mobile in Kerang. SQN leader Gareth O'Brien saw service with the R.N.A.S Royal Navel Ariel Service in Yorkshire UK in the late 1920s and Cairo, Egypt in the early 1930s. Being an avid photographer of that time he took many black and white photographs that still exist and have been published in some historical publications. Flight Lieutenant (at the time) Gareth O'Brien was awarded the D.S.O. for dropping two bombs from his aircraft on a submarine in the English Channel, March 6, 1918. A direct hit was reported by the observer and it was thought to have sunk but SQN Leader O'Brien, in a letter to his Father, thought he perhaps only gave it a 'shake up'.
Facilities constructed at the base included workshops and hangars on the foreshore, a stores area, living quarters, sick quarters at Castle Donnington, a first-aid and dental post, a radio transmitting station and a VHF transmitting station.
Flying boats serviced, repaired, restored, rebuilt or overhauled during the operation of the base were PBY Catalina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBY_Catalina), Dornier Do 24 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_24), OS2U Kingfisher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OS2U_Kingfisher), Short Sunderland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Sunderland), Supermarine Walrus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Walrus) and Martin Mariner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Mariner).
The station at Lake Boga closed in November 1947.
The underground Communications Bunker has been transformed into the Flying Boat Museum. Catalina (A24-30) has been reconstructed as a memorial to the personnel who served at No 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot during World War II. The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Heritage_Register).
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-1-4-171copy_zps75730b60.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-1-4-171copy_zps75730b60.jpg.html)
Laverton ARD.
No. 1 Aircraft Depot (No. 1 AD) was a maintenance unit of the Royal Australian Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) (RAAF). Formed in July 1921 at RAAF Point Cook (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Williams#RAAF_Williams_Point_Cook_Base), Victoria, it moved to the nearby RAAF Laverton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Williams#RAAF_Williams_Laverton_Base) in March 1926. As well as servicing aircraft and other equipment, in its early years the depot supported survey flights in Australia and the Pacific region. Its strength increased from 350 staff in the 1930s to over 2,000 during World War II, when it assembled, tested and repaired aircraft ranging from Tiger Moths (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Tiger_Moth) to Spitfires (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire) to B-17 Flying Fortresses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress). The depot also engaged in aircraft research and development. Shortly after the war it introduced the first jets into RAAF service. In 1961, No. 1 AD ceased airframe maintenance, but continued to service aero engines. By the 1970s its main focus was ground-based equipment, though it still handled some aircraft components. The depot was disbanded in December 1994, its functions having been taken over by other units and private contractors. At the time of its disbandment, it was the oldest RAAF unit in continuous operation.
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-18-43-893copy_zpsa0ad57c5.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-18-43-893copy_zpsa0ad57c5.jpg.html)
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-19-10-412copy_zps4ff63b40.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-19-10-412copy_zps4ff63b40.jpg.html)
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-20-35-835copy_zpsa26c5ff0.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-20-35-835copy_zpsa26c5ff0.jpg.html)
Bases are available here.
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=113&linkid=18446
Lake Boga is located about 154 miles from Laverton.
Laverton was an aircraft repair depot used by the allied forves during WWII.
Lake Boga.
Lake Boga Flying Boat Base was a Royal Australian Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) (RAAF) flying boat base at Lake Boga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Boga), Victoria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)), Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia) during World War II.
When the Imperial Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Japanese) attacked Darwin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin,_Northern_Territory) and Broome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broome,_Western_Australia) in 1942 resulting in the loss of 16 flying boats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_boat), the establishment of a safe haven for flying boats was required inland as a remote facility outside the sphere of Japanese airplanes. Lake Boga was picked as it allowed almost unlimited choice of landing/take off directions and was free of obstructions. It was also close to nearby infrastructure.
Required for Australian, Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Netherlands_East_Indies_Air_Force) and United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) flying boat servicing and repairs, Lake Boga was commissioned in June 1942. No. 1 Flying Boat Repair and Service Depot (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._1_Flying_Boat_Repair_and_Servi ce_Depot&action=edit&redlink=1) was set up to provide the repair and servicing requirements. Lake Boga was recommended by Squadron Leader Gareth O'Brien since he was familiar with the area having grown up in Kerang. Of note, Myles O'Brien (Father to Gareth) was the local solicitor and owned the first auto-mobile in Kerang. SQN leader Gareth O'Brien saw service with the R.N.A.S Royal Navel Ariel Service in Yorkshire UK in the late 1920s and Cairo, Egypt in the early 1930s. Being an avid photographer of that time he took many black and white photographs that still exist and have been published in some historical publications. Flight Lieutenant (at the time) Gareth O'Brien was awarded the D.S.O. for dropping two bombs from his aircraft on a submarine in the English Channel, March 6, 1918. A direct hit was reported by the observer and it was thought to have sunk but SQN Leader O'Brien, in a letter to his Father, thought he perhaps only gave it a 'shake up'.
Facilities constructed at the base included workshops and hangars on the foreshore, a stores area, living quarters, sick quarters at Castle Donnington, a first-aid and dental post, a radio transmitting station and a VHF transmitting station.
Flying boats serviced, repaired, restored, rebuilt or overhauled during the operation of the base were PBY Catalina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBY_Catalina), Dornier Do 24 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_24), OS2U Kingfisher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OS2U_Kingfisher), Short Sunderland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Sunderland), Supermarine Walrus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Walrus) and Martin Mariner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Mariner).
The station at Lake Boga closed in November 1947.
The underground Communications Bunker has been transformed into the Flying Boat Museum. Catalina (A24-30) has been reconstructed as a memorial to the personnel who served at No 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot during World War II. The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Heritage_Register).
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-1-4-171copy_zps75730b60.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-1-4-171copy_zps75730b60.jpg.html)
Laverton ARD.
No. 1 Aircraft Depot (No. 1 AD) was a maintenance unit of the Royal Australian Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) (RAAF). Formed in July 1921 at RAAF Point Cook (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Williams#RAAF_Williams_Point_Cook_Base), Victoria, it moved to the nearby RAAF Laverton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Williams#RAAF_Williams_Laverton_Base) in March 1926. As well as servicing aircraft and other equipment, in its early years the depot supported survey flights in Australia and the Pacific region. Its strength increased from 350 staff in the 1930s to over 2,000 during World War II, when it assembled, tested and repaired aircraft ranging from Tiger Moths (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Tiger_Moth) to Spitfires (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire) to B-17 Flying Fortresses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress). The depot also engaged in aircraft research and development. Shortly after the war it introduced the first jets into RAAF service. In 1961, No. 1 AD ceased airframe maintenance, but continued to service aero engines. By the 1970s its main focus was ground-based equipment, though it still handled some aircraft components. The depot was disbanded in December 1994, its functions having been taken over by other units and private contractors. At the time of its disbandment, it was the oldest RAAF unit in continuous operation.
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-18-43-893copy_zpsa0ad57c5.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-18-43-893copy_zpsa0ad57c5.jpg.html)
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-19-10-412copy_zps4ff63b40.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-19-10-412copy_zps4ff63b40.jpg.html)
http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae83/mandygirlts/2014-4-30_17-20-35-835copy_zpsa26c5ff0.jpg (http://s960.photobucket.com/user/mandygirlts/media/2014-4-30_17-20-35-835copy_zpsa26c5ff0.jpg.html)
Bases are available here.
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=113&linkid=18446