Allied Air Forces Home Page
Allied Air Forces Website
The purpose of this website is to document
various aspects of the
conduct of the air war conducted against the Japanese between April
1942 and the end of the war in the Pacific.
Allied Air Forces Background
By March 1942 the U.S. Army Air Force (AAF) had
been defeated in the Philippines,
the Netherlands East Indies Air Forces (NEIAF) had been decimated,
and the Royal Air Forces (RAF) had been overcome in
Malaya and driven back to
Burma. Defeated remnants of
the AAF, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and NEIAF were
reorganizing in Australia.
While U.S.
aircraft carriers held the line a reinforcing flow of American
aircraft and new air groups moved into the South Pacific,
New Zealand, and
Australia.
In April of 1942 the Allies had established the
system of command that gave the
United States responsibility for
managing World War II in the Pacific. The Pacific was divided
into four Area
Commands. The North, Central, and South Pacific Areas
were managed by the U.S. Navy in the person of Adm. Chester W. Nimitz initially based at Pearl Harbor.
The South West Pacific Area was managed by the U.S. Army in the
person of Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur initially
based in Brisbane,
Australia.
This website will develop annotated lists (Order
of Battle) which show the organization and evolution of the various
Allied Air Forces.