344:
247:
Aircraft
Production Commission. Three months later oversight responsibility was removed from the Minister for Supply and Development to the Minister for Munitions. In June 1941 (by which time production work had begun) the Aircraft Production Commission was removed from the Department of Supply and Development, placed within the newly created Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) and was soon after renamed the Aircraft Advisory Committee for the Co-ordination of Aircraft Production with the actual aircraft manufacturer being constituted as the Beaufort Division, usually referred to as the Beaufort Division of the DAP.
372:
193:
360:
26:
326:
The same supply problems that delayed the
Beaufort ended any chance of the RAAF acquiring Beaufighters for the time being, and it wasn't until the end of 1942 that plans began to be laid for Beaufighter production. The Australian Government gave the go-ahead for manufacture of 350 Beaufighters on 30 January 1943 and preparations got underway in earnest. As the supply of engines from Britain was still uncertain at that time, a Bristol-built aircraft was re-engined with
243:, built from imported fuselages and locally manufactured wings, to the RAAF in May 1939. Total production in Australia to mid-1939 of all types of aircraft was certainly less than 100, and may have been less than seventy. Many of these were 'one-offs' and the vast majority were of 'wood-and-fabric' construction like the Tiger Moth. By contrast the Beaufort was a large twin-engined all-metal aircraft of advanced design for the time.
262:-built aircraft had earlier been delivered to Australia and modified, flying with R-1830s for three months prior to this). Another reason for the delay was that various other parts of the aircraft (such as the undercarriage legs) were originally to come from Britain, but because of an embargo by the British Government on War Material after the
334:
engines. The first DAP Beaufighter flew for the first time on 26 May 1944 and production and deliveries slightly overlapped those of
Beauforts, with the first two dozen Beaufighters being built and delivered concurrently with the last fifty-or-so Beauforts. Orders were increased to 450 but with the
325:
Beaufighter production proceeded more smoothly than its forebear, as might be expected when the same sub-contracting companies took part in both programmes. The RAAF had considered the type as early as
February 1939 and placed an initial order in June that year, before the prototype had even flown.
285:
serial number blocks. The flight of the first
Australian-built aircraft was the culmination of efforts by over 600 different companies and organisations - the Beaufort Division being more-or-less responsible for only final assembly, with only wing centre-sections of some aircraft being manufactured
246:
An initial order for 180 Beauforts was placed in July 1939, for delivery in equal numbers to the RAAF and RAF. By the time the first aircraft was delivered, the organisation responsible for its manufacture had undergone several changes. In March 1940 the
Aircraft Construction Branch was renamed the
383:
After the end of the Second World War came a scaling back of the
Australian aviation industry, with the number of employees in Australia as a whole being reduced by 90%. In the case of the DAP there was also a reorganisation, the result of which was another name change, the longest-lasting and the
391:
bomber. The
Lincoln B.30 had an extended nose to accommodate two additional crew members and search radar and was used in the bombing and maritime reconnaissance roles. The initial five aircraft were largely assembled from Avro-built components and the first flew on 17 March 1946. A further 68
318:. A total of 700 Beauforts had been built (a figure exceeded only by those for the Wirraway and Tiger Moth among Australian-built aircraft) when production ended in August 1944; by which time the main manufacturing effort had already turned to licence production of the
588:(privately published). These books list every aircraft registered in Australia prior to World War II. Some aircraft were also built and flown in Australia prior to September 1939 that were never registered, or flew exclusively with military identities.
982:
343:
258:
originally installed, the aircraft required several design changes, this partially accounting for the delay between the initial order and the first flight of the first aircraft in August 1941 (a
952:
204:
when the
Australian government recognised that supplies of aircraft from traditional sources could no longer be assured. To ensure supply of aircraft, in 1939 the government set up the new
597:
Some publications state that the production total was 364. This is because aircraft damaged during predelivery test flights were not repaired, and therefore were not delivered to the RAAF.
208:
with an
Aircraft Construction Branch within that department; both organisations officially came into being on 1 July 1939. The organisation was set up specifically to produce the
942:
274:
962:
399:
twin-jet tactical bombers under licence. These aircraft were of the uprated B.20 type with extra range capability. Many served in the RAAFs contribution of forces in the
163:, during which it was known as the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP). In 1987, GAF was reorganised and renamed as Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA), then
205:
273:
The original intention was that the first 90 aircraft would be delivered to the RAF; in the event only six were delivered to that air arm, although 59 were assigned
972:
418:
jet engine and could be recovered after flight by landing on skids. It served into the 1960s with Australian and United Kingdom military and government entities.
270:
were manufactured in Australia at the time, and so with none forthcoming from Britain a local substitute had to be found and incorporated into the design.
977:
967:
987:
387:
By the time of the reorganisation, preparations for production of the next type to emerge from the GAF were well underway. This was a version of the
669:
239:, had up to that time mainly assembled aircraft manufactured by its parent company imported into Australia as parts, commencing the delivery of 20
957:
235:. Both of these were single-engined aircraft and the Wackett was not an advanced design by any criterion. The other major aircraft manufacturer,
856:
947:
677:
426:
In 1987, the Government Aircraft Factories was reorganised and renamed as Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA). In June 1995 ASTA was
829:
815:
801:
787:
773:
706:
224:
216:(RAAF), a British Air Mission sent to Australia recommended that the Beaufort be manufactured for delivery to both the RAAF and the
371:
507:
335:
end of the War the programme was terminated after 365 had been built, with another 21 partially built airframes not delivered.
192:
359:
25:
430:, with the sale proceeds returning $ 40 million to the Commonwealth. Aerospace Technologies of Australia is now part of
307:
223:
It is noteworthy that at this stage (mid-1939) an Australian aircraft industry barely existed. The private-enterprise
849:
608:
315:
299:
213:
461:
396:
259:
251:
415:
240:
144:
124:
236:
168:
43:
842:
140:
266:
these had to be locally manufactured instead. One seemingly innocuous item caused major problems; no
698:
495:
449:
406:
In 1958 the GAF responded to the emerging need for a high performance jet-powered radio controlled
319:
291:
156:
740:
544:
834:
212:
under licence in Australia. After an evaluation process to assess the operational needs of the
916:
825:
811:
797:
783:
769:
702:
673:
657:
643:
511:
479:
303:
384:
one by which the organisation would be best-known - the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF).
443:
431:
364:
331:
263:
209:
176:
82:
906:
484:
376:
352:
217:
148:
31:
725:
721:
330:
as insurance; in the event all Australian-built Beaufighters were fitted with imported
295:
255:
119:
93:
936:
427:
327:
164:
911:
885:
473:
467:
455:
411:
407:
388:
267:
228:
201:
160:
108:
414:
in collaboration with aerospace firms in the United Kingdom. It was powered by a
400:
348:
232:
921:
890:
517:
489:
287:
880:
584:
The Historic Civil Aircraft Register of Australia (Pre War) G-AUAA to VH-UZZ
501:
152:
112:
231:, and was in the process of building the prototype of its second type, the
665:
53:
616:
575:
403:
and some were later converted to T.21 operational training standard.
311:
172:
367:
in October 1953 before the start of the England-New Zealand air race
572:
The Historic Civil Aircraft Register of Australia VH-AAA to VH-AZZ
370:
358:
342:
191:
545:"An incomplete list of aircraft which were designed in Australia"
838:
808:
Tiger Moth, CT-4, Wackett & Winjeel in Australian Service
294:, and final assembly on two lines; at Fishermans Bend and at
351:
showing the taxiway between the back of the factory and the
175:
a few years later. ASTA subsequently formed the nucleus of
983:
Former Commonwealth Government-owned companies of Australia
739:
Department of Finance and Deregulation (19 November 2009).
227:
had by that time completed three of its first product, the
794:
Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service
560:
Most of the types on the list were designed after WW II.
510:
jet fighter - 73 were assembled from parts provided by
250:
As the Australian-built Beaufort was to be fitted with
200:
The entity was established just before the outbreak of
30:
Main entrance to the Government Aircraft Factories at
196:
Bristol Beaufort production at DAP Australia c. 1943.
899:
873:
780:
Lincoln, Canberra & F-111 in Australian Service
118:
104:
88:
77:
59:
49:
39:
953:Military history of Australia during World War II
81:Incorporated as ASTA and ultimately acquired by
766:Meteor, Sabre and Mirage in Australian Service
850:
8:
375:GAF Jindivik target drone after assembly by
298:. Major assemblies were manufactured by the
18:
943:Defunct aircraft manufacturers of Australia
392:machines were completely built by the GAF.
963:Manufacturing companies based in Melbourne
857:
843:
835:
24:
17:
670:Australian Government Publishing Service
159:. It had its origins in the lead-up to
535:
363:GAF-built Canberra B.20 of the RAAF at
973:Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne
543:Buckmaster, Derek (15 November 2012).
147:. The primary factory was located at
7:
722:Aircraft builder now private company
206:Department of Supply and Development
866:Government Aircraft Factories (GAF)
607:Sinclair, Geoffrey (9 June 2018).
14:
978:Manufacturing plants in Australia
968:Manufacturing plants in Melbourne
824:. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd
810:. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd
796:. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd
782:. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd
768:. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd
225:Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
988:1939 establishments in Australia
662:The Golden Years, RAAF 1921–1971
171:, that was in turn purchased by
646:. (Publishers) Ltd. p. 21.
609:"RAAF A8 DAP Beaufighter Mk.21"
508:McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
286:'in-house' at Fishermans Bend,
958:Defence companies of Australia
822:Military Aircraft of Australia
1:
347:Aerial view of GAF along the
133:Government Aircraft Factories
19:Government Aircraft Factories
948:Australian military aviation
514:(first two were built in US)
395:From 1953, the GAF built 48
308:Islington Railway Workshops
1004:
695:Fairey Aircraft since 1915
316:Woodville, South Australia
300:Chullora Railway Workshops
252:Pratt & Whitney R-1830
214:Royal Australian Air Force
640:The Aircraft of the World
462:English Electric Canberra
397:English Electric Canberra
167:. ASTA was purchased by
23:
310:in Adelaide, and at the
729:15 October 1987 page 13
638:Green, William (1956).
586:. Toombul: AustairData.
504:STOL aircraft / trainer
476:remote-controlled drone
328:Wright GR-2600 Cyclones
254:engines instead of the
145:Government of Australia
125:Government of Australia
693:Taylor, H. A. (1974).
582:Cookson, Bert (1996).
570:Cookson, Bert (1986).
380:
368:
356:
290:being manufactured at
237:de Havilland Australia
197:
169:Rockwell International
65:; 85 years ago
44:Aircraft manufacturing
374:
362:
346:
312:General Motors Holden
195:
141:aircraft manufacturer
139:) was the name of an
699:Putnam & Company
900:Drones and missiles
496:Dassault Mirage III
450:Bristol Beaufighter
320:Bristol Beaufighter
292:Fairfield, Victoria
20:
644:MacDonald & Co
452:multi-role fighter
381:
369:
357:
339:Postwar operations
198:
930:
929:
820:Wilson, Stewart.
806:Wilson, Stewart.
792:Wilson, Stewart.
778:Wilson, Stewart.
764:Wilson, Stewart.
679:978-0-64298-184-4
658:Department of Air
512:McDonnell Douglas
410:by designing the
379:in the UK in 1961
306:in Melbourne and
304:Newport Workshops
275:RAF registrations
130:
129:
995:
859:
852:
845:
836:
752:
751:
749:
747:
736:
730:
719:
713:
712:
690:
684:
683:
654:
648:
647:
635:
629:
628:
626:
624:
615:. Archived from
604:
598:
595:
589:
587:
579:
567:
561:
559:
557:
555:
549:DB Design Bureau
540:
444:Bristol Beaufort
432:Boeing Australia
332:Bristol Hercules
210:Bristol Beaufort
177:Boeing Australia
83:Boeing Australia
73:
71:
66:
63:1 July 1939
28:
21:
1003:
1002:
998:
997:
996:
994:
993:
992:
933:
932:
931:
926:
895:
869:
863:
761:
756:
755:
745:
743:
738:
737:
733:
720:
716:
709:
692:
691:
687:
680:
672:. p. 119.
656:
655:
651:
637:
636:
632:
622:
620:
606:
605:
601:
596:
592:
581:
569:
568:
564:
553:
551:
542:
541:
537:
532:
527:
480:Malkara missile
440:
424:
377:Fairey Aviation
365:London Heathrow
353:Fishermans Bend
341:
218:Royal Air Force
190:
185:
149:Fishermans Bend
111:
100:
96:
69:
67:
64:
35:
32:Fishermans Bend
12:
11:
5:
1001:
999:
991:
990:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
935:
934:
928:
927:
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919:
914:
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861:
854:
847:
839:
833:
832:
818:
804:
790:
776:
760:
757:
754:
753:
731:
726:Canberra Times
714:
707:
701:. p. 50.
697:. London, UK:
685:
678:
649:
630:
619:on 18 May 2018
599:
590:
578:: AustairData.
562:
534:
533:
531:
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505:
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493:
487:
482:
477:
471:
465:
459:
453:
447:
439:
436:
423:
420:
401:war in Vietnam
355:runway c. 1954
340:
337:
264:Fall of France
256:Bristol Taurus
189:
186:
184:
181:
151:, a suburb of
128:
127:
122:
116:
115:
106:
102:
101:
98:
94:Port Melbourne
92:
90:
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61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
46:
41:
37:
36:
29:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1000:
989:
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853:
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841:
840:
837:
831:
830:1-875671-08-0
827:
823:
819:
817:
816:1-875671-16-1
813:
809:
805:
803:
802:0-9587978-4-6
799:
795:
791:
789:
788:0-9587978-3-8
785:
781:
777:
775:
774:0-9587978-2-X
771:
767:
763:
762:
758:
742:
735:
732:
728:
727:
723:
718:
715:
710:
708:0-370-00065-X
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529:
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503:
500:
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491:
488:
486:
485:Ikara missile
483:
481:
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472:
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317:
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309:
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289:
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280:
276:
271:
269:
268:ball bearings
265:
261:
257:
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158:
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146:
143:owned by the
142:
138:
134:
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95:
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87:
84:
80:
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62:
58:
55:
52:
48:
45:
42:
38:
33:
27:
22:
16:
865:
821:
807:
793:
779:
765:
759:Bibliography
744:. Retrieved
741:"Past Sales"
734:
724:
717:
694:
688:
661:
652:
639:
633:
621:. Retrieved
617:the original
612:
602:
593:
583:
571:
565:
552:. Retrieved
548:
538:
474:GAF Jindivik
470:manned drone
456:Avro Lincoln
425:
412:GAF Jindivik
408:target drone
405:
394:
389:Avro Lincoln
386:
382:
324:
282:
278:
272:
249:
245:
222:
202:World War II
199:
188:World War II
161:World War II
136:
132:
131:
109:GAF Jindivik
89:Headquarters
40:Company type
15:
613:ADF Serials
498:jet fighter
349:Yarra River
314:factory in
302:in Sydney,
288:gun turrets
241:Tiger Moths
937:Categories
525:References
518:AAC Wamira
490:GAF Turana
464:jet bomber
428:privatised
165:privatised
70:1939-07-01
623:5 January
554:5 January
502:GAF Nomad
153:Melbourne
113:GAF Nomad
99:Australia
912:Jindivik
874:Aircraft
868:aircraft
666:Canberra
660:(1971).
468:GAF Pika
438:Products
229:Wirraway
157:Victoria
105:Products
54:Aviation
50:Industry
917:Malkara
576:Toombul
520:trainer
277:in the
260:Bristol
233:Wackett
220:(RAF).
183:History
68: (
60:Founded
34:in 1985
922:Turana
891:Wamira
828:
814:
800:
786:
772:
746:2 June
705:
676:
458:bomber
446:bomber
422:Demise
296:Mascot
173:Boeing
120:Parent
907:Ikara
881:Nomad
530:Notes
492:drone
416:Viper
283:T96xx
279:T95xx
886:Pika
826:ISBN
812:ISBN
798:ISBN
784:ISBN
770:ISBN
748:2013
703:ISBN
674:ISBN
625:2019
580:and
556:2019
281:and
78:Fate
155:in
137:GAF
939::
668::
664:.
642:.
611:.
574:.
547:.
434:.
322:.
179:.
97:,
858:e
851:t
844:v
750:.
711:.
682:.
627:.
558:.
135:(
72:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
