On formation, No. 44 Wing controlled six radar stations in the Darwin area. Over the next two years it established seventeen new stations throughout the North-Western Area, relocated ten, and disbanded two others, and also set up twelve homing beacons. It further established supply, maintenance and repair facilities, as well as communications with No. 5 Fighter Sector Headquarters to coordinate air defence in the region. Hannam was mentioned in despatches for his achievements.[1] After the fighting in New Guinea had ceased, the threat of air raids on mainland Australia eased, and No. 44 Wing was disbanded on 22 August 1944.[5]
Its radar stations and other facilities were divested to various fighter, radio and maintenance units in the area.[1]
Re-establishment
Members of the No. 44 Wing detachment responsible for air traffic control at Baghdad International Airport celebrate their 100,000th air movement in January 2004
On 27 November 2000, the air traffic control (ATC) elements of No. 41 Wing were split off to become a re-formed No. 44 Wing, with headquarters at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales.[6] Responsible for ATC services to the Australian Defence Force, the new wing controlled eleven detachments throughout the country at RAAF, Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army airfields, as well as Darwin and Townsville international airports.[5]
In August 2008 it was reported that No. 44 Wing had 237 air traffic controllers and was below its target strength and having difficulty retaining controllers. As a result, the RAAF was unable to monitor the movements of all its planes.[7]
On 16 February 2011, No. 452 Squadron and No. 453 Squadron were re-raised as subordinate units of No. 44 Wing. The two squadrons were to command the existing RAAF air traffic control detachments at Australian Defence Force-run airports, freeing No. 44 Wing Headquarters to focus on higher-level tasks.[8] In December 2012 the wing had a strength of 500 personnel,[9] including 280 JBACs.[6] Many of the wing's other personnel are technicians who are responsible for setting up and maintaining the unit's specialised equipment.[9]
In February 2013, No. 44 Wing and two other former radar wings of World War II, Nos. 41 and 42, celebrated their 70th anniversaries at Williamtown, where the Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir, was guest of honour. As of then, No. 44 Wing staff were deployed in Afghanistan.[4] Since its re-establishment in 2000, its detachments have also deployed to Sudan, East Timor, Iraq, the Solomon Islands, and Indonesia.[5]
Moclair, Tony (December 2012). "In control". Australian Aviation. No. 300. pp. 46–48.
Hall, E.R. (1978). A Saga of Achievement: A Story of the Men and Women Who Maintained and Operated Radio and Radar Systems of the RAAF Over 50 Years. Box Hill North, Victoria: Bonall. ISBN0-9595927-0-9.