Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII – Volume One – Development of air transport 1903–1943
by Robert H. Kelly 

Book order form for Robert H. Kelly's Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII

Released in August 2004 – Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII – Volume One – Development of air transport 1903–1943.

After more than 20 years of research and writing author Bob Kelly is pleased to at last present this first of five volumes.

The series is unique in that no comprehensive history of the air transport effort in the Pacific in WWII has ever been written before – over 1500 planes and thousands of personnel were involved in transporting supplies and troops within the South West Pacific Area.

Volume one covers the development of both civil and military air transport from the invention of powered flight in 1903 to the end of the Buna Gona and Wau campaigns at the start of 1943. The history ranges in detail from overview of operations down to the individual aircraft and aircrew involved in early SWPA formations.

This is an authoritative reference book and is an essential reference for any military historian. It also will serve as a source of valuable information for others such as students, aviation enthusiasts and genealogists.

The author compiled his books from numerous sources including original records of the RAAF and USAAF.

Volume Two is due for release in 2005.

Book specifications: Volume One is 432 pages, containing maps and photos and is fully indexed, size is B5 (176x250mm or 7x10 inches) and quality hardcover.  US $54.95. ISBN 0-646-42637-0.

The author & self-publisher

Squadron Leader Robert ‘Bob’ Kelly AFC (RAAF Retired)

Robert Kelly was born at Waverton, Sydney in 1925 and joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an aircrew trainee in 1943.

Beginning a long and distinguished career, Bob logged over 5600 hours as a radio operator, mostly in Dakotas and Neptunes. He served extensively in Indochina and the Far East, including two tours of duty in Malaya and one in Vietnam.

After retirement from the Air Force in 1976, Bob took up military research and also became involved with aircraft restoration at the Queensland Air Museum in Caloundra.

What they’re saying about the book

Bob has done an enormous amount of research and provided a valuable reference book. I imagine universities everywhere will want it for that reason.
— Air Marshal David Evans (RAAF Retired).

Nobody else in the whole wide world would have the ability and dedication to put together such a timely and historically correct history as you have done. — Major George W Wamsley (Veteran, 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron)

Excellent presentation. It is GREAT! It has everything in it, Bob has written an encyclopaedia. This book should be in every Australian library, the RAAF, in commercial airlines, and in all air training units. — Sergeant Bob Monson (Veteran, 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron).

Superb book – at last, at last. — Bob Piper (Military aviation researcher).

An extremely detailed development history of air transport. A very high quality product. — Napoleons Military Bookshop review.

Readers will be champing at the bit for volume 2. — Alexander Fax Booksellers

This publication is available from:

June Kelly (07) 5445 2534;
PO Box 192 BUDERIM 4556, Queensland, Australia
bobnjune@powerup.com.au; or

Russell Kelly (07) 3420 6582;
PO Box 192 BUDERIM 4556, Queensland, Australia
russellkel@optusnet.com.au

Synopsis of chapters

One – Development of air transport.
  First transport services
  Effects of World War One
  Aircraft development – Germany – Great Britain – Holland – France – Russia – United States of America
  Airlines – Great Britain – Belgium – Czechoslovakia – France – Germany – Netherlands – Scandinavia – Spain – Switzerland – Turkey – India – South Africa – Australia – New Zealand – Brazil – Colombia – Canada – United States of America.

Two – Development of military air transport 1907–1944
  United States of America – USAAF – WWI – Post WWI – USAAC – General Headquarters Air Force – Air Corps Ferrying Command
  Great Britain – policing the mandates and protectorates – Kabul airlift – Vickers V transport aircraft – Handley Page – Bristol
  Russia – World War One – Tupolev Design Bureau – development in airborne assault – Russian transport and bomber aircraft
  Germany – birth of the Luftwaffe – parachutes – German airborne operations – Spain – Austria – Poland – Denmark and Norway – Belgium, Eben Emael – Holland – The Balkans – Crete – Russia – Tunisia – specifications of German transport aircraft – heavy transports
  Italy – Italy chalks up a first – World War One – details of certain Italian aircraft in WWI – Benito Mussolini and Italian rearmament – Abyssinia – Spain – Italy enters World War Two – Bomber transports 1930–1945
  Japanese air transport operations in World War Two – air transport – airborne forces – specifications of Imperial Japanese Army transport aircraft – Imperial Japanese Navy – Japanese Naval Force in the homeland – Japanese Naval Air Force air transport service – specifications of Imperial Japanese Navy transport aircraft – Japanese military gliders – Japanese paratroop operations January/February 1942 – Menado, Celebes – Koepang, Timor – Palembang, Sumatra

Three – Civil air operations South West Pacific Area pre-World War Two
  Geography
  Philippine islands – Philippine Air Taxi Company – Iloilo Negros Air Express Company – Philippine Air Lines – Air Transport Command Australia – Pan American Airways
  Netherlands East Indies – KNILM – World War Two
  New Guinea – Japanese air intervention – Guinea Airways Limited – Parer's Air Transport Company – Stephens Aviation Limited – Mandated Airlines – W R Carpenter Airlines
  Australia – civil aviation – QANTAS – Australian National Airways – Airlines of Australia – Adastra Airways – Aircrafts Pty Ltd – Airlines (WA) – Ansett Airways – Butler Air Transport Company – MacRobertson Miller Aviation Company

Four – Purchase of DC-2 aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force
  Empire Air Training Scheme
  Acquisition of DC-2 aircraft
  Individual histories RAAF DC-2 aircraft

Five – The DC-3 enters RAAF service
  Formation of No 8 Squadron – equipment – operations – details of DC-3 aircraft in service with No 8 Squadron

Six – Advent of RAAF Air Transport Service
  From a very small beginning – No 1 Communication Unit – No 2 Communication Flight
  No 33 Squadron – A and B Flights 33 Squadron – Ansons – Port Moresby – aircraft in No 33 Squadron service 1942–43 – No 33 Squadron summary of aircraft accidents 1942
  No 34 Squadron – formation and movements – aircraft specifications – aircraft in No 34 Squadron service 1942 – No 34 Squadron summary of accidents 1942
  No 35 Squadron – formation and movements – No 35 Squadron summary of accidents 1942 – aircraft in No 35 Squadron service 1942
 No 36 Squadron – formation and movements – nominal roll – operations December 1942 – operations in New Guinea – aircraft in No 36 Squadron service 1942
  No 41 Squadron – formation and movements – aircraft operated by No 41 Squadron

Seven – Air Corps Ferrying Command
  Early transport operations SWPA – from Bolling Field to Brisbane by B-24A – purchase of civilian long range transports – first B-24A operations within Australia and the Netherlands East Indies
  Japanese air raid on Broome – aftermath of Broome
  More flights to the Philippines

Eight – The USAAF 374th Troop Carrier Group 1942
  Air Transport Command Australia 1942 – training of crews for C-53 aircraft – transport aircraft on strength in February 1942
  US purchase of RNEIAF and KNILM aircraft
  Aircraft assigned to 21st and 22nd Transport Squadrons on 31 May 1942
  Formation of Troop Carrier Command – losses of aircraft – shortage of aircraft – reinforcements Air Carrier Service
  6th Troop Carrier Squadron
  33rd Troop Carrier Squadron – Hamilton Field to Brisbane
  Formation of 374th Troop Carrier Group – Buna-Gona-Sanananda – 374th TCG major accidents to end of Buna Campaign January 1943

Nine – Supply dropping—the early days
  Air resupply Kokoda and Wau July–August 1942 – shortage of suitable aircraft
  No 32 Squadron RAAF operations
  Dropping strips – early problems
  Resupply requirements on the Kokoda Track – more transport aircraft at last – problems continue
  Kokoda recaptured – air supply on a firm basis

Ten – RAAF Special Transport Flight
  Ground situation Buna–Gona November 1942 – supply of forward troops – construction of advance airfields – air transport units available
  RAAF Special Transport Flight heads north – commencement of operations
  Japanese air intervention
  Daily operations

Book order form for Robert H. Kelly's Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII