A typical RAAF Fighter Sector Headquarters in Australia during WW2

A typical RAAF Fighter Sector Headquarters was located in a secure location where squadron movements were controlled and checked by radio-telephony and every move was recorded, usually by WAAAF's, with symbols on a large grid map.

Fighter Sector Headquarters would receive co-ordinated reports of aircraft and ship sightings from the local regional Voluntary Air Observer Corps Headquarters. These reports were then co-ordinated with other intelligence from the various Radar Units in their allotted area, and plotted before the information was also sent on to Area Combined Headquarters.

Countermeasures were determined and communicated to counter any enemy actions. These directions were delivered minute by minute via radio-telephony.

The Chief Controller sat in the centre of one end of the room on a large raised rostrum. He received reports direct from the fighter pilots in the air. He ensured that the best advantage was obtained and every tactical opportunity seized.

Fighter Sector Headquarters with combined Anti-aircraft and Searchlight Operations Rooms
(Drawing via Russell Miller)

Suggested layout of combined Anti-aircraft and Searchlight Operations Rooms
contained within the Fighter Sector Headquarters above
(Drawing via Russell Miller)

An Operations Room for RAF Fighter Command
probably similar to our RAAF Fighter Sector HQ's

1 Fighter Sector Headquarters under Circular Quay, Sydney, then Bankstown, NSW	2 Fighter Sector Headquarters New Lambton, NSW	3 Fighter Sector Headquarters Townsville, Queensland
4 Fighter Sector Headquarters Port Moresby	5 Fighter Sector Headquarters Berrimah, Darwin	6 Fighter Sector Headquarters Mount Lawley, Belmont, Perth
7 Fighter Sector Headquarters, Preston, Victoria	8 Fighter Sector Headquarters, in the Wills building, Ann St., Brisbane	9 Fighter Sector Headquarters, initially Cairns, Queensland
10 Fighter Sector Headquarters Darwin, NT	No. 11 Fighter Sector Headquarters initially in Yanrey, WA	12 Fighter Sector Headquarters initially Townsville, Queensland
13 Fighter Sector Headquarters Garbutt, Queensland	No. 14 Fighter Sector Headquarters Camden, NSW

"British Air Forces, The Royal Air Force, The Fleet Air Arm"
"Also Aeroplanes of the U.S.A., Germany and Italy completely illustrated and described"
Published by the Illustrated London News

I need your help

Copyright

Disclaimer

Please e-mail me
any information or photographs

"Australia @ War"
8GB USB Memory Stick