No. 85 Squadron was formed at RAAF Station Guildford near Perth on 12 February 1943.RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 87 It was initially equipped with six obsolete Brewster Buffalo fighters as no better aircraft were available.Eather (1995), p. 96Wilson (1991), p. 150 On 30 April, the squadron received 11 more modern and Australian-designed Boomerangs which were operated alongside the Buffalos. Following the arrival of its Boomerangs, No. 85 Squadron began intensive flight training. During the first month of operations nine Boomerangs were involved in accidents and one of the squadron's pilots was killed. In addition to its air defence responsibilities, the squadron was also tasked with refueling and maintaining civilian aircraft which passed through Perth as the city did not have a civil airport at the time.
