Our history
Founded by Australian Flying Corps veterans in Melbourne on 26 February 1920 — a year before the Royal Australian Air Force itself.
The Air Force Association has its genesis in the Australian Flying Corps Association, established in 1920 in the aftermath of the Great War — a year before the Royal Australian Air Force existed.
Australian Flying Corps veterans in Melbourne, celebrating Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith’s epoch-making first flight from England to Australia, agreed to establish an association with the aim of keeping their colleagues together and raising funds to support members who needed assistance. That meeting, on 26 February 1920, is considered the birth date of the Association.
State-based chapters were later formed. The Association’s time-honoured aims — to foster the friendships developed during service, to honour and preserve the memory of comrades who served and died, to provide for the welfare of members, and to support air power — endure today.
One Association, three names
The Association started with a small number of Flying Corps veterans and adapted as the Air Force itself changed. Its name has changed twice. Its core purposes have not, but they have been extended. We now raise and administer funds for the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families, whether or not they are members of the Air Force Association family, and we lead our advocacy with the Australian Government.
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1920 – Second World War
Australian Flying Corps Association
Founded by AFC veterans in Melbourne. Membership was restricted to men who had served in any branch of His Majesty’s Air Forces, in war.
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Second World War – 2017
Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association
Renamed at the onset of the war so RAAF members could join alongside their AFC colleagues. After the war it was known simply as the ‘Air Force Association’.
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2017 – today
Air Force Association
Adopted formally when the national entity became a company limited by guarantee — its early common name, and in keeping with the RAAF’s branding as ‘Air Force’.
Foster friendship. Honour the fallen. Care for members. Support air power.
The Association’s founding aims of 1920 — which endure today
Chapter 01 · 1919–1921
Founding
Out of the Australian Flying Corps — and in the same breath as the Air Force it would stand beside for the next century.
1919
The Flying Corps disbands
The Australian Flying Corps was disbanded along with the rest of the Australian Imperial Force following the end of hostilities, and temporarily replaced by the Australian Air Corps.
Dec 1919
England to Australia
Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith completed the epoch-making first flight from England to Australia. It was while celebrating this feat that AFC veterans in Melbourne resolved to form an association.
26 Feb 1920
The Association is born
Australian Flying Corps veterans in Melbourne agreed to establish an association with the aim of keeping their colleagues together and raising funds to support members who needed assistance. This meeting is considered the birth date of the Association.
State-based chapters were formed later. Membership was at first restricted to men who had served in any branch of His Majesty’s Air Forces, in war.
31 Mar 1921
The Royal Australian Air Force is formed
The Australian Air Corps was re-established as the independent Royal Australian Air Force — some months after the Association was formed. AFC notables Richard Williams, Harry Cobby, Lawrence Wackett and Henry Wrigley played founding roles in its early development.
Lieutenant Colonel Williams became the first Chief of the Air Staff, a post he held for seventeen years, rising to the rank of Air Marshal — the first member of the RAAF to do so.
Chapter 02 · 1939–1947
War and a new name
The Second World War brought a generation of RAAF airmen and airwomen into the Association — and changed its name.
1939–45
AFC and RAAF, side by side
The onset of the Second World War saw many eligible AFC veterans join the RAAF. The Association, which had started with a small number of AFC veterans, became the ‘Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association’ so that members of the RAAF could join alongside their AFC colleagues.
The Association played a major part in organising welfare facilities for airmen in the capital cities and in looking after the many welfare problems which arose.
1947
WAAAF members admitted in full
Members of the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force were accorded full membership of the Air Force Association — the first widening of a membership that had begun with men who had served in war.
After 1945
Simply ‘Air Force Association’
After the war the Association adopted the shorter title ‘Air Force Association’, although its formal name remained ‘Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force Association’. Over the following seventy years there were several iterations of its title.
Chapter 03 · 1966–2017
A national body
A long presidency ends, and the Association takes the legal shape it has today.
1966
First President of Honour
Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams’ long career as National President of the Association continued until 1966, when he became the Association’s first President of Honour.
2017
A company limited by guarantee
The Association’s national entity became a Company Limited by Guarantee, and its title was formally changed to ‘Air Force Association’ — its early, commonly used name, and in keeping with the RAAF’s branding as ‘Air Force’. Some State and Territory Divisions have followed suit.
Today the Air Force Association is a coalition of separately incorporated State and Territory Divisions under a national entity.
Chapter 04 · 2020–today
The modern Association
A Federation bound by one Constitution, a skills-based Board, and a clear statement of who we stand with.
Nov 2020
The restructure is agreed
In November 2020 the AFA Ltd Board decided unanimously to restructure the national body. Over several years, workshops and discussions considered the best way to structure the Association for the future.
Feb 2023
A new Constitution
On 8 February 2023 a new Constitution was adopted to secure the future of the Association for generations to come. It created a smaller, skills-based National Board of Directors, responsible for strategic governance, and a Federation Council of a representative from each Division, which provides advice and feedback from the Divisions. Division autonomy was unchanged.
As a united Federation, bound together by a shared Constitution, the association is stronger and more cohesive.
Carl Schiller OAM CSM, National President, 2023
Oct 2023
Vision, mission and values renewed
After a strategic planning session in Canberra, and consultation with the Federation Council, the National Board updated the Association’s vision, mission, values and five strategic objectives — and adopted the tagline ‘Uniting veterans, enriching lives’.
Our values and objectives1 Jul 2025
Australian Veteran Inclusion Statement
The National Board endorsed the Association’s Australian Veteran Inclusion Statement: every person who has served in the Australian Defence Force is a veteran, and the Association proudly embraces them all, regardless of the length or nature of their service.
The Flying Corps generation
Founders and figures
Among the former members of the AFC were many whose names are significant in the aviation history of Australia. These four played founding roles in the early RAAF as the Association began.
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First Chief of the Air Staff
Sir Richard Williams
1890 – 1980
Lieutenant Colonel in the Flying Corps; Chief of the Air Staff for seventeen years, rising to Air Marshal. National President of the Association until 1966, then its first President of Honour.
His story -
First World War fighter ace
Harry Cobby
1894 – 1955
Captain in No. 4 Squadron AFC and the leading Australian airman of the war, credited with 29 aircraft destroyed. Played a founding role in the early development of the RAAF.
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Pilot and engineer
Lawrence Wackett
1896 – 1982
Flying Corps pilot and engineer who played a founding role in the early development of the RAAF, and went on to shape Australian aircraft design and manufacture.
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Pioneer of Australian air power
Henry Wrigley
1892 – 1987
Flying Corps pilot who, with Sergeant Arthur Murphy, made the first transcontinental flight across Australia in 1919. Later an Air Vice Marshal; played a founding role in the early RAAF.
1920
Founded — a year before the RAAF itself
106
Years standing with the Air Force family
3
Names in a century — one purpose throughout
7
State and Territory Divisions under one national body
Then and now
A century on, the aims set in a Melbourne meeting room in 1920 still describe what the Association does. Who it does it for has grown.
1920
Australian Flying Corps Association
Melbourne, Victoria
- Members: men who had served in any branch of His Majesty’s Air Forces, in war
- Purpose: keep Flying Corps colleagues together and raise funds for members who needed assistance
- Structure: a single association; state chapters formed later
- The Air Force: the AFC disbanded; the RAAF still a year away
Today
Air Force Association
A national body and seven Divisions
- Members: all RAAF and ADF veterans and serving members, their families, Air Force and Air League Cadets, and supporters
- Purpose: the wellbeing of veterans and families, camaraderie, and commemorating our history
- Structure: a company limited by guarantee and seven separately incorporated Divisions, under one Constitution
- The Air Force: our Patron is the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell DSC CSC OAM
More in this section
Be part of the next chapter
Membership is open to veterans, serving members, their families, Cadets — and anyone who supports what the Association stands for.