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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1920 |
| Dissolved | 1976 |
| Superseding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Headquarters | Melbourne (1920–61) Canberra (1961–76) |
| Parent department | Department of Defence (1920–39, 1973–76) Department of Air (1939–73) |
| Parent agency | Australian Air Council (1920–29) |
The Air Board, also known as the Administrative Air Board,[1] or the Air Board of Administration,[2] was the controlling body of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from 1921 to 1976. It was composed of senior RAAF officers as well as some civilian members, and chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). The CAS was the operational head of the Air Force, and the other board members were responsible for specific areas of the service such as personnel, supply, engineering, and finance. Originally based in Melbourne, the board relocated to Canberra in 1961.
Formed in November 1920, the Air Board's first task was to establish the air force that it was to administer; this took place in March 1921. The board was initially responsible to the Australian Air Council, which included the chiefs of the Army and Navy; after the council's dissolution in 1929 the Air Board had equal status with the other service boards, reporting directly to the Minister for Defence. In 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, the Department of Defence was split and the Air Board came under the purview of the newly created Department of Air, headed by the Minister for Air. In 1973 the service departments merged into a new Department of Defence and the board again reported to the Minister for Defence.
The Air Board's composition changed several times over the years; the only constant, from October 1922, was the position of CAS. According to Air Force regulations, the board was collectively responsible for administering the RAAF, not the CAS alone. In February 1976, along with the other service boards, the Air Board was dissolved; the CAS was invested with the individual responsibility for commanding the RAAF. The Air Board was succeeded by the Chief of the Air Staff Advisory Committee, but the CAS was not bound by its advice.
- ^ Coulthard-Clark, The Third Brother, p. 11
- ^ Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Bou, Jean (2008). "Air Board of Administration". The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History. Oxford Reference. ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2. Retrieved 2 December 2022.