About This Unit
No. 1 Aircraft Depot (Laverton Vic) -
No. 1 Aircraft Depot (No. 1 AD) was a maintenance unit of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Formed in July 1921 at RAAF Point Cook, Victoria, it moved to the nearby RAAF Laverton in March 1926. As well as servicing aircraft and other equipment, in its early years the depot supported survey flights in Australia and the Pacific region. Its strength increased from 350 staff in the 1930s to over 2,000 during World War II, when it assembled, tested and repaired aircraft ranging from Tiger Moths to Spitfires to B-17 Flying Fortresses. The depot also engaged in aircraft research and development. Shortly after the war it introduced the first jets into RAAF service. In 1961, No. 1 AD ceased airframe maintenance, but continued to service aero engines. By the 1970s its main focus was ground-based equipment, though it still handled some aircraft components. The depot was disbanded in December 1994, its functions having been taken over by other units and private contractors. At the time of its disbandment, it was the oldest RAAF unit in continuous operation.
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1_Aircraft_Depot_RAAF (en.wikipedia.org) (en.wikipedia.org)