Title:	Burma Volunteer Air Force
Abbreviation:	BVAF

Narrative History:

After Burma was established as a Crown Colony on 1 April 1937 proposals were made for the creation of a small air force training unit, along the lines of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Air Force which had been formed in Malaya in March 1936. By early 1940 this idea was being taken seriously and in April 1940 the Air Ministry agreed to supply five Tiger Moths to equip such a force.

Accordingly, the Defence Department of the Government of Burma formally created the Burma Volunteer Air Unit (BVAU) in June 1940. The Headquarters was at Mingaladon Aerodrome near Rangoon, and the initial equipment comprised a local ex-civil Gipsy Moth and two ex-civil Tiger Moths obtained from the Government of India. An Aeronca 11 Chief was added a short while later. In October 1940 the 5 Air Ministry Tiger Moths arrived aboard the SS Burma and seconded RAF technicians began to uncrate and assemble them.

On 16 November 1940 the first 12 pilots began ab initio flying training with the BVAU and nine graduated in February 1941. They continued their training at No.1 SFTS at Ambala, India. At the same time the BVAU was renamed the Burma Volunteer Air Force (BVAF). A second Elementary Flying Training course commenced on 27 February 1941.

During 1941 two more Tiger Moths were obtained from Australia, followed by a locally assembled Curtiss-Wright CW-22 Falcon and also two well-used North American NA-64 Yale trainers from the Chinese Nationalist Air Force. In the meantime the BVAF kept busy with refresher training, target towing and cross-country navigation flights.

On 1 December 1941 three aircraft were dispatched to Victoria Point on the Kra Isthmus in the far south of Burma to watch the coast for possible Japanese activity. Heavy rains stopped flying on 7 December and on the following day Japan invaded neighbouring Thailand. On 11th December 1941 the Victoria Point detachment flew back to Mingaladon. On the same day, a Japanese air attack on Tavoy destroyed one of the Yale's, which was there on a reconnaissance trip. As the Japanese army advanced north, the BVAF operated from Letkokon beach on Army cooperation, communications and mail flights. Patrols of the main river deltas were also flown. On 23 December Japanese bombers attacked Mingadalon airfield, severely damaging the BVAF headquarters building and a hangar, together with two aircraft.

The BVAF retreated north to Toungoo, Pyawbwe and in mid-February moved to Magwe. In March two Lysanders were obtained to replace some of the lost Tiger Moths. In April the BVAF was reorganised into a Communications Flight for Nos. 221 an 224 Groups at Dum Dum, India. By November 1941 many of the former BVAF personnel had left the unit for No.151 OTU and then other postings within the RAF and IAF.

While this was happening, the original 9 pilots training in India finished their course on 21 September and subsequently went on to twin-engined training in New Zealand. This was completed on 31 March 1942 and most of the pilots then left for operational flying in Britain.

Between October 1940 and March 1942 the BVAF had flown some 4,000 hours, produced two flying instructors, provided initial flying training for 24 pilots and carried out numerous semi-operational missions and had suffered only one flying accident. In 1945 the BVAF was reformed for a time while plans were made for the establishment of the official Union of Burma Air Force (UBAF). The first commanding officer of the UBAF was a former BVAF pilot, Sqn Ldr Sammy Shi Sho.

Key Dates:
June 1940		Burma Volunteer Air Unit (BVAU) officially established
16 Nov 1940		Ab initio pilot training commences
Feb 1941		BVAU renamed Burma Volunteer Air Force (BVAF)
24 Nov 1941		BVAF begins coastal patrols
8 Dec 1941		Japan invades neighbouring Thailand
24 Dec 1941		Some pilots begin advanced training in New Zealand
Mar 1942		BVAF evacuation from Burma to India completed
31 Mar 1942		Pilots in New Zealand complete training and later serve operationally in Europe
April 1942		Communications Flight formed at Dum Dum, India, with ex-BVAF aircraft and personnel
1945		BVAF reformed for a short while in preparation for creation of UBAF.

Current Status:
Not applicable.

Future Plans:
Not applicable.

Main Headquarters:
Mingaladon Aerodrome, Rangoon.

Current Organisational Structure:
Not applicable.

Current Order of Battle:
Not applicable.

Historical Orders of Battle:
June 1940
16 November 1940
2 December 1941
15 December 1941
mid February 1942
April 1942

All-Time Flying Units List:
Not applicable.

Current Air Bases:
Not applicable.

All-Time Air Bases Used List:
The main airfield used was Mingaladon, near Rangoon. Victoria Point in the far south of Burma was used as a coastal reconnaissance base in December 1941. Other airfields at Kyaikto, Syriam, Megui, Pokpyin and Tavoy were used for navigation practice and as refuelling points. After the Japanese invasion, the main force moved to Letkokon, then to Pyawbwe, then to Magwe and finally to Dum Dum, near Calcutta.

Books:

Bloody Shambles Volume 1: The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore by Shores/Cull/Izawa, Grub Street Books.

Magazines:

Aeromilitaria No.1/1991 (Air-Britain)

Websites:

None found.