 In December 1953 , No. 82 ( Bomber ) Wing , headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley , Queensland , took delivery of Australia 's first jet bomber , the English Electric Canberra . Over the next five years , forty @-@ eight Canberras built in Australia by the Government Aircraft Factory ( GAF ) re @-@ equipped all three of the wing 's flying units , Nos. 1 , 2 and 6 Squadrons . During this period , operational training of new bomber aircrew was performed " in @-@ house " by the wing , primarily by No. 6 Squadron . Aside from its adverse effect on regular flying duties , the task was made technically challenging and potentially dangerous by virtue of the Canberra being designed for only one pilot , with a single control column . On 12 January 1959 , No. 1 ( Bomber ) Operational Conversion Unit ( No. 1 OCU ) was formed at Amberley . Coming under the control of No. 82 Wing , its purpose was to convert pilots and navigators to the Canberra , and train them for operations with Nos. 1 , 2 and 6 Squadrons . On establishment , the unit was commanded by Squadron Leader <unk> <unk> , and equipped with Mk.20 bombers and T.4 trainers . The T.4 was a dual @-@ control model with three seats ; the pilot and instructor sat side by side at the front of the cockpit , with the navigator seated behind them . Two of these models had been purchased from Britain . The unit was subsequently allocated Mk.21 trainers ; GAF built seven of these dual @-@ control models by converting five early <unk> and two British @-@ built B.2 bombers . Student aircrew underwent bombing and navigation instruction , as well as simulated operations . The first training course graduated in April 1959 . 
