 Despite Australian military aviation being in its infancy , the AFC 's identity as a separate national force was considered important , not to mention unusual . Thousands of aircrew from the other Dominions — such as New Zealand and Canada — flew with the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service , and their unified successor force after 1 April 1918 , the Royal Air Force during the war , without gaining the benefits of command and the administrative experience which came with an independent air service . By the end of the war , four squadrons had seen active service , 460 officers and 2 @,@ 234 other ranks had served in the AFC , and another 200 men had served as aircrew in the British flying services . Casualties included 175 dead , 111 wounded , 6 gassed and 40 captured . The AFC was subsequently disbanded after the war in 1919 being replaced by the Australian Air Corps , which became the Royal Australian Air Force in 1921 . 
