The offer made at the Second Quebec Conference ( Octagon ) in September 1944 was for forty squadrons of long-range bombers , of which 20 would act as tankers in flight ; to operate against the inner zone and Japan . The Air Ministry prepared a provisional plan for three Groups , each of 12 squadrons of heavy bombers and 6 squadrons of long-range fighters ( including one Canadian fighter and two Canadian bomber squadrons . Air Marshall Sir Hugh Lloyd was designated commander in November 1944 . It was expected that American bases would be used , but they said their resources were stretched and ask that Britain provide their own bases . In March 1945 the only area for bases was ( undeveloped ) northern Luzon in the Philippines . Estimates were that a base in the Calgayan Valley for 20 squadrons of heavy bombers and three squadrons of support aircraft would require 56,000 men to build and develop it , with 19,000 retained thereafter ( being in American territory fighter squadrons would not be needed for its defence ) . But the Americans had more facilities on Okinawa than expected , and on 30 May offered bases there for ten British squadrons immediately . This was accepted by the British Chiefs of Staff on 4 June , and on the 11th their advisors said that the new base would require 37,400 men , 15,000 for operations and the rest for construction and administration ( the Army could supply 12,400 , and the air force 7,500 engineers ) On 14 June the Chiefs of Staff decided to send ships without waiting for the Americans to supply the Pacific routing . A cargo ship left Liverpool on the 20th with vehicles and stores , and a faster ship left on 7 July with 3000 men . The proposed force was soon scaled back to 22 squadrons in three groups : one British Royal Air Force ( RAF ) , one Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF ) and one from various air forces . By late 1945 this had been scaled back to 10 squadrons in two composite groups , made up of RAF , RCAF , Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) and Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF ) squadrons . Tiger Force was to have been based on Okinawa and would have used Avro Lancasters , Avro Lincolns ( the latest development of the Lancaster ) and Consolidated Liberators
Second Quebec Conference
Second Quebec Conference
Tiger Force (air)