dˈʊɹɹɪŋ wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː, ɪt pɹəvˈaɪdᵻd lˈoʊkəl ˈɛɹ dᵻfˈɛns fɚðə pˈɜːθ ɹˈiːdʒən, bᵻfˌoːɹ ˌʌndɚtˈeɪkɪŋ ˈɑːɹmi kˈoʊˌɑːpɚɹˈeɪʃən dˈuːɾiz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ ænd ðˈɛn kənvˈɜːɾɪŋ tʊ ɐ hˈɛvi bˈɑːmɚ ɹˈoʊl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈaɪv.
During World War II, it provided local air defence for the Perth region, before undertaking Army co-operation duties in 1943–1944 and then converting to a heavy bomber role in 1945.