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Preserving Australia’s military aviation legacy

A documentary filmmaker with a passion for military aviation history is working to ensure the stories of Australia’s airmen are preserved for future generations.

Matthew Dahlitz, founder of the Australian Military Aviation History Association (AMAHA), has dedicated his career to documenting the history of Australian military aviation through film and digital media.

The Greenbank local is currently producing a feature-length documentary on the 9th and 12th squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a project funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The documentary, set to be a comprehensive retelling of the squadrons’ histories, is a deeply personal endeavour for Mr Dahlitz, whose father, John Dahlitz, served as a Wing Commander for the 12th squadron.

“We started this association a few years ago with the initial goal of making a documentary about the 12th squadron,” Mr Dahlitz said.

“But as we dug deeper, we realised there wasn’t enough easily accessible information about the history of different squadrons.

So, we decided to expand our work and formally establish the AMAHA.”

Since its inception, the association has produced a wealth of digital content, including a website dedicated to preserving and sharing information on various RAAF squadrons.

The accompanying YouTube channel, which boasts nearly 100,000 subscribers and over 800 short documentaries, has amassed millions of views worldwide.

The channel covers military aviation from around the globe but places a strong emphasis on Australian content.

“Unfortunately, Australian content doesn’t perform as well as American content on YouTube,” Mr Dahlitz said.

“It’s just a numbers game. There are ten times as many Americans as Australians, and they tend to be more invested in military history.

But that just makes it even more important for us to keep telling these Australian stories.”

The documentary will highlight the significant contributions of both squadrons, particularly their involvement in major conflicts and their evolution over the years.

The 12th Squadron is often associated with Chinook helicopters, but its history dates back much further, encompassing fighter and bomber roles as well, and the 9th Squadron is best known for its role as a helicopter squadron, particularly during the Vietnam War.

Mr Dahlitz and his team have already compiled a vast array of resources, including archival footage, personal interviews with veterans, and extensive research into military records.

They also collaborated with the Nine Squadron Association to publish a book titled Albatross to Black Hawk, a comprehensive history of the 9th squadron.

“The goal is to raise awareness about this particular part of our military history,” Mr Dahlitz said.

“You can find bits and pieces if you know where to look, but we want to bring it all together in a way that is easily consumable for everyone.”

A lifelong history enthusiast, Mr Dahlitz attributes much of his interest in military aviation to his upbringing as an RAAF child.

“I’ve always been fascinated by history, and having a father who served made military aviation a natural area of interest for me,” he said.

As a filmmaker, Mr Dahlitz has the skills to bring these stories to life through high-quality documentary production.

His team has already conducted numerous interviews with veterans, and they plan to incorporate footage from the Australian War Memorial’s film archive to provide additional historical context.

“We’re not in this to make money, this is a passion project,” he said.

“Without the grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs, we wouldn’t be able to dedicate as much time to it as we do.”

Despite challenges such as limited funding and shifting public interest in military history, Mr Dahlitz remains committed to his work.

“There’s a trend in some circles to downplay military history, particularly the sense of national pride that comes with it,” he said.

“But the families of those who served, whether it’s the grandkids or great-grandkids, really appreciate these efforts to remember what our forefathers did.”

Working alongside his two sons, Jachin and Josiah, Mr Dahlitz sees the documentary and the broader efforts of the AMAHA as a legacy project.

“It’s really special to work with my sons on this,” he said.

“It’s a family affair, and one day, they’ll be able to show their children the work we’ve done to honour their great-grandfather and all those who served.”

The AMAHA website offers a wealth of resources for history enthusiasts, and donations are welcome to support the organisation’s work.

“Even something as simple as subscribing to the YouTube channel helps us,” Mr Dahlitz said.

“It allows us to keep producing content and telling these important Australian stories.”

As the AMAHA nears its milestone of 100,000 YouTube subscribers, Mr Dahlitz remains focused on the long-term goal of expanding the association’s historical documentation.

“We’ve only just scratched the surface,” he said.

“There’s so much more to uncover, and I imagine I’ll still be working on this well into my retirement.”

For more information or to support the project, visit raafdocumentary.com and the Australian Military Aviation History YouTube channel.

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