These groups were to be tasked with supporting the RAAF's five operational area commands.

5 (Maintenance) Group was the first to be established; it was formed on 1 June 1942, headquartered in Sydney, and disbanded on 13 January 1946.

It was raised on 14 September 1942, under the command of Air Commodore Arthur Murphy, and headquartered in Melbourne.

4 Group was responsible for administering the RAAF maintenance units located in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

The same month, its headquarters began re-locating from Irving Road, Toorak, to Albert Park Barracks.