Operation Pig Bristle

Operation Pig Bristle was an unusual transport task conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in May 1946. The operation was ordered by the Australian Government in response to a national shortage of paint brushes, which was hindering housebuilding efforts. No. 38 Squadron of the RAAF was given the task of flying 25 tonnes of pig bristles from Chongqing in China to Hong Kong, from where the bristles were shipped to Australia. The operation took place during the Chinese Civil War, with Chongqing cut off and at risk of capture by Communist forces. The squadron completed this task over a two-week period without loss.