Australian Spitfires

[rldunn]

Joe et al

1. JAAF Type 100 (DINAH) recce a/c did not begin to fly recon missions over Australia until Nov 42. USAAF P-40s (49th FG) thus had no opportubity to intercept them. During the period when RAAF Kittyhawks defended Darwin recce mission were flown but weather was generally bad no doubt interfering with intercptions. The Japanese navy recce unit was not then (late 42/early 43) equipped with the Type 100 but did fly successful recons with its Type 2 land recce (J1N1) a/c during the early Spitfire period. In the New Guinea-area both P-38s and P-40s succeeded in shooting down Type 100 recce a/c during 1943. Recce missions over Australia continued even after losses were suffered in early to mid-43 and in fact continued until the summer of 44.

2. The Japanese did not change tactics during the course of the campaign but flew a mix of "air annihilation" operations and escorted bomber missions throughout. Despite Caldwell's claims for "light bombers" (sometimes called larger aircraft, fighter-bombers or KATES) on the 2 March 43 mission, there were only Zero fighters involved. Fifteen provided cover to 6 others that strafed Coomalie Creek afld. No Japanese a/c were lost. Guide planes were used in this mission to aid the fighters in navigation. Other fighter sweeps took place on May 10th (Millingimbi); 22nd June (JAAF); and, Sept 7th.

3. The Japanese conducted night bombing operations prior to the arrival of the Spitfires, most notably from Nov 42 to Jan 43. During these ops Kittyhawks successfully intercepted and destroyed one bomber. The change to night ops in Aug 43 by navy bombers was associated with the dispersion of their escorting force (Air Group 202) in small flights throughout the region in an air defense posture. As of July 43 both Air Group 202 and Air Group 753 (bombers) were far stronger than they had been in March. In terms of numbers they were more capable of offensive ops in Sept than they had been in March. Air Group 202 did assemble forces for ops over Australia twice during Sept 43 but under a joint army-navy agreement they were generally required to provide defensive cover to a large number of disperesed locations.

4. Darwin was a "backwater" of the larger Pacific conflict. One example of this is that as of early 1943 Air Group 202 was not authorized to receive the latest model Zero. Its T/O authorized only the model 21 and model 32 not the latest model 22. The only type a/c it received from new production in early 43 was the Nakajima-built Zero model 21. This was essentially the same a/c the Japanese had introduced in China in July 1940. Although a "backwater", Darwin was on Allied territory and the Japanese press made much of raids there. From March to Sept 43 Darwin was actually raided in daylight much more frequently than the more important targets of Port Moresby and Guadalcanal. Whenever the Japanese raided Port Moresby or Guadalcanal they suffered heavy losses. In the middle of 43 the Allies went over to the offensive. This included offensive action in the Aleutians (beginning May 43), the first raid in northern Japan from Alaska (July 43), and particularly the South Pacific offensive beginning 30 June 43. These strategic events plus the arrival of a group of B-24s (380th BG) capable of hitting wide-ranging targets "north of Australia" forced the Japanese into a permanent defensive posture.

The above is just an outline but essentially factual and not opinion or conjecture. Hope it is helpful.

RLD