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Flying Knights in Australia

On the box art by Adam Tooby, two aircraft from the 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter

Group are depicted flying over northern Australia. Capt. Ben S. Irvin is piloting

"The Rebel", while Lt. Robert Harry Vaught is flying "Bob’s Robin". “Bitchin’ Ben” Irvin

was a veteran of the battles in the Philippines and Java.


Text: Jan Bobek

The 49th Fighter Group was one of the most significant fighter units of the U.S. Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theater. Its airmen achieved 664 victories while flying P-40s, P-38s, and P-47s over Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. Among its top aces were "Dick" Bong, the most successful American fighter pilot of World War II, with 40 victories, and "Jerry" Johnson, with 22 victories. Both flew P-38 Lightnings as part of the 9th Fighter Squadron, known as the "Flying Knights," continuing the legacy of their predecessors, who first took off against the enemy in March 1942 in Curtiss P-40E Warhawks. Their early missions were anything but easy.

 

From USA to Australia

This fighter unit was established in June 1940 in the United States as the 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor). At that time, only its Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron existed. In December, the 7th, 8th, and 9th Pursuit Squadrons were assigned to the group as its fighter squadrons. The unit was officially activated in January 1941, with a cadre of pilots, some with prior experience, drawn from the 31st Pursuit Group, a unit that had itself been in existence for only a year. The 49th PG was initially equipped with outdated P-35 aircraft, which its airmen used for training at the unit level and during military exercises.

 Photo: Australian War Memorial

Archerfield, Queensland, Australia, early 1942. Uncrating a United States Army Air Corps P-40E aircraft (AC-5336) for one of American Pursuit Groups.

Photo: Australian War Memorial

Assembling a United States Army Air Corps P40E aircraft at Archerfield, Queensland, Australia.

Photo: Australian War Memorial

Part of the P-40 Kittyhawk aircraft at the crash site on the slopes of Mount Imlay. The Warhawk belonged to 49th PG. Another Kittyhawk from the same Squadron crashed at Wonboyn on the same day. Both pilots, 2nd Lieutenant John Musial and Neal Takala were both killed. On March 28, 1942, Takala and three other pilots was on a routine training exercise from Fairbairn Airbase to the Snowy Mountains, but encountered dense fog over the coast near Eden. Two surviving pilots Lts. Namola and Fielder were later to lose their lives also, in the defence of Darwin, on 16 and 23 June 1942.


After the Japanese attack on the United States in December 1941, Maj. P. B. Wurthsmith, a pilot who had earned his air badge in 1928 and had seen combat against the Japanese in the Philippines with the 17th PG, was appointed commander of the 49th PG. On Christmas Day, his newly assigned unit learned that it would be deployed to the Pacific. More than 1,100 of its members departed in a convoy from San Francisco to Melbourne, Australia, on January 11, 1942. They arrived safely at their destination on February 1, 1942, making the 49th PG the first unit of the U.S. Army Air Corps to reach a combat zone after Japan declared war.

From the outset, the 49th Pursuit Group (PG) was stationed at three different bases and was joined by Capt. Boyd "Buzz" Wagner of the 17th Pursuit Squadron (PS), who had become the first fighter ace of the U.S. Army Air Corps during the battles over the Philippines in December.

Each squadron was equipped with 25 P-40E Warhawks, requiring pilots to transition to new aircraft. Only after arriving at Australian bases did they begin to familiarize themselves with the Warhawk. Due to the engine's characterictics, taxiing proved challenging, leading to numerous incidents, with several dozen aircraft sustaining minor or major damage in crashes.

41-5509, 1Lt. Joseph J. Kruzel, 17th PS (Provisional), 4th CG, Java, February 1942

Joseph John Kruzel was born on February 17, 1918, in Pennsylvania. He entered the Air Force in May 1940 and was assigned to the 2nd Observation Squadron in the Philippines in December of that year. He was then transferred to the 17th PS in September 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines, the 17th PS moved to Australia and Kruzel subsequently took part in the fighting in the Dutch East Indies. He achieved his first kill on February 17, 1942, when he shot down a Ki-27 over Palembang. This was followed by two A6M kills on February 19 and 20. In March he joined the 9th FS in Australia, where his wingman was George Preddy. He served with the unit until his return home in December 1942. In November 1943, he moved with the 361st FG to England to Bottisham Base, where the group received its P-47Ds. In Europe, Kruzel achieved three more kills plus one shared. This brought his total to 6.5 kills and one damaged aircraft. He returned to the US in January 1945 and held a number of important positions postwar, achieving the rank of Major General. He retired on August 1, 1970 and died on July 10, 2002 at the age of 84. His P-40 from when he was still with the 17th PS sported the drawing of a dragon breathing fire on both sides of the nose. A similar drawing then adorned another P-40E that Kruzel used in Australia. This one, however, was camouflaged in British colors, and Kruzel’s Flight was named “Dragon Flight” after it.  

   

At the time, there was growing concern in Australia over the Japanese advance on New Guinea, particularly toward the strategic Port Moresby base, as well as the potential for a Japanese landing on the Australian mainland. These fears intensified after the Japanese carrier raid on Darwin on February 19, 1942, launched from the carriers Akagi, Hiryū, Sōryū, and Kaga. This attack, the first and largest air raid on Australian territory during World War II, is often referred to as "Australia’s Pearl Harbor."

The defenders mistakenly identified the incoming Japanese attackers as a formation of P-40s from the 33rd Pursuit Squadron, which had been forced to turn back from an attempted transfer to Java due to bad weather.

Having learned from the Pearl Harbor raid, the Japanese airmen did not focus solely on attacking vessels but also targeted land infrastructure. The first raid was soon followed by a second, carried out by 54 twin-engine naval bombers from bases in Indonesia, which concentrated on airfields and other key facilities.

Despite losing four aircraft, the Japanese forces managed to sink 10 Allied ships, including the destroyer USS Peary, destroy 23 aircraft, devastate both military and civilian infrastructure in Darwin, and ensure an unopposed landing on Timor.

 

Horn Island and the 7th Pursuit Squadron Interlude

In early March 1942, Maj. Wurthsmith asked Lt. Morrissey, commander of the 7th Pursuit Squadron (PS), whether he had enough experienced pilots to form a detachment for deployment to Horn Island, located in the Torres Strait between northern Queensland, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Morrissey assembled a group of twelve airmen, who departed for the island immediately. However, only nine pilots reached their destination—arriving without ground personnel or essential equipment.

On March 14, 1942, eight G4M Betty bombers, accompanied by twelve A6M2 Zero Model 21 fighters, launched an air raid on this base. All the aircraft belonged to the 4th Kōkūtai. While the bombers, led by Lt. Shigeo Yamagata, took off from Rabaul, their fighter escort, under the command of Lt. Shirō Kawai, departed from the recently captured Lae airbase in New Guinea. Lt. Morrissey received an advance warning of the approaching attack and managed to get his pilots into the air in time.

The Betty bomber crews dropped their payload on the base undisturbed and with precision from an altitude of 7,000 meters (23,000 feet). Ten minutes later, a “Hurricane” fighter attacked the formation, and the bombers’ gunners claimed to have shot it down. The American aircraft was likely piloted by 2nd Lt. Harold J. Martin, who was later credited with shooting down one of the bombers.

41-5647, 1Lt. John Landers, 9th FS, 49th FG, Darwin, Australia, 1942

John Dave Landers was one of the fighter pilots who achieved victories in two different theatres of war during WW II. He scored his first six kills in the Pacific and added the rest to his total of 14.5 kills in Europe. Born in Oklahoma on August 23, 1920, he moved to Texas at the age of eighteen. He entered the Army Air Cadet program in April 1941, was commissioned as a First Lieutenant on December 12 and shipped to Australia as early as January 1942. He joined the 9th FS/49th FG after delivering one P-40E to Darwin on April 3. He scored two kills the very next day, then added two more victories on June 14 and July 30 before taking off on December 26 for his last combat flight in the Pacific. That day he firstly scored two kills, then was shot down over New Guinea and had to find his way through the jungle. In February 1943 he returned to the USA and was sent on his second operational tour, this time in Europe (where he later completed a third tour as well). The first of Lander’s P-40s is portrayed here. On the left side of the fuselage behind the cockpit, it bore a drawing of a hawk in a yellow field, as a mark of affiliation with the Andy Reynolds Flight, who was the first to use this decoration. The decals provide the Hawk in black and dark brown version, as it is not sure which color was used. On the nose, Skeeter inscription and the drawing of a mosquito holding a machine gun were painted. It is not sure the mosquito was painted on the starboard side as well.  


The raid resulted in the destruction of one twin-engine Hudson aircraft, damage to another, and inflicted significant damage to buildings, tents, a water tank, and vehicles. On their return flight, the bomber crews strafed an Allied vessel.

The Japanese fighter escorts kept most of the American pilots engaged and claimed eight aircraft shot down. Among the Japanese pilots was Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, who would later become the most successful Japanese naval fighter pilot of the war. However, only four American aircraft sustained damage and the only complete loss was a P-40 whose pilot lost his bearings and had to bail out. He was later rescued by two young Aboriginal Australians.

During the battle, the Americans claimed four Zeros shot down. Among the Japanese casualties was Lt. (jg) Nobuhiro Iwasaki, whose aircraft was later recovered, allowing Allied intelligence to gather valuable information, particularly from component nameplates. Iwasaki’s likely victor was Lt. Morrissey, who fired on the enemy from a distance of 200 yards. One of Iwasaki’s wingmen during the engagement was Nishizawa.

The second Japanese pilot shot down was PO1c Genkichi Oishi. In his case, there is no doubt about his victor. Lt. A. T. House attacked a Zero that was attempting to get behind Morrissey. However, when House tried to fire, his machine guns malfunctioned, and not a single shot was fired.

Thinking quickly, he decided to ram the Zero by striking its fuselage with the right wingtip of his aircraft, killing Oishi in the cockpit. The P-40 then entered uncontrollable, erratic maneuvers, but House managed to regain control at 4,000 feet and successfully landed back at the base at high speed, without deploying flaps.

For this daring action, he was rightfully awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Shortly after this battle, the 7th Pursuit Squadron was withdrawn from Horn Island, and House soon found himself in the hospital—but not due to combat. While on leave in Sydney, a taxi driver ran over his foot. Well, as the saying goes, those destined to hang will never drown.

 

The Threat of Invasion

Concerns about a potential Japanese invasion of Australia grew even more in early March 1942. On March 3, Broome Airfield in Western Australia was attacked by nine Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai. The Japanese airmen strafed the base and its surroundings, killing nearly 90 soldiers and civilians and destroying 23 aircraft.

While returning to Koepang, three Zero pilots spotted a Dutch DC-3 transport aircraft. Because it was camouflaged, they assumed it was a legitimate target and opened fire, hitting the fuselage, right wing, and right engine. The aircraft went into a spin, but to the Japanese pilots' surprise, the pilot managed to recover just above the ground and successfully executed an emergency landing. That pilot was Ivan Smirnoff, a Russian fighter ace from World War I. Later that day, eight more Zeros from the same unit attacked Wyndham Base, destroying one aircraft and damaging several buildings.

The very next day, on March 4, 1942, nine Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai attacked the RAAF base in Darwin. They successfully destroyed one Hudson bomber and damaged several buildings. All Japanese aircraft returned safely to base, although three sustained minor damage from anti-aircraft fire.

A6M2 Zero Type 21, Lt. Zenjirō Miyano, 3. Kōkūtai, Poeleti airfield, Timor, March 1942

This aircraft, manufactured by Mitsubishi, was photographed in April 1942 in Rabaul with partially repainted markings that originally belonged to Lieutenant Miyano. The bands and stripes may have been in dark blue or black color. Zenjirō Miyano served from 1939 with the 12th Kōkūtai in China and was appointed as a Buntaichō with the 3rd Kōkūtai in October 1941. He participated in the campaigns in the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. During a raid on Broome, Australia, on March 3, 1942, Miyano attacked a Dutch civil DC-3. The pilot was Capt. Ivan Smirnoff, a World War I Russian fighter ace, despite one engine on fire, he managed to make an emergency landing, but the Zero pilots killed four passengers on the ground. In April 1942 Miyano was transferred to the 6th Kōkūtai, which was to be based at Midway. Part of his unit was on the way to Midway aboard the carrier Jun´yō, which participated in the attack against Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians. Miyano also participated in the raid. His unit was based at Rabaul from August 1942 and was redesignated Kōkūtai 204 in November. From March 1943 Miyano took position of Hikōtaichō. He was a combat tactics innovator and was the first to introduce the finger-four formation in Japanese naval aviation. Miyano achieved a total of 16 victories and was killed on June 16, 1943, over Guadalcanal during escort of dive bombers.


At the time, the main Allied focus was on the battle for Java, leaving Australian bases temporarily unprotected. With the urgent need to secure fighter defenses for Port Moresby in New Guinea, the American military allocated 25 P-40 Warhawks to form No. 75 Squadron RAAF, which was officially established on March 4. The squadron relocated to Port Moresby on March 21, where its commander, "Old John" Jackson, faced extreme challenges. Despite the harsh conditions, he successfully led and motivated his pilots, transforming them from a group of inexperienced rookies into formidable challengers against the battle-hardened Japanese Navy pilots.

By April, Allied fighter strength in the Port Moresby area was bolstered with the arrival of American Airacobras. Additionally, No. 76 Squadron RAAF at Archerfield and No. 77 Squadron RAAF at Pearce, Western Australia, were gradually equipped with P-40E Warhawks.

 

9th Pursuit Squadron Deploys to Darwin

Immediately after the Japanese attacks in Western Australia, the American 9th Pursuit Squadron (PS), under the command of Capt. James C. Selman, was assigned the task of defending Darwin. The ground personnel and technical equipment were transported by land from Melbourne, while 25 pilots began the 2,000-mile journey in their aircraft over unfamiliar terrain, departing in succession on March 8.

Severe storms and technical issues delayed their arrival, and it took two weeks for the first pilots to reach their destination. However, Darwin Base was too heavily damaged to be a viable operational hub, so the Americans relocated to the more southerly Batchelor Field. By the end of the month, 21 of the original 25 aircraft and their pilots had successfully completed the journey and assembled at the new airfield.

At this time, the 9th PS was reinforced with experienced pilots who had already seen combat against the Japanese. Lt. Joseph J. Kruzel had three confirmed victories, Lt. Ben S. Irvin had shot down a bomber and a Zero, and Lt. Andrew J. Reynolds had three Zero kills and a shared victory over a twin-engine aircraft, which he identified as a "Me 110."

 

The First Air Battles

The 7th Pursuit Squadron achieved its first aerial victory on March 22, 1942. A Japanese formation from the 3rd Kōkūtai consisted of a C5M Babs reconnaissance aircraft, escorted by three A6M2 Zero Type21s. After completing its mission, the reconnaissance aircraft separated from its escort, a fatal mistake. The Americans, flying at 20,000 feet, spotted the lone aircraft 1,000 feet below and gave it no chance.

 

The attack was carried out by 2nd Lt. Clyde L. Harvey, Jr. and 1st Lt. Stephen Poleschuk. Under their combined fire, the C5M Babs crashed southwest of Bathurst Island, killing both crew members, PO1c Shigiki Mori and PO1c Shinobu Nagasawa. This victory, credited to Poleschuk, marked the first confirmed aerial kill for the 9th Pursuit Squadron.

The 9th Pursuit Squadron achieved its first victory against enemy bombers on March 28, 1942, during a raid by seven G4M Betty bombers from the Takao Kōkūtai. The bomber formation flew without escort and successfully hit the runway at Darwin Airfield from an altitude of 18,000 feet, damaging one aircraft. The Japanese crews claimed to have shot down three P-40s, but in reality, none were lost. However, one Japanese bomber, commanded by Ensign Taketoshi Asahiro, was shot down, and the entire crew perished.

On the American side, 2nd Lt. Clyde L. Harvey, Jr., 1st Lt. William D. Sells, and 1st Lt. Robert Harry Vaught each scored confirmed kills, while 1st Lt. Stephen Poleschuk was credited with a probable victory.

In the next raid, which took place on March 30, the Japanese launched their attack with fighter escort. This time, seven G4M Betty bombers from the Takao Kōkūtai were accompanied by twelve Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai.

The bombing raid caused minimal damage in Darwin, but the fighter escorts effectively protected the bombers. The Japanese pilots claimed to have shot down six P-40s and probably destroyed two more, but in reality, only two P-40s were damaged. Lt. McComsey was forced to bail out of a third aircraft.

P-40E-1, 41-25164, Capt. Ben S. Irvin, 9th FS, 49th FG, Darwin, Australia, 1942

 

April Air Raids

During the April 2, 1942, raid on Darwin, the 9th Pursuit Squadron (PS) pilots were unable to inflict any damage on the attackers. However, two days later, the situation changed. On April 4, six G4M Betty bombers from the Takao Kōkūtai, escorted by six Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai, launched an air raid targeting both the RAAF base and the civilian airfield.

At the time, two separate American formations were airborne, each consisting of seven P-40 Warhawks. However, only one of the groups managed to engage the Japanese forces.

During the April 4 raid, one G4M Betty bomber was shot down by anti-aircraft defenses, while two others fell victim to American fighters—resulting in the loss of all crew members. The remaining bombers managed to return to base, though all sustained various degrees of damage. The airmen of the 9th Pursuit Squadron reported a total of eight kills. The confirmed victories were as follows: 2nd Lt. Grover J. Gardner, 2nd Lt. John A. Kelting, and 2nd Lt. John D. Livingstone, Jr. each shot down one bomber, 2nd Lt. John Dave Landers claimed two bombers, while 2nd Lt. Andrew Jackson Reynolds and 2nd Lt. John S. Sauber each shot down one bomber and one Zero. In this engagement, the Americans successfully executed their well-rehearsed attack tactics, diving from above and striking the bombers head-on. If conditions allowed, they would then launch follow-up attacks from the rear.

However, the G4M Betty bombers proved to be a new and challenging adversary. The American pilots quickly learned that their opponents had a dangerous surprise, a 20mm cannon mounted in the rear turret, making attacks from rear risky.

The Japanese fighters suffered no losses and scored four victories. Two P-40s were actually lost, but not due to Zeroes.  Approaching the base with their landing gear extended, pilots Garder and Livingstone came under fire from their own anti-aircraft defenses. Gardner managed to bail out, but Livingstone was killed while attempting to land at another airfield.

In mid-April, a decision was made on the Japanese side to withdraw air units from Koepang to Kendari and to temporarily limit air raids on Australia because of other priorities. However, two more air raids were planned on Darwin before the troops were moved.

P-40E, Lt. Robert Harry Vaught, 9th FS, 49th FG, Darwin, Australia, 1942 

Lt. Robert Harry Vaught and his plane "Bob´s Robin“. 


The first raid took place on April 25, 1942, and was carried out by 27 Betty bombers from Takao Kōkūtai, accompanied by nine Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai. Three bombers aborted the mission due to technical issues, and one was lost on its return. As usual, the Japanese executed a precise high-altitude attack on the RAAF base, but this time, they encountered greater resistance than in previous operations.

On this day, the entire 49th Pursuit Group took to the air for the first time, with the 7th, 8th, and 9th Pursuit Squadrons deploying a total of 50 aircraft. In the ensuing battle, four Betty bombers were shot down, with all crew members killed. One bomber suffered a structural failure, causing its wing to collapse and leading to a mid-air collision with another aircraft. Additionally, 20 bombers sustained damage, three of which lost the use of one engine. One Zero was also shot down, the first lost in combat against the 49th PG over Darwin. Its pilot was PO1c Shirō Murakami.

The bomber gunners claimed three downed P-40s, while the escort fighters reported another seven. However, none of the American aircraft were actually shot dow, only two P-40 pilots were forced to make emergency landings. Zeros were credited to 2nd Lt. William J. Hennon of the 9th Pursuit Squadron, while his colleagues from the 8th Pursuit Squadron claimed ten bombers and one Zero.

Two days later, on April 27, the same Japanese units returned to Darwin. This time, only 17 bombers participated, but the fighter escort was larger, led by Lt. Takeo Kurosawa at the head of 21 Zeros. Once again, the 49th Pursuit Group deployed all three squadrons against the attackers, but this time they did not escape without losses. Four P-40 pilots were shot down, including the commander of the 8th Pursuit Squadron, Capt. Allison W. Strauss, who was killed. One of the local airfields was later named in his honor, like in the case of the unfortunate Livingstone.

After a fierce battle, the Americans claimed several victories. 2nd Lt. Stephen Wallace Andrew of the 7th Pursuit Squadron reported downing one bomber and one Zero, while his colleagues from the 8th Pursuit Squadron claimed three bombers, four Zeros, and one additional Zero as probably shot down.

In reality, the Japanese lost only one bomber, though ten others were damaged. Additionally, two Zeros returned to base with damage, but none were actually shot down. The bomber gunners claimed one P-40 destroyed, while the Japanese fighter escort optimistically reported shooting down thirteen P-40s with six more probable kills. The discrepancies in both sides' reports highlight the confusion and intensity of the aerial combat.

 

Australian Winter

The period from June to August is considered winter in Australia, and in the Darwin area, it is characterized by slightly cooler temperatures and, most notably, significantly less rainfall.

After the battles in April, the 49th Pursuit Group took advantage of the favorable weather and a temporary pause in Japanese air raids to recover from losses, enhance combat readiness, and implement several administrative changes. The unit was officially redesignated as the 49th Fighter Group, and its squadrons were renamed Fighter Squadrons. Additionally, the pilots selected combat names and emblems for their squadrons.

The 9th Fighter Squadron adopted the winged helmet as its emblem and began using the combat name "Flying Knights." Members of the 8th Fighter Squadron, initially nicknamed the "Eight Balls," later chose the fighting name "Black Sheep," a reference to their aircraft procurement. Unlike other units, they rarely received new planes and instead took over well-used aircraft from other squadrons. The 7th Fighter Squadron selected the Bunyip, a mythical Australian predator, as its emblem. It was painted on the aircraft rudders by Bill Hennon, a veteran of combat over the Philippines and Java.

In mid-June, the Japanese once again focused their attacks on Darwin. On June 13, 15, and 16, a total of 27 Betty bombers from Takao Kōkūtai carried out each raid, with their escorts varying in size. The first raid was accompanied by as many as 45 Zeros from 3rd Kōkūtai, while the following two raids were escorted by 21 and 27 Zeros, respectively.

A different type of Japanese attack took place on June 14. That day, 27 Zeros from 3rd Kōkūtai were tasked with strafing the base in Darwin. Radar operators initially believed the incoming aircraft were escorting approximately nine bombers, but it appears that no bombers were operating in the area. Instead, the Japanese fighters' mission was not only to attack the RAAF station but also to inflict losses on enemy fighters.

During the ensuing battle, pilots from the 9th Fighter Squadron claimed one Zero each: 2nd Lt. I.B. Jack Donalson, 2nd Lt. John Dave Landers, and 2nd Lt. Andrew Jackson Reynolds. Additionally, Capt. Nathaniel H. Blanton from the 7th Fighter Squadron claimed one Zero as definitely shot down and another as probably destroyed.

Over four days of intense fighting, the 49th Fighter Group claimed 13 Zeros certainly shot down and one probably destroyed, as well as one bomber confirmed, one probably downed, and three damaged. The Americans lost nine P-40s, with one pilot not surviving.

The Japanese officially lost only two Zero pilots, who went missing on June 13, though it is possible they lost their bearings while returning to base. During the three bombing raids, approximately 20 G4M Betty bombers were damaged, and two crew members were killed. Meanwhile, Zero pilots claimed 19 confirmed victories and 12 probable victories in these engagements.

P-40E, Capt. George E. Kiser, 8th FS, 49th FG, Darwin, Australia, 1942


After a six-week pause, the Japanese launched another raid on July 30, 1942. Takao Kōkūtai sent 26 bombers to attack the RAAF base at Darwin, approaching the target at 26,000 feet. They were escorted by 27 Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai. After receiving a warning from Australian radar operators, 36 aircraft from the 49th Fighter Group took to the air to intercept. Once again, the Japanese crews struck their target with precision. One Australian aircraft was damaged, and hits were recorded on the runway, fuel supplies, and water pipes.

Pilots from the 9th Fighter Squadron claimed several victories. 1st Lt. I. B. Jack Donalson, 2nd Lt. John Dave Landers, 1st Lt. Andrew Jackson Reynolds, and 1st Lt. Clay Tice Jr. each shot down one Zero. 2nd Lt. Clyde L. Harvey Jr. claimed a bomber as destroyed and was also credited with the probable destruction of a Zero. Their colleagues from the 7th Fighter Squadron claimed two Zeros and two bombers confirmed shot down, as well as one Zero as a probable kill.

The battle was apparently chaotic once again, as only two Zeros were lost. One was shot down during the engagement, and its pilot, PO1c Shigeru Mukumoto, was killed. The other was lost near its base in Koepang due to an engine failure, forcing its pilot, PO2c Masashi Tomita, to ditch the aircraft. Japanese fighters claimed 16 victories, including three probable kills, but in reality, only one P-40 from the 7th Fighter Squadron was shot down.

Within the 49th Fighter Group at this time, it wasn't just pilots who were achieving victories. Among such airmen was a certain 2/Lt. George Earl Preddy, Jr. who served with the 9th FS "Flying Knights". During air combat training on July 12, 1942, Preddy was flying in a formation of four aircraft led by 2nd Lt. John Sauber. He piloted his personal aircraft, P-40E "Tarheel" (41-5509), number 85. During a practice attack on Preddy, Sauber misjudged the distance, resulting in a mid-air collision. Sauber likely lost consciousness upon impact and perished in his aircraft. However, despite his injuries, Preddy managed to bail out of his Warhawk, and his colleagues guided an ambulance to the crash site.

Fortunately, he was found before nightfall. He suffered multiple fractures, and the doctor later stated that he would have bled to death by morning. However, what concerned Preddy most at the time was the huge anthill near where he landed. After recovering, he was transferred to Europe, where he became the second-highest-scoring fighter ace of the 352nd Fighter Group, the "Blue-nosed Bastards of Bodney."

Australia itself exposed both its inhabitants and visiting aviators to various dangers, primarily due to the local wildlife. On July 16, 1942, Robert H. Vaught, a colleague of Preddy, narrowly escaped death during a flight. For details on the origin of his nickname, "Snake Bite Bob," see the historical text on his aircraft in the Pacific Star kit featured in this issue of INFO magazine.

In July, the Japanese launched night raids on Australian targets, for which neither the Australians nor the Americans had yet developed an effective countermeasure. In September, one 49th Fighter Group pilot attempted an unauthorized night fighter mission but was punished after landing—not only for the unauthorized action but also for forcing one of the airfields to turn on its runway lights.

 

Final Battle and Move to New Guinea

The last encounter between the 49th Fighter Group and enemy forces over Australia took place on August 23, 1942. As usual, 27 Betty bombers from Takao Kōkūtai, escorted by 27 Zeros from the 3rd Kōkūtai, launched an attack—this time targeting Hughes Field, south of Darwin. One bomber was forced to return early due to a malfunction.

The raid was intercepted by 24 P-40s from the 7th and 8th Fighter Squadrons. Before the bombers could reach their target, several were forced out of formation. Two bombers sustained moderate damage, one was severely damaged, and another took several harmless hits. The only American loss was a P-40, whose pilot, while chasing the bombers, stopped to check his fuel level and inadvertently ended up in the sea.

This time, the Japanese fighter escort suffered a heavy defeat. Among those killed was Buntaichō Lieutenant Tadatsune Tokaji, a veteran of the 12th China War Kōkūtai. Also lost were PO2c Nobutoshi Furukawa, PO2c Itsuzō Shimizu, and PO3c Yoshiyuki Hirata.

The Americans reported eight Zeros confirmed as shot down and one damaged. Seven Japanese bombers were claimed as destroyed including one bomber credited to Captain George Edward Kiser. Additionally one Betty was claimed probably destroyed and two as damaged.

The fighter pilots of the 49th Fighter Group ended their Australian campaign as seasoned veterans, having scored nearly 80 victories against a battle-hardened enemy in less than six months.

The 7th Fighter Squadron was the first to relocate to New Guinea in September, while the 8th Fighter Squadron had to repair and prepare its aging aircraft before moving. Meanwhile, the 9th Fighter Squadron remained in Darwin, training Australian colleagues.

The 49th FG’s first engagement on the new battlefield took place on November 1, 1942, when sixteen P-40Es from the 8th Fighter Squadron escorted Mitchells and Bostons during a raid on Lae. Shortly before the battle, a large number of Zeros from Kōkūtai 251, formerly the Tainan Kōkūtai, had arrived at the airfield, along with Zeros from Kōkūtai 202, which was in fact the well known 3rd Kōkūtai, just under a new designation.

1st Lt. William Charles Day Jr. and 1st Lt. Richard H. Dennis each claimed one Zero shot down. However, in reality, only PO1c Toshio Kaneko of Kōkūtai 251 was shot down and killed, though seven other Zeros sustained damage. One American pilot remained missing after the action.

The pilots of the 49th Fighter Group had hoped for the opportunity to fly the new P-38 Lightning, but to their disappointment, they were instead re-equipped with the P-40K. While this version had some improvements over the P-40E, it still struggled in combat against the maneuverable Japanese aircraft, making engagements in the Warhawk particularly challenging.

The "Flying Knights" joined the fighting in New Guinea in December 1942. At that time, the 9th Fighter Squadron was under the command of Maj. J. C. Peaslee, who had succeeded Capt. B. S. Irvin in November. Unbeknownst to its members at the time, the 9th FS became the first unit to engage the Nakajima Ki-43 Army aircraft in combat on this battlefield.

This event took place on December 26, 1942, when 15 pilots flying Ki-43-I aircraft from the 11th Hikō Sentai arrived in the Buna-Dobodura area. The Japanese pilots from the unit’s 1st Chūtai were led by Captain Shigenori Miyabayashi, and they reached Pongani Airfield just as Australian Hudson bombers were present on the runway.

However, twelve P-40s from the 9th Fighter Squadron were patrolling the area. Ground controllers called in White Flight, led by 1st Lt. "Big John" Landers. With his four-aircraft formation, he attacked the incoming planes, which were mistakenly identified as "Zekes" (A6M Zeros). However, he immediately came under accurate fire from two Japanese pilots and was forced to bail out of his aircraft. The plane he lost was the original "The Rebel", formerly flown by Capt. Ben Irvin during the battles over Australia. The Japanese pilots also shot down one Hudson bomber, and after the engagement, they claimed six P-40s destroyed.

P-40E, Capt. William J. Hennon, 7th FS, 49th FG, Darwin, Australia, 1942

Photo: Australian War Memorial

A lineup of 7th Fighter Squadron aircraft in Darwin. Aircraft No. 51, "L'Ace", was piloted by Lt. James Bruce Morehead, who added five more victories over Australia to the two he had achieved with the 17th PS over Java. He later served in the Mediterranean, flying P-38s with the 1st FG. Capt. Hennon is seated in the cockpit of P-40 No. 36.


The Americans managed to shoot down one aircraft, whose pilot, Sgt. Maj. Ryō-ichi Imamura, was killed. 1st Lt. Charles Steven Gallup and 2nd Lt. Carl G. Planck Jr. each claimed one Zeke (Zero), while 1st Lt. William Frees Haning Jr. was credited with one probable kill.

During the same action, a Ki-43-I flown by Sgt. Maj. Hiro-ichi Fujii was damaged, likely by the gunner of one of the Hudson bombers. Fujii attempted to return north along the coast, flying at low altitude and reduced speed. In this vulnerable state, he was spotted by the crew of a Wirraway from No. 4 Squadron, RAAF, which immediately launched a head-on attack from higher altitude. The damaged aircraft crashed into the sea.

Initially, the Control Officer refused to believe that the Australian pilot, Pilot Officer John Archer, had shot down a Zero, but after multiple eyewitness confirmations, Archer and his gunner, Sergeant James Coulston, were rewarded with six bottles of beer.

Meanwhile, John Landers found himself in a very different situation. He had bailed out of his aircraft at approximately 1,000 feet over the jungle. He wandered through the unknown terrain for three days, eventually coming across a stream, which led him to a native village. The village elders provided him with shelter and food, and the next day, the villagers escorted him to Pongani Airfield, where he was evacuated on December 31, 1942, aboard an A-24 dive bomber bound for Port Moresby.

Although Landers later achieved further victories flying the long-awaited P-38 Lightning, it was not with the 49th Fighter Group. In the summer of 1944, he joined the 55th Fighter Group, where he participated in combat over Europe. Meanwhile, his former colleagues in the 49th Fighter Group were rearmed with P-38 fighters, contributing to its reputation as a legendary aircraft.

 

Sources:

CLARINGBOULD, Michael J., INGMAN, Peter: South Pacific Air War, Volume 2

CLARINGBOULD, Michael J.: Pacific Profiles Volume 1, Japanese Army Fighters, New Guinea & the Solomons 1942 -1943

CLARINGBOULD, Michael J.: Pacific Adversaries, Volume 1, Japanese Army Air Force vs The Allies, New Guinea 1942 – 1944

CLARINGBOULD, Michael J., INGMAN, Peter: South Pacific Air War, Volume 5, Crisis in papua, September – December 1942

HATA, Ikuhiko, IZAWA, Yasuho, SHORES, Christopher: Japanese Naval Aces 1932 – 1945

HESS, William N.: 49th Fighter Group, Aces of the Pacific

ICHIMURA, Hiroshi: Ki-43 Oscar Aces of World War 2

JACAR: Tactical operational records of 3. Kōkūtai

JACAR: Tactical operational records of Takao Kōkūtai

LEWIS, Tom: The Empire Strikes South, Japan´s Air War Against Northern Australia 1942 – 1945

McDOWELL, Ernest R.: 49th Fighter Group

MOLESWORTH, Carl: P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific

OLYNYK, Frank: Stars & Bars, A Tribute to the American Fighter Ace 1920 - 1973

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