Strana 39
P-40E, A29-63, No. 82 Squadron RAAF, Bankstown, Australia, 1943
P-40E-1, NZ 3095, No. 15 Sqn RNZAF, New Zealand, 1944
No. 82 Squadron was formed on June 18, 1943,
and was armed with P-40s, as RAAF had recei-
ved 399 of these aircraft so five new Kittyhawk-
-equipped squadrons could be formed. It opera-
ted from bases in Queensland and New Guinea.
The squadron conducted training at Bankstown
until April 1944, then moved to Townsville for
further training. The move to Port Moresby came
at the end of August 1944 with another move to
Noemfoor in mid-September. There, the No. 82
Squadron, which just became operational, joi-
ned Nos. 76 and 77 Squadrons forming No. 81
Wing. Its pilots then usually conducted attack
missions against Japanese ground targets.
In March 1945 the unit moved to Morotai, pro-
viding escorts to Allied convoys. The relegation
of First Tactical Air Force to areas of operati-
on bypassed by the main Allied thrust towards
the Philippines and Japan led to poor morale,
culminating in the so-called Morotai Mutiny in
April 1945. The aircraft portrayed here was used
during training in Bankstown in 1943. It sported
the painting of an Aboriginal man throwing his
boomerang, downing a Zero with it. The aircraft
was camouflaged with RAAF colors of Foliage
Green and Dark Earth with white tail. Period
photos show the aircraft nicely polished with
minimum weathering.
In October 1942, No. 15 Squadron RNZAF was
sent to Tonga to take over 23 P-40s from the
USAAF 68th Fighter Squadron, thus releasing
the American squadron for frontline service.
These P-40Es (NZ 3091 - NZ 3098, NZ 3100 and
NZ 3108) and P-40K-15s (NZ 3090 and NZ 3099)
were ex-RAF contract aircraft kept by the USA-
AF at the beginning of the Pacific war and were
in a sorry state of repair (five never received
RNZAF serials). Most of the serviceable aircraft
were sent forward to defend Espiritu Santo in
the New Hebrides Islands in February 1943 and
ten survivors returned to New Zealand later
that year. These aircraft became known as the
“Tonga” P-40s. After their return to New Zealand,
they were repainted in Foliage Green and (NZ)
Sky Grey as were many locally based aircraft at
this time.
KITS 03/2025
INFO Eduard
39
March 2025