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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
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Yes he is quoted several times in this series.
The real combat history of the P-39 Airacobra in the Pacific (3 Viewers)
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Yes he is quoted several times in this series.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
They could have also scrounged portable O2 systems from bomber crews - it was the Type-A4 "walk around system".
Greg Boeser
1st Lieutenant
Tainan Kokutai became 251st Kokutai in November. 4th Kokutai was a bomber unit. Interestingly, Tainan Kokutai had absorbed the fighter buntai of 4th Kokutai in April.
My experience as a young non-smoker, I could effectively operate in the 12~14000 MSL altitudes without oxygen in daylight. I never tried above about 12K at night. No headaches or post flight issues.
Smokers? I would cruise on down to Reno or Vegas at 8~10K and one by one they fell asleep. Pretty soon it was just me.
I bring this up because smoking was just about universal in WWII.
Smokers? I would cruise on down to Reno or Vegas at 8~10K and one by one they fell asleep. Pretty soon it was just me.
I bring this up because smoking was just about universal in WWII.
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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
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- Sep 29, 2025
You are right, I don't know how I mixed that up, been having a bunch of computer problems is my excuse.
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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
- 1,082
- Sep 29, 2025
Ok so moving on with the Sept-Dec 1942 period.
As the situation around Guadalcanal became more critical, the Japanese began to give up on their attempted cross-island invasion from their new coastal bases at Buna and Gona, in later October, mainly due to lack of shipping. Due to the nature of the coastline of New Guinea it was not possible to supply these bases over-land.
Starting in Mid November (officially on Nov 16) the Allies commenced a counter attack which became known as the Buna - Gona campaign. Elements one Australian and one US infantry division, began a counterattack along basically the same route the Japanese had attempted. To help overcome the terrible conditions of climbing up very steep, very primitive mountain trails through jungle amidst frequent torrential rain etc., the Allies established airfields in the central highlands near Dodobura, and they were transporting troops and supplies there using about a dozen C-47 transport aircraft, a handful of Lockheed Hudsons, some modified B-17s, and smaller planes including De Havilland DH.84 Dragons and DH.89 Dragon Rapides, and even Wirraways, and small spotter planes etc.
However this wasn't really sufficient and the conditions were nightmarish, making logistics highly fraught. The US Division in particular struggled, in spite, or maybe partly because of, the repeated angry public exhortations from General MacArthur. The air-link was vital to the Allied offensive, and the Japanese attempted to sever it, going after the transport aircraft and often clashing with Allied fighters sent to protect them. Meanwhile the Allies ramped up attacks on the Japanese airfields at Lae and the beach-heads at Buna and Guna, flying the perilous route over the Owen Stanleys to the air strips and ports, and to chase down and attack shipping supplying and reinforcing these places. Here they had to contend with the usual atrocious weather and with Japanese fighters mainly operating from Lae and Rabaul sometimes also relocated to Buna. Increasingly violent air clashes took place when the fighters on each side could find enemy aircraft, or each other amidst the fog and clouds. The Allies were also using small ships and barges to move munitions and heavy equipment up the coastline from the east to sites near Buna, which the Japanese intercepted with dive bombers, destroying several small vessels. Japanese bombers also raided Port Morseby periodically, usually at night or at dawn / dusk.
US fighters consisted of nine fighter squadrons and 3 fighter groups: 35 FG at Port Mortseby (39th FS with P-38s, 40th, and 41st FS with P-39s / P-400s), US 49th FG also at Port Morseby (7th, 8th and 9th FS) flying P-40E and K, and 8th FG at Milne Bay (35th, 360th and 80th FS with P-39/P-400s). The US 7th Sqn had P-40Ks which had improved ammunition storage (so much fewer gun stoppages), automatic boost control (easier flying) and were cleared for 60" Hg WEP setting, which increased emergency horsepower up to 1570 hp. Some of the P-39s were old P-400s and P-39Ds, while some were newer P-39 variants though I couldn't determine precisely which.
Japanese had A6M2 and A6M3 fighters, some Rufes and Petes in the area, and the Ki-43-I arrived very late in this period as previously mentioned.
By December, as the fighting was heating up, the first JAAF fighter and bomber units arrived in the area, amounting to what would become a major reinforcement for the Japanese air forces. But all that was very late as far as this Sept-Dec period and played much more of a role in the next one.
Meanwhile on 15-16 Nov, large Allied raids with Beaufigthers, B-26s, B-25Cs, US A-20As and Australian Boston IIIs attacked targets in the Buna area. One B-25 was shot down by flak and one A-20 disappeared.
22 Nov 1942 - At 07:30- 12 x D3A Val dive bombers from 582 Ku escorted by 12 x A6M3 Zero Fighters from 582 and 252 Ku attacked Allied shipping east of Buna. These became engaged with 12 x Airacobras from 41 FS and 2 x P-38s from 39 FS. The P-39 pilots claimed two Zeros, actually shooting down one piloted by Maeda Tomio who was KiA. The Japanese pilots made no claims, but one P-400 (Airacobra) piloted by Lt Herbert Hill of 41 FS had to bail out over Buna and is MiA. The Vals didn't apparently hit any of the ships. Claringbould doesn't give any further details.
6 x RAAF 30 Sqn Beaufighters strafed the airfield at Lae and claimed to have hit Zeros on the ground, and were then pursued by 2 x Zeros on their way back south, one Beaufighter being damaged which crash landed at Wards. Late in the afternoon six more RAAF 30 Sqn Beaufighters and 9 x 89th BS A-20As struck Lae again and hit some barges and fired at three Zeros that were taking off, claiming one damaged and one probable respectively. The Beaufighters and A-20s then made their way back toward Port Morseby and were joined over Buna by an escorting force of P-40s from the 9th FS, 49th FG. These then in turn soon ran into a force of 7 x Zeros from Nos 582 and 252 Ku, and 6 x D3A Vals from 582 Ku, resulting in a swirling dogfight.
The 252 Ku Zero flown by FPO3 Oda Toru was shot down and killed by a P-40 and two more were badly damaged. One P-40E flown by Lt Donald Dittler was seen engaged with Zeros and is MiA, and two more were seriously damaged. These started flying south but eventually realized they could not climb high enough to make it over the Owen Stanleys so they both bailed out, with both pilots Lt Donald Sutliff and Lt Ralph Wire making it back to base, Lt. Wire in a few days, Sutliff after a 21 day ordeal in the jungle. Another 49th FG P-40 operating in another area seems to have had engine trouble and the pilot, Lt Robert McComsey bailed out and soon returned to his unit.
This demonstrates two things - first, that the A6Ms suffered heavy battle damage but flew smoking back to Lae. This is a common occurance in the operational histories, both for A6Ms and Ki-43s, and is contrary to the legends we were told in the 20th Century that the slightest hit would shred a Zero or an Oscar like so much tissue paper and confetti. Second, the outcome of the engagement was actually equal, one lost and two badly damaged on each side, but because of where they were - on the north side of the Owen Stanleys, the Zeros were able to fly back to Lae but the P-40 pilots had to bail out.
The fighting wasn't over as several B-17s and some B-25s attacked two patrol boats carrying supplies off the coast of Lae. One B-17 was hit by flak and crashed. The B-25s claimed one hit on one of the ships but it didn't seem to slow it down. Another group of B-25s bombed Lae airfield at 2200. Finally 751 Ku G4M bombers attempted to Port Morseby around the same time but were turned around by bad weather.
As the situation around Guadalcanal became more critical, the Japanese began to give up on their attempted cross-island invasion from their new coastal bases at Buna and Gona, in later October, mainly due to lack of shipping. Due to the nature of the coastline of New Guinea it was not possible to supply these bases over-land.
Starting in Mid November (officially on Nov 16) the Allies commenced a counter attack which became known as the Buna - Gona campaign. Elements one Australian and one US infantry division, began a counterattack along basically the same route the Japanese had attempted. To help overcome the terrible conditions of climbing up very steep, very primitive mountain trails through jungle amidst frequent torrential rain etc., the Allies established airfields in the central highlands near Dodobura, and they were transporting troops and supplies there using about a dozen C-47 transport aircraft, a handful of Lockheed Hudsons, some modified B-17s, and smaller planes including De Havilland DH.84 Dragons and DH.89 Dragon Rapides, and even Wirraways, and small spotter planes etc.
However this wasn't really sufficient and the conditions were nightmarish, making logistics highly fraught. The US Division in particular struggled, in spite, or maybe partly because of, the repeated angry public exhortations from General MacArthur. The air-link was vital to the Allied offensive, and the Japanese attempted to sever it, going after the transport aircraft and often clashing with Allied fighters sent to protect them. Meanwhile the Allies ramped up attacks on the Japanese airfields at Lae and the beach-heads at Buna and Guna, flying the perilous route over the Owen Stanleys to the air strips and ports, and to chase down and attack shipping supplying and reinforcing these places. Here they had to contend with the usual atrocious weather and with Japanese fighters mainly operating from Lae and Rabaul sometimes also relocated to Buna. Increasingly violent air clashes took place when the fighters on each side could find enemy aircraft, or each other amidst the fog and clouds. The Allies were also using small ships and barges to move munitions and heavy equipment up the coastline from the east to sites near Buna, which the Japanese intercepted with dive bombers, destroying several small vessels. Japanese bombers also raided Port Morseby periodically, usually at night or at dawn / dusk.
US fighters consisted of nine fighter squadrons and 3 fighter groups: 35 FG at Port Mortseby (39th FS with P-38s, 40th, and 41st FS with P-39s / P-400s), US 49th FG also at Port Morseby (7th, 8th and 9th FS) flying P-40E and K, and 8th FG at Milne Bay (35th, 360th and 80th FS with P-39/P-400s). The US 7th Sqn had P-40Ks which had improved ammunition storage (so much fewer gun stoppages), automatic boost control (easier flying) and were cleared for 60" Hg WEP setting, which increased emergency horsepower up to 1570 hp. Some of the P-39s were old P-400s and P-39Ds, while some were newer P-39 variants though I couldn't determine precisely which.
Japanese had A6M2 and A6M3 fighters, some Rufes and Petes in the area, and the Ki-43-I arrived very late in this period as previously mentioned.
By December, as the fighting was heating up, the first JAAF fighter and bomber units arrived in the area, amounting to what would become a major reinforcement for the Japanese air forces. But all that was very late as far as this Sept-Dec period and played much more of a role in the next one.
Meanwhile on 15-16 Nov, large Allied raids with Beaufigthers, B-26s, B-25Cs, US A-20As and Australian Boston IIIs attacked targets in the Buna area. One B-25 was shot down by flak and one A-20 disappeared.
22 Nov 1942 - At 07:30- 12 x D3A Val dive bombers from 582 Ku escorted by 12 x A6M3 Zero Fighters from 582 and 252 Ku attacked Allied shipping east of Buna. These became engaged with 12 x Airacobras from 41 FS and 2 x P-38s from 39 FS. The P-39 pilots claimed two Zeros, actually shooting down one piloted by Maeda Tomio who was KiA. The Japanese pilots made no claims, but one P-400 (Airacobra) piloted by Lt Herbert Hill of 41 FS had to bail out over Buna and is MiA. The Vals didn't apparently hit any of the ships. Claringbould doesn't give any further details.
6 x RAAF 30 Sqn Beaufighters strafed the airfield at Lae and claimed to have hit Zeros on the ground, and were then pursued by 2 x Zeros on their way back south, one Beaufighter being damaged which crash landed at Wards. Late in the afternoon six more RAAF 30 Sqn Beaufighters and 9 x 89th BS A-20As struck Lae again and hit some barges and fired at three Zeros that were taking off, claiming one damaged and one probable respectively. The Beaufighters and A-20s then made their way back toward Port Morseby and were joined over Buna by an escorting force of P-40s from the 9th FS, 49th FG. These then in turn soon ran into a force of 7 x Zeros from Nos 582 and 252 Ku, and 6 x D3A Vals from 582 Ku, resulting in a swirling dogfight.
The 252 Ku Zero flown by FPO3 Oda Toru was shot down and killed by a P-40 and two more were badly damaged. One P-40E flown by Lt Donald Dittler was seen engaged with Zeros and is MiA, and two more were seriously damaged. These started flying south but eventually realized they could not climb high enough to make it over the Owen Stanleys so they both bailed out, with both pilots Lt Donald Sutliff and Lt Ralph Wire making it back to base, Lt. Wire in a few days, Sutliff after a 21 day ordeal in the jungle. Another 49th FG P-40 operating in another area seems to have had engine trouble and the pilot, Lt Robert McComsey bailed out and soon returned to his unit.
This demonstrates two things - first, that the A6Ms suffered heavy battle damage but flew smoking back to Lae. This is a common occurance in the operational histories, both for A6Ms and Ki-43s, and is contrary to the legends we were told in the 20th Century that the slightest hit would shred a Zero or an Oscar like so much tissue paper and confetti. Second, the outcome of the engagement was actually equal, one lost and two badly damaged on each side, but because of where they were - on the north side of the Owen Stanleys, the Zeros were able to fly back to Lae but the P-40 pilots had to bail out.
The fighting wasn't over as several B-17s and some B-25s attacked two patrol boats carrying supplies off the coast of Lae. One B-17 was hit by flak and crashed. The B-25s claimed one hit on one of the ships but it didn't seem to slow it down. Another group of B-25s bombed Lae airfield at 2200. Finally 751 Ku G4M bombers attempted to Port Morseby around the same time but were turned around by bad weather.
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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
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- Sep 29, 2025
I would really like to know if they did something like that, as the P-400s seemed to have performed differently (a bit better, eventually) at New Guinea than at Guadalcanal. That might help explain it. The other factor could be the improved fuel and increased boost / overboosting etc.
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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
- 1,082
- Sep 29, 2025
That's a really interesting point about smoking. I think it also may depend somewhat on where you are from, i.e. if you are from the swampland of Louisiana you may have a bit less endurance in the thin air than if you are from Colorado, or say, the highlands of Scotland, or Kenya.
I would also note, operating in a flight or walking around is one thing, pulling 4-6G turns amidst exhausting life or death air combat may be another.
I'm not sure about the effects of being at the equator and in higher temperature, though maybe that doesn't matter at altitude..?
Greg Boeser
1st Lieutenant
The air is cooler at altitude.
A favored trick in the tropics was to load cans of beer in the ammo bays, climb to altitude, fly around a bit, and voila , ice cold beer on landing.
A favored trick in the tropics was to load cans of beer in the ammo bays, climb to altitude, fly around a bit, and voila , ice cold beer on landing.
The dry adiabatic lapse rate is 3 degrees per 1000'
The moist lapse rate is more likely the case in the operating areas, and it is slowed by the release of latent heat.
Best case is a 100 degree day on the runway is still a 70 degree at 10K.
But the big issue is the greenhouse effect of the cockpit glass. You get cooked every which way in there. The UV exposure is bad as it gets filtered by the lower atmosphere to a significant extent.
Think about how warm a car can be in the winter and multiply that by more glass all around.
Heat fatigue is a big factor.
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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
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Yeah that is another major issue to consider
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
As you know, the U.S. military was notorious for "scrounging". This is not to say that other militaries didn't, but some of the stuff the Americans did was the stuff of legend, like stealing an Ice Cream machine from an aircraft carrier for their submarine, or swapping "goods" for an Airacobra's 37mm cannon that was installed on a PT boat. There is most certainly a very long list of "transactions" that transpired that went undocumented, unless briefly noted in a diary or perhaps a logbook or rarer still, captured in a photograph. One such event would be in Europe during the winter of 44/45, where a group of JG27 was waiting for winter camo paint that was long over-due. Not willing to wait any longer, they bartered with a local panzer group for camo paint (which would send modelling purists into fits if they found out).
So I have no doubt that some creative quartermaster did some haggling on the down-low for some Type-A4 systems for the pilots.
special ed
1st Lieutenant
- 7,045
- May 13, 2018
As an example of "The Navy Way", I submit how Hank Turner, USN career Chief Petty Officer & WW2 veteran got his USDA department new office chairs in the late 1970s. I made service calls to his department, on his floor in the USDA building. The room was equipped with the old military gray metal desks and period swivel chairs of WW2 vintage, as far as one could see. One call, Hank says, "Well, I got my chairs." I knew the old chairs were uncomfortable and un safe.
"I asked how did it happen?"
He told me he had documented all office accidents and incidents involving chairs and the lost time incurred. He ordered 4000 new chairs and they cut it to 2000, which is what he needed.
He said, "The Navy Way."
"I asked how did it happen?"
He told me he had documented all office accidents and incidents involving chairs and the lost time incurred. He ordered 4000 new chairs and they cut it to 2000, which is what he needed.
He said, "The Navy Way."
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Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
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Ok to finish up the fighter combat for this period Sept-Dec 1942
25 Nov - 11 x Zeros from 582 and 252 Ku were on patrol between Buna and Lae when they encountered a pair of 39th FS P-38s. There was a brief engagement but no losses on either side. Apparently though P-38s were around on one of the 22 Nov encounters, they didn't see any Zeros or vice versa, so this is the officially the first encounter between the two types in New Guinea.
26 Nov - US troops had started a new offensive on the 24th and were attacking Japanese Army positions around the Buna airfield. 6 x Beaufighters from 30 Sqn RAAF attacked Japanese positions near Buna at 0:730. At 7:50 these were joined by 15 x P-40E and Ks from 7th FS / 49th FG which strafed Buna airfield, 1 x P40E was shot down by heavy machine gun fire from the ground, pilot KiA. At 9:00 Bostons from 22 Sqn RAAF attacked the same area, one suddenly exploding (I think this was one of a series of accidents caused by bad parafrag bombs). 9 more A-20As from US 89th FS then strafed and bombed Buna, then 5 x B-25Cs from 71s BS, followed by 3 more A-20s and 3 x B-25s.
A formation of 4 x D3A Val Dive bombers and 12 x Zeros from 582 and 252 Ku flew from Lae to bomb Allied ground positions near Buna, where they encountered P-40s from 8th and 9th FS, 49th FG. During this combat 1 x A6M was shot down, no P-40s were lost.
11 x Japanese bombers of unknown type, escorted by Zeros, bombed Dobodura airfield, six then Zeros encountering 2 x C-47s heading back to Port Morseby after dropping off supplies. These were both shot down with only 60 cannon shells and 360 7.7 mm according to the records, crews being KiA.
5 x P-38s bombed Lae with 500 lb bombs. They claimed a Zero destroyed on the ground but apparently none were lost. 5 x B-26s also bombed Salamaua, possibly being blocked from Lae by bad weather.
In the afternoon another Japanese strike force of 4 x D3A Vals and 7 x A6M Zeros from Lae then struck Allied positions around Buna for the second time, encountering B-24, a B-25, and a P-38 but no losses taken on either side.
30 Nov - 5 x B-26s from 19th BS made a low level strike on the runway at Buna, then 17 x B-25s bombed Buna with 20 lb, 250 lb, and 300 lb bombs, also strafing at low altitude.
Later in the morning 6 x D3A Vals from 582 Ku flew in to the Buna area from Rabaul and were joined by 12 x A6M Zeros from the same unit. These encountered a mixed group of 16 x P-40E and K from 7th FS, 49th FG escorting 8 more P-40E from 8th FS, 49th FS which were carrying 300 lb bombs on a dive bombing raid against Buna. A big dogfight ensued, in which 2 x P-40s were shot down over the target, pilots KiA, and 1 more bailed out over Dobodura. 2 x A6M were also shot down including the flight leader Lt Sakai Tomoyasu, 1 D3A Val was shot up and crash landed at Lae, and another A6M was badly shot up.
7 Dec - On the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, very early in the morning 4 Catalinas bombed the warf at Kavieng, starting a large fire. At dawn 2 x B-17s bombed a wrecked Japanese transport ship near Gona that was still being unloaded. At 10:50 3 x Beaufighters from No. 30 RAAF strafed AAA positons at Buna as 6 x B-25s from 38th BG dropped 100 lb bombs on the Buna mission (being used as a Japanese CQ). At 12:23 8 x Wirraways from No 4 Sqn RAAF bombed Japanese troops postions near Gona.
Late inthe morning 6 x D3A Vals flew from Lae to bomb Allied positions in the vicinity of Buna, escorted by a total of 17 x A6M from 582 Ku. The area was being patrolled by Airacobras from 35, 36 and 40 Sqns, but the Vals were able to dive bomb an American field hospital, before the Japanese formation was attacked by the P-39s from above, with 1 x A6M and 2 x D3A being shot down. Two more Vals and a Zero were damaged. Only one P-39 had a single bullet hole in it, no losses.
A larger formation of 18 x G3M Nells escorted by 18 x A6M Zeros then arrived over the same area from Rabaul, and briefly tangled with the P-39s but the latter were low on fuel and quickly departed. They were being replaced at just that moment by ~ 30 P-40E and K from 7th and 9th FS, 49th FG. The Nells bombed the same field hospital killing 7 and wounding 30 men, but were then attacked by a flight of 4 x P-40s from the 7th FS, which immediately shot down 3 x G3M Nells, piloted by Ensign Svhirai Senjo, FCPO Agui Yoshihito, and FCPO Sakamoto Yoshikane, all crews being KiA. 8 more G3Ms were damaged. Then these four 7th FS P-40s were bounced by Zeros, but they were in turn attacked by 9th FS P-40s resulting in an air battle but no fighter losses on either side.
4 x B-17s from 63rd BS then attacked a Japanese tanker off Gasmata. They were then pursued by 6 x A6M Zeros from Gasmata. In a running fight 1 Zero was badly shot up and the pilot was wounded, none of the B-17s was lost though they expended 11,900 .50 caliber rounds in their defense.
At 14:30 6 x Beaufighters attacked Lae claiming 2 aircraft destroyed on the ground, followed by 6 x B-25s which bombed the same base, and were breifly attacked by Zeros but took no losses.
26-27 Dec - 15 x Ki-43-Is flew from Malahang to the vicinity of Buna, where they encountered 4 x Hudsons from No 1 OTU operating at low level, and they dived down to attack them. A battle at treetop height ensued, two Hudsons flown by instructors escaped, one piloted by students landed but was strafed, and the fourth which was carrying wounded was badly shot up and had to ditch. 12 x P-40Es from 9th FS which were patrolling nearby then intervened, with dogfights breaking out all over. 1Lt John Landers flying P-40 "The Rebel" had to bale out after his engine seized (pilot survived and rejoined his unit), one Ki-43-I piloted by Sgt Major Imamura Ryoicha was shot down, plot KiA.
That is when a Wirraway from No. 4 sqn was doing artillery spotting nearby and chanced on a "Zeke" near the wreck offshore from Gona. He attacked from his forward .303 machine guns, and damaged the Ki-43-I which may have already been damaged by one of the Hudsons, and it crashed. This is famously the only Wirraway air to air victory of the war.
3 x B24s bombed ships near Cape Gloucester, Finschafen, Madang, and Rabaul. One of them set fire to the cargo ship Izumi Maru which sunk. A pair of Bostons from 22 RAF strafed and bombed barges on the coast near Gona, and a single B-17 on an armed reconnaissance raid strafed a launch near New Britain and then was attacked by 5 x Zeros which drove it off with no losses.
Summary and Context
In summary of this part, it's worth keeping in mind that though the numbers of aircraft involved were very small compared to most other Theaters, one has to remember where this is. New Guinea is 4,300 miles from Hawaii. It's closer to Australia but northern Australia is itself pretty remote - Port Morseby is 1200 miles from Brisbane and 1700 miles from Sydney. It's also roughly 3,000 miles from Japan. Conditions are bad almost beyond belief, with multiple strong thunderstorms and heavy fog coming off the giant Owen Stanley mountains or nearby Pacific ocean every single day, and major storms several times per month. Toxic plants and insects fill the jungle, extremely steep peaks and cliffs of the Owen Stanleys are almost impossible to traverse. A wide array of tropical diseases, often hostile (and quite brutalized, especially by the Japanese) native population, and dangerous animals like giant crocodiles and sharks awaiting pilots who have to bail out. Not to mention the endless heat and humidity. We can see how much trouble the modern US Navy is having today supporting operations in the Middle East, which is much closer to friendly ports. The South Pacific was far more remote especially in 1942, with vastly inferior communications etc.
For every aircraft lost in combat 3 or 4 were lost just trying to operate in this Theater. Enemy ships, submarines and long range warplanes roam around the nearby seas for hundreds of miles around this vast jungle / mountain island and attack anything in sight. Shoals and reefs are treacherous and poorly charted. Projecting military power in this area represents a major effort. It's relatively easy to maintain twenty fighter groups when you are 100 miles by rail from a major port or the factory where the planes are built. It's another matter entirely when you have to send them across 4,000 miles of treacherous open ocean waters.
In early 1942 the Japanese were basically slaughtering the Australians and Americans who were holding on tenaciously but taking serious losses. As the year progressed they inflicted some losses on the Japanese, blocking them at Coral Sea and Milne Bay. By the end of 1942, where this book ends, the Allies have increased their presence dramatically, bringing in some improved aircraft types (P-38s and P-40Ks, Beaufighters and B-25s and A-20s, B-24s and later model B-17s), and making use of hard-won lessons to adjust their tactics. Losses from accidents and the brutal environment are still high but are now decreasing. The pilots and ground crews now have mosquito nets and quinine and DDT. Adequate supplies are reaching at least the ports and airfields. Ground troops fighting across the center of the island are in more brutal and precarious situation.
The Japanese have brought in better planes too - the A6M3 fighters, and now the Army has finally arrived with their Ki-43-Is and their own Ki-21 and Ki-48 bomber types which we will see more of in the next section. The Japanese offensive from Buna and Gona to cross the island has collapsed and now the Allies are right at their bases, with supplies being interdicted by sloppy and largely ineffective but constant and very aggressive attacks. The ratio of strikes to lost ships is fairly low but ships are getting sunk regardless and it's becoming hard to keep their foothold at Buna and Gona supplied. Japanese troops are starting to starve.
25 Nov - 11 x Zeros from 582 and 252 Ku were on patrol between Buna and Lae when they encountered a pair of 39th FS P-38s. There was a brief engagement but no losses on either side. Apparently though P-38s were around on one of the 22 Nov encounters, they didn't see any Zeros or vice versa, so this is the officially the first encounter between the two types in New Guinea.
26 Nov - US troops had started a new offensive on the 24th and were attacking Japanese Army positions around the Buna airfield. 6 x Beaufighters from 30 Sqn RAAF attacked Japanese positions near Buna at 0:730. At 7:50 these were joined by 15 x P-40E and Ks from 7th FS / 49th FG which strafed Buna airfield, 1 x P40E was shot down by heavy machine gun fire from the ground, pilot KiA. At 9:00 Bostons from 22 Sqn RAAF attacked the same area, one suddenly exploding (I think this was one of a series of accidents caused by bad parafrag bombs). 9 more A-20As from US 89th FS then strafed and bombed Buna, then 5 x B-25Cs from 71s BS, followed by 3 more A-20s and 3 x B-25s.
A formation of 4 x D3A Val Dive bombers and 12 x Zeros from 582 and 252 Ku flew from Lae to bomb Allied ground positions near Buna, where they encountered P-40s from 8th and 9th FS, 49th FG. During this combat 1 x A6M was shot down, no P-40s were lost.
11 x Japanese bombers of unknown type, escorted by Zeros, bombed Dobodura airfield, six then Zeros encountering 2 x C-47s heading back to Port Morseby after dropping off supplies. These were both shot down with only 60 cannon shells and 360 7.7 mm according to the records, crews being KiA.
5 x P-38s bombed Lae with 500 lb bombs. They claimed a Zero destroyed on the ground but apparently none were lost. 5 x B-26s also bombed Salamaua, possibly being blocked from Lae by bad weather.
In the afternoon another Japanese strike force of 4 x D3A Vals and 7 x A6M Zeros from Lae then struck Allied positions around Buna for the second time, encountering B-24, a B-25, and a P-38 but no losses taken on either side.
30 Nov - 5 x B-26s from 19th BS made a low level strike on the runway at Buna, then 17 x B-25s bombed Buna with 20 lb, 250 lb, and 300 lb bombs, also strafing at low altitude.
Later in the morning 6 x D3A Vals from 582 Ku flew in to the Buna area from Rabaul and were joined by 12 x A6M Zeros from the same unit. These encountered a mixed group of 16 x P-40E and K from 7th FS, 49th FG escorting 8 more P-40E from 8th FS, 49th FS which were carrying 300 lb bombs on a dive bombing raid against Buna. A big dogfight ensued, in which 2 x P-40s were shot down over the target, pilots KiA, and 1 more bailed out over Dobodura. 2 x A6M were also shot down including the flight leader Lt Sakai Tomoyasu, 1 D3A Val was shot up and crash landed at Lae, and another A6M was badly shot up.
7 Dec - On the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, very early in the morning 4 Catalinas bombed the warf at Kavieng, starting a large fire. At dawn 2 x B-17s bombed a wrecked Japanese transport ship near Gona that was still being unloaded. At 10:50 3 x Beaufighters from No. 30 RAAF strafed AAA positons at Buna as 6 x B-25s from 38th BG dropped 100 lb bombs on the Buna mission (being used as a Japanese CQ). At 12:23 8 x Wirraways from No 4 Sqn RAAF bombed Japanese troops postions near Gona.
Late inthe morning 6 x D3A Vals flew from Lae to bomb Allied positions in the vicinity of Buna, escorted by a total of 17 x A6M from 582 Ku. The area was being patrolled by Airacobras from 35, 36 and 40 Sqns, but the Vals were able to dive bomb an American field hospital, before the Japanese formation was attacked by the P-39s from above, with 1 x A6M and 2 x D3A being shot down. Two more Vals and a Zero were damaged. Only one P-39 had a single bullet hole in it, no losses.
A larger formation of 18 x G3M Nells escorted by 18 x A6M Zeros then arrived over the same area from Rabaul, and briefly tangled with the P-39s but the latter were low on fuel and quickly departed. They were being replaced at just that moment by ~ 30 P-40E and K from 7th and 9th FS, 49th FG. The Nells bombed the same field hospital killing 7 and wounding 30 men, but were then attacked by a flight of 4 x P-40s from the 7th FS, which immediately shot down 3 x G3M Nells, piloted by Ensign Svhirai Senjo, FCPO Agui Yoshihito, and FCPO Sakamoto Yoshikane, all crews being KiA. 8 more G3Ms were damaged. Then these four 7th FS P-40s were bounced by Zeros, but they were in turn attacked by 9th FS P-40s resulting in an air battle but no fighter losses on either side.
4 x B-17s from 63rd BS then attacked a Japanese tanker off Gasmata. They were then pursued by 6 x A6M Zeros from Gasmata. In a running fight 1 Zero was badly shot up and the pilot was wounded, none of the B-17s was lost though they expended 11,900 .50 caliber rounds in their defense.
At 14:30 6 x Beaufighters attacked Lae claiming 2 aircraft destroyed on the ground, followed by 6 x B-25s which bombed the same base, and were breifly attacked by Zeros but took no losses.
26-27 Dec - 15 x Ki-43-Is flew from Malahang to the vicinity of Buna, where they encountered 4 x Hudsons from No 1 OTU operating at low level, and they dived down to attack them. A battle at treetop height ensued, two Hudsons flown by instructors escaped, one piloted by students landed but was strafed, and the fourth which was carrying wounded was badly shot up and had to ditch. 12 x P-40Es from 9th FS which were patrolling nearby then intervened, with dogfights breaking out all over. 1Lt John Landers flying P-40 "The Rebel" had to bale out after his engine seized (pilot survived and rejoined his unit), one Ki-43-I piloted by Sgt Major Imamura Ryoicha was shot down, plot KiA.
That is when a Wirraway from No. 4 sqn was doing artillery spotting nearby and chanced on a "Zeke" near the wreck offshore from Gona. He attacked from his forward .303 machine guns, and damaged the Ki-43-I which may have already been damaged by one of the Hudsons, and it crashed. This is famously the only Wirraway air to air victory of the war.
3 x B24s bombed ships near Cape Gloucester, Finschafen, Madang, and Rabaul. One of them set fire to the cargo ship Izumi Maru which sunk. A pair of Bostons from 22 RAF strafed and bombed barges on the coast near Gona, and a single B-17 on an armed reconnaissance raid strafed a launch near New Britain and then was attacked by 5 x Zeros which drove it off with no losses.
Summary and Context
In summary of this part, it's worth keeping in mind that though the numbers of aircraft involved were very small compared to most other Theaters, one has to remember where this is. New Guinea is 4,300 miles from Hawaii. It's closer to Australia but northern Australia is itself pretty remote - Port Morseby is 1200 miles from Brisbane and 1700 miles from Sydney. It's also roughly 3,000 miles from Japan. Conditions are bad almost beyond belief, with multiple strong thunderstorms and heavy fog coming off the giant Owen Stanley mountains or nearby Pacific ocean every single day, and major storms several times per month. Toxic plants and insects fill the jungle, extremely steep peaks and cliffs of the Owen Stanleys are almost impossible to traverse. A wide array of tropical diseases, often hostile (and quite brutalized, especially by the Japanese) native population, and dangerous animals like giant crocodiles and sharks awaiting pilots who have to bail out. Not to mention the endless heat and humidity. We can see how much trouble the modern US Navy is having today supporting operations in the Middle East, which is much closer to friendly ports. The South Pacific was far more remote especially in 1942, with vastly inferior communications etc.
For every aircraft lost in combat 3 or 4 were lost just trying to operate in this Theater. Enemy ships, submarines and long range warplanes roam around the nearby seas for hundreds of miles around this vast jungle / mountain island and attack anything in sight. Shoals and reefs are treacherous and poorly charted. Projecting military power in this area represents a major effort. It's relatively easy to maintain twenty fighter groups when you are 100 miles by rail from a major port or the factory where the planes are built. It's another matter entirely when you have to send them across 4,000 miles of treacherous open ocean waters.
In early 1942 the Japanese were basically slaughtering the Australians and Americans who were holding on tenaciously but taking serious losses. As the year progressed they inflicted some losses on the Japanese, blocking them at Coral Sea and Milne Bay. By the end of 1942, where this book ends, the Allies have increased their presence dramatically, bringing in some improved aircraft types (P-38s and P-40Ks, Beaufighters and B-25s and A-20s, B-24s and later model B-17s), and making use of hard-won lessons to adjust their tactics. Losses from accidents and the brutal environment are still high but are now decreasing. The pilots and ground crews now have mosquito nets and quinine and DDT. Adequate supplies are reaching at least the ports and airfields. Ground troops fighting across the center of the island are in more brutal and precarious situation.
The Japanese have brought in better planes too - the A6M3 fighters, and now the Army has finally arrived with their Ki-43-Is and their own Ki-21 and Ki-48 bomber types which we will see more of in the next section. The Japanese offensive from Buna and Gona to cross the island has collapsed and now the Allies are right at their bases, with supplies being interdicted by sloppy and largely ineffective but constant and very aggressive attacks. The ratio of strikes to lost ships is fairly low but ships are getting sunk regardless and it's becoming hard to keep their foothold at Buna and Gona supplied. Japanese troops are starting to starve.
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- Thread starter
- #95
Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
- 1,082
- Sep 29, 2025
Ok so tomorrow, and / or maybe over this weekend we can discuss the period of Jan-March 1943, via this book
This three month period includes the famous battle of the Bismarck Sea, which was just recently brought up in another thread. It's also when the Japanese Army Air Force - and the Oscar - really gets into the fight in New Guinea. These are still entirely Ki-43-I, with the two bladed propeller etc. rather incredibly. The Japanese Navy air force is still present and by this time is mostly using the newer A6M3 with a couple of subtypes.
On the Allied side, the number of P-38s increase, and some P-38G are introduced into the fight. The 49th FG is still present with a mix of P-40E and K, a few more of the latter trickling in. A few newer P-39s are also coming in but they are still using a lot of P-400s and P-39Ds. Some B-24Ds are now being used in Theater more regularly, but the B-17s are still the E and F types. Some slightly newer B-25D are replacing the older C type, and they are still using the A-20A type Boston bombers, which barely have any armor, but apparently due to their speed they don't take a lot of combat losses compared to the more heavily armed and better protected B-25s and B-26s.
Allied losses for this period were 97 aircraft:
11 x P-38 Lightning, 6 in air combat
11 x P-40 Kittyhawk / Warhawk, 2 in air combat
10 x P-39 and P-400 Airacobras, 0 in air combat (!!)
11 x B-24 Liberator, 5 in air combat
10 x B-17 Fortress, 5 in air combat
9 x B-25 Mitchell, 3 in air combat
5 x B-26 Marauder, 2 in air combat
4 x A-20A, 1 possibly to air combat
5 x C-47
4 x Beaufighter
3 x Beaufort
3 x Hudson
3 x Wirraway
and 4 'Other', including a DH-84, a Catalina, an Anson, and an F-4
So a total of 32 fighters and 39 bombers lost, of which 8 fighters and 15-16 bombers were shot down in air combat. Maybe some more of the other types.
Some of the Allied bomber losses were to AA which seems to be getting more dangerous in this period. Some were also destroyed on the ground by bombing raids.
Japanese losses for this period were 62 aircraft:
25 x Ki-43-I Oscars, 19 in air combat
21 x A6M Zeros, 18 in air combat
1 x Ki-45 Nick fighter (in air combat, victim of a B-24)
6 x D3A Val, 3 in air combat
3 x G4M Betty, 1 in air combat
3 x Ki-48 Lily, all 3 in air combat
2 x Ki-21 Sally bomber
1 x G3M Nell bomber
Of the Oscars shot down, 4 were by P-38s, 4 by bomber gunners, 9 to "US fighters"
Of the Zeros shot down, 6 were by P-38s, 5 by bomber gunners, 3 to "US fighters"
all three of the Vals and all three of the Lilys were also shot down by "US fighters"
"US Fighters" in this case means a mix of P-40s and P-39s, mostly the former, but we'll look at the specific cases. P-40 pilots from the 49th FG made about 4 times as many claims as the P-39 pilots in the same combats. But in some cases it's hard to tell who got what.
The Japanese losses were still lower than Allied, but they lost a lot more fighters in air combat. A total of 47 Japanese fighters were lost, a bit more than double all the previous 3 month periods (except May-Jun which include Coral Sea) in which the Japanese lost 20-25 fighters. Of those 47, 37 fighters were lost in air combat, 10 by P-38s, 9 by heavy and medium bomber gunners, and 12 by P-40s and P-39s. They lost 15 bombers of which 7 to P-40s and P-39s.
So, interestingly, on the one hand the Japanese pilots were still doing a better job of the US of not crashing on takeoff and landing, getting lost in storms or in the fog, or running into mountains than the Allies, (the Allies are getting better about all this, but still having problems) but on the other hand, the Japanese were clearly now getting the worst of it in the air to air combat. That is a big change from 1942, especially early 1942 when they clearly had the upper hand against the very inexperienced Allied units. At this point, all the Allied combat fighter and bomber units had significant experience, and I think that is the biggest difference - because for the most part they were still using the same types of aircraft! Both sides are ramping up the numbers, the Japanese Army starting to take the lead in the fighting here on the Japanese side, but the Navy still contributing quite a bit. The P-38 was starting to play an important role, but not yet so much in the sense that it was vastly better in air combat, rather because of it's range. This is particularly clear during the fighting during the Battle of Bismarck Sea.
Finally, it's just incredible to me that here in early 1943, both sides are still using aircraft - Ki-43-1, G3M, Ki-21, P-400s, P-39Ds, P-40E-1s, B-17Fs, B-25Cs, A-20As, which seem like they should have been phased out by mid 1942. This is also a factor of the extremely long supply lines and logistics chains. Newer types are coming, but there is a serious lag. The P-40Ks are a significant improvement over the P-40E but about half of the 49th FG pilots are still flying the E types! By the end of this period (Feb-March) Corsairs are fighting in the Solomons with the USMC along with a few P-40Fs, and the Japanese are deploying Ki-61s and Ki-44s in other Theaters. Five fighter groups of P-40Fs and Ls and two with P-39G and Hs are already fighting in the Mediterranean (P-40Fs have been in combat there since mid 1942), and P-39N and A-20C are already on their way to Russia.
Right at the end of this period, in May 1943, the Japanese would receive their first Ki-43-II (a major improvement over the Ki-43-I) and in April they will get their first Ki-61s
This three month period includes the famous battle of the Bismarck Sea, which was just recently brought up in another thread. It's also when the Japanese Army Air Force - and the Oscar - really gets into the fight in New Guinea. These are still entirely Ki-43-I, with the two bladed propeller etc. rather incredibly. The Japanese Navy air force is still present and by this time is mostly using the newer A6M3 with a couple of subtypes.
On the Allied side, the number of P-38s increase, and some P-38G are introduced into the fight. The 49th FG is still present with a mix of P-40E and K, a few more of the latter trickling in. A few newer P-39s are also coming in but they are still using a lot of P-400s and P-39Ds. Some B-24Ds are now being used in Theater more regularly, but the B-17s are still the E and F types. Some slightly newer B-25D are replacing the older C type, and they are still using the A-20A type Boston bombers, which barely have any armor, but apparently due to their speed they don't take a lot of combat losses compared to the more heavily armed and better protected B-25s and B-26s.
Allied losses for this period were 97 aircraft:
11 x P-38 Lightning, 6 in air combat
11 x P-40 Kittyhawk / Warhawk, 2 in air combat
10 x P-39 and P-400 Airacobras, 0 in air combat (!!)
11 x B-24 Liberator, 5 in air combat
10 x B-17 Fortress, 5 in air combat
9 x B-25 Mitchell, 3 in air combat
5 x B-26 Marauder, 2 in air combat
4 x A-20A, 1 possibly to air combat
5 x C-47
4 x Beaufighter
3 x Beaufort
3 x Hudson
3 x Wirraway
and 4 'Other', including a DH-84, a Catalina, an Anson, and an F-4
So a total of 32 fighters and 39 bombers lost, of which 8 fighters and 15-16 bombers were shot down in air combat. Maybe some more of the other types.
Some of the Allied bomber losses were to AA which seems to be getting more dangerous in this period. Some were also destroyed on the ground by bombing raids.
Japanese losses for this period were 62 aircraft:
25 x Ki-43-I Oscars, 19 in air combat
21 x A6M Zeros, 18 in air combat
1 x Ki-45 Nick fighter (in air combat, victim of a B-24)
6 x D3A Val, 3 in air combat
3 x G4M Betty, 1 in air combat
3 x Ki-48 Lily, all 3 in air combat
2 x Ki-21 Sally bomber
1 x G3M Nell bomber
Of the Oscars shot down, 4 were by P-38s, 4 by bomber gunners, 9 to "US fighters"
Of the Zeros shot down, 6 were by P-38s, 5 by bomber gunners, 3 to "US fighters"
all three of the Vals and all three of the Lilys were also shot down by "US fighters"
"US Fighters" in this case means a mix of P-40s and P-39s, mostly the former, but we'll look at the specific cases. P-40 pilots from the 49th FG made about 4 times as many claims as the P-39 pilots in the same combats. But in some cases it's hard to tell who got what.
The Japanese losses were still lower than Allied, but they lost a lot more fighters in air combat. A total of 47 Japanese fighters were lost, a bit more than double all the previous 3 month periods (except May-Jun which include Coral Sea) in which the Japanese lost 20-25 fighters. Of those 47, 37 fighters were lost in air combat, 10 by P-38s, 9 by heavy and medium bomber gunners, and 12 by P-40s and P-39s. They lost 15 bombers of which 7 to P-40s and P-39s.
So, interestingly, on the one hand the Japanese pilots were still doing a better job of the US of not crashing on takeoff and landing, getting lost in storms or in the fog, or running into mountains than the Allies, (the Allies are getting better about all this, but still having problems) but on the other hand, the Japanese were clearly now getting the worst of it in the air to air combat. That is a big change from 1942, especially early 1942 when they clearly had the upper hand against the very inexperienced Allied units. At this point, all the Allied combat fighter and bomber units had significant experience, and I think that is the biggest difference - because for the most part they were still using the same types of aircraft! Both sides are ramping up the numbers, the Japanese Army starting to take the lead in the fighting here on the Japanese side, but the Navy still contributing quite a bit. The P-38 was starting to play an important role, but not yet so much in the sense that it was vastly better in air combat, rather because of it's range. This is particularly clear during the fighting during the Battle of Bismarck Sea.
Finally, it's just incredible to me that here in early 1943, both sides are still using aircraft - Ki-43-1, G3M, Ki-21, P-400s, P-39Ds, P-40E-1s, B-17Fs, B-25Cs, A-20As, which seem like they should have been phased out by mid 1942. This is also a factor of the extremely long supply lines and logistics chains. Newer types are coming, but there is a serious lag. The P-40Ks are a significant improvement over the P-40E but about half of the 49th FG pilots are still flying the E types! By the end of this period (Feb-March) Corsairs are fighting in the Solomons with the USMC along with a few P-40Fs, and the Japanese are deploying Ki-61s and Ki-44s in other Theaters. Five fighter groups of P-40Fs and Ls and two with P-39G and Hs are already fighting in the Mediterranean (P-40Fs have been in combat there since mid 1942), and P-39N and A-20C are already on their way to Russia.
Right at the end of this period, in May 1943, the Japanese would receive their first Ki-43-II (a major improvement over the Ki-43-I) and in April they will get their first Ki-61s
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
At this point, stop and appreciate the entrance of the Imperial Japanese Army into the equation in late '42, as the Army was not interested in assisting the Navy. The Army was preoccupied with territorial operations on mainland Asia and assumed the Navy had all well in hand in their Maritime field of operations.
As the situation in the Pacific became complicated, the Navy ate crow and asked the Army for assistance, to which the Army resisted initially. It took a monumental effort of statesmanship in Tokyo to eventually motivate the Army to move assets to the New Guinea area to assist the Navy.
As the situation in the Pacific became complicated, the Navy ate crow and asked the Army for assistance, to which the Army resisted initially. It took a monumental effort of statesmanship in Tokyo to eventually motivate the Army to move assets to the New Guinea area to assist the Navy.
- Thread starter
- #97
Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
- 1,082
- Sep 29, 2025
It's really hard to overstate the intense animosity between the Japanese Army and Navy. It was more comparable to strained relations between nations that expected they may have to one day fight one another, like say, England and the Soviet Union or Italy and Germany, than between agencies of the same government (at least theoretically!)
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drgondog
Major
The British were receiving pre-Dec 7 commitments by FDR, In May 1942 Arnold and Tower were on their to GB to re-negotiate the agreed allocations, things were 'tense' in Middle East.
Bolero and defense of Hawaii and US west coast were number 1 in summer 1842 even after Battle of Midway, Training Command demanding their share, China demanding their share, Torch stripped Bolero and supplied the African campaign with all the new P-40 and p-38s - all the P-38s save one squadron went to Africa/12th AF. Russians demanding their share of P-39s steadily after 1941.. SWP and CBI had perhaps lowest priority from Joint Chiefs in early 1943.
- Thread starter
- #99
Steamed_Banana
Staff Sergeant
- 1,082
- Sep 29, 2025
Yeah I do get it, but it's still surprising - you aren't going to throw a fighter or any military aircraft away if it can still perform a useful mission, hence the Hudsons and Wirraways and Boomerangs in SW Pacific, and the Mohawk IVs and Hurricane IIs still fighting in 1944 in Burma etc. But it's interesting to me because I think there is a default assumption that once the newer types come out the old ones get retired. Not necessarily the case. That's one of the things I'm learning from reading all these operational histories.
It's also interesting that some new aircraft seem to last 2-3 months in combat and then are basically considered useless, (either because they couldn't keep them flying or because they couldn't cope with enemy aircraft or other conditions of the Theater) and get relegated to training roles or as target tugs or just left to rot on a field somewhere and maybe used for spare parts... while some other types continue in combat for years. That's wild.
I think in some cases like with the P-40Es and the B-17E and Fs they are sometimes being refurbished with new engines etc. and also getting a range of other little improvements in field or regional depots, so they are sort of hybrids after a while. You see P-40Es with RDF loops on the back for example, some of them apparently were re-engined with the same power plant as the P-40K. Some A-20s were given extra armor, Pappy Gunn did all those strafer modifications, many planes got new radio gear, some planes got new propellers or different guns etc. etc.
It's also interesting that some new aircraft seem to last 2-3 months in combat and then are basically considered useless, (either because they couldn't keep them flying or because they couldn't cope with enemy aircraft or other conditions of the Theater) and get relegated to training roles or as target tugs or just left to rot on a field somewhere and maybe used for spare parts... while some other types continue in combat for years. That's wild.
I think in some cases like with the P-40Es and the B-17E and Fs they are sometimes being refurbished with new engines etc. and also getting a range of other little improvements in field or regional depots, so they are sort of hybrids after a while. You see P-40Es with RDF loops on the back for example, some of them apparently were re-engined with the same power plant as the P-40K. Some A-20s were given extra armor, Pappy Gunn did all those strafer modifications, many planes got new radio gear, some planes got new propellers or different guns etc. etc.
Greg Boeser
1st Lieutenant
The B-26s of 22nd BG were stood down in January '43. Most of the group converted to B-25s later in the year, but one squadron, the 19th BS, would resume combat operations flying refurbished B-26s in July until all B-26s in the Pacific were retired in Janaury '44.
