75 Squadron to the rescue. raaf.gov.au/RAAFNews Photos - FLGOFF Wilbur Wackett, left, and a P-40E Kittyhawk in Townsville. The American Kittyhawks were the best fighters then available to Australia. No. 75 Squadron’s air battle for Port Moresby from March 21 to May 8, 1942, stands as one of the more remarkable feats in RAAF history. 75SQN deployed to Port Moresby just 17 days after forming at Townsville, equipped with Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawks, at a time of great concern for Australia in World War II. The Japanese expansion into the south-west Pacific had reached as far as Lae, on the north coast of New Guinea, and it appeared they intended to capture Port Moresby as they advanced towards Australia. For the next 48 days, 75SQN thwarted Japanese plans to capture the crucial Allied base of Port Moresby and take control of its strategically vital airfields and harbour facilities. The American Kittyhawks were capable of speeds up to 582 km/h and were the best fighters then available to Australia. When they arrived in Port Moresby, though, the unit’s younger pilots had an average of nine days training on the Kittyhawks and had fired their guns only once. Read the full article in the latest Air Force News: raaf.gov.au/RAAFNews Read more about 75SQN: raaf.gov.au/1iqSrvW Read more about the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk: raaf.gov.au/Qql026
Posted on: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 06:30:00 +0000