Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:59 pm
Another pic... "Adam LaZonga" 89th A-20 flown by 8th Sqdn pilot Ed Chudoba. Ed clipped the radio mast of the ship he was attacking, the Taimei Maru. Thanks to the O'Donnell family for the pic!
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:19 am
BATTLE OF THE BISMARCK SEA
In the first week of March 1943 a force of land-based Australian and American warplanes won one of the most devastating victories of World War II. Described by General Douglas MacArthur as 'the decisive aerial engagement of the war in the Southwest Pacific', the brilliantly planned and conducted Battle of the Bismarck Sea smashed Japanese hopes of regaining the initiative in New Guinea and eliminated any possibility that Australia might be invaded.
The war in the Pacific had started with a stunning series of disasters for the allies: the attack on Pearl Harbor; the fall in rapid succession of Malaya, Rabaul, Singapore, and the Netherlands East Indies; and on 19 February 1942 the low point in Australian military history, the bombing of Darwin. But following those defeats the allies began to claw their way back. The triumph of American naval air power at Coral Sea and Midway in mid-1942 halted the Japanese advance towards New Guinea and Australia; and shortly afterwards the Australian victories (with American assistance) at Milne Bay and Kokoda weakened the enemy's hold on New Guinea. Further successes at Buna, Gona and Sanananda between November 1942 and January 1943 left the Japanese forces in New Guinea in urgent need of reinforcement.
Intercepted radio messages indicated that a powerful enemy convoy was likely to sail from the enemy stronghold at Rabaul with reinforcements for the vital garrison at Lae in late-February. It would be the task of the Royal Australian Air Force and the United States Army Air Force to prevent those reinforcements from reaching their destination.
Air Commodore W.H. Garing CBE DFC DSC (US) RAAF
The commander of the Allied Air Forces, the dynamic and innovative General George C. Kenney, began preparing a major assault. He would rely on reconnaissance aircraft to detect the convoy, which would then be attacked by long-range USAAF heavy bombers. Once the enemy convoy was within range of the allies' potent anti-shipping aircraft - RAAF Beaufighters, Bostons and Beauforts, and USAAF Mitchells and Bostons - an all-out attack would be mounted from medium, low and very low altitudes.
RAAF units assigned to the operation came from No. 9 Operational Group headed by Air Commodore Joe Hewitt. Hewitt, however, had only recently assumed command, so the main Australian planning contribution came from his predecessor, the ebullient and aggressive Group Captain W.H. 'Bull' Garing, whose leadership had been crucial to the RAAF''s contribution to victory at Milne Bay. This time Garing's expertise in maritime warfare, which he had gained flying Sunderlands with No. 10 Squadron in Europe in 1939-1940, was to prove decisive.
It was Garing who convinced Kenney of the need for a massive, coordinated attack. Garing envisaged large numbers of aircraft striking the convoy from different directions and altitudes, with precise timing. Knowing that inexperienced crews would find the task difficult, Garing suggested to Kenney's forward-echelon commander, General Ennis C. Whitehead, that a full-scale dress rehearsal should be held.
Because allied planners expected the battle to take place in the Huon Gulf they selected Cape Ward Hunt, 140 kilometres to the southeast, as the strike force's rendezvous point. Each formnation would have to overfly Cape Ward Hunt at precisely the right time if the desired degree of concentration were to be achieved. For the dress rehearsal. Garing briefed the crews to rendezvous at Cape Rodney, 140 kilometres southeast of Port Moresby, and to carry out a simulated strike against a wrecked ship in Port Moresby harbour. He and General Whitehead then observed the exercise from a nearby hill.
The dress rehearsal was invaluable as potentially disastrous mistakes were made, with some aircraft arriving over the wreck twenty minutes late. Thorough debriefings were held and the problems resolved. During the waiting period crews honed their bombing and gunnery skills.
Some 6400 Japanese troops embarked at Rabaul between 23 and 27 February and the convoy of eight merchant ships and eight destroyers sailed just before midnight on the 28th, planning to arrive at Lae on 3 March. Air cover was provided by about 100 fighters flying out of bases in New Ireland,, New Britain and New Guinea.
The convoy was initially favoured by poor weather, which hampered allied reconnaissance. It was not until mid-morning on 2 March that USAAF B-24 Liberators sighted the ships. General Whitehead immediately launched eight B-17s, followed shortly afterwards by twenty more. The B-17s attacked from an altitude of 2000 metres with 450 kilogram demolition bombs. Later in the day another strike was made eleven B-17s whose crews claimed large numbers of hits and reported that vessels were 'burning and exploding.smoking and burning amidships' and 'left sinking'. Up to three merchant ships may have been sunk.
By nightfall the enemy had reached the Vitiaz Strait which meant that in the morning it would be within range of the entire AAF strike force. If the coordinated attack were to succeed the precise location of the convoy had to be known at daybreak; consequently, throughout the night it was tracked by an RAAF Catalina from No. 11 Squadron, which occasionally dropped bombs to keep the Japanese in a state of anxiety. Also during the night eight RAAF Beaufort torpedo bombers from No, 100 Squadron took-off from Milne Bay to use the darkness to their advantage. Heavy weather made navigation hazardous and only two aircraft found the convoy. Neither scored a hit
The moment the AAF had been waiting for came on the morning of 3 March 1943 when the Japanese rounded the Huon Peninsula. For much of the time adverse weather had helped the enemy avoid detection but now clear conditions favoured the allies. Over ninety aircraft took off from Port Moresby and set heading for Cape Ward Hunt. While the strike force was en route, Bostons from No.22 Squadron bombed the airfield at Lae.
By 9-30 a m the AAF formations had assembled over Cape Ward Hunt, and by 10:00 a.m. the Battle of the Bismarck Sea had started. The allies attacked in three waves and from three levels, only seconds apart.
First, thirteen USAAF Flying Fortresses bombed from medium altitude. In addition to the obvious objective of sinking ships, those attacks were intended to disperse the convoy by forcing vessels to break station to avoid being hit.
Second, thirteen RAAF Beaufighters from No. 30 Squadron hit the enemy from very low level, lining up on their targets as the bombs from the Flying Fortresses were exploding. With four cannons in its nose and six machine guns in its wings the Beaufighter was the most heavily armed fighter in the world. The Australians' job was twofold: to suppress anti-aircraft fire; and to kill ships' captains and officers on their bridges.
The Beaufighters initially approached at 150 metres in line astern formation. The pilots then dived to mast-level height, set full power on their engines, changed into line abreast formation, and approached their targets at 420 kilometres an hour. It seems that some of the Japanese captains thought the Beaufighters were going to make a torpedo attack because they altered course to meet the Australians head-on, to present a smaller profile. Instead, they made themselves better targets for strafing. With a slight alteration of heading the Beaufighters were now in a position to rake the ships from bow to stern, which they did, subjecting the enemy to a withering storm of cannon and machine gun fire. According to the official RAAF release, 'enemy crews were slain beside their guns, deck cargo burst into flame, superstructures toppled and burned'.
Beaufighter 21
TECHNICAL DATA: (DAP Beaufighter) Australian built
DESCRIPTION: Two-seat strike fighter
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules XVIII radial engines.
DIMENSIONS: Span, 57 ft 10 ins; length, 44 ft 8 ins;
height 15 ft. 19 ins.
WEIGHTS: Empty, 15,600 lb; loaded 25,150 lb.
PERFORMANCE: Max speed, 320 mph at 10,000 ft.
Range, 1170 miles.
Service ceiling 19,000 ft.
ARMAMENT: Four 20 mm cannons in fuselage nose and
four 0.5 in. guns in the wings. A 0.3 in. gun could be
mounted in the rear capola and eight rockets plus
two 250 lb bombs could also be carried.
With the convoy now dispersed and in disarray the third wave of attackers was able to concentrate on sinking ships. Thirteen USAAF B-25 Mitchells made a medium level bombing strike while, simultaneously, a mast-level attack was made by twelve specially modified USAAF B-25C1 Mitchells, known as 'commerce destroyers' because of their heavy armament. The commerce destroyers were devastating, claiming seventeen direct hits. Close behind the Mitchells, USAAF Bostons added more firepower.
Following the coordinated onslaught, Beaufighters, Mitchells and Bostons intermingled as they swept back and forth over the convoy, strafing and bombing. Within minutes of the opening shots the battle had turned into a rout. At the end of the action 'ships were listing and sinking, their superstructure smashed and blazing, and great clouds of dense black smoke [rose] into a sky where aircraft circled and dived over the confusion they had wrought among what, less than an hour earlier. had been an impressively orderly convoy'.
Above the surface battle twenty-eight USAAF P-38 Lightning fighters provided air defence for the strike force. In their combat with the Zeros which were attempting to protect the convoy three of the Lightnings were shot down, but in turn the American pilots claimed twenty kills. Apart from those three P-38s the only other AAF aircraft lost was a single B-17, shot down by a Zero.
With their armament expended the AAF aircraft returned to Port Moresby. But there was to be no respite for the enemy. Throughout the afternoon the attacks continued. Again, USAAF B- 17s struck from medium level, this time in cooperation with USAAF Mitchells and RAAF A-20 Bostons flying at very low level. (The Bostons were led by Squadron Leader C.C. Learmonth, after whom the RAAF's present-day base in northwest Australia is named.) At least twenty direct hits were claimed against the by-now devastated convoy.
That was the last of the coordinated attacks. The victory had been won. For the loss of a handful of aircraft the Allied Air Forces had sunk twelve ships - all eight of the troop transports and four of the eight destroyers - and killed 3000 enemy soldiers. The brilliantly conceived and executed operation had smashed Japanese hopes of regaining the initiative in New Guinea and eliminated any possibility Australia might be invaded. But there was still a 'terrible yet essential finale' to come. For several days after the battle allied aircrews patrolled the Huon Gulf, searching for and strafing barges and rafts crowded with survivors. It was grim and bloody work which many found nauseating, but as one RAAF Beaufighter pilot said, every enemy they prevented from getting ashore was one less for their Army colleagues to face. And after fifteen months of Japanese brutality, the great immorality, it seemed to them, would have been to have ignored the rights of their soldiers.
In a macabre footnote, two weeks after the tragedy Tokyo announced that all Japanese soldiers were to be taught to swim.
Two controversies clouded the immediate reaction to the battle. First, on 7 March, General MacArthur issued a communique stating that the AAF had destroyed twenty-two ships. Regrettably, at the time, arguments over this exaggerated claim and the precise composition of the Japanese convoy tended to divert attention from the stunning nature of the allies' victory. And second, in another instance of the self-promotion which had become intensely frustrating for the Australians, MacArthur and Kenney sought to claim all the credit for themselves, Kenney's report back to Washington making no mention of the RAAF's participation.
Still, that petty behaviour could not detract from the magnitude of the event. Never again did the Japanese attempt to reinforce their garrisons near Australia in numbers. Their ability to dominate New Guinea, and therefore Australia, had been smashed.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea stands as one of the most stunning victories won in any theatre in World War 11, and as a crucial episode in the Battle for Australia.
In the first week of March 1943 a force of land-based Australian and American warplanes won one of the most devastating victories of World War II. Described by General Douglas MacArthur as 'the decisive aerial engagement of the war in the Southwest Pacific', the brilliantly planned and conducted Battle of the Bismarck Sea smashed Japanese hopes of regaining the initiative in New Guinea and eliminated any possibility that Australia might be invaded.
The war in the Pacific had started with a stunning series of disasters for the allies: the attack on Pearl Harbor; the fall in rapid succession of Malaya, Rabaul, Singapore, and the Netherlands East Indies; and on 19 February 1942 the low point in Australian military history, the bombing of Darwin. But following those defeats the allies began to claw their way back. The triumph of American naval air power at Coral Sea and Midway in mid-1942 halted the Japanese advance towards New Guinea and Australia; and shortly afterwards the Australian victories (with American assistance) at Milne Bay and Kokoda weakened the enemy's hold on New Guinea. Further successes at Buna, Gona and Sanananda between November 1942 and January 1943 left the Japanese forces in New Guinea in urgent need of reinforcement.
Intercepted radio messages indicated that a powerful enemy convoy was likely to sail from the enemy stronghold at Rabaul with reinforcements for the vital garrison at Lae in late-February. It would be the task of the Royal Australian Air Force and the United States Army Air Force to prevent those reinforcements from reaching their destination.
Air Commodore W.H. Garing CBE DFC DSC (US) RAAF
The commander of the Allied Air Forces, the dynamic and innovative General George C. Kenney, began preparing a major assault. He would rely on reconnaissance aircraft to detect the convoy, which would then be attacked by long-range USAAF heavy bombers. Once the enemy convoy was within range of the allies' potent anti-shipping aircraft - RAAF Beaufighters, Bostons and Beauforts, and USAAF Mitchells and Bostons - an all-out attack would be mounted from medium, low and very low altitudes.
RAAF units assigned to the operation came from No. 9 Operational Group headed by Air Commodore Joe Hewitt. Hewitt, however, had only recently assumed command, so the main Australian planning contribution came from his predecessor, the ebullient and aggressive Group Captain W.H. 'Bull' Garing, whose leadership had been crucial to the RAAF''s contribution to victory at Milne Bay. This time Garing's expertise in maritime warfare, which he had gained flying Sunderlands with No. 10 Squadron in Europe in 1939-1940, was to prove decisive.
It was Garing who convinced Kenney of the need for a massive, coordinated attack. Garing envisaged large numbers of aircraft striking the convoy from different directions and altitudes, with precise timing. Knowing that inexperienced crews would find the task difficult, Garing suggested to Kenney's forward-echelon commander, General Ennis C. Whitehead, that a full-scale dress rehearsal should be held.
Because allied planners expected the battle to take place in the Huon Gulf they selected Cape Ward Hunt, 140 kilometres to the southeast, as the strike force's rendezvous point. Each formnation would have to overfly Cape Ward Hunt at precisely the right time if the desired degree of concentration were to be achieved. For the dress rehearsal. Garing briefed the crews to rendezvous at Cape Rodney, 140 kilometres southeast of Port Moresby, and to carry out a simulated strike against a wrecked ship in Port Moresby harbour. He and General Whitehead then observed the exercise from a nearby hill.
The dress rehearsal was invaluable as potentially disastrous mistakes were made, with some aircraft arriving over the wreck twenty minutes late. Thorough debriefings were held and the problems resolved. During the waiting period crews honed their bombing and gunnery skills.
Some 6400 Japanese troops embarked at Rabaul between 23 and 27 February and the convoy of eight merchant ships and eight destroyers sailed just before midnight on the 28th, planning to arrive at Lae on 3 March. Air cover was provided by about 100 fighters flying out of bases in New Ireland,, New Britain and New Guinea.
The convoy was initially favoured by poor weather, which hampered allied reconnaissance. It was not until mid-morning on 2 March that USAAF B-24 Liberators sighted the ships. General Whitehead immediately launched eight B-17s, followed shortly afterwards by twenty more. The B-17s attacked from an altitude of 2000 metres with 450 kilogram demolition bombs. Later in the day another strike was made eleven B-17s whose crews claimed large numbers of hits and reported that vessels were 'burning and exploding.smoking and burning amidships' and 'left sinking'. Up to three merchant ships may have been sunk.
By nightfall the enemy had reached the Vitiaz Strait which meant that in the morning it would be within range of the entire AAF strike force. If the coordinated attack were to succeed the precise location of the convoy had to be known at daybreak; consequently, throughout the night it was tracked by an RAAF Catalina from No. 11 Squadron, which occasionally dropped bombs to keep the Japanese in a state of anxiety. Also during the night eight RAAF Beaufort torpedo bombers from No, 100 Squadron took-off from Milne Bay to use the darkness to their advantage. Heavy weather made navigation hazardous and only two aircraft found the convoy. Neither scored a hit
The moment the AAF had been waiting for came on the morning of 3 March 1943 when the Japanese rounded the Huon Peninsula. For much of the time adverse weather had helped the enemy avoid detection but now clear conditions favoured the allies. Over ninety aircraft took off from Port Moresby and set heading for Cape Ward Hunt. While the strike force was en route, Bostons from No.22 Squadron bombed the airfield at Lae.
By 9-30 a m the AAF formations had assembled over Cape Ward Hunt, and by 10:00 a.m. the Battle of the Bismarck Sea had started. The allies attacked in three waves and from three levels, only seconds apart.
First, thirteen USAAF Flying Fortresses bombed from medium altitude. In addition to the obvious objective of sinking ships, those attacks were intended to disperse the convoy by forcing vessels to break station to avoid being hit.
Second, thirteen RAAF Beaufighters from No. 30 Squadron hit the enemy from very low level, lining up on their targets as the bombs from the Flying Fortresses were exploding. With four cannons in its nose and six machine guns in its wings the Beaufighter was the most heavily armed fighter in the world. The Australians' job was twofold: to suppress anti-aircraft fire; and to kill ships' captains and officers on their bridges.
The Beaufighters initially approached at 150 metres in line astern formation. The pilots then dived to mast-level height, set full power on their engines, changed into line abreast formation, and approached their targets at 420 kilometres an hour. It seems that some of the Japanese captains thought the Beaufighters were going to make a torpedo attack because they altered course to meet the Australians head-on, to present a smaller profile. Instead, they made themselves better targets for strafing. With a slight alteration of heading the Beaufighters were now in a position to rake the ships from bow to stern, which they did, subjecting the enemy to a withering storm of cannon and machine gun fire. According to the official RAAF release, 'enemy crews were slain beside their guns, deck cargo burst into flame, superstructures toppled and burned'.
Beaufighter 21
TECHNICAL DATA: (DAP Beaufighter) Australian built
DESCRIPTION: Two-seat strike fighter
POWER PLANT: Two Bristol Hercules XVIII radial engines.
DIMENSIONS: Span, 57 ft 10 ins; length, 44 ft 8 ins;
height 15 ft. 19 ins.
WEIGHTS: Empty, 15,600 lb; loaded 25,150 lb.
PERFORMANCE: Max speed, 320 mph at 10,000 ft.
Range, 1170 miles.
Service ceiling 19,000 ft.
ARMAMENT: Four 20 mm cannons in fuselage nose and
four 0.5 in. guns in the wings. A 0.3 in. gun could be
mounted in the rear capola and eight rockets plus
two 250 lb bombs could also be carried.
With the convoy now dispersed and in disarray the third wave of attackers was able to concentrate on sinking ships. Thirteen USAAF B-25 Mitchells made a medium level bombing strike while, simultaneously, a mast-level attack was made by twelve specially modified USAAF B-25C1 Mitchells, known as 'commerce destroyers' because of their heavy armament. The commerce destroyers were devastating, claiming seventeen direct hits. Close behind the Mitchells, USAAF Bostons added more firepower.
Following the coordinated onslaught, Beaufighters, Mitchells and Bostons intermingled as they swept back and forth over the convoy, strafing and bombing. Within minutes of the opening shots the battle had turned into a rout. At the end of the action 'ships were listing and sinking, their superstructure smashed and blazing, and great clouds of dense black smoke [rose] into a sky where aircraft circled and dived over the confusion they had wrought among what, less than an hour earlier. had been an impressively orderly convoy'.
Above the surface battle twenty-eight USAAF P-38 Lightning fighters provided air defence for the strike force. In their combat with the Zeros which were attempting to protect the convoy three of the Lightnings were shot down, but in turn the American pilots claimed twenty kills. Apart from those three P-38s the only other AAF aircraft lost was a single B-17, shot down by a Zero.
With their armament expended the AAF aircraft returned to Port Moresby. But there was to be no respite for the enemy. Throughout the afternoon the attacks continued. Again, USAAF B- 17s struck from medium level, this time in cooperation with USAAF Mitchells and RAAF A-20 Bostons flying at very low level. (The Bostons were led by Squadron Leader C.C. Learmonth, after whom the RAAF's present-day base in northwest Australia is named.) At least twenty direct hits were claimed against the by-now devastated convoy.
That was the last of the coordinated attacks. The victory had been won. For the loss of a handful of aircraft the Allied Air Forces had sunk twelve ships - all eight of the troop transports and four of the eight destroyers - and killed 3000 enemy soldiers. The brilliantly conceived and executed operation had smashed Japanese hopes of regaining the initiative in New Guinea and eliminated any possibility Australia might be invaded. But there was still a 'terrible yet essential finale' to come. For several days after the battle allied aircrews patrolled the Huon Gulf, searching for and strafing barges and rafts crowded with survivors. It was grim and bloody work which many found nauseating, but as one RAAF Beaufighter pilot said, every enemy they prevented from getting ashore was one less for their Army colleagues to face. And after fifteen months of Japanese brutality, the great immorality, it seemed to them, would have been to have ignored the rights of their soldiers.
In a macabre footnote, two weeks after the tragedy Tokyo announced that all Japanese soldiers were to be taught to swim.
Two controversies clouded the immediate reaction to the battle. First, on 7 March, General MacArthur issued a communique stating that the AAF had destroyed twenty-two ships. Regrettably, at the time, arguments over this exaggerated claim and the precise composition of the Japanese convoy tended to divert attention from the stunning nature of the allies' victory. And second, in another instance of the self-promotion which had become intensely frustrating for the Australians, MacArthur and Kenney sought to claim all the credit for themselves, Kenney's report back to Washington making no mention of the RAAF's participation.
Still, that petty behaviour could not detract from the magnitude of the event. Never again did the Japanese attempt to reinforce their garrisons near Australia in numbers. Their ability to dominate New Guinea, and therefore Australia, had been smashed.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea stands as one of the most stunning victories won in any theatre in World War 11, and as a crucial episode in the Battle for Australia.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:05 am
Also during the night eight RAAF Beaufort torpedo bombers from No, 100 Squadron took-off from Milne Bay to use the darkness to their advantage. Heavy weather made navigation hazardous and only two aircraft found the convoy. Neither scored a hit.
As per Michael Veitch's Flak, one of the Beauforts apparently had a hang-up with her torpedo and had to resort to pinging away with her guns.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:19 am
Andy in West Oz wrote:Also during the night eight RAAF Beaufort torpedo bombers from No, 100 Squadron took-off from Milne Bay to use the darkness to their advantage. Heavy weather made navigation hazardous and only two aircraft found the convoy. Neither scored a hit.
As per Michael Veitch's Flak, one of the Beauforts apparently had a hang-up with her torpedo and had to resort to pinging away with her guns.
Well a low level torpedo head on run in a Beaufort against a Japanese warship throwing AA fire at you would have been hair-raising but the value of a torpedo hit, and likely sinking versus the hail of fire would have kept you there.
But a low level straffing attack in a Beaufort, head on against a Japanese warship throwing AA fire at you would have been frightning when all you were capable of throwing back were two 303 vickers guns in the nose, and a 303 machine gun in each wing, you would certainly trade up to a Beaufighter in an instant, to have the 4 cannons, and 6 machine guns at your disposal, let alone the 8 rockets of the Mark 31!
I assume the aircraft with the hang up torpedo was in a line abreast formation with the others and was trying to draw fire away, rather than intending to sink the ship by pinging at it with a peashooter!
Bravery is displayed in all types of strange and surprising ways.
regards
Mark Pilkington
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:55 pm
Looking at the RAAF Beaufort mission it makes you wonder why we didn't fit a "gun" nose on them like the B-25/A-20 etc...
It wouldn't have been to hard to fit four or six 50 cal MG's in the nose.
It wouldn't have been to hard to fit four or six 50 cal MG's in the nose.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:01 am
I assume the aircraft with the hang up torpedo was in a line abreast fo rmation wnith the others and was trying to draw fire away, rather than intending to sink the shqip by pinging at it with a peashooter
No, according to the interview with the pilot conducted by Veitch, it was one of the 100 Sqn aircraft that found the convoy first thing. The crew (pilot Lewis Hall) was solo (late wake-up call!) out of Milne Bay and looking for the convoy after it had been reported and the shadowing 11 Sqn Catalina had turned for home. They were flying in poor weather and their CO, S/L Smibert, was dropping flares in the hope the Beauforts would catch a silhouette of a ship. As the aircraft were recalled, Hall, having slept in, decided to stay out a bit longer and, flying towards the first rays of sunlight, saw the convoy "in three neat lines, all spread out and stationary". They made a standard torpedo attack (other than the hang-up of course) under fire and escaped while avoiding the "wall of water" thrown up by the larger calibre shells.
As Hall admitted, he was unlucky and lucky. He could not drop his torpedo but was able to provide the location of the convoy.
Very much shortened version of what is in Flak - True stories from the men who flew in World War Two by Michael Veitch, Chapter 18 - John McCredie and Lewis Hall - Pilots, brothers-in-law, pp204-219.
Bravery is displayed in all types of strange and surprising ways.
Couldn't agree more, Mark.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:35 am
Invader26 wrote:Looking at the RAAF Beaufort mission it makes you wonder why we didn't fit a "gun" nose on them like the B-25/A-20 etc...
It wouldn't have been to hard to fit four or six 50 cal MG's in the nose.
The nose had two vickers Go Guns fitted in moveable gimbles, and the early Beauforts built in Australia has a read facing cupola gun under the nose, but all three were manually fired and you had the navigator/bomb aimer having to also be the nose turret operator so I suspect these got little use and many were removed.
So that does raise the question as to why 2x 30 cal machine guns werent fitted as fixed guns in the gimbles, or as you say even 2x 50 cals? in the gimbles or as a gun pack on the side of the fuselage as per the B-25?, I guess fixed/large guns in the gimbles may have compromised the navigators table and the bomb aimer position?
It is surprising given the numbers the RAAF was operating, and the local production's ability to undertake design, kitset construction and field installation, perhaps the Beaufighter was seen to be the best way to achieve that outcome?
Doing a solo run on 3 naval capital ships, in a single low flying Beaufort, with a hung torpedo and those vickers Go guns would not be a pleasant experience for the pilot flying the aircraft, or the navigator/bombaimer, firing the guns, with the radio operator and the rear turret gunner simply keeping their fingers and toes crossed but probably not wanting to look what they were flying into!!
Here is the restored nose at Moorabbin with the twin gun gimbles in the nose.
Here is a wartime photo of a RAAF Mark V Beaufort showing the undernose rear facing gun cupola, although these early airframes didnt have the gimbles, the mark VII's had both, while the definitive mark VIII's deleted the under nose gun cupola all together.
Regards
Mark Pilkington
Last edited by Mark_Pilkington on Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:40 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:35 am
Duplicate post deleted
regards
Mark Pilkington
regards
Mark Pilkington
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:32 am
For Jack Taylor, 89th pilot who recently made his last flight west, and participated in this event.
God Speed Jack
God Speed Jack
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:42 am
Saly, another Reaper who participated on this mission has gone West.. Dr. Bob Reed of the 90th Sqdn. Bob was credited with 2 direct hits on a 8,000 ton Transport ship.. God Speed Bob
Bob's plane before Pappy Gunn's strafer mod
Bob's plane before Pappy Gunn's strafer mod
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:34 pm
The 70th anniversary of one of the RAAF’s most successful wartime air battles is occurring this weekend during the Avalon Airshow. The Battle of the Bismarck Sea (March 2 -4, 1943) saw Australian and US Air Forces combine to destroy a 16 ship convoy seeking to reinforce the Japanese base at Lae PNG, with 7,000 fresh troops and to support invasion of Port Moresby in the south.
We commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea yesterday at Avalon Airshow on 1 March 2013 with a book launch in front of the HARS Catalina.
The book, called "Man of the Sky" is a 32 page colour presentation of wartime artwork by Flt Lt Terence Duigan, (son/nephew of Reg and John Duigan, first to fly an Australian built aircraft in 1910).
Terry Duigan drew wartime cartoons that were published in the Sydney Bulletin and Service Newspapers and base newsletters, as well as doing sketches and paintings while on service.
He flew with 11 Sqn RAAF initially on Short Empire Flying Boats and later on Catalinas in missions to Rabual etc.
He later ferried a Martin Mariner from the USA before moving onto B-24 Liberators with 21 Sqn RAAF.
He died on ANZAC Day 2006
http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/duigan_terry_bio.html
The Book was launched on Friday, 1 March at the Airshow in front of the HARS Catalina at 1.30pm, with a veteran crew member from the RAAF Catalina that participated in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
‘Man of the Sky’ is 32 page magazine of wartime cartoons, sketches and paintings by Flt Lt Terence Duigan during his time as a Catalina (11SQN) and later B-24 Liberator (21SQN) pilot with the RAAF.
Flt Lt Terence Duigan was an enthusiastic artist and later qualified Architect, during the war he did cartoons that were published in the Bulletin and in wartime service papers, he also did sketches and paintings from his wartime experiences and did aircraft "nose art".
‘Man of the Sky’is being launched to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea which occurred 2-4 March, 1943. Flt Lt Terence Duigan played a major role in shadowing the fleet prior to the allied air attack.
The book has a foreward by AM Mark Binskin AO, Vice Chief of the Defence Force. “This book differs from so many others as its not about historic exploits and brave deeds. This is a collection of observations, often personal, that are conveyed through the medium of art rather than words.”
Book Launch Party:
Dr Gwynne Duigan, Widow of Terence Duigan.
Flt Lt Geoff Watson, 11 Sqn RAAF Wireless Air Gunner from Catalina A24-14 with Pilot Terence Duigan.
Photos: Dr Gwynne Duigan and Geoff Watson in front of a restored wartime RAAF Catalina Flying boat.
This was an important air power battle by Australian and US Army Air Force SQNs against a 16 ship Japanese Convoy carrying nearly 7,000 troops seeking to re-enforce the Japanese base at Lae and therefore support the invasion of New Guinea and Port Moresby.
Flt Lt Terence Duigan and Flt Lt Geoff Watson, Wireless Air Gunner, were flying an 11SQN Catalina (A24-14) on 2, March 1943 when they located the Japanese Fleet. Duigan shadowed and harassed the fleet with bombs overnight to track and report its location.
The next day, March 3rd, Beaufort aircraft from RAAF 100SQN; Bostons from 22SQN and Beaufighters from 30SQN joined B-17s and B-25's from the US 5th Air Force combined together in co-ordinated attacks and succeeded in sinking/disabling 4 of the 8 destroyers; sinking/disabling 7 of the 8 troop ships, causing the remaining 4 destroyers to rescue personnel and return to Rabaul.
The joint allied attack effectively ruined reinforcement of Lae and the Japanese ability to invade Port Moresby.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was a demonstration of airpower over naval power, with RAAF Catalina, Beaufort, Boston and Beaufighter SQNs taking part in a major battle of the Pacific war and recognised as part of the Battle for Australia.
Further reference:
http://www.battleforaustralia.org.au/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bismarck_Sea
Examples of the aircraft types referenced above are on display at the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport.
Only surviving original RAAF combat Veteran “Black Cat” Catalina
http://www.aarg.com.au/Catalina.htm
Rare surviving original RAAF 100 Sqn DAP Beaufort Torpedo Bomber
http://www.aarg.com.au/Beaufort.htm
Rare surviving original RAAF 30 Sqn DAP Beaufighter
http://www.aarg.com.au/beaufighter.htm
regards
Mark Pilkington
Secretary, AARG
Trading as
"The Australian National Aviation Museum"
We commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea yesterday at Avalon Airshow on 1 March 2013 with a book launch in front of the HARS Catalina.
The book, called "Man of the Sky" is a 32 page colour presentation of wartime artwork by Flt Lt Terence Duigan, (son/nephew of Reg and John Duigan, first to fly an Australian built aircraft in 1910).
Terry Duigan drew wartime cartoons that were published in the Sydney Bulletin and Service Newspapers and base newsletters, as well as doing sketches and paintings while on service.
He flew with 11 Sqn RAAF initially on Short Empire Flying Boats and later on Catalinas in missions to Rabual etc.
He later ferried a Martin Mariner from the USA before moving onto B-24 Liberators with 21 Sqn RAAF.
He died on ANZAC Day 2006
http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/duigan_terry_bio.html
The Book was launched on Friday, 1 March at the Airshow in front of the HARS Catalina at 1.30pm, with a veteran crew member from the RAAF Catalina that participated in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
‘Man of the Sky’ is 32 page magazine of wartime cartoons, sketches and paintings by Flt Lt Terence Duigan during his time as a Catalina (11SQN) and later B-24 Liberator (21SQN) pilot with the RAAF.
Flt Lt Terence Duigan was an enthusiastic artist and later qualified Architect, during the war he did cartoons that were published in the Bulletin and in wartime service papers, he also did sketches and paintings from his wartime experiences and did aircraft "nose art".
‘Man of the Sky’is being launched to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea which occurred 2-4 March, 1943. Flt Lt Terence Duigan played a major role in shadowing the fleet prior to the allied air attack.
The book has a foreward by AM Mark Binskin AO, Vice Chief of the Defence Force. “This book differs from so many others as its not about historic exploits and brave deeds. This is a collection of observations, often personal, that are conveyed through the medium of art rather than words.”
Book Launch Party:
Dr Gwynne Duigan, Widow of Terence Duigan.
Flt Lt Geoff Watson, 11 Sqn RAAF Wireless Air Gunner from Catalina A24-14 with Pilot Terence Duigan.
Photos: Dr Gwynne Duigan and Geoff Watson in front of a restored wartime RAAF Catalina Flying boat.
This was an important air power battle by Australian and US Army Air Force SQNs against a 16 ship Japanese Convoy carrying nearly 7,000 troops seeking to re-enforce the Japanese base at Lae and therefore support the invasion of New Guinea and Port Moresby.
Flt Lt Terence Duigan and Flt Lt Geoff Watson, Wireless Air Gunner, were flying an 11SQN Catalina (A24-14) on 2, March 1943 when they located the Japanese Fleet. Duigan shadowed and harassed the fleet with bombs overnight to track and report its location.
The next day, March 3rd, Beaufort aircraft from RAAF 100SQN; Bostons from 22SQN and Beaufighters from 30SQN joined B-17s and B-25's from the US 5th Air Force combined together in co-ordinated attacks and succeeded in sinking/disabling 4 of the 8 destroyers; sinking/disabling 7 of the 8 troop ships, causing the remaining 4 destroyers to rescue personnel and return to Rabaul.
The joint allied attack effectively ruined reinforcement of Lae and the Japanese ability to invade Port Moresby.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was a demonstration of airpower over naval power, with RAAF Catalina, Beaufort, Boston and Beaufighter SQNs taking part in a major battle of the Pacific war and recognised as part of the Battle for Australia.
Further reference:
http://www.battleforaustralia.org.au/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bismarck_Sea
Examples of the aircraft types referenced above are on display at the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport.
Only surviving original RAAF combat Veteran “Black Cat” Catalina
http://www.aarg.com.au/Catalina.htm
Rare surviving original RAAF 100 Sqn DAP Beaufort Torpedo Bomber
http://www.aarg.com.au/Beaufort.htm
Rare surviving original RAAF 30 Sqn DAP Beaufighter
http://www.aarg.com.au/beaufighter.htm
regards
Mark Pilkington
Secretary, AARG
Trading as
"The Australian National Aviation Museum"
Last edited by Mark_Pilkington on Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:17 pm
To all our mates in OZ.Thank God we were/are on the same side.I will apoligize for macarthur and kenny not mentioning Austrailas very important participation in this battle and I am sure there were other omissions from them through the rest of the war.A bunch of us yanks know the score and know that we both gave 'em hell by the bucket loadsWe wont forget. 
.
.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:24 am
I would be remiss in not adding Bill Beck to the list of participants who have recently flown West. Pics of Bill and his A-20 "Lawnmower" have been published far and wide.. God Speed good friend!
Bill and his gunners McCain and Black by Fred Klatt's mount:
Bill's photo of his strafing a ship during the mission. His bomb release failed, so he made numerous passes on the ship:
Bill and his gunners McCain and Black by Fred Klatt's mount:
Bill's photo of his strafing a ship during the mission. His bomb release failed, so he made numerous passes on the ship:
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Wed Mar 06, 2013 10:47 pm
May I add a P-38 here as well. source SDASM archives.
P-38F-3-LO S/N 42-12621 flown by Capt. Curran "Jack" Jones of 39th FS/35th FG, an ace credited with 5 victories- first was achieved when Jones flew a P-39 'Airacobra' (it was a 'Zero' piloted by 15-victory navy ace WO Satoshi Yoshino) and next four when was flying this A/C during the battle of the Bismarck Sea, 1943.
P-38F-3-LO S/N 42-12621 flown by Capt. Curran "Jack" Jones of 39th FS/35th FG, an ace credited with 5 victories- first was achieved when Jones flew a P-39 'Airacobra' (it was a 'Zero' piloted by 15-victory navy ace WO Satoshi Yoshino) and next four when was flying this A/C during the battle of the Bismarck Sea, 1943.
Re: Battle of the Bismarck Sea ...
Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:12 pm
Absolutely fascinating thread. My dad, Herschel C Piper, flew 54 missions as a gunner/radio op on B-25s and A-20s with the 90th bomb squadron, 3rd attack group from May 43 through Aug 44 and just missed the battle but no doubt flew with several of it's participants. He flew on several aircraft but was assigned to B-25D Runt's Roost. Wewak, Hollandia, Rabaul, Buna were common terms brought up in conversations over the years. These are places emblazoned on the minds of all who participated, my dad included. He's among the main reasons I served 26 years in the Air Force.