“Darwin Spitfires”

The Real Battle for Australia

Published in 2011 – Author Anthony Cooper

Shines a light on a much neglected history – that of 1 Fighter Wing, the RAF unit manned by British and Australian pilots during the Second World War, who protected North West Australia from a series of relentless Japanese raids from 1942-43.

The Japanese air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942 are well-known to most Australians, although not perhaps to the rest of the world. What happened afterwards, however, remains unknown to many.

This publication attempts to illuminate this little-known period of war history, charting the exploits, losses and successes of the RAF’s No 1 Fighter Wing and the contribution they made to the allied war effort. The stalwart Spitfire is celebrated in a narrative that is sure to appeal widely.

For almost two years the airspace over North West Australia was routinely penetrated by Japanese raids, tallying about 70 in total. The 1942-43 air raids on Darwin constituted the only sustained and intensive direct assault on Australian mainland territory in the whole of World War II – and the whole history of post-1788 Australia – yet, surprisingly, most Australians have no idea that it ever happened. And the rest of the world are yet more so in the dark.

Telling the story of the RAF’S No 1 Fighter Wing, composed of both Australian and British Spitfire pilots, Darwin Spitfires explores the little-known 1943 season of air combat over the top end, recovering important aspects of Australian history.

It brings to the attention of the world the heroic exploits of the skilled pilots who did so much to protect Australia and support the Allied effort. This important publication attempts to celebrate and commemorate the spirit of solidarity that characterized the experiences of No 1 Fighter Wing.

On the 6th July 1943, prior to interception of an enemy formation of around 27 bombers and 23 fighters that were to attack the US Liberator base at Fenton, Flying Officer William Hinds aircraft engine overheated due to an oil pressure drop and glycol coolant leak, forcing him to land near the beach at Fog Bay near Port Patterson. He was un-injured but the aircraft was so severely damaged that it was only useful for component parts. (Spitfire RAAF Ser A58-31 RAF Ser BR495).

The above forced landing by Bill Hinds is covered on Page 391 of “Darwin Spitfires”

The Spitfire engine was cooled by a mixture of 70% water and 30% glycol which enabled the engine to operate at higher temperatures and with smaller radiators. When the aircraft were shipped to Australia the glycol coolant was drained but no corrosion inhibitor applied so that the pipes corroded and now leaked glycol.

On 7th September the Japanese sent a twin engine aircraft heavily escorted by fighters. The first warning of this reconnaissance in force came at 8.30 am when the enemy planes were 180 miles from Darwin. Twelve aircraft of No 457 were ordered to go to exit points to intercept them. Radar operators thought at first that only one aircraft was coming, but soon it was clear that many were on their way, and a total of 48 Spitfires took to the air. While the Spitfires of Nos 54 and 452 were near Port Patterson the pilots saw 21 enemy aircraft 16 miles west of Sattler and at a higher altitude. The enemy fighters attacked before these Spitfires could gain a height advantage. In the affray which followed one enemy fighter was destroyed and two probably destroyed . A Spitfire pilot, Flying Officer Hinds, was shot down and killed, while two others,Squadron Leader MacDonald, commander of No 452, and Pilot Officer Tully 7 were shot down but escaped by parachute . A cannon shell from a Japanese fighter exploded in the cockpit of MacDonald’s machine and he suffered serious burns before baling out. He was found later and returned to the RAAF Medical Receiving Station in a Tiger Moth aircraft flown by Squadron Leader Fenton. Immediately after this clash, No. 457, which had been airborne earlier and had a height advantage, carried out a successful attack on the enemy aircraft, shooting down four Zekes (Zeros) and damaging others. All Spitfires from this squadron returned undamaged to base. 

Flying Officer Hinds aircraft crashed about 20 miles SSE of Darwin (Parap) and 15 miles west of the Strauss airfield in the vicinity of Pioneer Creek. The crash started a bush fire and his body was not retrieved for a few days. The wreckage of his aircraft  (A58-153 EF558) remains in the Army range area at Kangaroo Flats near Pioneer Creek.

The events above leading to Bill Hinds death is covered on pages 445 to 451 of “Darwin Spitfires”.