Ernest King landed at Batchelor Field on 2nd April 1942 after having flown his P-40E-1 Mary Lucille there from Bankstown. King negotiated his Warhawk (named after his girlfriend back stateside) along the same "Brereton Route", led by King's squadron Commander, Captain Robert Morrissey. After King's arrival the squadron took time to settle into its new base, which it now shared with the 9th Fighter Squadron. King first flew his first operational sortie from Batchelor on 17th April 1942.

Previous delivery flights had not always gone so smoothly. On 8th March 1942 Captain James Selman of the 9th Fighter Squadron departed Williamtown airfield in New South Wales with twenty-five Warhawks to traverse the Route. Lieutenants Bud Howk and John Sauber were left behind at Archerfield with engine trouble. The remaining Warhawks staged through Charleville, where another two aircraft had mechanical problems, leaving twenty-one fighters to press on for Cloncurry, this time led by a Flying Fortress. At Cloncurry 2/Lt Ed Smith's fighter was written off in a heavy landing. He then became a passenger on the Fortress for the rest of the journey. Now there were only nineteen Warhawks remaining to continue to Daly Waters. Things became interesting when in scattered thunderstorms, four became separated and eventually landed on an isolated sheep station way off the Route. The remaining fifteen managed to land at Daly Waters in between passing rain storms. They radioed Melbourne who helpfully reminded them that they must reach Darwin as soon as possible. A three-day stopover nevertheless allowed much-needed maintenance to their weary aircraft, particularly cleaning of the air filters. During this layover 2/Lt Spehr test-flighted his ship, and in the process attempted a low-level aerobatic barrel roll. Unfortunately his engine stalled and his Warhawk augured in near the airfield. Spehr was killed immediately and was buried in the small Daly Waters civilian cemetery that evening. On 18th March 1942, the remaining fourteen fighters headed off for the final leg to Darwin. Yet another aircraft had mechanical problems and failed to take off. Hence only thirteen of the original twenty-five made Darwin, landing there at midday. They received orders to start operational patrols immediately. After an assessment of the damage at Darwin airfield caused by the ongoing Japanese bombing raids, it was decided to move the 9th Squadron to Batchelor airfield.