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Another Warhawk gun-test in a remote tropical location |
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7th Fighter Squadron 49th Fighter Group Based at Batchelor Field, Australia's Northern Territory from March to September 1942 One of the 7th Fighter Squadron's Warhawks is lined up, tail raised, to align the convergence of its six 50 calibre wing-mounted machine guns. The gun barrels were taped over when the aircraft was not in use, mainly to keep out dust. Such guns were quickly put to use, for the fresh American 49th FG pilots had landed in a hornet's nest, as following on from their earlier and unopposed successes against Darwin and Broome, on 28th March 1942 RAAF base Darwin was bombed by seven unescorted Takao G4M1s, however on this occasion the Japanese were intercepted for the first time. The Americans had arrived. With an escort of 3rd Kokutai A6M2 Zeros, the Takao returned more raids against Darwin on 30th and 31st March 1942, the escorting Zeros luring the Americans away from the bombers. As the Warhawks would soon learn, distracting the Zeros had a price to pay. Prior to the 30th March 1942 attack, George Preddy and seven other 49th Fighter Group pilots launched from Batchelor at 1400 hours and patrolled northwards for about thirty minutes. They returned to base to refuel, but no sooner had they landed than the air raid alert sounded. They scrambled to intercept but one returned with engine trouble. Before they could intercept the bombers, they were pounced at 10,000 feet by a group of 3rd Kokutai Zeros. McComsey was forced to bale out of his Warhawk during this encounter. He landed in a swamp and after an agitated night there managed to walk back to Batchelor the next day. Sells also received significant gunfire damage to his Warhawk but returned to base. George Preddy would rue the day for a long while - during the encounter he lined up square sight shot on a Zero but in the excitement discovered he had forgotten to arm his gun switch. OUR HERITAGE SERVICES PRODUCTS HISTORICAL PHOTOS CONTACT US LINKS
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