Rebuilding the FEAF Far East Air Force (United States)

a-24 dive bomber being assembled @ archerfield

the pensacola convoy philippines diverted on 13 december brisbane, disembarked air corps personnel , crated a-24 dive bombers on 23 december, continued darwin field artillery reinforcements on 29 december. pursuit , partially trained pilots began training assembly of crated aircraft went forward @ archerfield , amberley airdromes. 21 pilots of 27th bomb group , 17 24th pursuit group flown australia in last 2 weeks of december ferry assembled aircraft, no engine coolant had been sent fighters , guns of dive bombers missing key electrical , mounting components, hampering not reinforcement of feaf limiting flight training of new pilots. president garfield, 500 miles @ sea en route honolulu, reversed course after receiving word war had begun in hawaii , returned san francisco. usat president polk, cargo liner impressed service army transport, embarked 55 p-40s, equal number of pilots , ground crews gathered 4 groups based in california (including 27 pilots off president garfield), , sailed without escort on 18 december, reaching brisbane on 13 january 1942, assembly of p-40s began aircraft mechanics of ground crews. president polk embarked ground echelons of 2 squadrons of 7th bomb group (based @ jogjakarta) , continued java, escorted heavy cruiser uss houston, arriving in surabaya on 28 january.

by mid-january, japanese advances southward cut anticipated aircraft ferry routes philippines , reinforcement no longer feasible. instead, using aircraft assembly completed , assigning personnel @ hand, provisional fighter squadrons organized in brisbane assist royal netherlands indies air force (ml-knil) in defending nei. 17th pursuit squadron (provisional) established on 14 january, , 13 of 17 pilots had been 24th pg. 17 p-40s delivered pensacola convoy (assembly of 18th not completed because of lack of parts), flew across northern australia brisbane darwin, java via penfoie airdrome @ koepang , den pasar field on bali between 16 , 25 january. 12 warhawks arrived @ designated feaf fighter base @ ngoro field, others lost accidents, combat, , pilot illness. 20th pursuit squadron (provisional), incorporating pilots of 35th pg, took off darwin in 25 p-40s on 2 february, 17 reached java, remainder shot down on bali or damaged on ground air raids. likewise, 25 p-40s of 3rd pursuit squadron (provisional) departed brisbane, because of accidents involving novice pilots, 18 reached darwin on 8 february. 9 reinforced ngoro; entire flight of 8 lost when exhausted fuel after lb-30 navigation guide aircraft became lost in storm trying find koepang. survivors of both 3rd , 20th provisional squadrons integrated 17th ps. 33rd pursuit squadron (provisional) en route java @ darwin when annihilated japanese air raid on 19 february. of 83 p-40s assembled , flown brisbane, 37 arrived @ ngoro field, , 15 february less 20 mustered operations.

the 91st bombardment squadron re-manned in brisbane pilots 27th bg, , dispatched eleven a-24s java on 11 february, japanese threat timor prevented other 2 squadrons of 27th following. inadequate facilities @ new airfield near malang delayed maintenance of dive bombers , prevented operational use until 19 february. 32 assembled p-40s collected @ maylands airfield near perth, western australia, towed fremantle on night of 19–20 february, , loaded on flight deck of seaplane tender uss langley. langley sailed @ noon 23 february in convoy burma diverted java, freighter ms sea witch after, carrying 27 unassembled , crated p-40s destined 51st pursuit group in china. of aircraft aboard langley lost when sunk on 27 february. 31 of 33 pilots of 13th , 33rd pursuit squadrons (provisional) perished in attack. sea witch reached tjilatjap harbor next day destroyed cargo keep p-40s being captured japanese.

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