| Built by: | Garry Storr |
| Kit: | 1/48 Pro Modeler P-40E Warhawk (5921) |
| Kit Media: | Plastic |
| Modifications and Additions: | Built ‘Out Of Box’ |
| Unit: | RAAF, 80th Sqn. |
| Location: | Noemfoor, Dutch New Guinea, 1944 |
| Pilot: | Sqn. Ldr. John Waddy |
Area of Operations
History
The Allied plan in the Pacific was to neutralise the main Japanese base of Rabaul on New Britain and then invade the Philippines to provide bases from which to strike Japan in preparation for an invasion. This plan would isolate and by-pass Japanese forces in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) and the Malay peninsula.
As part of this strategy, US forces invaded the island of Noemfoor, off the north coast of Papua, on the 2nd of July 1944 with the battle lasting until the 31st of August. RAAF P-40s were the first allied aircraft to land on the island on the 6th of July. The captured airfields were later used to support operations around Sansapor and Morotai and for US heavy bombers attacking Japanese oil facilities at Balikpapan in the island of Borneo.
John Waddy flew Tomahawks with 250 Sqn and 260 Sqn, Kittyhawks with 4 Sqn South African Air Force (SAAF) and Spitfires with 92 Sqn RAF over the Western Desert (Egypt and Lybia). He scored his final kill during the Battle of el Alamein on the 29th of October, 1942.
He was recalled to Australia in 1943 to eventually take command of 80 Sqn over the jungles of New Guinea, again flying Kittyhawks.He survived the war with an official tally of 15 plus one shared.
warbirdsamg.com 