JAPANESE RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT
OVER DARWIN, NT
ON 19 FEBRUARY 1942

Although the Australian mainland was not invaded it was, of course, attacked by air and sea forces. By far the heaviest attack was the air raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942. 

By the early hours of the 19 February 1942, the Japanese naval force were located about 350 kms north west of Darwin. 

Japanese Vice-Admiral Chu'ichi Nagumo ordered a weather reconnaissance aircraft to fly over Darwin. It arrived over Darwin at about 7.30am. As its radio was unserviceable, Nagumo received no intelligence information back from the aircraft.

Nagumo ordered the attack on Darwin. The day turned out to be a fine day (weatherwise).

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 10 February 2002

This page last updated 14 January 2020