Aircraft History
Assigned to the 4th Kokutai.

Mission History
Took off from Rabaul on an afternoon reconnaissance against Port Moresby. Over the target, it was intercepted by a pair of RAAF 75 Squadron P-40 Kittyhawk piloted by Wackett and Cox, that had arrived at 7-Mile Drome only two hours previously. They climbed to the bomber at 10,000' from astern quarter, and both fired ten separate bursts. The bomber attempted to skid, hide in a cloud and jettisoned its bombs. Cox scored hits on the port engine that streamed black smoke and oil. Wackett hit the right engine. The bomber exploded and dived into the sea, one mile west of Basilisk beacon, off Port Moresby.

As fighters had just arrived, Port Moresby signals held down a morse key, in a crude attempt to jam any radio warning. Later, it was noted that Rabaul called the bomber for hours afterwards on the radio, unaware it had been shot down by fighters.

References
Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko 'Betty' Units of WWII page 39
Seek and Strike page 13

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009