Claringbould, Michael/Ingman, Peter South Pacific Air War. Volume 4: Buna & Milne Bay June-September 1942

Volume Four chronicles aerial warfare in the South Pacific in the critical period between 19 June and 8 September 1942. It can be read alone or as a continuation of the first three volumes that spanned the first six months of the Pacific War, culminating in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Unlike the previous three volumes, no aircraft carriers appeared in New Guinea waters. Instead, the air war was fought solely by land-based air units. This was in the face of an increasingly complex strategic situation that saw the Japanese land at both Buna and Milne Bay. For the first time, airpower in the theater was tasked to support the land forces of both sides which became engaged in a bloody struggle in the mountains of Papua and then the narrow muddy quagmire of Milne Bay. Two veteran Japanese air groups, the Tainan and No. 4 Kokutai, continued their Herculean struggle against mounting Allied opposition. In the face of continued attrition, Japanese pilots had many notable successes including several coveted aerial victories against B-17s. Then, from August a plethora of fresh Japanese units arrived in theater including the No. 2, No. 6, Chitose, Misawa and Kisarazu Kokutai. USAAF P-39s and RAAF P-40Es responded with low level close support missions and B-25s, B-26s and B-17s ramped up an unrelenting bombing campaign. Towards the end of the period A-20A strafers made their combat debut, portending a radical blueprint for future attack tactics in the theater. Never before has this campaign been chronicled in such detail, with Allied accounts matched against Japanese records for a truly factual account of the conflict.

Instead, the air war in this phase was fought exclusively by land-based air units. This was in the face of an increasingly complex strategic situation, with Japanese forces landing at both Buna and Milne Bay. For the first time, the air forces of both sides were tasked with supporting the ground forces fighting in the jungles of New Guinea. Two experienced Japanese air groups, the Tainan and No. 4 Kokutai, continued their fierce resistance against the slowly strengthening Allied forces. In the face of continued attrition, Japanese pilots had many notable successes, including several aerial victories against B-17 bombers. From August onwards, a large number of fresh Japanese units arrived in this theatre of operations, including No. 2, No. 6, Chitose, Misawa and Kisarazu Kokutai. USAAF P-39s and RAAF P-40Es responded with close air support missions, and B-25, B-26 and B-17 bomber units launched a relentless bombing campaign. Towards the end of the period, the A-20A made its combat debut in this theatre of war, and its sorties served as a blueprint for the further development of strafing missions. Never before has this campaign been documented in such detail, with both Allied and Japanese reports used for sifting.