CRASH LANDING OF A JAPANESE ZERO
ON MELVILLE ISLAND
ON 19 FEBRUARY 1942

visits since 11 September 2002

On 19 February 1942, an Imperial Japanese Navy A6M2 "Zero", Serial No. 5349, coded BII-124, was hit in the oil tank by a single .303" rifle bullet over Darwin Harbour during one of the largest Japanese bombing raids on Darwin.

A6M2 "Zero", BII-124 on Melville Island

When the engine seized and the propeller sheared off, the pilot, Flight Sergeant Hajimi Toyoshima, crash landed his damaged aircraft on Melville Island, north-west of Darwin whilst returning to his aircraft carrier, Hiryu.

Toyoshima under the watchful eye of Sergeant Les Powell. Les was using Toyoshima's .32 calibre Belgian pistol to guard his prisoner

OTHER INTERNET SITE

Crash of a Japanese Zero on Melville Island
Details of capture of Toyoshima by local Tiwi (Aboriginal) inhabitants
and his later role in the "Cowra Breakout" in July 1944.

The above home page is produced by Garth O'Connell

There appears to be some confusion regarding the Japanese casualties in this first bombing raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942. From a number of sources I have now come across details of the loss of 4 Japanese aircraft:-

A number of sources indicate that only two Japanese aircraft were shot down during the first raid on Darwin. Is it possible that Aircraft Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are actually the same aircraft or did Lt. Oestricher only shoot down one aircraft not two and that aircraft is the same as Aircraft No. 1 above. Or some other combination. Access to Japanese military records may possibly help to solve this problem. Can anyone help me unravel this mystery?

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Darwin's Air War - 1942 - 1945 An Illustrated History"
By Bob Alford

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

This page first produced 17 October 1999

This page last updated 11 September 2002