Results (actual from maintenance and inventory records of both sides, not the usual overclaiming) for the 6 Japanese navy raids (at least one was a fighter sweep) on Darwin and nearby Brocks Creek in 1943 (first Spit vs Zero-sen engagements):
Japanese losses: 2 bombers ("Betty" Type 1 Rikko, probably), plus 3 Zero-sen fighters.
British and Aussi losses (2 groups with 2 years of European battle experience): 38 Spits
They refused to listen to USMC Captain Joe Foss, who tried to tell them about the best tactics to use against the Zero. In postwar years, Japanese participants reiterated that the Brits used tactics in these engagements which may have worked well for them against Jerry, but were unsuitable against the Zero-sen. The Japanese said the Brits were slow to learn . . . they felt the Americans by this time were using newer and better tactics against the Zero. Weson wearned: Arways fight own fight, never the OTHER GUY'S Fight, and the ratter is exactry what the Brits and Austrarians did.
Fatti rules.............Banzai, Your Buddy Saboru Saki
