JAPANESE RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT
OVER SYDNEY HARBOUR
ON 19 FEBRUARY 1943

visits since 28 April 2001

Japanese Pilot, Susumi Ito, made two flights in Australia. The first was over Sydney Harbour before the midget submarine attack in May 1942. The second was on 19 February 1943 when he flew very low right down the NSW coast and then returned to his submarine off the coast.

Susumi Ito, said that he flew low between the mountain peaks, so as to remain undetected. He did not go undetected after all. Jo Lehmann plotted him while on duty at 18 Radar Station, Kiama. But Susumi was able to take his photographs and went home.

Four RAAF Airacobras were sent up from Bankstown airfield to locate the Japanese floatplane. One of these aircraft was P-39 Airacobra A53-7 piloted by Lex Dwyer of 24 Squadron RAAF. At the time that they were scrambled by the Fighter Sector these men had been celebrating the successful bailout by Pilot Officer A. F. Tutt at 9.30am that morning. Lex Dywer was directed by the Fighter Controller to fly at 12,000 feet to look for the Japanese Float Plane. The Fighter Controller that night was Jack Kingsford Smith. Lex Dwyer flew out to sea and eventually ran low on fuel and headed back towards Bankstown Airfield. He eventually ran out of fuel. He asked the Fighter Sector to turn on a searchlight to help him establish his bearings to enable a safe glide back to Bankstown. They refused to turn on a searchlight. He was eventually able to locate the flare path at Bankstown and make a safe landing.

Susumi Ito went on to become the President of an office equipment and computer firm in Japan. He was interviewed by David Jenkins and the full report of this venture is to be found in David's  book, "Battle surface:- Japan's submarine War Against Australia, 1942-45".

Japanese Reconnaissance Flights
over Australia during WW2

REFERENCE BOOKS

"More Radar Yarns"
Edited by Ed Simmonds

"Battle surface:- Japan's submarine War Against Australia, 1942-45"
by David Jenkins

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Graeme Steinbeck for his assistance with this home page.

I'd also like to thank Lex Dwyer for his assistance with this web page. Lex rang me on 15 July 2005 for an interesting discussion about his time in the RAAF during WW2.

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 28 April 2001

This page last updated 15 July 2005