May a mere colonial pipe up here?
Similar to your above-mentioned debacle in sending Vildebeests (an aircraft as ugly as its African namesake, IMHO) up against Zeros, our flyers were condemned to a similar fate.
I won't mention our Air Force losses in the Singapore rout (as well as nearly all of our Army's 8th Division) but the pathetic and futile sacrifice of our good fighting men generally, at that time, made a lot of people angry.
It was bloody obvious that we weren't going to stop the Japs, nor even slow them down.
In the farcical 'defence' of Rabaul, Wirraways (a close relative of the Harvard with two forward-firing .303s and a single in the rear) were repeatedly sent up against Japanese Zeros.
I hasten to add though, not the same ones - because they generally didn't come back.
Finally, I think it was seven Wirraways were sent up against 100 Japanese attackers.
After 'scramble' and as they were climbing out, a radio message was received by the 'tower' ... "We, who are about to die, salute you."
That was the last that was heard of them.
The question I ask is just what was the mentality behind that wanton waste of, not only life, but the few good pilots we had left?
I've not had a satisfactory answer yet.
I'm reminded of Captain Smith of the Titanic rushing on to the bridge and asking .. "My God, lads, where were you looking?"
People in 1942 were asking similar questions about certain military commanders being 'asleep at the wheel'.
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Last edited by Stanwell; 9th Jul 2016 at 00:54.