 Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - The Royal Australian Air Force yakaraira 18 yayo yokutanga PBY-5s muna 1940, vaine vavariro yokuvashandisa nokuda kwokurinda kwezvikepe zvegungwa. Zvisinei, pashure pokunge Umambo hweBritain neCommonwealth yahwo hwazivisa hondo kuUmambo hweJapan, mhuri yeCatalinas yakamanikidzwa kuita mabasa akasiyana-siyana. Kurwisa kwokutanga kweJapan muSoutheast Asia kwakanga kwakabudirira zvikuru, nokuwa kweSingapore muna February 1942 kunotungamirira kukusiya nzira yeSingapore uye kugamuchirwa kwemitemo yekubviswa kwevanhu vose kunoshandiswa nemauto eAustralia. Kuchinja uku kwezviitiko kwakaparadzanisa makumi ezviuru emasoja evaAllied nevanhuwo zvavo kubva munharaunda dzaidzorwa nevaAllied. Pakupindura, RAAF Catalinas pamwe nedzimwe ndege yakaumba basa rokukurumidzira kubviswa kubva kuJava kwemazana evakabudiswa vakaendeswa kuchiteshi chengarava cheBroome, Western Australia. Mukati memavhiki okupedzisira aFebruary 1942 vanhu vanopfuura 7000 vakabudirira kuendeswa kuBroome. Vachinetseka nezvokubviswa kwavanhu uye vachida kuderedza basa revarwi veAllied rokubhomba, vaJapan vakarwisa Broomemusi wa 3 March 1942, ichiparadza Catalinas sere pamwe chete nedzimwe ndege 14. Kurwiswa kwakatungamirira kunhambo inonzi Western Australian emergency yaMarch 1942, apo Catalinas yakashandiswa kuongorora simba rinopinda reJapan. 