 Instead, B-24 Liberators were used in a strike from Darwin in August of 1943 by the American 380th Bombardment Group assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force.Another series of five air raids were launched by B-24's of the 5th and Thirteenth Air Forces from Noemfoor Island.The Japanese had been conserving their fighter forces to protect the oil fields and the first two raids, which did not have fighter cover, suffered severe losses.