s ▁only ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁Japanese ▁during ▁its ▁period ▁at ▁Mer au ke ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 9 ▁October ▁when ▁a ▁Ven ge ance ▁un success fully ▁attacked ▁a ▁float ▁plane . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁No . ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁moved ▁to ▁Str ath pine , ▁Queensland , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁cadre ▁status ▁ahead ▁of ▁being ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁heavy ▁bom ber ▁unit . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁moved ▁to ▁Cec il ▁Pla ins ▁in ▁December ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁re equ ipped ▁with ▁Cons olid ated ▁B - 2 4 ▁Liber ator ▁heavy ▁bom bers ▁on ▁ 5 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁No . ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁began ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁Dar win ▁in ▁late ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁and ▁became ▁oper ational ▁there ▁in ▁early ▁May . ▁It ▁fle w ▁its ▁first ▁heavy ▁bom ber ▁operation ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁May ▁and ▁attacked ▁three ▁Japanese ▁ships ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁May , ▁setting ▁one ▁of ▁them ▁on ▁fire . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁continued ▁to ▁attack ▁Japanese ▁sh ipping ▁and ▁install ations ▁in ▁the ▁Tim or ▁Sea , ▁Band a ▁Sea ▁and ▁A raf ura ▁Sea ▁areas ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁No . ▁ 2 1 ▁and ▁No . ▁ 2 4 ▁Squad rons ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁the ▁squad ron ▁initially ▁suffered ▁from ▁a ▁short age ▁of ▁spare ▁parts ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁rect ified ▁after ▁the ▁unit ▁gained ▁access ▁to ▁USA