▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Two ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁based ▁at ▁Dar win ▁were ▁destroyed ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁the ▁dev ast ating ▁first ▁Japanese ▁air ▁ra id ▁on ▁Dar win ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁also ▁lost ▁a ▁considerable ▁portion ▁of ▁its ▁stores ▁when ▁a ▁new ▁hang ar ▁was ▁destroyed ▁at ▁the ▁civil ▁aer od rome ▁in ▁this ▁ra id . ▁Following ▁the ▁attack , ▁No . ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ' s ▁surv iving ▁aircraft ▁dropped ▁supplies ▁to ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁sun ken ▁ships ▁and ▁conducted ▁pat rol s ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁around ▁Dar win . ▁It ▁was ▁station ed ▁at ▁P ell ▁Air field ▁from ▁ 1 5 ▁July - 1 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁while ▁B atch elor ▁was ▁being ▁used ▁by ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁( USA AF ) ▁units . ▁ ▁No . ▁ 1 2 ▁Squadron ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁re - equ ipped ▁with ▁V ul te e ▁Ven ge ance ▁d ive ▁bom bers ▁from ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁unit ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁West ▁Pacific ▁Area ▁( SW PA ) ▁to ▁receive ▁these ▁aircraft ▁and ▁their ▁arrival ▁was ▁popular ▁with ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁personnel ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁Ven ge ances ▁would ▁allow ▁them ▁to ▁play ▁an ▁active ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁war . ▁This ▁did ▁not ▁event uate , ▁however , ▁and ▁No