ðə fˈaɪv bɹˈɪɾɪʃ kˈɑːmənwˌɛlθ jˈuːnɪts—ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ tˈuː ˌɑːɹɹˌeɪˈɛf ænd wˈʌn ɹˈɔɪəl nˈuː zˈiːlənd ˈɛɹ fˈoːɹs skwˈɑːdɹənz—ðæt flˈuː bˈʌfəlˌoʊz ɪnðə məlˈeɪən kæmpˈeɪn wɜː bᵻsˈɛt wɪð nˈuːmɚɹəs pɹˈɑːbləmz, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ pˈʊɹli bˈɪlt ænd ˈɪlɪkwˈɪpt plˈeɪnz; ɪnˈædɪkwət səplˈaɪz ʌv spˈɛɹ pˈɑːɹts; ɪnˈædɪkwət nˈʌmbɚz ʌv səpˈoːɹt stˈæf; ˈɛɹfiːldz ðæt wɜː dˈɪfɪkəlt tə dᵻfˈɛnd ɐɡˈɛnst ˈɛɹ ɐtˈæk; lˈæk əvə klˈɪɹ ænd koʊhˈɪɹənt kəmˈænd stɹˈʌktʃɚ; æntˈæɡənˌɪzəm bᵻtwˌiːn ˌɑːɹɹˌeɪˈɛf ænd ɹˈɑːf skwˈɑːdɹənz ænd pˌɜːsənˈɛl, ænd ˌɪnɛkspˈiəɹɪənst pˈaɪləts lˈækɪŋ ɐpɹˈoʊpɹɪət tɹˈeɪnɪŋ.
The five British Commonwealth units—including two RAF and one Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons—that flew Buffalos in the Malayan campaign were beset with numerous problems, including poorly built and ill-equipped planes; inadequate supplies of spare parts; inadequate numbers of support staff; airfields that were difficult to defend against air attack; lack of a clear and coherent command structure; antagonism between RAF and RAAF squadrons and personnel, and inexperienced pilots lacking appropriate training.