{"id":27999040,"date":"2026-10-14T10:43:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T08:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/battle-off-endau-1942-vickers-vildebeest-biplanes-malaya\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T10:43:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T08:43:35","slug":"battle-off-endau-1942-vickers-vildebeest-biplanes-malaya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/battle-off-endau-1942-vickers-vildebeest-biplanes-malaya\/","title":{"rendered":"Battle off Endau, 1942: Vildebeest Biplanes Against Japan&#8217;s Fighters"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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They were Vickers Vildebeests, torpedo bombers designed in the 1920s, with a top speed of around 140 mph. Waiting for them over the beaches were modern Japanese fighters.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>By the end of the day, two RAF squadrons had been all but destroyed. Of the 72 aircrew from Nos. 36 and 100 Squadrons who flew against Endau, 27 were killed, seven wounded and two captured. The landing went ahead almost untouched.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The Battle off Endau is one of the clearest examples of what happens when courage is asked to make up for obsolete equipment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f5f6f8;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:26px 0\">\r\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts: The Battle off Endau<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Date:<\/strong> 26 to 27 January 1942<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Place:<\/strong> Off Endau, on the east coast of Malaya, north of Singapore<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Japanese force:<\/strong> Transports Kansai Maru and Canberra Maru, escorted by the light cruiser Sendai and six destroyers<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>RAF strike aircraft:<\/strong> Vickers Vildebeests (Nos. 36 and 100 Squadrons), Fairey Albacores (No. 36 Squadron)<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Also involved:<\/strong> Lockheed Hudsons of Nos. 1 and 8 Squadrons RAAF and No. 62 Squadron RAF; Buffalo and Hurricane escorts<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Vildebeests lost:<\/strong> 10 in two waves (per Wikipedia's Battle off Endau article)<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Aircrew of 36 and 100 Squadrons:<\/strong> 72 flew; 27 killed, 7 wounded, 2 captured<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Naval sequel:<\/strong> HMS Thanet sunk in a night action; HMAS Vampire escaped<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Result:<\/strong> Japanese victory; the landing was completed<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">An Aircraft From Another Age<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The Vildebeest first flew in April 1928 as a torpedo bomber for coastal defence. It was a big, single-engined biplane able to carry an 18-inch torpedo. No. 100 Squadron received its first Vildebeests in October 1932, and by the late 1930s both No. 100 and No. 36 Squadron were based at Singapore, tasked with attacking any enemy fleet that came near the colony.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>By the time Japan attacked in December 1941, the Vildebeest was hopelessly outclassed. The RAF had no modern torpedo bomber to replace it in the Far East. According to the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Vildebeests made no torpedo attacks during the Malayan campaign, but proved surprisingly useful as night bombers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/vickers-vildebeest-36-squadron-over-singapore-1936.png\" alt=\"Vickers Vildebeest Mk III of No. 36 Squadron RAF over Singapore in 1936\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A Vildebeest Mk III of No. 36 Squadron over Singapore in 1936. Six years later the squadron would be almost wiped out at Endau. Photo: Imperial War Museum, public domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aXTs75eh7T4\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:6px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Ed Nash's Military Matters on the Vickers Vildebeest and its crews.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">26 January 1942<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Japanese troops had already taken Endau by land on 21 January. The convoy that sailed from Cam Ranh Bay was bringing in troops to build up the airfield there. Two RAAF Hudsons spotted it at 07:45 on the morning of 26 January, but radio jamming meant the report only reached Singapore when they landed at 09:20. The torpedo crews had flown night missions and had to rest, so the strike was delayed until the afternoon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The first wave arrived around 15:00: Vildebeests of Nos. 36 and 100 Squadrons and Hudsons of the RAAF, with a fighter escort of Buffaloes and Hurricanes. Japanese fighters were waiting. Five Vildebeests were shot down, for the loss of one Japanese fighter. The transports were hit by bomb splinters, which killed eight men on board and wounded 18, but no ship was seriously damaged.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Despite their best efforts very little damage was done.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>John Rickard<\/strong> &mdash; historian, History of War, on No. 100 Squadron's attack at Endau<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Among the aircraft lost in the first wave was that of the attack leader, Squadron Leader I.T.B. Rowland of No. 100 Squadron. Then came the second wave, Vildebeests and Fairey <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/fairey-albacore\/\">Albacores<\/a>, arriving late after their escort was delayed. It lost another five Vildebeests, two Albacores and a Hurricane. Six unescorted Hudsons of No. 62 Squadron lost two aircraft and their crews. A raid by Blenheims turned back before reaching Endau.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/vickers-vildebeest-100-squadron-torpedo-drop-practice.jpg\" alt=\"Vickers Vildebeest of No. 100 Squadron making a practice torpedo drop\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A Vildebeest of No. 100 Squadron makes a practice torpedo drop in the 1930s, the role it was designed for. Photo: Imperial War Museum, public domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Night and the Aftermath<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>That night the Royal Navy tried too. Two old destroyers, HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire, sailed north from Singapore. They found the Japanese escort but not the transports, and in the action that followed Thanet was hit in the engine room and sank. Vampire escaped back to Singapore. An officer and 30 ratings rescued by the Japanese were handed over to Japanese troops and never seen again.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Y_pN6VNbm8k\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:6px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Aircraft Files on the history of the Vickers Vildebeest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Allied air losses at Endau largely ended the RAF's ability to influence the ground battle in Malaya. By February, No. 100 Squadron had lost so many aircraft that it was merged with No. 36 Squadron. The survivors fell back to Java, and the last Vildebeests were lost in March 1942. Singapore surrendered on 15 February.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Decimated in the daylight raid on Endau on 26 January 1942.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs<\/strong> &mdash; Anzac Portal, on No. 36 Squadron's Vildebeests<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The men who flew to Endau knew what they were flying and what was waiting for them. They went anyway, in daylight, in biplanes, because there was nothing else to send.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D6zHFHwP5k8\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:6px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Showtime112's series on the air war over Malaya: this episode covers the Brewster Buffalo's last battles in the campaign.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: Wikipedia (Battle off Endau; Vickers Vildebeest); History of War (No. 100 Squadron); Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs, Anzac Portal.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What was the Battle off Endau?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Battle off Endau was a Japanese victory on 26 and 27 January 1942, during the Malayan campaign. RAF and RAAF aircraft, including obsolete Vickers Vildebeest biplanes, attacked a Japanese landing at Endau, and two Royal Navy destroyers attacked that night. The landing went ahead.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many aircraft did the RAF lose at Endau?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">According to Wikipedia's Battle off Endau article, the Allies lost 15 aircraft: ten Vildebeests, two Fairey Albacores, one Hurricane and two Hudsons. Of the 72 aircrew of Nos. 36 and 100 Squadrons, 27 were killed, seven wounded and two captured.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What was the Vickers Vildebeest?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Vickers Vildebeest was a British biplane torpedo bomber that first flew in April 1928. It carried an 18-inch torpedo, had a top speed of around 140 mph and was flown by Nos. 36 and 100 Squadrons RAF from Singapore. By 1941 it was obsolete.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why were biplanes used against the Japanese at Endau?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The RAF in the Far East had no modern torpedo bomber in January 1942. The Vildebeest squadrons at Singapore were the only strike force available to attack the Japanese landing at Endau, so they were sent in daylight against an enemy with modern fighters.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What happened to HMS Thanet at Endau?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">HMS Thanet was one of two old destroyers, with HMAS Vampire, sent to attack the Japanese at Endau on the night of 26 to 27 January 1942. Thanet was hit in the engine room by Japanese fire and sank. Vampire escaped to Singapore.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What was the Battle off Endau?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Battle off Endau was a Japanese victory on 26 and 27 January 1942, during the Malayan campaign. RAF and RAAF aircraft, including obsolete Vickers Vildebeest biplanes, attacked a Japanese landing at Endau, and two Royal Navy destroyers attacked that night. The landing went ahead.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many aircraft did the RAF lose at Endau?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"According to Wikipedia's Battle off Endau article, the Allies lost 15 aircraft: ten Vildebeests, two Fairey Albacores, one Hurricane and two Hudsons. 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The Vildebeest squadrons at Singapore were the only strike force available to attack the Japanese landing at Endau, so they were sent in daylight against an enemy with modern fighters.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What happened to HMS Thanet at Endau?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"HMS Thanet was one of two old destroyers, with HMAS Vampire, sent to attack the Japanese at Endau on the night of 26 to 27 January 1942. Thanet was hit in the engine room by Japanese fire and sank. Vampire escaped to Singapore.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\">\r\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/faith-hope-charity-malta-gladiators-1940\/\">Three Biplanes Against an Air Force<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fairey-battle-veldwezelt-garland-gray-first-raf-victoria-cross-1940\/\">Five Went to the Bridge, One Came Back<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hawker-hart-bomber-faster-than-raf-fighters-1930\/\">Hawker Hart: The 1930 Bomber That RAF Fighters Could Not Catch<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On 26 January 1942, RAF Vildebeest biplanes attacked a Japanese landing at Endau in daylight. Ten were lost and 27 of 72 aircrew died. The landing went ahead.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":27998654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[666,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27999040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-legends","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Battle off Endau 1942: Vildebeest Biplanes vs Japan | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At the Battle off Endau on 26 January 1942, RAF Vildebeest biplanes attacked a Japanese landing in daylight. 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