'The Green Ghosts'

The RAAF had their own unique variant of the Beaufighter. It was built by the Department of Aircraft Production and was referred to as the DAP Beaufighter or Mk.21. The DAP variant was given new engines, a tail-plane with dihedral and enhanced armour. These aircraft were used as an attack/torpedo bomber. Australian production ended in 1946 but not before 365 Mk 21s had been built. Because of its quiet engines and heavy firepower the Japanese referred to the Beaufighter as “Whispering Death”.

These aircraft markings are from 'Green Ghost 2' ... one of the Beaufighters that flew with No. 93 Squadron RAAF. The marking of the bee/wasp wearing a top hat and riding a rocket was included on the decal sheet that came with the recent Ma.K Falke profile.

The 93rd Squadron was formed on January 22 1945 without an official name or motto. So unofficially it was known as the “Green Ghost Squadron” and the unofficial motto was “Spookus Sneakinus”. Mid 1945 they transferred to an island off Borneo called Labuan. Their task was to disrupt Japanese shipping and airfields. In August 1945 the squadron was tasked with destroying a Japanese oil tanker. The ship was destroyed but turned out to be the 800 ton private yacht of the Rajah of Sarawak. The 93rd Squadron was disbanded on 22 August 1946.

No 93 Squadron

"After forming at Kingaroy, Queensland in January 1945, No 93 Squadron'sBeaufighters deployed to Labuan, Borneo in July. Referred to as the 'Green Ghost Squadron', the Squadron's first mission was flown on 26 July when two aircraft flew an armed reconnaissance over Borneo.
Five days later, rocket armed Beaufighters attacked a barge carrying Japanese soldiers accompanied by a vessel identified as a Japanese oil tanker. Eighteen hits were recorded on the 800-ton tanker, which was later reported to have sunk. Operations in the month following Japan's surrender saw the Beaufighters dropping leaflets over Japanese areas advising the isolated units that the war was over. The following months, No 93 Squadron Beaufighters provided navigation escorts to formations of RAAF single-engine fighters returning to Australia or proceeding to Japan on occupation duties.

Returning to Australia in 1946, No 93 Squadron was disbanded at Narromine New South Wales on 22 August 1946."

More about the squadron history here ...