Early in 1943, three Spitfire Mk VC squadrons, Nos 607, 615 and 136, were based around Darwin, Australia, to counter Japanese air raids. In combat, the Spitfire was faster than the Zero but was at a disadvantage in a dogfight. Further quantities of Spitfire could not be spared for operations in the Far East until September 1943. Their first victory was a Dinah reconnaissance aircraft shot down by 615 Squadron over the Burma front. On the last day of the year, 136 Squadron intercepted a formation of Japanese bombers and fighters and shot down 12 for the loss of one Spitfire.
The first Seafires in the Far East formed one flight of 834 Squadron aboard the escort carrier HMS Battler in October. No 889 Squadron arrived later in the year on HMS Atheling.
In the Far East, there were some 21 squadrons of Spitfires, including nine squadrons of the Indian Air Force, all but one of them equipped with Mk VIIIs. There were also two squadrons of Seafires aboard HMS Indefatigable in January 1945 as part of the British Pacific Fleet. In March, the 21st Carrier Group included three squadrons of Seafires which covered the landings in Rangoon and Penang and the raids on the oil fields in Sumatra. In the absence of any Japanese air activity, the Seafires also strafed enemy positions, ships and airfields. No Seafires were lost in combat, but a number succumbed to landing accidents. The first aerial combat successes came on 1 April when three kamikaze Zeros were shot down.
The last Seafire squadrons to see action were Nos 801 and 880. Carrying American auxiliary fuel tanks which improved their range by 50%, their Mk IIIs shot down eight Zeros without loss while escorting Avengers on 15 August. On VJ-Day, there were 12 FAA Seafires squadrons, all but four flying the Seafire MkIII. The Griffon-engined Seafires were too late to see war service but then quickly replaced the Mk IIIs, the first of these being the Mk XV.
RAF fighter squadrons in the Far East were in the process of being re-equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, however the end of the war brought a cessation to the American Lend/Lease programme, thus earning a reprieve for the remaining Spitfires.
