JAPAN'S BOMBING OF DARWIN:
* Seventy-five years ago, 188 Japanese planes bombed Darwin in two air raids, drawing the Top End of Australia into World War II.
* 235 people were killed, and up to 400 were wounded during the attacks, which began on February 19, 1942.
* 30 aircraft were destroyed, 11 ships were sunk, and many civil and military facilities were heavily damaged.
* The raids, which were not a precursor to an invasion, were planned and led by the commander responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbour 10 weeks earlier.
* The Japanese lost four aircraft to a spirited defence, which grew steadily within a few months to involve counterstrike from bombers, largely manned by US forces.
* One Japanese plane crash-landed on Melville Island to Darwin's north, and its pilot was captured by a local Aboriginal man - the first prisoner of war taken on Australian soil.
* The city was bombed at least 64 times over 18 months until November 1943. Other northern Australian targets were Townsville, Katherine, Wyndham, Derby, Broome and Port Hedland.
