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Enemy Air-Borne Forces, Military Intelligence Service, Special Series No. 7, December 2, 1942
[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the wartime U.S. War Department publication. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

14. THE JAPANESE OPERATION AT KOEPANG, ISLAND OF TIMOR

Although the total number of parachutists used at Koepang was in excess of that used at Palembang, the invaders at Koepang were dropped in two groups of 300 to 500 troops on successive days and they used 20 to 25 transport planes3 supported by bombers and fighters, in contrast to the 700 troops and 60 to 70 transport planes used in the Palembang attack. The success of the Japanese parachutists at Koepang was partly due to the fact that at no time was there any air opposition to the bombing and machine-gunning of the escorting planes. The parachutists performed the mission of cutting communications in support of sea-borne landings on the Island of Timor.

3 Another source says 350 parachute troops were used on the two days to cut communications, 15 to 24 men to a plane. This estimate would reduce the planes used per day to 14 to 15, maximum.
 

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