| Accession Number | P02841.002 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white, Landscape |
| Physical description | Black & white, Landscape |
| Place made | New Guinea1: Aitape, Tadji Airstrip |
| Date made | c 1944 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
A group of No. 100 Squadron aircrew and groundstaff beside Department of Aircraft Production ...
Description
A group of No. 100 Squadron aircrew and groundstaff beside Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) Beaufort A9-557. Left to right: 422085 Flying Officer (FO) Jack Shipman, Wireless Air Gunner (WAG); 415636 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Jack Fowler, pilot; unknown ground crew; unknown aircrew; 422062 FO F.O. Smith, WAG; kneeling in front holding a board is an unknown ground crew. Fowler, Shipman and Smith were a regular crew, which also included 406817 FO A.G. Wait. Flt Lt Fowler and his crew flew this aircraft on 34 missions, including its last, when on return the aircraft landed without brakes and crashed. The aircraft had had its brakes shot out and could not be controlled, crashing into three jeeps. The aircraft was repaired and continued flying. In 1974 the aircraft was recovered from Tadji, and, after several owners it came to the Memorial. It was extensively refurbished with parts acquired from Australia and overseas.. This crew were all later killed on 13 March 1945 flying Beaufort A9-650 when a defective fuse caused the premature detonation of a bomb which destroyed their aircraft. (Donor G. Fowler)