Tadji, New Guinea. 1945-01-20. The nose of A9-557, a DAP Beaufort bomber, operated by No 100 ...

Tadji, New Guinea. 1945-01-20. The nose of A9-557, a DAP Beaufort bomber, operated by No 100 Squadron RAAF, sticking through the wall of the RAAF Air Transport Command office. This aircraft returned from a strike against Japanese positions at Wewak with one uxexploded 40 pound bomb loose in the bomb bay. In order not to shake it free on landing the pilot, Flight Lieutenant H J Fowler, made a "flaps up" landing, only applying the brakes at the last possible moment. When he did, however, only one wheel gripped slewing the aircraft into four jeeps parked on the edge of the runway and also crashing into the Air Transport Command office. It was later discovered that the brakes had been damaged by Japanese anti aircraft fire. Fortunately, despite the rough treatment the bomb did not explode and strangely enough was found on the seat of one of the wrecked jeeps. One man, in one of the jeeps, possibly an American, was killed in the accident.