Component of aircraft instrumentation : RAAF Lockheed Hudson A16-97

Place	Oceania: Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra
Accession Number	REL24329
Collection type	Technology
Object type	Aircraft component
Physical description	Metal
Maker	Lockheed Company
Place made	United States of America
Date made	c 1940
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945

Description

A rotor (flywheel) from an unknown gyroscopic instrument such as the directional gyo, artificial horizon or auto-pilot from the instrumentation of RAAF Lockheed Hudson A16-97.

History / Summary

This object was recovered from the wreckage of RAAF Lockheed Hudson aircraft A16-97 which crashed on approach to the Canberra Aerodrome (later renamed Fairbairn) on 13 August 1940.

The aircraft crashed and exploded after stalling as it came in to land. All those on board were killed; pilot, Flight Lieutenant R E Hitchcock RAAF; co-pilot, Pilot Officer R F Wiesener RAAF; Corporal J F Palmer RAAF; Aircraftman C J Crosdale RAAF; Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, J V Fairbairn; Minister for Army and Repatriation, Brigadier G A Street; Vice-President of the Executive Council, Sir Henry Somer Gullett; Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Cyril Brudenall Bingham White; Staff Officer to General White, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Thornwaite; and private secretary to Mr Fairbairn, Mr R E Elford.