USAAF
5th AF
49th FG
9th FS

via Bruce Hoy

1974 via J. Cockayne


Justin Taylan 2000

Pilot  William F. Haning, O-428817
Force landed  November 17, 1942
Recovery  Nov 8, 1974 (fuselage) | Nov 1984 (wings)

Aircraft History
Curtis Sequence number E11273, a 5 digit number allocated to aircraft. Serial Number of the Allison engine of Haning's P-40E was 41-36429 installed from P-40E 41-5620 as of 8 August 1942. William F. Haning Jr was assigned to P-40E 41-36157 as of same date.

Wartime History
It saw service in Darwin before flying across to Port Morsby, New Guinea. During a return flight from Milne Bay area back to Port Moresby in eary 1942.

Mission History
Part of an escort Mission to C-47 aircraft that were going to an advanced strip north of Pongani. Although the outbound escort had no problems, on the return and due to bad weather, two of the aircraft (Lt F. Finberg and William Haning) overshot Port Moresby and was force to belly land at Hood Point near Hula after fuel a shortage. On the ground, the pilot fired his guns to keep the locals away from the aicraft, for fear it would catch fire. Haning returned to his squadron on November 22, 1942.

Recovery of Fuselage
The wreckage remained as the war left it until 1974. Recovered with the premission of Bill Chapman (Air Museum of PNG), the fuselage section was recovered by Monty Armstrong. It was arranged that the aircraft would go to the USA, to be restored by David Tallichet's company Yesterday's Air Force (today, MARC), and returned to Papua New Guinea. Only the fuselage was recovered during this effort, and its wherabouts are unknown. It was never returned to Papua New Guinea.

Charles Darby adds:
"Near the end of the 1974 Tallichet recovery operations, I visited Hula with Monty Armstrong to plan its recovery.  That appeared to be an easy task as the aircraft was in good condition, close to a road, and on flat grassland, hence I decided to go looking for a B-26 in the Northern District and left Monty to recover the P-40.  I never saw it again, and I returned to New Zealand soon thereafter. I am certain that the fuselage of 41-36166 was not in that shipment to Auckland, as I was present on the wharf when each container was first opened and took part in the immediate on-site unloading and steam-cleaning of all of their contents." [Read Complete Comments]

Recovery of Wingset
The wings were recovered by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force with S/L Eric Lundberg on behalf of the PNG National Museum on November 10, 1984 and added to thier collection. When they were recovered, 50 caliber shell cases were found underneath, from when Haning fired his guns on the ground.

Bruce Hoy recalls:
"Bill Chapman [Air Museum of Papua New Guinea] thought the entire aircraft had been recovered as part of the arrangement. He was aware of the fuselage coming into town, as his truck was used, and I saw it parked in his front yard. The engine was also recovered and was not intended to go to the States. However, the prop and spinner was subsequently removed (by Armstrong?) and I never saw them again. It wasn't until Lew Moderate who owned the farm asked him (Bill) when he was going to get the wings, that was when Bill learned that the complete aircraft had not been recovered. He subsequently enquired from Tallichet as to the whereabouts of the fuselage and was told it never turned up in California. Your guess where it did end up would be as good as mine. Perhaps the Land of the Long White Cloud? That is where a P-39 from the same era ended up, with Armstrong swearing black and blue that he had the rights to that one, but I never saw anything to that effect from Treasury files. If he applied for recovery rights, it was done so on behalf of Yesterdays Air Force, and in agreement with Chapman."

Fuselage Location Unknown
The whereabouts of this fuselage after recovery are unknown. The wing section was part of the PNG Museum's collection until 2001, when it was exported by Robert Greinert / HARS to Australia

Wing Location
The wings went (unclear if sold, traded or 'donated') to Graham Smith in South Australia as the basis of a restoration project.

Relatives
Bob Haning (2nd cousin)

References
Thanks to Bob Haning, Craig Busby, Charles Darby, Bruce Hoy and Michael Claringbould for information on this aircraft.   The story of the this aircraft is written in Protect & Avenge on page 88.

Contribute Information

P-40

Photo Archive

Recovery Notes by Charles Darby

Research Notes by Craig Busby