RAAF
Crashed April 28, 1944
Aircraft History
Constructor's Number 1199. US Navy Bureau Number 8285. Assigned to 20 Squadron May 5, 1943. Assigned to 11 Squadron June 24, 1943. Painted beneath the cockpit a picture
of the previous pilot's wife, and had a lady's face and "Maggie".
Mission History
Took off from Groote Eyland to
attack Manokwari. Never reached the target, instead
made a forced landing about two days
walk (from the natives reports)
from Babo.
Contact
Joan
McIntyre adds:
"[From Australian Defense records] There were a number of suggestions
that the Catalina, with 10 crew aboard, may have come down in the vicinity
of a village called Moegim near Babo. It does appear that it reached
its target area, and there is a suggestion, though rather vague, that
the aircraft came under fire and may have been hit, although still
able to continue flying. I realise
the dreadful things that befell any downed airmen in that theatre
of war, but it may be that the remains of the
flying
boat may one day be located.
One of the reports was from a native medical orderly, who was on Biak in the August of 1944. It was also stated that the Japanese had reported an Australian Catalina crashing into the sea, but this was unconfirmed. In a 1946 report, the Catalina A24-49 was listed as one of the aircraft lost in this area, along with a Liberator D42-40967, and three Kittykawks.They did believe that they may have found the Liberator in Manroeni."
PBY
MIA
