Aircraft Assignments
Constructors Number 189. Delivered to Qantas as VH-AFG July 5, 1941. Assigned to 11 Squadron August 7, 1941. Assigned to 20 Squadron August 14, 1941. Received STF (Seaplane Training Flight) on September 6, 1941. Reassigned to 11 Squadron on January 15, 1942

Wartime History
On February 28, 1942, this Catalina was moored at Napa Napa, in Fairfax Harbor. Attacked by strafing A6M2 Zeros of the 4th Kokutai, setting it on fire and sinking it. Also sunk was Catalina A24-3.

Wreckage
The presence of a wreck at this location has been known since the war on harbor survey maps. In early 2003, a PBY Catalina sunk off Napa Napa was rediscovered by the POMSAC (Port Moresby Sub-Aqua Club) during the construction of the InterOil Refinery and dock.

PBY Catalina sunk off Napa Napa has never been positively identified, but is either A24-3 or A24-6. Aboard the wreck were twelve 250kg bombs. MilSearch was contracted to remove the ordnance.  The bombs were taken 10 miles out to sea and dumped. Also, wreck's machine guns were removed, angering the local dive community.

In addition, divers also located fragments of another wreck, probably the other Catalina near where the InterOil dock was constructed. According to staff of the company, during the construction of the dock, this wreck was covered with fill, and was not further investigated.

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Last Updated
October 6, 2009

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