RAF
240 Squadron

Jared Grimmer 2005

Aircraft History
Nicknamed "Katie" since K was the squadron letter.

Mission History
Took off at night from Madras to Diego Garcia via Kelai in the Maldive Islands to refuel, but the bowser had sunk due to a storm, so they had to make it from Kelai to Diego Garcia - a 10 1/2 hour trip, on the fuel remaining in Katie's tanks (the trip to Kelai had been 8 1/2 hours through severe storms). At Diego Garcia, they would search for a reported Japanese submarine.

Lost on the flight down, the crew sent a QDM message by hand, and then held down the key so that the radio operators could get a fix and give them directions. On landing, the the engines cut as he was taxing to the buoy! Out of fuel, riding high on the water, a storm that night of cyclone strength, and sprung the aircraft from the buoy and went aground.They salvaged gear from the wreck in the morning.

Wreckage
The engines were removed at a later point. The shell of the aircraft remains today on the east side next to the coconut plantation at Diego Garcia.

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