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| RAAF No. 7 OTU      Mike Lee 2001 |
Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Consructors Number 5892. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24M-10-CO Liberator serial number 44-41956. Modified into a B-24R with search radar. Ferried overseas via Hickam Feild then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Liberator serial number A72-176. Assigned to No. 7 Operational Training Unit (No. 7 OTU) at East Sale Airfield. Assigned to pilot Group Captain Kingwell. On March 22, 1945 took off from Mascot Airfield piloted by F/O Ed Crabtree on a flight to East Sale Airfield. Previously, this flight was believed to be the last flight of this B-24. On March 25, 1945 took off from East Sale Airfield piloted by F/O Rex Malcolm Whitburn on a flight to Dubbo Airfield then returned to land at East Sale Airfield. Also aboard was F/L Lee and F/L Kobelke. Afterwards, designated instructional Airframe No.5. Postwar Disposed on March 23 1948 from East Sale Airfield. The fuselage was purchased by resident George Toye during 1948, but the wings and tail were scrapped. In 1952 the fuselage was transported it to his property aboard logging trucks. Stored outdoors, Toye lived in the fuselage for a time while finishing the construction of his home. Restoration Stored at RAAF Werribee this aircraft is being restored by the efforts of B-24 Liberator Restoration Fund Inc. Recovered without most of its internal fittings, but was in excellent condition considering the several decades of outside storage. The restoration team had to replace approximately one third of the original structure including all the corresponding parts such as bulkheads, stringers and main frames. To provide a set of wings and tail, a salvage team from the organization recovered the wing and tail of B-24D "Flying Wolf" 42-41091 during the late 1990s and transported them to Australia, where they were incorporated into the restoration. As of 2006, they have about 90% of the parts to complete the job. Relatives John Whitburn (son of F/O Rex Malcolm Whitburn) "A2-176 was flown on the 25th March by Rex Malcolm Whitburn (DFC, mentioned in dispatches)." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24M-10-CO Liberator 44-41956 "41956 to RAAF as A72-176. SOC Mar 1948. Purchased by George Toye who intended to use the fuselage as shelter for cross-country skiers. Never used as such; lay derelict until rescued for museum use. Fuselage held in yard at Moe, Australia for RAAF Museum. Now under restoration at Werribee, VIC. 42-41091 recovered from Papua New Guinea and used in restoration." ADF Serials - Liberator A72-176 ADF Serials - Liberator A72-176 Photo Archive Other source incorrectly state F/O Ed Crabtree was the last to fly this B-24 on March 22, 1945 F/O Rex Malcolm Whitburn Logbook - February 5 - March 27, 1946 via John Whitburn B-24 Liberator Memorial Restoration Fund Newsletter "The Last Pilot of A72-176" May 2000, page 4 Thanks to John Whitburn, Ralph Cusack and Mike Lee for additional information Contribute
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