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  B-26 "Bunagoon" Serial Number 40-1403  
USAAF
5th AF
22nd BG
19th BS

Former Assignments
2nd BS

Aircraft History
Built by Martin in Baltimore, Maryland. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-26 Marauder serial number 40-1403. Ferried overseas to Australia.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG), 2nd Bombardment Squadron (2nd BS). Nicknamed "Bunagoon".

On April 13, 1942 assigned to the 19th Bombardment Squadron (19th BS). Assigned to pilot Cooper with crew chief Sanders This B-26 was detached to the RAAF torpedo school at Nowra Airfield. On August 26, 1942 this B-26 flew its first combat mission.

Mission History
On September 30, 1942 while taxing at Iron Range Airfield this B-26 suffered brake failure and ran into a ditch and vegitation that collapsed the nose wheel and damaged the nose. Unable to be repaired locally, this B-26 was disassembled and shipped by sea to Townsville.

Wreckage
At Townsville, the tail assembly from this B-26 was removed and used to repair B-26 "Sourpuss" 40-1532. The rest of this aircraft was scrapped or otherwise disappeared.

References
Note, it is possible the date of the brake failure at Iron Range Airfield was October 10, 1942
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-26 40-1403
"1403 (19th BS, 22nd BG, 5th AF) ran off taxi strip into ditch at Iron Range, Queensland, Australia Sep 30, 1942. All crew survived, but aircraft was DBR and used for spare parts and salvaged."
Oz @ War - Crash of a B-26 Marauder at Iron Range, QLD on 30 September 1942
Revenge of the Red Raiders (2006) pages 143, 496

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Last Updated
January 22, 2025

 

Tech Info
B-26
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