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F4U-1A Corsair Serial Number NZ5207

RNZAF
14 Squadron

Former Assignment
20 Squadron

Pilot Squadron Leader John Crayley Blundell, 39898 C.O. 14 Sqn (MIA / KIA) New Plymouth
MIA June 30, 1944 at 9:25am

Aircraft History
Built by Vought. Constructors Number 4890. Delivered to the U. S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 56467. Disassembled and loaded aboard USS Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) as cargo. On March 6, 1944 departed the United States as part of defense aid to New Zealand.

Wartime History
Assigned to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as Corsair serial number NZ5207. On March 23, 1944 assembled by Unit 60 on Espiritu Santo. Assigned to 20 Squadron on Guadalcanal on May 1, 1944. During June 1944 assigned to 14 Squadron.

Mission History
On June 30, 1944 took off from Bougainville piloted by Squadron Leader John Crayley Blundell on a patrol along the New Britain coast from Cape Gazelle to Cape Archway. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). It was thought to be shot down by anti-aircraft fire a few miles north of Adler Bay near Sum Sum, killing the pilot. Officially, this aircraft was written off on Bougainville.

Memorials
Blundell was officially declared dead the day of the mission and was mentioned in dispatches. He is memorialized at the Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery at the Bourail Memorial on panel 3.

References
Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1A Corsair 56467
"56467 (MSN 4890) to New Zealand as NZ5207"
ADF Serials / NZ Serials NZ5207
CWGC - Casualty Detail - Blundell, John Crayley
Air-To-Air page 348

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Last Updated
January 12, 2019

F4U

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