Pacific Wrecks

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

F4U-1A Corsair Serial Number NZ5287 Code R/87

RNZAF
16 Squadron

Former Assignments
15 Squadron
18 Squadron
22 Squadron

Pilot Flight Sergeant Ronald Wilfred Albrecht, 438630 (MIA / KIA) Wellington, NZ
MIA January 15, 1945 at 7:24pm

Aircraft History
Built by Vought. Constructors Number 4919. Delivered to the U. S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 49672. Disassembled shipped oversea to the South Pacific and reassembled. Assigned to the U. S. Marine Corps (USMC).

Wartime History
Assigned to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as Corsair serial number NZ5287. On May 5, 1944 BOC by Unit 60 on Espiritu Santo. On May 25, 1944 assigned to 15 Squadron with code "R" and "87" on Guadalcanal. Next, on June 5, 1944 assigned to 18 Squadron. Then on October 3, 1944 assigned to 22 Squadron. Finally, in January 1945 assigned to 16 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On January 15, 1945 took off from Green Island Airfield (Nissan) piloted by Flight Lieutenant Thomas Johnson as one of thirty-six Corsairs from 14 Squadron, 16 Squadron and 24 Squadron on a mission against Rabaul.

Returning from the mission, this Corsair was one of four that entered a bad weather front, lost altitude and crashed into the sea exploding on impact at 7:24pm. Pilot Johnson was killed in the crash. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). This aircraft was officially written off at Green Island.

Memorials
Albrecht was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at the Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery (Bourail War Cemetery) on the Bourail Memorial on panel 6.

References
Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1A Corsair 49672
"49672 (MSN 4919) to New Zealand as NZ5287"
ADF Serials - NZ Serials NZ5287
CWGC - Ronald Wilfred Albrecht

Contribute Information
Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned?
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 13, 2020

F4U

MIA
1 Missing

Interviews & Oral Histories