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| USAAF 5th AF 49th FG 9th FS  49th FG October 8, 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Ralph H. Wandrey, O-729389 (survived) Mason City, Iowa Crashed October 8, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 322-3317. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38G-13-LO Lightning serial number 43-2208. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 49th Fighter Group (49th FG), 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) "The Flying Knights". Squadron Number 74. Assigned to 1st Lt. Walter Markey. Mission History On October 8, 1943 in the late afternoon took off from Horanda Airfield (Horanda 4) piloted by 1st Lt. Ralph H. Wandrey on a test hop after being overhauled. Shortly after take off at an altitude of only 20', both engines failed and the plane settled on the landing gear at 120 mph and just missed parked B-26 Maruaders then passed over a drainage ditch sheering off the the landing gear and was flung airborne briefly before crashing into a grassy area beyond the dispersal area at the eastern end of the runway causing a cloud of dust and smoke. Fate of the Pilot Pilot Wandrey was unhurt and exited the cockpit then ran away before fuel fumes ignited and burned the plane. Upset about the crash, he began walking back towards base and hailed a jeep and returned to the the officers club and entered as fellow pilots were toasting him assuming he had been killed and had already divided some of his possessions, with Richard I. Bong claiming his leather jacket and Paul Yeager his Australian flying boots! After apologies, the gathering turned into a celebration to welcome him. Wreckage The burned wreckage of this Lighting was photographed after the crash showing the burned center section with U.S. personnel standing nearby. Ultimate fate unknown likely abandoned or scrapped. Kieth Hopper adds: "Claringbould has a photo of this aircraft arriving in Port Moresby by ship. The wreckage is not where it crashed. It has been collected and put in a pile. I found a LAC Manufacture number to prove it's identity. The wreckage of 43-2208 is in amongst the other wreckage on the north side of Dobodura No. 7 (Girua Airport). I guess at some stage since the war ended someone (probably the Australian Administration pre 1974) had a clean up around the operational Girua Airfield and put all loose wreckage on top of all the steel wreckage left by the scrappers. An elderly friend of my fathers once told me he has photos of aircraft scrapping operations at Popendetta post war, I've always meant to view and copy them. The scrap smelter is still there." Memorials Wandrey passed away on June 25, 2020 at age 98 at Maplewood Assisted Living in Hayden, Idaho. On July 25, 2020 he was buried with military honors in the family plot at Elmwood Cemetery in Mason City, Iowa. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38G-13-LO Lightning 43-2208 "2208 (49th FG, 9th FS) both engines failed on takeoff, bellylanded and burned out at Horanda, New Guinea Oct 8, 1943. Pilot exited safely." Fighter Pilot (1950/2006) by Ralph H. Wandrey Protect & Avenge (1995) pages 196-197 (October 8, 1943 crash), 359 (index Wandrey) Thanks to Kieth Hopper for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated October 24, 2024 |
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