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Pilot Lt. Richard "Dick" J. Shipway, Jr. (survived) Woodbury County, IA Crashed December 27, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Bell in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-39Q-5-BE Airacobra serial number 42-19943. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (6th PRG), 25th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (25th PRS). No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On December 27, 1943 at 9:00am took off from Townsville piloted by Lt. Richard "Dick" J. Shipway, Jr. on a ferry flight bound for for Port Moresby. At 10:30am landed at Cooktown Airfield to refuel and took off again at 10:45am bound for Port Moresby. Due to a fuel selector valve malfunction, he ran out of fuel over northern Queensland and bailed out. Fate of the Pilot Shipway parachuted from the aircraft at 5,000' and was later rescued by some Australian soldiers of the 26th Australian Infantry Battalion (AMF-AIF). The 26th Battalion were often sent on search parties for downed aircraft in the Cape York area. Lieutenant Eric Hammet lead this successful search party which brought Dick Shipway back. Warren B. Turner adds: "Pilot Lt. Shipway, and was rescued from the beach by an Australian Infantry patrol from the 26th Battalion, stationed at Jacky Jacky. My dad was one of the men in this patrol. They got the pilot back to Jacky Jacky in time for the New Years eve party at the Officer's Mess." Wreckage The P-39 came to rest in a sand dune area, a mile or so inland from False Orford Ness at about 11 degrees 13 minutes south. Dick stated: "Amazingly, it was intact except for a bent prop." Roughly 9 miles north of Hunter Point. During August 1993, Richard Shipway and his wife visited Australia including Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Ayers Rock, Cairns and 4 nights at the Cape York Wilderness Lodge. Dick seemed to think that the Wilderness Lodge was in the same location as the Australian soldiers that rescued him. Memorials Shipway passed away on February 24, 2008 at age 88. He is buried at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN at section 59, lot 114, grave 1. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Richard "Dick" J. Shipway, Jr. USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-39Q-5-BE Airacobra 42-19943 "19943 remains with Australian Airacobra Association, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 2000-2002" Cape York Adventure by Richard J. Shipway June 27, 1993 FindAGrave - Richard John Shipway, Jr (photos, grave photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 P-39  Approx 11° 13' S 142° 30' |
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