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| RNZAF No. 30 Squadron |
Pilot Flying Officer Alan Bailey, 421350 (MIA / KIA) Paraparaumu Beach, Wellington, NZ Crew Flight Sergeant Louis Schlesinger, 422211 (MIA / KIA) Taupiri, Auckland, NZ Crew Warrant Officer Reginald Richard Curtis, 413252 (MIA / KIA) Hamilton, Auckland, NZ Crashed May 10, 1944 Aircraft History Built by Grumman as a model G-40. Constructors Number 5787. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TBF-1C Avenger bureau number 48021. Disassembled and loaded as defense aid cargo aboard Peter White and shipped across the Pacific to New Zealand. Wartime History During February 1944 delivered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as Avenger serial number NZ2541. Reassembled by No.1 Aircraft Depot at Hobsonville Airfield with Unit 36. Assigned to No. 30 Squadron at Gisborne. Afterwards, flown to Espiritu Santo and held in a reserve pool until March 23, 1944. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On May 10, 1944 took off from Piva North Airfield (Piva Uncle) on Bougainville piloted by Flying Officer Alan Bailey on a bombing mission against Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul. Over the target, hit by anti-aircraft fire lost altitude then nosed over and dived into the sea about a half mile offshore. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on the day of the mission. The entire crew is memorialized on the Bourail Memorial. Bailey on panel 3. Schlesinger on panel 7. Curtis on panel 5. Bailey also has a memorial marker at Purewa Cemetery in Meadowbank, NZ. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - TBF-1C Avenger 48021 "48021 (MSN 5787) to New Zealand Feb 1944 as NZ2541. Hit by flak during bombing raid at Lakunai on May 10, 1944. The aircraft lost height and then nosed over and dived into the sea about half a mile off the coast." RNZAF Serials - Avenger NZ2541 CWGC - Alan McGregor Bailey FindAGrave - Alan McGregor Bailey (memorial marker photos) FindAGrave - Flying Officer Alan McGregor Bailey (Bourail Memorial photos) Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph - Alan McGregor Bailey CWGC - Louis Schlesinger FindAGrave - Flight Sergeant Louis Gordon Schlesinger (Bourail Memorial photos) Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph - Louis Gordon Schlesinger (photo) CWGC - Reginald Richard Curtis FindAGrave - Warrant Officer Reginald Richard Curtis (Bourail Memorial photos) Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph - Reginald Richard Curtis (photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated May 11, 2025 |
 Avenger  MIA 3 Missing |
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