P-40 at Noro, Solomon Islands

[binkytimor]

I'm based at Munda in the Solomon Islands for a few months and have been having a look around the battlefields in the area. A local guide took me to the wreckage of a P-40 near Noro. Locals believe that it was a RNZAF P-40. Does anyone have any info?

Cheers, Garry.

[Chuck D]

Hi Gary,

I've never heard of it, but that doesn't mean it's not there.

There are loads of aircraft in the waters all around there & Gizo, a P38 of Seghe. A corsair crashed & burned on Kolombangara, one of the Blacksheep squadron. As far as I know, nobody has been there to look; but according to the account, the aircraft exploded on impact, though they did later pull out the pilot.

A real gem (not WWII related)- about a day hike inland is the "Stonehenge of the Pacific" As far as I know it's never been excavated, and I have never found photos of it (never been there either). Might be a cool place to visit if you can find a guide.

There are Jap AA guns in the bush near the hospital. Under Lambete (where it's built on the runway) are burried dozens of crushed & burned Jap aircraft. There are some landing craft in the Roviana Lagoon.

Chuck

[Timerover51]

I'm based at Munda in the Solomon Islands for a few months and have been having a look around the battlefields in the area. A local guide took me to the wreckage of a P-40 near Noro. Locals believe that it was a RNZAF P-40. Does anyone have any info?

Cheers, Garry.

Greetings Garry,

The RNZAF did operate P-40 aircraft in the Central and Northern Solomons, so it could easily be one of those. I should be out in the Solomons next year with an expedition looking for sunken ships, and will be operating in that area of New Georgia. Is there any way you can get me GPS coordinates for the aircraft, so that I can get someone up there to check it out? I hopefully will be working with the US National Geographic Society, and they would likely want to get some photos as well.

Sincerely Yours,
Dale

[roger-wilco-66]

That must be around the old Ondonga airfield then, and indeed, according to the PW records, RNZAF P40s were stationed there.

See http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/ ... index.html


Cheers,
Mark

[Timerover51]

Assuming that I make it out there, and right now it looks like I will, I am likely to be getting fuel at Noro. I will check on this one, and try for pictures and a serial number.

[davidf]

The P-40 seen near Noro may be RNZAF (18 Squadron) P-40N NZ3156 (42-104852).
On 21 November 1943, NZ3156 crashed into jungle 300 yards from end of the runway at Ondonga after engine failure on take off. Pilot F/O John BEW was killed.

According to NZ serials (http://www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/) another RNZAF (18 Squadron) P-40, NZ3109, crashed at Ondonga on 28 October 1943, but this crashed into sea off the end of airstrip while attempting to land (Sgt Donald Hill killed).

[Timerover51]

Thanks for the information, gentlemen. If the one aircraft is in the water short of the runway, divers might know about it, if not, I will have a couple of divers along just for things like that. The expedition is beginning to shape up, and it looks like I will have a museum sponsor in the near future. Target date for ship leaving Brisbane and heading for the Solomons is June 7 to 10, hopefully for roughly 60 days work.

Dale

[Chooky]

Hi Gents, this is an interesting thread. My late Father was a member of 18 Squadron & because of this I am in the process of transcribing the squadron operations record book (first three tours only) with the aim of using this, log book entries, pilot diaries, maps etc as a framework to publish his and other photos taken over this period of 18 squadron's operations. Because of this I would be extemely grateful for any information around these wrecks. It has been on my list of goals to get up into the area at some point in the next year or two. I hope the expedition is going well. Rob

[r e v r o d]

Hi Garry

I have just come back from Noro and have viewed the P-40 at the end of the runway a number of times over the last 4 years. Fascinating. The Japanese oil tanker a few hundred yards from it as well is quite interesting.

Rod