N4521U
Colonel
User Name: N4521U
Name: Bill
Category: Advanced
Entry: A-20 Havoc, Lt C. Davidson pilot.
Kit: 1/72 MPM A-20 Havoc
Accessories; Eduard interior, and scratch building. Nose art is created with Corel and will be printed by others.
Another Davidson flown aircraft. He was present for the unvaling of the finished restoration, and was presented with the original yoke from the cockpit.
Assigned to pilot Lt. Charles Davidson who nicknamed it "Hell'N Pelican II", after his previous aircraft P-40N "The Hell'N Pelican". Crew Chief "Fudgie" Figuerido choose Tail Code "F" (for the first letter of his surname). A white heart was added to the rear fuselage, the marking of the 388th Bombardment Squadron.
Mission History .............. Took off from Gusap Airfield on a low level mission against Hollandia. On the return flight, the formation ran into bad weather and "Hell'N Pelican" ran low on fuel to the west of Madang. Davidson offered McKenna the chance to bail out, but he responded "Lieutenant what are you going to do?" Davidson said "I'm going in with the ship." and McKenna said in reply "Let's go." This was one of 37 aircraft lost on "Black Sunday" when the 5th Air Force suffered its greatest
operational loss of the war.
Wreckage ............... The wreckage remained in situ and was visible from the air during 1944 and used as a navigation
reference by pilots of the squadron.
Salvage .............. With Claringbould's assistance, the RAAF planned a training exercise "Operation Venture One" to salvage an A-20 wreck as a training exercise, using a CH-47 Chinook from 12 Squadron on September 11, 1984. Loaded aboard the HMAS Tarakan, the aircraft was transported to Brisbane arriving in November 1984. Afterwards, transported to Amberley Airfield for storage and restoration.
Restoration ........... Restored by the RAAF at at Amberley Restoration Facility by a team led by Denis Doggett during 1984-1996, using parts salvaged from other New Guinea A-20s. The aircraft was meticulously
restored to static condition. The aircraft is in storage pending the completion of display facilities for the PNG Museum in Port Moresby.
Name: Bill
Category: Advanced
Entry: A-20 Havoc, Lt C. Davidson pilot.
Kit: 1/72 MPM A-20 Havoc
Accessories; Eduard interior, and scratch building. Nose art is created with Corel and will be printed by others.
Another Davidson flown aircraft. He was present for the unvaling of the finished restoration, and was presented with the original yoke from the cockpit.
Assigned to pilot Lt. Charles Davidson who nicknamed it "Hell'N Pelican II", after his previous aircraft P-40N "The Hell'N Pelican". Crew Chief "Fudgie" Figuerido choose Tail Code "F" (for the first letter of his surname). A white heart was added to the rear fuselage, the marking of the 388th Bombardment Squadron.
Mission History .............. Took off from Gusap Airfield on a low level mission against Hollandia. On the return flight, the formation ran into bad weather and "Hell'N Pelican" ran low on fuel to the west of Madang. Davidson offered McKenna the chance to bail out, but he responded "Lieutenant what are you going to do?" Davidson said "I'm going in with the ship." and McKenna said in reply "Let's go." This was one of 37 aircraft lost on "Black Sunday" when the 5th Air Force suffered its greatest
operational loss of the war.
Wreckage ............... The wreckage remained in situ and was visible from the air during 1944 and used as a navigation
reference by pilots of the squadron.
Salvage .............. With Claringbould's assistance, the RAAF planned a training exercise "Operation Venture One" to salvage an A-20 wreck as a training exercise, using a CH-47 Chinook from 12 Squadron on September 11, 1984. Loaded aboard the HMAS Tarakan, the aircraft was transported to Brisbane arriving in November 1984. Afterwards, transported to Amberley Airfield for storage and restoration.
Restoration ........... Restored by the RAAF at at Amberley Restoration Facility by a team led by Denis Doggett during 1984-1996, using parts salvaged from other New Guinea A-20s. The aircraft was meticulously
restored to static condition. The aircraft is in storage pending the completion of display facilities for the PNG Museum in Port Moresby.
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