RAAF Liberator Picture Details

[diversdream]

Also Posted in RAF Liberator Squadrons where this picture comes from which started this search -

List of RAAF Aircrew Killed with 24 RAAF Squadron 6 April 1945

All RAAF Aircrew

Ronald Joesph Banks RAAF 436999

Trevor Edward Bowen RAAF 439863

Kelvin Arthur Roy Brown RAAF 426804

Alan Noel John Collins RAAF 424373

Lance Dixon Crowther RAAF 403560

Alan Davis RAAF 431280

Ian Faichnie RAAF 431408

Eric Valentine Ford RAAF 255138

Bernard Thomas Jordan RAAF 407825

William Laing RAAF 406568

Sidney Leonard McDonald RAAF 411524

Peter Albert Mouatt RAAF 405523

Leslie Raine RAAF 439612

John Stanley Thomson RAAF 438719

John Munro Waddell RAAF 443444

Leslie Kenneth Walmsley RAAF 435740

Keith Jowett White RAAF 433632

Walter Joesph Wignall RAAF 17299

Alexander George Worley RAAF 435236


Courtesy AWM details of the same Photo Set but 2 different Pictures Clearly Taken From Another 22 RAAF Squadron Liberator on the same Operation.

Photo ID AC0075

During an attack on a Japanese convoy consisting of the 5700 ton cruiser "Isuzu" and four smaller vessels near Sumba Island NEI this Liberator B-24 bomber aircraft (A72-81) of 24 RAAF Sqd flown by 411524 Flight Lieutenant SL McDonald RAAF was set on fire by gun-fire from Japanese fighter aircraft and subsequently crashed into the sea.
Flt Lt McDonald and all but one of his crew members perished.

406816 Warrant Officer Keith Roy Shilling RAAF was rescued and flown to RAAF Darwin for emergency medical treatment.

Photo ID NWA084

Sumba Island near Flores Island.

An aerial view of one of the two Consolidated B-24 Liberator aircraft of No 24 Squadron RAAF on fire after being shot down by enemy fighters while attacking the Japanese light cruiser Isuzu.

The aircraft crashed into the sea, with some of its crew parachuting into the sea,they were eventually rescued by a Consolidated Catalina aircraft of No 112 (ASR) Squadron RAAF, minutes later the Catalina was strafed by an enemy fighter, it caught on fire and was abandoned.
About an hour later a second Catalina arrived and the survivors from the first Catalina were taken aboard.

A search for further survivors was made but had to be abandoned as the Catalina was being attacked by two Japanese Irvings.

The crew on board Liberator A72-77 which was the first aircraft to to be shot down were -
Flight Lieutenant E V Ford
Warrant Officer C G Vickers
F/L LD Crowther
F/L W Laing
Flying Officer R T Jordon
WO A N Collins
Flight Sergeant L Raine
FSgt J M Waddell
FSgt I Faichnie
FSgt K J White
Sgt W W Sayer.

The crew of the second Liberator A72-81, which was also shot down and crashed were -
FL SL McDonald
FO K A Brown
FO P A Mouatt
FO A G Worley
WO K R Shilling
FSgt L K Walmsley
FSgt J A Thomson
FSgt R J Banks
FSgt T E Bowen
FSgt A Davis
Sgt W J Wignall

WO Keith Roy Shilling was the only survivor of these Combined attacks.

Photo Id P05580.003

1941 Studio portrait of 411524 Flight Lieutenant Sidney Leonard McDonald a pilot of No 24 Squadron RAAF. On 6 April 1945, as the captain of the Liberator bomber aircraft A72-81, he took off from Fenton Strip, NT, and after a brief enemy encounter the aircraft exploded over waters of the Netherlands East Indies.
All but one of the 11 crew members were killed,406816 Warrant Officer Keith Roy Shilling was rescued and flown to Darwin for emergency medical treatment.

Other RAAF items Available Included -

Irvin thermally insulated flying jacket belonging to Flying Officer L D Crowther RAAF and Matching Leather flying trousers

Detail

Brown leather Irvin flying jacket lined with a thick layer of sheepskin.
The jacket has a high collar and long sleeves with zippers running from the wrist to the elbow along the inner arm.
A leather patch with several ventilation holes is placed under each armpit.
The jacket fastens by a zip up the centre and a belt with a metal buckle at the waist.
When turned up, the collar is secured across the throat by a buckled leather strap.
A piece of adjustable elastic is fastened to the back of the collar to help secure the collar in the upright position.
A makers label inside the collar states the size and year of manufacture and has two handwritten names, 'McCawley' which has been crossed out and 'F/O Crowther'.

and

Brown leather flying trousers lined with sheepskin.
The trousers have a zip fly fastening and tapered legs.
A zip runs alongside the inner calf of each leg.
The waist is rounded up at the back with a pair of black elastic braces sewn into the middle.
The braces cross over and end in leather straps which can be fastened into metal buckles sewn into the front of the waist on either side of the fly.
The braces are marked on the inside 'FREEMAN. L.H.'.
A makers label is sewn inside the waist below a leather loop used for hanging the trousers.

Donors Details

Associated with Flying Officer Lance Dixon Crowther.
Crowther enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 3 February 1941, joining training units in Canada on 17 June that year.
He trained at schools of Bombing and Gunnery, Air Observation, and Navigation before joining further training units in England on 13 December.
He joined 40 Squadron, RAF, from 7 June 1942, serving in the Middle East and North Africa before returning to the United Kingdom to join an Operational Training Unit on 25 October 1943.
He later returned to Australia, serving in Victoria from 12 August 1944 and in the Northern Territory with 24 Squadron, RAAF from 31 March 1945.
Crowther, by this time promoted to Flight Lieutenant, went missing in the Timor Sea during an operation against the Japanese cruiser Isuzu on 5 April 1945.
Crowther was navigator on Liberator A72-77, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Ford, which was shot down during the operation.

None of the crew were recovered.

Item Details are REL28917.001 and REL28917.002

Pictures Will Follow

 

[Wildcat]

The imfamous Isuzu raid. I have the 24 sqn combat reports around here somewhere. The Japanese sure gave the RAAF a bloody nose on that day with 2 B-24's and a Catalina destroyed, plus damage to the second ASR catalina as it picked up the survivors!

 

[Wildcat]

And from 24 squadron's ORB -
credit to National Archives of Australia

 

[diversdream]

6 April 1945 Attack on Isuzu

24 RAAF Sqd

B-24L Liberator A72-77

F/L Eric Valentine Ford 255138 (Pilot)
W/O CG Vickers (2nd Pilot)
F/L Lance Dixon Crowther 403560 (Nav)
F/L William Laing 406568 (Bombaimer)
F/O Bernard Thomas Jordon 406568 (WOPAG)
W/O Alan Noel Collins 424373 (WOPAG)
F/SGT Keith Jowett White 433632 (AG)
F/SGT Leslie Raine 439612 (AG)
F/SGT John Munro Waddell 443444 (AG)
F/SGT Ian Faichnie 431408 (AG)
SGT WW Sayers (F/E)

24 RAAF Sqd

B-24L Liberator A72-81

F/O Sydney Leonard McDonald 411524 (Pilot)
P/O Keith Arthur Roy Brown 426804 (2nd Pilot)
F/O Peter Albert Mouatt 405523 (Nav)
F/O Alexander George Worley 435236 (Bombaimer)
W/O Keith Roy Shilling 406816 (WOPAG)
F/SGT Leslie Kenneth Walmsley 435740 (AG)
F/SGT John Stanley Thomson 438779 (AG)
F/SGT Ronald Joseph Banks 436999(AG)
F/SGT Trevor Edward Bowen 439863 (AG)
F/SGT Allan Davis 431280 (AG)
SGT Walter Joseph Wignall MID 17299 (F/E)

Part 1

In Kupang Harbour at around dawn on 6 April 1945, the Japanese "Natori" class light Cruiser IJNS Isuzu (Captain Matsuda IJN) takes on board an army detachment and with IJN minesweepers W-12, W-34 and Torpedo boat IJNS Kari as escorts, departs for Sumbawa.

Meanwhile Nine Liberators, flying in three elements of three, commenced taking off from RAAF Fenton airstrip in the Northern Territory at 0455hrs on the morning of 6th.
The formation consisted of three 21 RAAF Sqd aircraft and six 24 RAAF Sqd aircraft.
The make up of the first element was, W/C RE Bell RAAF as No.1 and formation leader, F/L WW Kirkwood RAAF as No.2 and F/L EV Ford RAAF as No.3.
The final element was made up of S/L GJ White RAAF as No.1, F/L W Court RAAF as No.2 and F/O SL McDonald as No.3.

The Liberators were to rendezvous with B-25 Mitchells from 2 RAAF Sqd that were to strafe the ships, however the rendezvous was not made and the Mitchells, with fuel critical, continued onwards.

They had been ordered to attack the cruiser "Isuzu" and its escort vessels that had been reported in the vicinity of Sumba Island, west of Timor.
The ships were sighted between 0930-0945hrs approximately 20 miles East of Sumba Island.

The Mitchells found the cruiser near the north coast of Sumbawa and pressed home their attack causing damage to the starboard bow of the ISUZU.

It was some 10-20 minutes later that the Liberators arrived and began their attack, only to be met with an intense barrage of anti-aircraft fire.
They did however, make some hits on the bow section of the ISUZU, causing considerable damage, but failed to sink it.

During the first attack run made at about 1000hrs from 13000 ft, through intense and accurate flak, B24 A72-81, flown by F/O McDonald RAAF, was the first to be shot down.
They were attacked by two Japanese A6M3 "Hamps" from the 10 o'clock position, in line astern closing to within 50 feet, the B24 crew fighting valiantly by returning their fire to keep the fighters at bay before they broke away underneath.

Shortly after this attack F/O McDonald RAAF's aircraft lost height by 50 feet but still managed to remain in formation.
Smoke was then seen to be coming from the cockpit.
Just after the bombs were jettisoned the nose wheel compartment opened and two of the crew were seen to parachute away while another three parachuted from the forward bomb bay.

The Liberator then went into a steep climb and appeared to stall.

With flames seen in the nose wheel and bomb bay compartments the aircraft turned over on it's port wing and dived about 6000 feet before recovering.
Again, the aircraft appeared to climb very steeply and then stalled once more, entering a second dive of about 45 degrees heading towards the cruiser but disintegrated about 3000 feet above the sea.

A72-77 (F/L EV Ford RAAF) was the next to go down.

A second bombing run made at the same height proved disastrous.

A fighter made an attack from 11 o'clock (position).

The front gunner seemed to have him covered but did not stop him.

Fate of the IJNS Isuzu

Later that day three USN submarines, SS-321 USS BESUGO, Lt Cmd HE Miller USN SS-328 USS CHARR, Cmd
FD Boyle USN and SS-252 USS GABILAN , Lt Cmd WB Parham USN Caught up with the elusive cruiser in Sape Strait.
USS BESUGO fired 9 torpedoes which missed the ISUZU, but sunk the minesweeper W-12.
The ISUZU makes it into Bima Bay and off loads Her troops successfully.

Before dawn the next day 7 April 1945, as ISUZU leaves Bima with KARI and W-34, USS CHARR makes long distance radar contact and alerts the USS GABILAN.
At 0600 USS GABILAN attacks and one of her torpedoes strike the cruiser below the bridge causing flooding in the forward section and considerable loss of speed.
At about 0830 USS CHARR manouvres into position and fires four torpedoes, with three hits.
Shortly afterward, the bow of the ISUZU breaks off, she capsizes and sinks at 0738 South 11809 East.

The sinking is witnessed and then confirmed by the British submarine HMS SPARK also in the aera.

 

[diversdream]

Additional Material 6 April 1945 Attack on Isuzu Part Two

Witnesses

Colin George Vickers RAAF 401867

"The sight of one of our aircraft going down in flames did not add anything to our feeling of security.
The second bombing run made at the same height proved disastrous for us.
A fighter made an attack from 11 o'clock (position).
The front gunner seemed to have him covered but did not stop him.
He closed to 100 feet, My first intimation of being hit was an explosion and runaway No.3 Engine.
I then realised the aircraft was on fire.
The Bombaimer's Compartment and starboard main plane was quickly an inferno."

and

"Up to this time there was no appreciable difficulty in controlling the aircraft.
The flames were licking around my ankles when the skipper, F/L EV Ford RAAF, signalled to Me to abandon the aircraft.
My next coherent recollection was on floating down and unconsciously feeling for a cigarette.
On looking about no other chutes were visible but I could see the aircraft taking its final plunge into the sea.
On striking the water I had no difficulty in releasing my harness and inflating my Mae West."

Sgt W W Sayers RAAF (further Deatils on Intrest)

"I wondered who would be next as the flak was so intense.
I did not get a very good view of the bomb bursts because we turned off to port after bombs away and I was busy watching for fighters, which had been reported in several places.
We came in on the second run with 4 bombs on the racks.
There were some bursts of heavy AA at the correct height, but to port of us.
The skipper and the nose gunner were discussing a reported fighter, and the bomb aimer chipped in and said he could see it dead ahead.
The skipper then called "Go on, nose gunner, let him have it."
And the front gunner commenced firing.
The next second we were hit on No.3 and oil, smoke and pieces of cowling whizzed by the waist window."

W/O Keith Roy Schilling RAAF 406816

"It was the first enemy fighter that got us.
No hits were seen on the enemy.
The Engineer used the fire extinguisher which proved to be absolutely useless.
The fire drove SGT Wignall into the bomb bay.
I did not see him again.
The Captain ordered the crew to bail out.
The second pilot (F/O KAR Brown) escaped through the bomb bay.
I followed about thirty seconds later.
About 2 minutes later another member jumped.
He did not appear to have a parachute.
I went out the bomb bay head first, counted six, and pulled the release cord.
It took about 12 minutes to come down during which time I counted six members parachuting from F/LT
EV Ford's A72-77.
An additional member appeared to drop without a parachute."

W/O Schilling was the sole survivor of FLG/OFF McDonald's crew to be rescued and made this report at No.1 Medical Receiving Station were his woounds were treated.
What W/O Schilling was witnessing was the destruction of F/L Ford's Liberator.

 

[diversdream]

Additional Material 6 April 1945 Attack on Isuzu Part Three

With the starboard wing now well alight F/L Ford RAAF ordered the Aircrew to abandon the aircraft.
SGT Sayer (Posib WGT Sayer 30337 can anyone confirm?) escaped the blazing aircraft by jumping through the rear hatch and it was also thought that W/O Collins RAAF, F/Sgt Faichnie RAAF, F/Sgt White had also escaped.

The aircraft had been holding a steady course but then rolled over to port and plunged to the sea, exploding on impact.

If this wasn't bad enough for the crewmen in the water, a 43 RAAF Sqd Catalina (A24-54, Pilot F/L Bullman RAAF Posib CR Bulman DFC RAAF 416145) arrived and had no sooner pulled to safety the last of the three men from the water when it was strafed by a Japanese plane.
The enemy plane's bullets ripped through the rescue aircraft severing fuel lines, setting fire to the aircraft immediately and sprayed burning fuel over the back of W/O Schilling.
This fire was then extinguished by SGT Sayers with a ready to hand sleeping bag.

Jumping into the water the three survivors and the crew of the Catalina escaped the burning aircraft.
Minutes after the attack an Air-Sea rescue Liberator arrived over the scene and dropped two large dinghies and a supply canister about 600 yards away from them.
It took over an hour for nine of the 11 men in the water to reach the dinghies.
Once in the dinghies they struggled to reach the remaining two crewmen but by the time they reached their location the men could not be found.

Approximately two hours later, a second Catalina (A24-58, Pilot F/L Gorrie Posib S/L AR Gorrie RAAF 261937) was directed to the downed crew by a Liberator, then landed after 30 minutes battle with the heavy seas.
When the last of the survivors had been picked up a Japanese "Irving" was sighted making for the Catalina.
The enemy attacked as the Catalina commenced its take off, scoring no damage nor did they return fire.
Airborne, F/L Eldin Moore (Proab F/L E Moore DFC RAAF 408694) in A72-72 (Cat or Lib Presumeably) commenced a running battle that lasted for approximately 20 minutes until the "Irving" at last broke off.

The Catalina headed for Darwin and arrived at 2230 hrs that night.

This from TRUSCOTT -The diary of Australias secret wartime Airbase -- J AND C BEASY page 171

"From very early on in the morning darkness, preparations were being made at the strip to launch the assault on the ISUZU convoy.
Eleven Mitchells from 18 RAAF Sqd were the first off from Truscott followed closely by a further ten from 2 RAAF Sqd.

The plan was for the Mitchells to rendezvous with an attacking force of Liberators (out of Fenton) at the Southeast end of Sumba Island.
The Liberators were late so, with fuel critical, the Mitchells decided to press on alone.
The 18 RAAF Sqd aircraft (then only numbering ten as one aborted due to engine trouble) were consequently the first to sight the enemy convoy some 40 miles west of Koepang.
In a formation spacing of 150 feet at an altitude of 10 000 feet, the NEI Mitchells pressed home a determined attack on the prize target - the ISUZU."

(from other sources..)

First Catalina A24-54, second Catalina A24-58 Pilot F/Lt. Gorrie (Ross Hanns second pilot (Most likeley F/L RV Hanns RAAF 416854) - Ross went 'soaring' in May 1996)
F/Lt. Eldin Moore pilot of A72-72 played shepherd and received the DFC for this action.
He "folded his wings" in May 2002.

As of 2005 W/O Schilling RAAF was alive and living in Perth Western Australia

 

[diversdream]

NB serial Number for BJ Jordan RAAF should be 407825 - Typo sorry!
Also intresting to Note detail diffrecnces in AWM Details to other notes and ORB Records.

Awards

MID

(Only Liberator Airman to receive one!!!)

Temporay SGT Walter Joseph Wignall 17299 (F/E)

"For Services Rendered in Northern Command Area"
Recomended 25 May 1947
Gaz 15 July 1947 Page 3264

Catalina Pilots

F/L Charles Ralph Bulman 416145 RAAF Pilot
112 ASR Flight
"For Air Sea Rescue in Samoe Sea on 6 April 1945"
Recomended 11 May 1945
Gaz 15 June 1945 Page 3135
Award Presented by Governor General in South Australia at Goverment House on 4 October 1949

F/O Eldin Moore RAAF 408694 Pilot
21 RAAF Sqd
"Strike on Enemy Cruiser Samoe Strait 6 April 1945"
Recomended 10 November 1945
Gaz 22 Febuary 1946 Page 1075
Award Presented by Governor General Parliment House Melbourne 16 March 1949

 

[diversdream]

RAAF Pictures

1) the one that started all this tonight!
Orig Found on RAF Liberator Sight (pleas forgive posting if member - but this picture shook me when i saw it you see my relation in Bomber Command was killed attacking Norway 12 January 1945 with 617 RAF Sqd and this pick just made me think of that big time.
He and his Aircrew were machine gunned by Germans in water - event witnessed by several Aircrew in local area.

Its something i am still researching thanks in particular to a few fine fellows locally who knew Ian during their training in Canada and a couple of outstanding guys that have been helping me in researching his Aircrafts fate as part of it has now been recovered and is on display in Norway after it got tangled in a fishing net!!

We had 6 serve by 1945 5 were Dead (2 RAAF and 3 RAN)

Survivor joined RAF in 1938 flew over 170 Ops by VE Day in both Blenheim's and kittyhawks in the Middle East and Italy (80 were as a Sgt Observer before retraining as a pilot).
Awarded DFM for Blenheim's, AFC for saving another Airman's life in Rhodesia on his 'break' from ops and DFC for Kittyhawk ops in Italy.
Stayed with RAF post war Retired 1978.
Deceased.

Stephen.

 

[diversdream]

does anyone have these picks in larger size???
From Diffrent sites found tonight.

Stephen.

PS tried to leave a message on RAF Lib site can someone tell him thanks for the pick even if its caused me a sleepless night!!! lol

PPS
THANKS FOR THE ORB Wildcat! Nice to meet Ya!

oh well too hot to sleep anyway!

1) Aerial view of bomb busts near the Isuzu (from original print)

2) Final plunge of A72-77 (from original print)

3) A24-54 burning in the water (from original print)

4) NWA 091
Northern Territory Hughes Airstrip 11 March 1943

A crew of No. 2 RAAF Squadron outside the door of a squadron Lockheed Hudson aircraft examining a map. Identified personnel are: 405657 Sgt Jack Sunner WOPAG of Rockhampton Qld; 515737 Sgt Keith Hamilton Parker WOPAG of Perth WA; 411524 Sgt (later Flight Lieutenant) Sidney Leonard McDonald Pilot of Sydney, NSW; 404946 Sgt (later Pilot Officer John Loughnan Barnes Observer of Mitchell, Qld; 411607 Sgt Harold Augustus Roach, WOPAG of Sydney, NSW.
F/L McDonald went missing on 6 April 1945 flying with 24 RAAF Squadron when his aircraft was shot down attacking Japanese shipping near Sumba Island, Netherlands East Indies.
He has no known grave, and is listed on the Adelaide River Memorial, NT.
PO Barnes was lost on operations near Millingimbi, NT on 20 April 20 1943.
He is buried in the Adelaide River War Cemetery, NT

5)

 

[Wildcat]

PS tried to leave a message on RAF Lib site can someone tell him thanks for the pick even if its caused me a sleepless night!!! lol

PPS
THANKS FOR THE ORB Wildcat! Nice to meet Ya!

No worries mate, and welcome aboard! The owner of the RAF Lib site is a member here, so hopefully he'll see this thread.
Nice to see you mention 18 (NEI) sqn, as they were the other squadron to participate in the attack. The only unit I belive left out is No 87(PR)sqn RAAF, who shadowed the convoy with their PR mosquitoes. Two Oscars attempted to intercept one such flight on the day of the attacks.
All interesting stuff!

 

[diversdream]

My own personal feelings are that there are 3 countries that were either shafted big time or their effort in the war has been forgotten or is simply overlooked.
They are The Netherlands, Poland and Norway.

Poland is the premier example of being shafted after putting so much effort into the war,esp bombers and coastal in particular not to mention the fighters in the over rated Battle of Britain (sorry personal attitude, it wasnt just fighters there were bombers and coastal as well and their casualties were higher then the 600 odd of fighter- but i am a 'Bomber Barron' so what did ya expect lol).

I have always felt that the Netherlands have been overlooked in their actions getting people down escape lines (everyone knows about France but what about Poland, Norway or Holland?) and their degradation under occupation from 1940-1945.
Its also interesting to see reports of Aircraft still being located now days in the Netherlands, also the devotion of the Dutch to their 'aircrews grave' (the Best example but by no means not the only one would be Steenbergen and their Attitudes to GP Gibson and JB Warrwick and the efforts one family in particular in seeing they were remembered correctly).

Lastly in the Netherlands as far as the 'Final Solution' is concerned there are truly horrific figures - while not as high as Poland et al they did suffer one of the highest % per proportion of people killed in their country -many of which were not only Jewish etc but resistance members.

I Had a neighbour in Nyngan (well a farm a few Ks away lol) who was AA Gunner at Batchelor in the NT and he could not speak highly of the Dutch Aircrew he met there when they were based at that airfield.
Again i think that the Dutch effort in the Pacific is often overlooked by lots of people including Aussie for the other disasters of that period like Singapore or Battan.
Java was almost as worse and in some ways was more disastrous then Singapore, the Battle of the Java Sea showed the Dutch at their best and worst, as did the Air Forces efforts in Java.

yup i have great Respect for the Dutch, probably slightly less then the Poles simply because of the way they were so mercilessly shafted firstly in the Warsaw Uprising but that stupid halt order given by Stalin and then Atlee and Co not allowing them to march at the victory parade or take part in the flypast, let alone what happened to the country after 'Uncle Joes' cronies moved in (the treatment of the Czech's wasn't much better).
Norway was again occupied from 1940-1945 and again i think their efforts was greatly overlooked by the more 'exciting' IE famous resistance efforts of the war.

Stephen.

PS
i a am biased i am currently writing 'reports' ( I'm housebound right now so this gives me something to keep sane lol) on KMS Tirpitz (including Admiral von Tirpitz), 300 PAF Sqd based on the 300 PAF Sqd ORB and the Dutch Legend Coba Pulsken who was gassed after being found sheltering Aircrew and other 'enemies of the State.
Also due to coba working on a list of Confirmed 'War Crimes' against Aircrew (IE eventuated in cases or investigations at least).
Not to mention researching the 6 Airman Killed and their parents who served in France in the great war.
Will post excerpts next..

 

[Wildcat]

Good stuff Stephan. I also have a great respect for our Dutch Allies in the Pacific, have a read of this short history I wrote about 120(NEI) sqn. Not great by any means, but you may find it of some interest.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/stories/120-nei-sqn-16326.html

 

[Rudemyster]

G'Day All, first time poster to this forum and am in need of some information. I was wondering whether anyone knows what the code letter of aircraft A72-77 was. I understand the GR represented 24SQN but cannot find the reference to what the actal code letter of the aircraft was? We have tried to finf the info through AWM and the Office of Air Force history and other means but to no avail. I would love to find out what it is. Reason is that I was asked the question from a person whose relative was the Pilot FLTLT Ford.....he has tried to source the info as well but unfortunately has had no luck. Your help would be very much appreciated. Cheers Rudi SQNWOFF 24SQN

 

[ozhawk40]

G'day Rudi and welcome.

I checked a couple of my references including "Australia's Liberators" by Charles Darby and the ADF-Serials website. No luck, so I suspect that at present it's not commonly known if at all.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Wildcat]

Hi Rudi, Ive just had a look at at the 24 sqn narrative report for this strike but they also don't mention aircraft code letters. There is also the possibility that A27-77 never carried any code letters.

 

[Wurger]

Guys, would it be possible the code letters were GR_P or K ?

 

[Nbowen]

Hello all, my great uncle served on A72-81 . Air gunner f/sgt Trevor Edward Bowen . I'm trying to find as much information on him , not only in respect to the April 6 mission. I would like to find out previous information, movements, behavioural records etc.. Can any one send me in the right direction??

Also most b24 aircraft seemed to all have names eg. "bêtise" , did A72-81 have a nick name ?