Going back to Broome for a bit, have you actually ever seen the flying boat wrecks that are in Roebuck Bay? I went to Broome on many occasions in the 60's, several times at very low tides and, despite looking really hard, I never saw any seaplane hulks. I don't doubt they're there, just the ability to ever see them could well be an urban myth.
Mind you, there were still a lot of items of interest on the aerodrome then; bits of Hudsons and a Liberator scattered about, plus many bullet holes in Horrie Miller's hangar.
It was almost 30 years ago (early 80's) since I went there and I honestly can't remember seeing them. This is partly because I was on an expedition and did heaps of things that normal "tourists" wouldn't have access to. The early 80's was the start of the big boom up there so Broome started to change from then on and lost it's "out of the way" feeling.
As you say, lots of interesting things to look at. I didn't know bullet holes still existed but I did know that their are plenty of bits and pieces of planes around the area.
Also, don't forget that at Broome you have one of the best sets of Dinosaur prints in the world. Not just from one animal but a few different dinosaurs !
The expedition I was on is an annual one to Broome, 80 mile beach and Port Headland to catch the waders before they set off to Siberia and other places. Spent weeks riding a Tri Wheeler bike up and down 80 mile beach, catching fish, sharks etc etc.
It is a most inhospitable place and no wonder when the japs landed in WWII on a recky they decided the whole area was not good !
On an aeronautical theme, one year at Anna Plains their was a huge bush fire and it was all hands on deck. My father, a few others and the owner pushed the plane or planes they had from the hangar onto the front lawn of the house. At the end, the only things left were the house and the plane.
Before that even. Here is a link to the photo I thought it was which is dated 1942 which they say is the first use of para frag bombs.
US 5th Air Force "parafrag" bombs falling onto Japanese airfield70 Years Ago—Sept. 12, 1942: Battle of the Ridge begins: Marines fight off attacks on Guadalcanal. US 5th Air Force light bombers first use parachute fragmentation bombs (“parafrags”)—in Buna, New Guinea.[IMG]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2897051409756453527-6627286895908427726?l=sarahsundin.********.com[/IMG]
It is the former Italian Naval waterdrome at Marsala, Trapani Province, Sicily.
):
