Beaufighter wreck found off Broome
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Seem to recall the RAAF lost quite a few Beaufighters early in the piece, in low-level bombing training, with the problem being that the bombs regularly bounced back up and struck the fuselage, resulting in a disastrous total loss of both aircraft and crew? I recall it took a while before the RAAF realised what the problem was, exactly. Am I correct?
Onetrack:
I think you're thinking of 22 Squadron, which lost several A-20 Bostons due to fragmentation bombs colliding together and detonating immediately after release.
I'm not sure that the Beaufighter in RAAF service even carried bombs.
I think you're thinking of 22 Squadron, which lost several A-20 Bostons due to fragmentation bombs colliding together and detonating immediately after release.
I'm not sure that the Beaufighter in RAAF service even carried bombs.
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Dora-9 - According to AWM, the Beaufighter carried up to 2000lbs (907kg) of bombs.
https://www.awm.gov.au/units/subject_621.asp
Yes, it may be the Bostons that I was recalling, in the story of the low-level bombing losses.
Can't recall where I read it now - such are the joys of advancing age, and a memory that's not as sharp as it was 30 yrs ago.
https://www.awm.gov.au/units/subject_621.asp
Yes, it may be the Bostons that I was recalling, in the story of the low-level bombing losses.
Can't recall where I read it now - such are the joys of advancing age, and a memory that's not as sharp as it was 30 yrs ago.
Last edited by onetrack; 27th Jun 2014 at 03:08.
My late father was a navigator on Beaufighters in the Solomon Islands (no idea what squadron etc).
He told me that they routinely dropped bombs on enemy shipping, and in fact I have some prints from the on-board camera showing a cargo vessel (not bombed so presumably a friendly).
I also have the small metal container with the earplugs he was issued. And the wizz wheel he strapped to his thigh is somewhere at my brother's place. Too corroded to be usable, but could be restored I guess. Wonder who might be able to do that ?
He told me that they routinely dropped bombs on enemy shipping, and in fact I have some prints from the on-board camera showing a cargo vessel (not bombed so presumably a friendly).
I also have the small metal container with the earplugs he was issued. And the wizz wheel he strapped to his thigh is somewhere at my brother's place. Too corroded to be usable, but could be restored I guess. Wonder who might be able to do that ?
Onetrack - I stand corrected, thanks.
I was more thinking of the Boston's internal bomb bay, with which to carry fragmentation bombs.
I had the privilege many years ago to fly with Harold Rowell; I recall him telling me of the squadron's fury when, after the third aircraft was lost, they learnt that the powers-that-be "down south" had been aware of the problems for several months before the losses!
I was more thinking of the Boston's internal bomb bay, with which to carry fragmentation bombs.
I had the privilege many years ago to fly with Harold Rowell; I recall him telling me of the squadron's fury when, after the third aircraft was lost, they learnt that the powers-that-be "down south" had been aware of the problems for several months before the losses!
My dad flew Beaufighters with 455 squadron out of Northern Scotland against German shipping in Norway.
He always said that when you let go all the rockets it was the equivalent of a destroyers broadside, and the force knocked 20 knots off the airspeed.
It was only in his last years he would talk about it.
Apparently he was one of the crew that took part in Black Friday when the Canadian, Australian, and British Beaufighters were bounced by a large group of FW190s. He told us he had one on his tail, a sure indication of being shot down, when a USA Mustang got the FW190.
I often wonder if this was the reason when he came back to Australia he transferred to a Mustang squadron and flew in Japan at the start of the Korean War.
He always said that when you let go all the rockets it was the equivalent of a destroyers broadside, and the force knocked 20 knots off the airspeed.
It was only in his last years he would talk about it.
Apparently he was one of the crew that took part in Black Friday when the Canadian, Australian, and British Beaufighters were bounced by a large group of FW190s. He told us he had one on his tail, a sure indication of being shot down, when a USA Mustang got the FW190.
I often wonder if this was the reason when he came back to Australia he transferred to a Mustang squadron and flew in Japan at the start of the Korean War.
Wrecks...
Would be good to see someone find the B 24 that crashed off Broome during the big Jap raid also. Might answer a few questions about that one
In the 100 Sqdn Book about Beaufort WW2 ops there are anecdotes in there that give detail on the loss of aircraft due premature bomb detonation on release...witnessed from the following aircraft when unloading on Sepik targets.
Never did get to see the Tadji Beaufort relics but on Goodenough Is in the dump there were both UK and Oz airframes, Hercules sleeve valve engines and Pratt and Whitneys.
Alas ..no barge or bank balance !!
I was involved in VH aviation!
In the 100 Sqdn Book about Beaufort WW2 ops there are anecdotes in there that give detail on the loss of aircraft due premature bomb detonation on release...witnessed from the following aircraft when unloading on Sepik targets.
Never did get to see the Tadji Beaufort relics but on Goodenough Is in the dump there were both UK and Oz airframes, Hercules sleeve valve engines and Pratt and Whitneys.
Alas ..no barge or bank balance !!
I was involved in VH aviation!
The Beau at Moorabbin today in the museum, when they got it it was
actually in a pretty sad state. Now, due excellent restoration, you can stand there and just marvel at the beauty of the beast.
From the excellent Geoff Goodall website -
•
Mk. 21
A8-328
RAAF BOC
9.9.45
TT
RAAF
Laverton VIC: fitted for target towing
11.50
RAAF Tocumwal NSW: del. for storage
2.2.56
Lord
Mayors Childrens Camp, Portsea
VIC
11.56/62
(trucked to Portsea ex RAAF Laverton 11.56
,
in playground on belly with undercarriage retracted
)
Moorabbin Air Museum, Moorabbin Airport
VIC
4.62/
14
(recov. derelict ex camp playground 4.62,
fully rest. as "A8- 328" to engine run standard,
later displ. as "A8 -39/EH-K")
nn: Australian National Aviation Museum, Moorabbin
00/14
____________________________________________________________ ____________________________
actually in a pretty sad state. Now, due excellent restoration, you can stand there and just marvel at the beauty of the beast.
From the excellent Geoff Goodall website -
•
Mk. 21
A8-328
RAAF BOC
9.9.45
TT
RAAF
Laverton VIC: fitted for target towing
11.50
RAAF Tocumwal NSW: del. for storage
2.2.56
Lord
Mayors Childrens Camp, Portsea
VIC
11.56/62
(trucked to Portsea ex RAAF Laverton 11.56
,
in playground on belly with undercarriage retracted
)
Moorabbin Air Museum, Moorabbin Airport
VIC
4.62/
14
(recov. derelict ex camp playground 4.62,
fully rest. as "A8- 328" to engine run standard,
later displ. as "A8 -39/EH-K")
nn: Australian National Aviation Museum, Moorabbin
00/14
____________________________________________________________ ____________________________
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Location: Horsham, England, UK. ---o--O--o---
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By George,
Nice collection of Photos, thanks very much!
Nice collection of Photos, thanks very much!
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Similarly to dhavillandpilot, my dad flew Beaufighters (also Sunderlands) with Coastal Command from Scotland during WW2. Very much a solitary man, the only wartime memories he'd ever recounted to me were purely anecdotes, and never regarding any actions against the enemy.
During what transpired to be my last visit to see him, at Melbourne in 2005 we spent a great afternoon at Moorabbin, where he stood for a while, silently staring at the Beaufighter. One of the older museum officials then approached him and asked if he knew anything about the "Beau". Within minutes they were engrossed in conversation, and then, to his delight, dad was invited to inspect the aircraft's interior.
Even aged 81, he was nevertheless still able to easily negotiate his way into the cockpit. I then went walkabout on my own around the museum, but upon returning some 20mins later, both men remained aboard, and still chatting about the Beau and stuff. Thank you Moorabbin!
During what transpired to be my last visit to see him, at Melbourne in 2005 we spent a great afternoon at Moorabbin, where he stood for a while, silently staring at the Beaufighter. One of the older museum officials then approached him and asked if he knew anything about the "Beau". Within minutes they were engrossed in conversation, and then, to his delight, dad was invited to inspect the aircraft's interior.
Even aged 81, he was nevertheless still able to easily negotiate his way into the cockpit. I then went walkabout on my own around the museum, but upon returning some 20mins later, both men remained aboard, and still chatting about the Beau and stuff. Thank you Moorabbin!
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Found the website a bit difficult to navigate 500, but came up with the following - posted for those who may be interested.
Charles A. Stafford was the flight surgeon of the 9th squadron of the 7th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Djokjakarta in early February 1942, when 22 sailors from U.S. Navy cruisers Houston and Marblehead wounded in the Battle of Makassar Strait arrived. Stafford and local Dutch doctors worked late in the night to treat the sailors, most of whom had suffered severe burns. When the Japanese invaded Java on February 28, 1942, Stafford was instrumental in getting the sailors evacuated on the freighter Abbekerk.
In early March 1942 the Allied forces were evacuating civilians and wounded from Java through Broome, Western Australia, and on to Perth. Fearing a Japanese air attack, airplanes carrying evacuees were ordered to take off from Broome by 10:00 on March 3, 1942. At almost exactly that time, B-24 Liberator Arabian Nights (#40-2370) of the 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), carrying Stafford and 33 wounded, took off from Broome for Perth. As the plane climbed through 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m), a flight of six Japanese A6M Zero fighter planes attacked Broome. Imperial Japanese Navy Warrant Officer Osamu Kudo was credited with shooting down Arabian Nights, which crashed 7 miles (11 km) offshore. Despite his efforts to save the wounded men, Stafford and all but two enlisted men — one of whom died after the arduous swim back to land — were killed in the crash and sinking of the aircraft.
Stafford’s remains were unrecoverable - posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his "devotion to duty and coolness under fire” in caring for the wounded sailors from Houston and Marblehead during the Battle of Java.
B-24 burning on the Broome airstrip as a result of the raid
Charles A. Stafford was the flight surgeon of the 9th squadron of the 7th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Djokjakarta in early February 1942, when 22 sailors from U.S. Navy cruisers Houston and Marblehead wounded in the Battle of Makassar Strait arrived. Stafford and local Dutch doctors worked late in the night to treat the sailors, most of whom had suffered severe burns. When the Japanese invaded Java on February 28, 1942, Stafford was instrumental in getting the sailors evacuated on the freighter Abbekerk.
In early March 1942 the Allied forces were evacuating civilians and wounded from Java through Broome, Western Australia, and on to Perth. Fearing a Japanese air attack, airplanes carrying evacuees were ordered to take off from Broome by 10:00 on March 3, 1942. At almost exactly that time, B-24 Liberator Arabian Nights (#40-2370) of the 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), carrying Stafford and 33 wounded, took off from Broome for Perth. As the plane climbed through 300 to 400 feet (91 to 122 m), a flight of six Japanese A6M Zero fighter planes attacked Broome. Imperial Japanese Navy Warrant Officer Osamu Kudo was credited with shooting down Arabian Nights, which crashed 7 miles (11 km) offshore. Despite his efforts to save the wounded men, Stafford and all but two enlisted men — one of whom died after the arduous swim back to land — were killed in the crash and sinking of the aircraft.
Stafford’s remains were unrecoverable - posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his "devotion to duty and coolness under fire” in caring for the wounded sailors from Houston and Marblehead during the Battle of Java.
B-24 burning on the Broome airstrip as a result of the raid
B-24 burning on the Broome airstrip as a result of the raid
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There were some particularly brutal episodes during WW2, but the Battle of the Bismarck Sea rates up there with them.
A combined force of 335 RAAF and USAAF fighters and bomber attacked a Japanese convoy between March 2-4, 1943 and utterly annihilated the Japs.
The following video shows film taken by Damien Parer from a Beaufighter over the shoulder of Flt Lt "Torchy" Uren. Brutal footage shows Uren machine-gunning Jap survivors and lifeboats in the water - but this was done for a couple of days, after a Jap pilot machine-gunned parachuting survivors of a crashing B-17, and then machine-gunned survivors in the water.
This machine-gunning of Jap survivors was done on the orders of Gen. George C. Kenney, against Geneva Convention rules - but understandably done in a brutal response, to equally brutal savagery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVLV67xILI4
Warbird Information Exchange ? View topic - Pound'n the Japanese at The Battle of the Bismarck Sea
I recall reading a Jap Naval officers recounting the utter terror the Jap seamen, operating shipping out of Rabual, experienced, when they saw a Beaufighter (or Beaufighters) approaching.
The RAAF Beaufighter pilots were exceptionally skilled at approaching the Jap ships at extremely low levels over the sea, making them difficult to hit. Then would get up close and then give the Japs all the firepower they had, plus bombs as well. The damage the Beaufighters inflicted on Jap shipping was horrendous. The seas between Rabaul and PNG are littered with hundreds of Jap wrecks, many of them victims of Beaufighters.
A combined force of 335 RAAF and USAAF fighters and bomber attacked a Japanese convoy between March 2-4, 1943 and utterly annihilated the Japs.
The following video shows film taken by Damien Parer from a Beaufighter over the shoulder of Flt Lt "Torchy" Uren. Brutal footage shows Uren machine-gunning Jap survivors and lifeboats in the water - but this was done for a couple of days, after a Jap pilot machine-gunned parachuting survivors of a crashing B-17, and then machine-gunned survivors in the water.
This machine-gunning of Jap survivors was done on the orders of Gen. George C. Kenney, against Geneva Convention rules - but understandably done in a brutal response, to equally brutal savagery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVLV67xILI4
Warbird Information Exchange ? View topic - Pound'n the Japanese at The Battle of the Bismarck Sea
I recall reading a Jap Naval officers recounting the utter terror the Jap seamen, operating shipping out of Rabual, experienced, when they saw a Beaufighter (or Beaufighters) approaching.
The RAAF Beaufighter pilots were exceptionally skilled at approaching the Jap ships at extremely low levels over the sea, making them difficult to hit. Then would get up close and then give the Japs all the firepower they had, plus bombs as well. The damage the Beaufighters inflicted on Jap shipping was horrendous. The seas between Rabaul and PNG are littered with hundreds of Jap wrecks, many of them victims of Beaufighters.
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I would think the problem with finding that wreck is diving on it.
And getting permission from the Aus government since it may well contain bodies, although that might be a good reason to find it if the US agreed.
And getting permission from the Aus government since it may well contain bodies, although that might be a good reason to find it if the US agreed.