RAAF
7 OTU
Mike Lee 2001
Aircraft History
USAAF Serial Number 44-41956. A M/R model variant, radar-carrying
version of an M model.
Wartime History
Served with 7 OTU at East Sale. as Group Captain Kingwell's aircraft. Last flown Mascot-East Sale March 22, 1946 by F/O Ed Crabtree. Became Instructional Airframe No.5. Disposed on March 23 1948.
Restoration
The fuselage was recovered from the property of
George Toye, who saved the aircraft from the aluminum smelter after it
was obtained in 1948 from an RAAF base at East Sale. He didn't collect
the fuselage until 1952. It was transported to his home by logging trucks.
Unfortunately, the complete wing and tail plane were scrapped before Toye
had a chance to recover them. He even lived in the fuselage for a time
while building his house.
Recovered without most of its internal fittings, but was in excellent condition considering the several decades of outside storage. Restoration happening at an the RAAF Werribee, in Victoria, Australia. The restoration team had to replace approximately one third of the original structure including all the corresponding parts such as bulkheads, stringers and main frames. The work is being done entirely by volunteers of the B-24 Liberator Restoration Fund Inc. They have about 90% of the parts to complete the job.
Wings & Tail
The wing and tail
were recovered in the late 1990s from the wreckage of B-24D "Flying Wolf" 42-41091.
References
Thanks to Ralph Cusack and Mike Lee for information.
B-24
Photo Archive
Werribee
B-24
