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| NEIAF No. 18 Squadron |
Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA) in Inglewood. Constructors Number 82-5548. At the factory painted with olive drab upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces and U.S. markings. Delivered to the U.S. Army as model B-25C Mitchell serial number 41-12913. Purchased by the Netherlands for the Militaire Luchtvaart (ML-KNIL) Army Aviation Corps of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army for use in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) as B-25C Mitchell serial number N5-139. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History In Australia, repainted in Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEIAF) markings with serial number N5-169 and the Dutch flag on the rear fuselage and retained the original U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) serial number on both sides of the tails. Assigned to No. 18 Squadron as one of their first five bombers. No known nickname or nose art. During 1942 until lost at the end of January 1943 this B-25 operated from the Darwin area in the Northern Territory flying combat missions. Mission History On January 31, 1943 took off from McDonald Airfield on a bombing mission against Dili. Returning, this aircraft and B-25C N5-134 ran short of fuel and force landed into marshy ground east of Tree Point near the Moyle River roughly 30-40km NNE of Port Keats, southwest of Darwin. The crew survived unhurt. Rescue The crew were later rescued and returned to duty. Wreckage Around 1970, RAAF Iroquois A2-390 piloted by F/L Allen Bridges with crew member Monty Jesinowski spotted this bomber from the air and landed to investigate. At the time, most of the 50 caliber machine guns and the cockpit instruments were still in place. Until 1972 this aircraft remained in situ were it force landed. Salvage During 1972 this aircraft was salvaged. Whereabouts since then are unknown. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25C Mitchell 41-12913 "12913 to NEIAF as N5-139" B-25 Mitchell in Dutch Service" N5-139 notes as crashed 2/43 incorrectly, "The B-25s in India (NEIAF serials N5-139 (sic), N5-143, N5-144, N5-145, and N5-148) were requisitioned by the RAF and were modified to photographic reconnaissance configuration. Two of them were assigned RAF numbers MA956 and MA957, but the other three retained their NEI numbers of N5-144, 145, and 145. All were eventually assigned to No 681 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron in India." Oz@War - Netherlands East Indies Air Force in Australia during WW2 (photo) Oz@War - Force Landing of Two B-25 Mitchells Returning to McDonald Airfield, NT Contribute
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