Aircraft History
Constructors Number 4693. Assigned to the USAAF on September 6, 1942. Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 374th Troop Carrier Group on October 9, 1942 as a replacement aircraft. Call Sign VH-CFE. Nicknamed "Broadway Limited" or "The Broadway Limited".

Assigned to the 41st Troop Carrier Squadron on October 27, 1943 as a replacement aircraft, and assigned nose number 54. During May 1943, this C-47 flew 205.10 hours, flying 121,880 pounds of cargo and 392 passengers. During June 1943 flew 121.40 hours and had six engine changes while in service.

Mission History
Took off with a cargo load including a jeep. Crashed roughly 5 miles off Dobodura Airfield #7 (Girua Airfield). Officially written off on April 1, 1944, the day of the crash.

Wreckage
Wreckage includes a crumpled tail section, and the body of a jeep.

David Pennefather recalls:
"Crashed about 7km south-west of Girua Airfield. The wreck has remains of jeeps in it."

Local rumors claim this aircraft wreck has gold bars or other treasure aboard it. Such claims are of course false.

References
Port Moresby Tower Log notes this aircraft wreck
Allied Air Transport Operations SWPA in WWII Volume 2 pages 273, 292-293, 338, 348, 351-352, 504, 520

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 1, 2009

C-47

C-47

Aprox
8°49
148.13