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  Lockheed Hudson Mark I Serial Number A16-29  
RAAF
No. 13 Squadron

Former Assignments
No. 14 Squadron

Pilot  FLGOFF John Turnbull, 642 (KIA)
Crew  FLTOFF Robert Kelvin Allen, 404945 (KIA)
Crew  SGT Walter John Lay, 408079 (KIA)
Crew  Sgt B. E. Hack, 407102 (survived)
Crashed  January 1, 1942

Aircraft History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 1880. No U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) serial number was assigned. Disassembled and shipped overseas from the United States across the Pacific to Australia.

Wartime History
On March 9, 1940 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Hudson Mark I serial number A16-29. On April 4, 1940 assigned to No. 14 Squadron. Next, on December 28, 1941 assigned to No. 13 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On January 1, 1942 at 4:40pm took off from Laha Airfield piloted by FLGOFF John Turnbull on a flight. Shortly after take off, the pilot lost control after an starboard engine stopped and then suffering fire in port engine crashed into the sea off Ambon. The crash was witnessed by the air crews aboard Hudson A16-84 and Hudson A16-96.

Rescue
Sole survivor Sgt Hack was seriously injured with a right compound leg fracture, burns and cuts. Afterwards, he was rescued up by a U.S. Navy (USN) PBY Catalina and admitted into Ambon Hospital.

Memorials
The three crews killed in the crash were officially declared dead the day of the crash. All three are memorialized on at Ambon War Cemetery on the Ambon Memorial, column 8.

References
ADF Serials - Hudson A16-29
CWGC - John Turnbull
CWGC - Robert Kelvin Allen
CWGC - Walter John Lay
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information

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Last Updated
December 12, 2023

Tech Info
Hudson
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