RAAF
Former Unit
Assignments
USAAF
Force Landed December 10, 1943
Aircraft History
Construction Number 5340. USAAF Serial Number 41-2122. Coverted at Lockheed Factory
from
P-38E
to an
F4-1
photo recon version. Shipped overseas from the USA on November 30, 1942.
Assigned to the RAAF with serial number A55-3 on February 27, 1943. Allocated to 1 PRU at Eagle Farm Airfield. Next assigned to Coomalie Creek Airfield where it was pilot by Flt Lt C.C. Lawrie. On March 21, 1943 flown by Talberg a photo recce of Penfoei fir 5 hours.
By the end of March 1943, it was unserviceable with faulty intercoolers.
Repaired, it continued to fly photo recon missions: April 18, 1943 over Penfoei (5 hours) piloted by Flt Lt P.B. Sinnott.
20APR43 Photo recce of Penfoei (4.40hrs). Pilot Flt Lt C.C. Lawrie. 21APR43 Photo recce of Dili (4.15hrs). Pilot Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. endAPR43 Unserviceable with leaking intercoolers. 11MAY43 Survey flight of Portuguese Timor, Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. Weather unsuitable. 13MAY43 Staged through Groote Eylandt for a survey of Frederick Henry Island and District. Weather unsuitable. 15MAY43 Positioned Coomalie Creek to Groote Eylandt, Sqn Ldr C.C. Lawrie. 16MAY43 Survey of Frederick Henry Island & District. Weather unsuitable. 19MAY43 Returned to Coomalie Creek. 22MAY43 Survey of Kai Island, Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. Recalled due unsuitable weather. 24MAY43 Survey of Portuguese Timor, Flt Lt F. Robilliard. Weather unsuitable. 29MAY43 Photo recce of Penfoei, Sqn Ldr C.C. Lawrie. 22AUG43 Received 14ARD ex 1PRU for 240 hourly. 14SEP43 Received 1PRU ex 14ARD. 20SEP43 Issued 5th Air Force Eagle Farm ex 1PRU. 26OCT43 Repairs completed at Eagle Farm. 01NOV43 Received 1PRU ex Eagle Farm. 10DEC43 Landed at Batchelor, N.T. with the undercarriage retracted. The pilot escaped but the aircraft was extensively damaged in the subsequent fire.
Wartime History
On December 10, 1943 the plane landed at Batchelor Airfield with
the undercarriage retracted. The pilot escaped but the aircraft was
extensively damaged in the subsequent fire. Three days later, it was recieved by 4 RSU and on December 26th received by 14 ARD on Jaunary 10, 1944
it was approved for conversion to components.
Display
Displayed at the Darwin Aviation Museum in
November 1989.
References
USAAF Aircraft Record Card for 411-2122
Thanks to ADF Serials & Terence Geary for addditional information
P-38
