USAAF
5th AF
6th PRG
8th PRS

Ray Fairfield 1968



Bruce Hoy 1979

Pilot  Captain Leonhardt
Force Landed  1943

Aircraft History
Photo reconnaissance version of the P-38F.

Wartime History
Dispatched overseas on July 19, 1943 and assigned to the 5th AF at Brisbane. Officially written off by the USAAF on February 4, 1944.

Mission History
Took off from 5 Mile Drome piloted by Captain Leonhardt on a delivery flight from to 14 Mile Drome near Port Moresby. Force landed in the Waigani swamp, near 17 Mile Drome.

Wreckage
Remained in situ until 1978.

Salvage
Bill Chapman attempted its recovery in November 1969, having built a causeway out to the aircraft, but the crane broke after getting itself bogged in the swamp and the wet season began.

In 1978, Bruce Hoy, then curator of the PNG War Museum completed the recovery. He used the same heavily overgrown causeway, and dragged the aircraft along the until reaching dry land. Parts were used in the restoration of P-38F 42-12647.

Disposal
Around 2001, the museum was 'clearing up' their yard and was going to dispose of the corroded remains of this aircraft.  Robert Greinert / HARS recovered the outer wing panels and advised the museum to throw the rest of the aircraft away.

References
Thanks to Bruce Hoy for this information and all photographs.

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P-38

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