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  P-40E Kittyhawk Serial Number A29-15 Code I
RAAF
No. 75 Squadron

Pilot  F/O Ally Cecil Clifton "Bink" Davies , 406124 (MIA / KIA) Gnowangerup, WA
Crashed  April 13, 1942

Aircraft History
Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40E Warhawk serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled.

Wartime History
On March 8, 1942 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as P-40E Kittyhawk serial number A29-15. Reassembled by 1 Air Depot (1 AD). On March 16, 1942 assigned to No. 75 Squadron with code I. No known nickname or nose art.

Wartime History
On March 27, 1942 took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by Woods on a patrol over Port Moresby with P-40E A29-19 piloted by F/O O'Conner and were joined by two other P-40s piloted by Piper and Bailey. At 1:30pm the four Kittyhawks intercepted a formation of Japanese bombers escorted by Zeros thirty miles east of Port Moresby. During the intercepton, Woods and O'Connor targeted the Zeros, while the others attack the bombers.

Mission History
On April 13, 1942 took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by F/O Ally Cecil Clifton "Bink" Davies as one of eight P-40s on a mission to escort seven A-24 Dive Bombers from the 8th Bombardment Squadron (8th BS) striking Lae. Reportedly, this P-40 was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target and was last seen in a spin at 1,000' out of control near Lae (RAAF Message Q47). When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Wreckage
A search carried out after the war by RAAF Searcher Team led by S/L Keith Rundle failed to find the pilot or Kittyhawk. A detailed search by five parties of a ten square mile area revealed no trace of this Kittyhawk. Probably it crashed 2-3 miles from the northeast corner of Lae Airfield, not out to sea.

Memorial
Davies was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at Lae War Cemetery on the Lae Memorial, panel 6.

References
ADF Serials - P-40E Kittyhawk A29-15
Fighter Squadron Doctor mentions this loss
War Diary 1942 (1984) pages 44-45
"Two [sic] Jap heavy bombers and three Zeros came over for a small-scale hit-run raid. Did no damage but dropped one bomb within 3 feet [of a] huge bomb dump of 250 pounders! Two of our fighters engaged them and shot down one bomber in flames [G4M1 Betty commanded by Fujii]. One of our fighters [P-40E A29-19] was shot down but the pilot parachuted to safety [sic, pilot P/O O’Connor missing]. Later a force of Japanese bombers raided Kokoda, up in the mountains, without causing much damage."
CWGC - Ally Cecil Clifton Davies
FindAGrave - Ally Cecil Clifton Davies (Lae Memorial)
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information

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Last Updated
April 8, 2021

Tech Info
P-40

MIA
MIA
1 Missing
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