USAAF
5th AF
Wartime History
Reported as scrapped at Finschafen.
Recovery
Recovered in 2002,
by Australian group known as '75
Squadron' (no association with the RAAF unit). The wreck was reportedly
dug up while the group was recovering aircraft scrap from Finchafen.
The aircraft
was containered at Lae,
and shipped to Melbourne,
Australia. Soon afterwards, transported by road thru Melbourne, and
then containered and shipped to California, along with P-38J "Jandina
III" 42-103988 and (possibly) P-38F
42-12652 and three Thunderbolts, and P-47
42-75284, P-47 42-22521, P-47
42-8074.
Current Whereabouts
Stored and under restoration at Westpac
Restorations, details on this aircraft are unknown due to non-disclosure
agreement with the owner/client.
References
Aeroplane Monthly "Buried Thunderbolts to Fly Again" (May 2004) and
Warbirds International "Out of the Pit" by Michael O'Leary (May 2004).
P-47
Westpac
