Sunk  February 28, 1942

Aircraft History
Delivered to Qantas with civil registration number VH-AFD. It was recieved by the RAAF at Rose Bay on February 27, 1941. Assigned to 11 Squadron on May 30, 1941. Assigned to 20 Squadron on May 14, 1941. Allotted STF (Seaplane Training Flight) January 8, 1942.
Reassinged to 11 Squadon on January 19, 1942.

Wartime History
Sunk by strafing Japanese Zeros of the 4th Kokutai that raided Port Moresby, and strafed this Catalina while moored at Napa Napa, in Fairfax Harbor.

Wreckage
Although the wreck was known since the war it was rediscovered in the first half of 2003 by the POMSAC - a Port Moresby Sub-Aqua Club, when the InterOil Refinery was being constructed.  The wreck has not been positivily identified, but is either A24-3 or A24-6, one of the two Catalinas sunk during the air raid. Twelve 250kg live bombs were still aboard, and were removed by Australian MilSearch.  The bombs were taken 10 miles out to sea and dumped. They also located fragments of another wreck, probably the other Catalina near where the dock was constructed for InterOil.

References
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for unit assignment information.

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