Aircraft History
Constructor's Number 1199. US Navy Bureau Number 8285. Assigned to 20 Squadron May 5, 1943. Tail code FJ-L. Later, assigned to 11 Squadron June 24, 1943. Painted beneath the cockpit a picture of the previous pilot's wife, and had a lady's face and "Maggie".

Mission History
Took off from Groote Eyland to attack Manokwari.  Never reached the target, instead made a forced landing about two days walk (from the natives reports) from Babo.

RAAF Status card states:
"Page 1: A statement made by a Sergeant Major in N.E.I. forces evading capture in the Manokwari area in Dutch New Guinea that he saw an aircraft crash in flames not far from where he was hiding towards the end of April 1944. He thinks the aircraft was a Catalina but he was not certain. No parachutes were seen by him by he considers it possible that the crew of the aircraft may have bailed out earlier. Crash occurred in very rough hilly country and though he and friendly natives searched, no trace could be found.

16/6/47: S/Ldr Rundle reports - A/C crash seen by Sgt/Major Beaufort N.E.I. was about 60 miles N.W. Manokwari. Report that a large a/c was seen near Sasi probably refers same a/c. Rundle thinks this unlikely to be A24-49. Dutch ground party to investigate.

13/7/47: W/O Heywood of RAAF Searcher party states Jap account of FB ? at Manokwari tallies exactly with S/L ? recovery Cat[alina] wheel was fired on by Jap on Manokwari on 27/4/44. Probably does not refer A24-49- - if so there is no real evidence that this a/c ever reached the target area. The a/c seen by Beaufort probably Japanese a/c located near Wessie."

Memorials
The entire crew is listed as MIA and declared dead the day of the crash. They are memorialized on the Northern Territory Memorial.

Contact
Joan McIntyre adds:
"[From Australian Defense records] There were a number of suggestions that the Catalina, with 10 crew aboard, may have come down in the vicinity of a village called Moegim near Babo. It does appear that it reached its target area, and there is a suggestion, though rather vague, that the aircraft came under fire and may have been hit, although still able to continue flying. I realize the dreadful things that befell any downed airmen in that theatre of war, but it may be that the remains of the flying boat may one day be located.

One of the reports was from a native medical orderly, who was on Biak in the August of 1944. It was also stated that the Japanese had reported an Australian Catalina crashing into the sea, but this was unconfirmed. In a 1946 report, the Catalina A24-49 was listed as one of the aircraft lost in this area, along with a Liberator 42-40967, and three Kittykawks.They did believe that they may have found the Liberator in Manroeni."

References
Another source states this PBY crashed Horn Island.
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information

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Last Updated
October 6, 2009

PBY

MIA