Aircraft History
Pressed into military service with the RAAF, It was still using civilian rego and operated by a Qantas crew.

Daniel Leahy adds:
"I believe it was the Corinthian that rescued the American crew of a C-53 41-20066 that crashed near Truscott on February 26, 1942."

Mission History
The Corinthian was carrying weapons and twelve members of the US Army 102nd Coastal Artillery and their equipment. Took off from Brisbane (Karumba). While attempting to land at Darwin Harbor., it apparently landed ahead of flare path and struck debris, possibly a submerged log and broke apart and sank two nautical miles from Doctors Gully.

After the crash, Tapp re-entered the hull and searched for survivors. Two enlisted men [names unknown] of 102nd Coastal Artillery died in the crash. Two members of 102nd Coast Artillery, Lt. Edward Hubbard and Pvt. Woodrow Ravenscroft, were awarded the Soldier's Medal on June 12 for their efforts to rescue other members of their unit following the crash [ read citations ]. First officer Tapp earned a civilian award for their role in the crash.

Wreckage
Afterwards, the wreckage was blown up to keep the shipping channel clear, and the forgotten.

Rediscovered by a group of Darwin high school student in the middle of September 2004. Visibility was poor, the nine students could make out the forward hull of the fuselage, heavily encrusted with coral.

References
Thanks to Edward Rogers and Daniel Leahy for additional information

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

S23

30m

Crash of Short Empire
Australia @ War

Soldiers Medal Award

Civilian Awards

Discovery 2004