John Douglas   September 2001 Wreck News Update

Wreck related briefs from John Douglas in Papua New Guinea

My main effort at the moment is exploring the forests around Port Moresby. The area back towards Kokoda from Port Moresby seems to have been a killing ground for planes.It was the main route for planes travelling between Port Moresby and points north, including Kokoda, Buna, Lae and Rabaul. Add in a mountain pass, regular bad weather, combat and occasionally inexperienced pilots, and you get a lot of mishaps. Much of this area is steep, forested and little used except by occasional hunters. So, there are wrecks to be found. CILHI have been working on a couple with remains, but a lot more need to be located and checked out. For the moment we've been working in one valley that seems to have gathered up P39s. located four, all aparently lost in May 1942,When matters were very evenly balanced between the opposing forces. These P39s are all D or F models, not reported to the outside world before, and come from 35 and 36 sqns, USAAF. No remains obvious. I've got a camera travelling in the lower Sepic river [Another good location for wrecks]as well. I attach a few photos for your gratification.

  DAP Beaufort Mark VIII Serial Number A9-518

 P-39 Airacobra

P-39
Crash in the Owen Stanley Mountains, located on a mountaintop.

 P-39 Airacobra

P-39
Port Moresby area wreckage.

 P-39F Airacobra Serial Number 41-7191

 P-39 Airacobra
P-39 Cannon P-39 Nose

P-39
I visited this P-39 in Oro Province, which was especially interesting to visit.

Em Tasol
Black Dougal

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