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  CA-13 Boomerang Serial Number A46-174 Code QE-Y
RAAF
No. 4 Squadron


RAAF May 18, 1944

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Justin Taylan 2011

Aircraft History
Built by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Constructors Number 997.

Wartime History
During January 1944 assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as CA-13 Boomerang serial number A46-174. Assigned to No. 4 Squadron with code QE-Y to pilot Flight Officer Stan J. Bromhead.

On May 18, 1944 this Boomerang ground looped after landing at Cape Gloucester Airfield and came to rest upside down and tore off the landing gear. Damaged, it was shipped to New Guinea and transported to Newton Field (Nadzab No. 4) and repaired by a Repair and Salvage Unit (RSU).

Sometime during 1945, while landing at Nadzab Airfield sustained damage to the leading edge of the wing and twisted the fuselage. Afterwards, this Boomerang was deemed to be too damaged and was written off and converted to components.

Wreckage
This aircraft was abandoned at Nadzab Airfield. Until the middle 1970s, the center section remained in situ.

Salvage
In the middle 1970s, the center section was salvaged by Charles Darby to Lae then exported to Australia and later New Zealand.

Charles Darby recalls:
"Someone in Lae told us that 'there's nothing left at Nadzab'. Being a cantankerous old bugger who doesn't necessarily believe anything he's told, I decided that we would go and look for ourselves. In the course of one afternoon we found the remains of about 30 aircraft ranging from CG-4A gliders to a B-25, and including four Boomerangs of which A46-174 was one. David [Tallichet] later decided he did not want the Boomerangs, so Armstrong and I later shared them out amongst ourselves."

This aircraft was later sold to Kermit Weeks and transported to Fantasy of Flight where it is was on display unrestored. As of 2010, this Boomerang was placed into storage.

References
WW2 Nominal Roll - Stan J. Bromhead, O24256 (33011)
Australian War Memorial Collection Database - Collection relating to the service of 432886 Edward Philip Telford Simpson P02531.021 (photo)
Pacific Aircraft Wrecks page 22 (upper & left)
ADF Serials - Boomerang A46-174
AWM - The Royal Australian Air Force Squadon Codes
RAAF squadron codes: Malaya, Middle East and Europe, 1939 - 1945, & Australia and Pacific, 1943 - 1945 (Squadron: 4, Code: QE)

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Last Updated
September 29, 2021

 

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