Aircraft History
Built by de Havilland. Australian civilian registration unknown, VH-??? (last three letters unknown).

Mission History
On February 20, 1942 this aircraft flew to Ioma Airifield to rescue F/O Green and Sgt Prider who survived the ditching of Hudson A16-106 and landed safely. The other survivors from this Hudson had been flown out of Ioma aboard Fox Moth VH-UUS earlier on February 1, 1942.

That same day, this aircraft was badly damaged on take off from Ioma Airifield. The ultimate fate of this aircraft is unknown, likely scrapped or abandoned at Ioma.

References
Later, on May 5, 1942 pilot Hemsworth survived the crash of Catalina A24-20 on May 6, 1942 and was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) and died in captivity. He is memorialized on the Port Moresby Memorial at Bomana War Cemetery.
DH.83 Fox Moths in Australia
RAAF DB - SQNLDR Godfrey Ellard Hemsworth, AFC
CWGC - Geoff Ellard Hemsworth
NAA - RAAF Service Record Hemsworth, G. E.
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for his assistance with this profile

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Last Updated
May 24, 2018