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Researching the 5th and 7th AAF

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:17 am
by wreck_diver
Hi I'm a new member posting from Australia. Congrats on a great forum. I've been interested in pacific wrecks since I lived in PNG as a kid. I've visited quite a few on land but these are getting harder to reach, so more recently I've been exploring those left underwater. My particular interest is in researching 5th and 7th army airforce wrecks.

Cheers and thanks for the opportunity to be involved in pacific wrecks

Re: Researching the 5th and 7th AAF

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:12 pm
by Capt Whiz
I am also interested in WWII aircraft lost in Papua New Guinea, I am looking for info on a P40-K lost on Dec. 18, 1942 near Kokoda. This plane was piloted by Lt. Richard Dennis of the 49th Fg, 7th FS flying out of 3 mile strip near Port Moresby. A flight of 4 P40's left on a routine flight to Cape Ward Hunt. Lt. Dennis incurred some sort of problem with his plane and could not communicate with the rest of his flight. He signaled by wagging his wings that he was going down through the clouds. I believe he was trying to find the airport at Kokoda for a possible emergency landing.


do you have any information on how long it would take to climb to altitude (20-23,000 feet); fly to Cape Ward Hunt and then return to Port Moresby. The flight ended with approximately 25 minutes to go on a two hour mission. If there was a problem with his oxygen, perhaps he could not get to altitude to cross the mountains. Do you know anything about the Kokoda Gap? This may have been a pass through the mountains. Do you have a map showing the location of some of the planes crash sites that you visited? Do you know where to find a detailed terrain map of the Kokoda area?

Any insights you might have would be appreciated.

Capt Whiz

Re: Researching the 5th and 7th AAF

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:09 pm
by PSPettit
Hello wreckdiver,

Have you dove the near shore areas of Wewak to Lae on the north coast of PNG? .... especially Wewak and the area from the village of Kaup to Karau which brackets Murik Point and the the mangrove lagoon/swamps at the mouth of the Sepik River??

Best regards

Paul Pettit
California