9 SEPTEMBER 1942
CRASH OF AN A-20 HAVOC BOMBER
AT CHARTERS TOWERS

USAAF A-20 Douglas Havoc Bomber, drifted to one side while taking off from the 40/140 (or was it the 40/240?) air strip at Charters Towers and hit another Havoc bomber that was being serviced beside the air strip.  Thirteen service personnel died in this accident, the worst of its kind in Charters Towers.

The Havoc is also known as the Boston Bomber by the RAAF and RAF.

It is possible that these aircraft may have been from the 89th Squadron of the 3rd Bomb Group, based in Charters Towers.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Fight Back from the North"
by Noel Tunny, of Brisbane

"Diary of WWII - North Queensland"
compiled by Peter Nielsen

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 7 February 1999

This page last updated 7 February 1999