9 August 1943 - Crash of a P-38 Lightning at Biboohra north of Mareeba

9 AUGUST 1943
CRASH OF A P-38 LIGHTNING
AT BIBOOHRA, NORTH OF MAREEBA, QLD

A USAAF P-38 Lightning, of the 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, experienced engine trouble during a flight from Amberley to New Guinea. It crashed at Biboohra north of Mareeba on 9 August 1943 killing its pilot, 2nd Lieutenant Andrew Kendall Duke (perhaps it is Allan Kendall Duke - see e-mail below)

Parts of this P-38 are at Sid Beck's Museum in Mareeba.

Terence Geary checked his P-38 database which shows only one loss on that date. This information originates from the Aircraft Record Cards as follows:-

#43-2200 P-38G-15-LO 5AF 9 Aug 1943 Condemned accident not combat related

This is most likely this P-38 crash at Biboohra.

Plaque at Mareeba Airfield

Subject:   Allan Kendall Duke 9AUG1943
Date:           Tue, 15 May 2001 01:37:52 -0500
From:           marc poole <mtp1@ra.msstate.edu>

Hi-

I searched on the web for info on Lt Allan Kendall Duke, the brother of a friend of mine, Bettye Duke Jackson. She is interested in finding any other info on her brother, and I found the passage on your web page (http://home.star.brisnet.org.au/~dunn/9aug43.htm) very interesting. Can you provide me with any other info on the crash of Duke's P-38, and on the recent discoveries? Any info is greatly appreciated-

Best regards,

Marc Poole
Starkville, MS 39759

http://www.marcpoole.com

http://www.384thbombgroup.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Damian Waters and Terence Geary for their assistance with this home page.

REFERENCE BOOK

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

"I Didn't Know That"
"Cairns and Districts, Tully to Cape York, 1939-1946,
Service Personnel and Civilians"
By Vera Bradley (1943 AAMWS)

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

Why not join my Discussion List
on Military Aircraft Crashes in
Australia during World War Two

To subscribe send an e-mail to