29 July 1943 - Crash of a Kittyhawk on Bombing Range near Mildura airfield

CRASH OF A KITTYHAWK
ON BOMBING RANGE NEAR MILDURA AIRFIELD
ON 29 JULY 1943

Kittyhawk A29-57, #41-13524, of No. 2 Operational Training Unit (2OTU), RAAF, piloted by Sgt. Donald A. Smyth (424311), made a belly landing on the bombing range near Mildura, Victoria at 1050 hours on 29 July 1943. The pilot was not seriously injured.

The Aircraft Accident Data report described the incident as follows:-

"Pilot belly landed on bombing range because of engine failure. Cause obscure."

This same aircraft was involved in 3 other crashes:-

Crashed 6 miles from Tooleybuc, near Swan Hill, VIC on 22 Mar 43

Crashed at Mildura airfield, VIC on 14 Oct 43

Crashed near Mildura, VIC on 5 Dec 1944

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Corporal Darryl Gibbs of the RAAF Wagga Museum and Gordon Clarke for their assistance with details on this crash.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products