CRASH OF A BRISTOL BEAUFORT
AT BAIRNSDALE IN VICTORIA
ON 16 OCTOBER 1942

Bristol Beaufort

RAAF Mark VI Bristol Beaufort, A9-74, failed to take-off downwind at Bairnsdale in Victoria on 16 October 1942. It ran through a boundary fence. All crew members of Beaufort A9-74 survived the incident as follows:-

P/O Ian Harris Fielding (409038) - pilot
Sgt. John Joseph Callaghan (413342) - crew
Sgt. William McDonald Smith (409857) - crew
Sgt. James Brock (409983) - crew
F/O Charles Albert Howe (3660) - passenger

This aircraft was originally delivered to the RAAF in June 1942. It was involved in another accident - a wheels up forced landing 6 miles south of Forbes in New South Wales on 25 August 1943. It was eventually struck off charge on 8 February 1949 and converted to an instructional air frame.

REFERENCES

Beaufort A9-74, AviationHeritage.org

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I'd like to thank Daniel Leahy, Rick Hanning and John Keane for their assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 8 March 2000

This page last updated 22 February 2020