CRASH OF A BRISTOL BEAUFORT

1.    AT EAST SALE IN VICTORIA
ON 19 NOVEMBER 1944

2.    5 MILES FROM EAST SALE ON
7 FEBRUARY 1945

Bristol Beaufort

On 19 November 1944, RAAF Mark VII Bristol Beaufort A9-146 of 1 OTU made a wheels up landing at East Sale in Victoria (possibly Bairnsdale or East Sale) after its undercarriage refused to lower. The pilot of this aircraft was F/Lt. B. Bennett. The pilot and his crew of three were uninjured.

On 7 February 1945, the same aircraft (A9-146), dived into the ground 5 miles from East Sale airfield during a night flying exercise. All the crew were killed as follows:-

W/Cmdr. P. Kinglsey-Strack
F/SGt. L.L. Fitzgerald
F/O K. Dobbie

This aircraft was originally delivered to the RAAF in October 1942. It was converted to components after this tragic crash.

Subject:    Crash of Beaufort A9-146
Date:             Fri, 25 Aug 2000 00:15:11 +1000
From:           "thecount" <thecount@sympac.com.au>

To add detail to the crash of Beaufort A9-146 in Victorian Crashes (Date 7 February, 1945)

The caption that goes with the attached photograph:

FLTLT Bob Bennett forced landed Beaufort A9-146 on 23 November, 1944 after he discovered the starboard undercarriage leg would not lower. The crew of four were unhurt but the Beaufort was destined for destruction. On 7 February 1945, the aeroplane crashed 5 miles east of the station on a night flying exercise, killing the crew of four men. (Courtesy Kevin Fahey).

The photograph is scanned from a book "Always Ready. A history of RAAF East Sale" Published by RAAF Publications Unit Melbourne, Victoria.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I'd like to thank Rick Hanning for his assistance with the above information.

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 10 March 2000

This page last updated 30 September 2020