CRASH OF A BUFFALO
AT TALLAROOK IN THE LAVERTON AREA
ON 8 JULY 1942

RAAF Buffalo A51-2 crashed in the Laverton area in Victoria in July 1942.

This aircraft was one of 17 Buffalos that were transferred to the RAAF in 1942. They had earlier been part of the Netherlands East Indies Air Force. With the fall of Singapore twenty Model 439D's and one 339D were sent to Australia in March 1942. They initially were transferred to the USAAC. They still had their Dutch serial numbers and their original US "NX" test numbers. Once they arrived in Australia, most of them were allocated temporary numbers.

Seventeen of these aircraft were transferred to the RAAF and became A51-1 through to A51-17. The first six were sent in crates to Essendon where they were assembled at the Ansett Airways hangar. Cameras were installed and the aircraft were allocated to the newly formed PRU at Laverton in June 1942. The rest of the Buffalos were moved to the PRU at Darwin where they became operational in August 1942.

Subject:     Vic 71 A51-2
Date:             Tue, 21 Nov 2000 16:19:06 +1100
From:           "Rick Hanning" <rial@nex.net.au>

Peter

Brewster Buffalo A51-2 Crashed at Tallarook near the Hume Highway on the 8/7/42. The pilot F/L H.R.Winter was killed. The aircraft was from No. 1 P.R.U.

Regards
Rick Hanning

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 12 March 2000

This page last updated 22 February 2020