Military Aircraft Crashes in the Northern Territory during 1942

NAA Aircraft Accident Files
Links to 283 National Archives of Australia
Aircraft Accident Files - mostly RAAF Aircraft

NOTE - The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was retitled as the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 20 June 1941.

Did you know that there were at least 151 military aircraft crashes or
mishaps in the Northern Territory during 1942?

DATE	LOCATION	SERVICE	AIRCRAFT	SERIAL NO.
8 Jan 42	Maranboy	USAAF	Douglas A-24-DE Dauntless	#41-15803
28 Jan 42	Batchelor	USAAF	B-17	#40-3067
Feb 42	Batchelor	USAAF	Douglas A-24-DE Dauntless	#41-15815, crashed on take off, condemned 7 Nov 1942
4 Feb 42	Bathurst Island	USAAF	Douglas C-53	#41-20051
6 Feb 42	Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk
6 Feb 42	Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk
15 Feb 42	in the sea between Timor and Darwin	USAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	Lt. Robert J. Buel killed. Shot down by "Mavis" flying boat (see below)
15 Feb 42	in the sea between Timor and Darwin	Japanese 21st Air Flotilla	Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" flying boat	2 killed. Shot down by P-40E Kittyhawk (see above)
17 Feb 42	Darwin Civil airfield	USAAF	Douglas A-24-DE Dauntless	#41-15794
16-19 Feb 42	between Brisbane and Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of 3 P-40's that crashed out of 17 being ferried to Darwin
16-19 Feb 42	between Brisbane and Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of 3 P-40's that crashed out of 17 being ferried to Darwin
16-19 Feb 42	between Brisbane and Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of 3 P-40's that crashed out of 17 being ferried to Darwin
19 Feb 42	Bathurst Island airfield	USAAF	Douglas C-53	#41-20051 was destroyed during Japanese air raid. Was previously damaged in forced landing on 4 Feb 42
19 Feb 42	Darwin Civil airfield	USAAF	Douglas A-24-DE Dauntless	#41-15794
19 Feb 42	near Gunn Point, east of Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Jack Peres 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF killed, shot down by Japanese aircraft.
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lt. Elton S. Perry of 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF killed, shot down by Japanese aircraft.
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lt. Charles Hughes of 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF killed, hit by Japanese aircraft,
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Major Floyd Pell of 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF killed when he bailed out too low after aircraft hit hit by Japanese aircraft,
19 Feb 42	Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Aircraft flown by Lt. William R. Walker, destroyed on the ground during Japanese bombing raid on Darwin after landing following wounds to the left shoulder
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lt. Robert McMahon of 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF bailed out, when his aircraft hit by Japanese aircraft
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lt. Burt H. Rice of 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF bailed out, when aircraft hit by Japanese aircraft
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	?, destroyed by Japanese aircraft, 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	?, destroyed by Japanese aircraft, 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAF
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	?, damaged by Japanese aircraft during a dog fight over Darwin
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lt. Bert Glover, crashed on airfield, aircraft then destroyed on the ground by strafing Japanese aircraft
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	US Navy	PBY Catalina	#4 (BUAERO Number: 1214, ex- 102-P-27, ex- 102-P-12, ex- 1-P-12) of Patwing 10, destroyed by Japanese aircraft
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	US Navy	PBY Catalina	#8 (BUAERO Number: 1233, ex- 101-P-8, ex- 18-P-8) of Patwing 10, destroyed by Japanese aircraft
19 Feb 42	In Darwin Harbour	US Navy	PBY Catalina	#41 (ex- Y-41) of Patwing 10, destroyed by Japanese aircraft
19 Feb 42	near Bathurst Island	US Navy	Catalina	Bu. No. 2306
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Destroyed during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Hudson	Badly damaged in hangar during Japanese bombing raid on Darwin
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Wirraway	A20-232 of 12 Squadron, damaged by shrapnel during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin airfield	RAAF	Wirraway	12 Squadron, damaged during Japanese bombing raid
19 Feb 42	Darwin	USAAF	LB-30A Liberator	AL521, 1 killed, 1 wounded
19 Feb 42	Melville Island	Japanese	A6m2 "Zero"	BII-124
19 Feb 42	Darwin area	Japanese	D3A "Val"	Shot down by Lt. Oestreicher
19 Feb 42	Darwin area	Japanese	D3A "Val"	Shot down by Lt. Oestreicher
19 Feb 42	Darwin area	Japanese	D3A "Val"	shot down by a cone of gunfire from town's defences
25 Feb 42	Between Biak and Darwin	USAAF	C-46D Commando	#42-96784
14 Mar 42	Daly Waters	USAAF	B-17D Flying Fortress	#40-3079, 1 killed4 injured.
14 Mar 42	Cloncurry - Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lost & out of fuel, forced landing at sheep station
14 Mar 42	Cloncurry - Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lost & out of fuel, forced landing at sheep station
14 Mar 42	Cloncurry - Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lost & out of fuel, forced landing at sheep station
14 Mar 42	Cloncurry - Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Lost & out of fuel, forced landing at sheep station
14 Mar 42	near Bremer Island off Cape Arnhem	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Hopelessly lost after a Japanese air raid on Horn Island
17 Mar 42	Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Pilot Lt. Spehr killed
aft 18 Mar 42	Daly Waters	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	crash landing, pilot 2nd Lt. Sid Woods
18 Mar 42	In sea off Cape Fourcroy	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-??
20 Mar 42	Joseph Bonaparte Gulf area, 63 miles north east of Wyndham	RAAF	Wirraway	A20-62
22 Mar 42	west of Bathurst Island	Japanese	Mitsubishi Ki-15
22 Mar 42	Darwin Harbour	QANTAS	Short Empire S.23 flying boat	G-AEUF "Corinthian", 2 killed
28 Mar 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Mitsubishi G4M	Shot down by Bob Vaught of 49 FG during Jap bombing raid
28 Mar 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Mitsubishi G4M	Shot down by Bills Sells of 49 FG during Jap bombing raid
28 Mar 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Mitsubishi G4M	Possibly shot down by Steven Poleschuk of 49 FG during Jap bombing raid
30 Mar 42	Darwin area	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	McComsey bailed out during a bombing raid on Darwin RAAF airfield.
30 Mar 42	Darwin RAAF Airfield area	Japanese	Type "O" SSF	Shot down during bombing raid on airfield.
31 Mar 42	off north shore of Cox Peninsula	Japanese	Zero	Shot down during bombing raid on Darwin
31 Mar 42	Batchelor airfield	USAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	#41-5574 "Elmer", Belly landed after being shot by Zero over Darwin
31 Mar 42	Middle Point, Darwin area	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of eight P-40's lost over Darwin in period 28 Mar - 27 Apr
28 Mar - 27 Apr 42	Darwin area	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of eight P-40's lost over Darwin in period 28 Mar - 27 Apr
28 Mar - 27 Apr 42	Darwin area	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of eight P-40's lost over Darwin in period 28 Mar - 27 Apr
28 Mar - 27 Apr 42	Darwin area	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	One of eight P-40's lost over Darwin in period 28 Mar - 27 Apr
4 Apr 42	Cox Peninsula, Darwin	USAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	#41-5551, #74. Shot down by Australian Anti-aircraft fire during a Japanese air raid, pilot Lt. Gardiner
4 Apr 42	34 Mile Strip	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	2nd. Lt. Livingstone killed
12 Apr 42	Bynoe Bay	RAAF	Wirraway	A20-90
21 Apr 42	Annaburro Station, 6 miles from Burrundi and 23 miles north west of Pine Creek	Guinea Airways	Lockheed 14W	VH-ADY "Adelaide", 12 killed (2 RAAF, 10 USAAF)
23 Apr 42	Between Darwin and Koepang	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-182
25 Apr 42	Bathurst Island	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk
25 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Bomber	?
27 Apr 42	Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	2nd Lt. Owen R. Fish killed shot down by Jap Zero
27 Apr 42	Darwin Harbour	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Captain Strauss killed shot down by Jap Zero
27 Apr 42	South of Cape Charles lighthouse, near Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Flown by 2nd Lt. Harvey Martin shot down by Jap Zero
27 Apr 42	near Cape Charles lighthouse, Darwin	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	Flown by 2nd Lt. Steven Andrews shot down by Jap Zero
27 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	G4M	Shot down by Captain George Kiser
27 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	G4M	Shot down by Captain George Kiser
27 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Zero	Shot down by Captain George Kiser
27 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Zero	Shot down by 2nd Lt. Zawisza
27 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Zero	Shot down by 2nd Lt. Steven Andrews
27 Apr 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Zero	possibly destroyed
29 Apr 42	Batchelor	USAAF	Kittyhawk	General Hal George, 2nd Lt. Jasper & War Correspondent Mel Jacoby killed
4 May 42 (1)	Darwin	USAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	#41-24818
10 May 42	On a Darwin Beach	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	41-35941 (#38), Pilot Lt Linder
19 May 42	Millingimbi Island, Arnhem Land	RAAF	Wackett Gannet	A14-6
25 May 42	NE of Alice Springs airfield	USAAF	C-39 (DC-2)	9 killed, VH-CCA, #38-505
2 Jun 42	Batchelor airfield	USAAF	Kittyhawk	#41-5553
5 Jun 42	10 miles east of Livingstone airfield	USAAF	Kittyhawk	#41-24816, 2nd Lt. Miller killed
6 Jun 42	Adelaide River Airfield	USAAF	Kittyhawk	Heavy landing, Lt. Johnson
10 Jun 42	Brocks Creek, 20 miles south of Adelaide River	USAAF	Kittyhawk	#41-5557, 2nd Lt. Payne killed
11 Jun 42	Brocks Creek	USAAF	Kittyhawk	#41-5621, Pilot was Lt. Don Dittler who bailed out
13 Jun 42	Gun Point	USAAF	Kittyhawk	#41-25181, #50, ex A29-96. Pilot Lt. Alford
15 Jun 42	On beach in Hyland Bay	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-175
16 Jun 42	Darwin Harbour	USAAF	Kittyhawk	Shot down during Japanese bombing raid on Darwin Town area. Lt. Namola listed as MIA.
16 Jun 42	southern shore of Melville Island	USAAF	Kittyhawk	Shot down during Japanese bombing raid on Darwin Town area. Pilot Lt. Martin
16 Jun 42	Darwin Harbour	USAAF	Kittyhawk	Shot down during Japanes bombing raid on Darwin Town area. Pilot 2nd Lt. Harris
16 Jun 42	Cox Peninsula near Darwin	USAAF	Kittyhawk	Forced landing after being hit during a Japanese bombing raid on Darwin - Pilot Lt. Reynolds
16 Jun 42	artillery range, 20 miles south of Livingstone airfield	USAAF	Kittyhawk	Belly landing after being hit during a Japanese bombing raid on Darwin - Pilot Lt. McComsey
16 Jun 42	Darwin area	Japanese	Zero	Shot down by 2nd Lt. Fowler
16 Jun 42	into the sea near Darwin	Japanese	Zero	Shot down by Donalson and Sauber
16 Jun 42	into the sea near Darwin	Japanese	Zero	Shot down by Donalson and Sauber
17 Jun 42	Timor Sea	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-132
22 Jun 42	about 1 mile east of the northern end of Livingstone airfield	USAAF	Warhawk (Kittyhawk)	#48 "Sissy", Lt. Fielder killed
27 Jun 42	possibly near Darwin?	USAAF	B-17 Flying Fortress	93 BS, of 19 BG
30 Jun 42	Into sea 20 miles from Darwin	USAAF	B-17 Flying Fortress	?
30 Jun 42	approx 20 Miles from Darwin, near Noonamah (near Hughes airfield)	USAAF	B-17E Flying Fortress	#41-9014 of 19th Bomb Group, 3 crew members killed
1 Jul 42	10 miles south of Katherine	RAAF	Tiger Moth	?
12 Jul 42	west of Manton Reservoir	USAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	#41-5509, #85 "Tarheel", mid-air collision with #87 (see below). Pilot Lt. Preddy.
12 Jul 42	west of Manton Reservoir	USAAF	P-40 Kitttyhawk	#87, mid-air collision with #85 (see above) 2nd Lt. Sauber killed.
16 Jul 42	3 miles south of Livingstone airfield	USAAC	P-40 Kittyhawk	41-24809, #83 "Mauree"
30 Jul 42	Arafura Sea	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-234
abt Aug 42	Wamberal (is it in NT?)	RAAF	F.VC Spitfire	A58-25 (BR471)
2 Aug 42	Bomb Range, Pine Creek	RAAF	Wirraway	A20-544
18 Aug 42	Alice Springs Airfield	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-??
19 Aug 42	Alice Springs Airfield	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-??
20 Aug 42	Batchelor	USAAC	Kittyhawk	#41-24818
23 Aug 42	15 miles north west of Batchelor	USAAC	Kittyhawk	#41-24868
23 Aug 42	Batchelor Airfield	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-??
25 Aug 42	Beach in Anson Bay	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-??
29 Aug 42	Batchelor airfield	USAAF	C-47 Dakota	"On Riskey Business", #41-7688 C 49-DO c/n 3273 VH-CDM
7 Sep 42	On Melville Island, north of Darwin	RAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	A29-60, piloted by John Gorton
16 Sep 42	incident over Anson Bay	RAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	A29-63, #41-13528
22 Sep 42	Wilson Airfield (later Venn Airfield)	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-65
27 Sep 42?	Darwin	RAAF	Buffalo	A51-6 (destroyed on the ground during Japanese bombing raid on Darwin)
1 Oct 42	Between Darwin and Koepang	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-243
1 Oct 42	Batchelor airfield	RAAF	Kittyhawk	A29-104, #41-25114
3 Oct 42	40 miles south west of Batchelor, near Mt. Litchfield	RAAF	Wirraway	A20-503
12 Oct 42	Batchelor airfield	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-62 (#41-5734)
21 Oct 42	?	NEI-AF	B-25D	18 Sqn NEI-AF
25 Oct 42	Between Batchelor and Koepang	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-170
25 Oct 42	Between Darwin and Koepang	RAAF	Lockheed Hudson	A16-137
31 Oct 42	Adelaide River	RAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	A29-116, #41-36097
abt Nov 42	Coomalie Creek	RAAF	Beaufighter	A19-65
3 Nov 42	off Cape Helvetius, Bathurst Island	USAAC	B-26 Marauder	#41-17593, 1 killed
4 Nov 42	near Batchelor	RAAF	Beaufighter	A19-31?
4 Nov 42	near Batchelor	RAAF	Beaufighter	?
4 Nov 42	near Batchelor	RAAF	Beaufighter	?
13 Nov 42	At mouth of Daly River	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-59
20 Nov 42	2 miles west of Livingstone	RAAF	P-38 Lightning	A55-2
21 Nov 42	Livingstone airfield	RAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	A29-115, #41-36094
23 Nov 42	near Coomalie Creek	Japanese	Japanese bomber	shot down during bombing raid on Coomalie Creek airfield
23 Nov 42	near Coomalie Creek	Japanese	Japanese bomber	shot down during bombing raid on Coomalie Creek airfield
25 Nov 42	Strauss airfield	RAAF	P-40 Kittyhawk	A29-51, #41-5738
27 Nov 42	Livingstone Airfield	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-55
30 Nov 42	North of Cape Fourcroy, Bathurst Island area	RAAF	Beaufighter	A19-69
abt Dec 42	Coomalie Creek	RAAF	Beaufighter	A19-45
20 Dec 42	between Batchelor and Livingstone airfield	RAAF	P-40E Kittyhawk	A29-112, #41-36098
29 Dec 42	Cape Helvetibg	RAAF	Beaufighter	A19-71
31 Dec 42	Cape Fourcroy, Bathurst Island	RAAF	Beaufighter	?

MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN AUSTRALIA DURING WORLD WAR 2
Australian Capital Territory	New South Wales
Northern Territory	Queensland
South Australia	Tasmania
Victoria	Western Australia
Norfolk Island	Unknown