On 23 August 1942, P-40E Kittyhawk A29-57 of 77 Squadron RAAF, piloted by Sergeant Robert Kenneth Boyd (402992) crashed at Batchelor Airfield in the Northern Territory. During a formation take-off at Batchelor Airfield his aircraft swung to port, due to the slip stream of the leading aircraft. The starboard wing lifted. Thinking his port oleo leg had collapsed, Sgt. Boyd held the control column to starboard. The undercarriage hit a slit trench, collapsed and the aircraft skidded on its radiator. The aircraft was repairable.

Peter May told me that A29-57 featured the nose art of a dog, and was known as "Snifter" or just "Snif". It was flown most often by Clive Irving Winter-Irving (408717), who considered it "his" aircraft.

REFERENCES

Operations Record Book for 77 Squadron RAAF, page 20

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Peter May for his assistance with this web page.