Forced landing of a B-24 Liberator at Inverleigh Airfield in December 1944

FORCED LANDING OF A B-24 LIBERATOR
AT INVERLEIGH AIRFIELD
IN QLD, AUSTRALIA
IN DECEMBER 1944

In December 1944, the first forced landing of any 49th Air Depot Group aircraft since its ten months of existence occurred when B-24 Liberator "Tim-ber" #42-40111 c/n 1188 made a forced landing at Inverleigh Airfield in western Queensland at the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria when its No. 3 engine failed. 1st Lt. Buckalew and 1st Lt. Morrison of the 49th Depot Repair Squadron of the 49th Air Depot Group only managed to reach Inverleigh, which was located about 750 miles south east of Darwin, by throwing out a large amounts of their cargo to maintain altitude. Cpl. DeGrey, the radio Operator, also of the 49th Depot Repair Squadron, sent messages until the batteries died. Because no aircraft were available for Depot #4 in Darwin, a B-24 Liberator from the 380th Bomb Group carried mechanics from the 49th Depot Repair Squadron to Inverleigh with parts to repair "Tim-ber", which remained on the ground for ten days. After it took off it proceeded to Townsville. B-24 Liberator "Tim-ber" #42-40111 was salvaged on 2 January 1945.

Inverleigh was a former civilian airfield with three intersecting runways. It served Inverleigh Station which was owned by the Chandler family during WWII. 29 OBU RAAF operated at Inverleigh from July 1943.

Photo:- Pete Johnston Collection

Inverleigh Station hands standing beside B-24 Liberator "Tim-ber"

Photo:- Bob Livingstone Collection

B-24 Liberator "Tim-ber" #42-40111 also had nose art showing "Marlene" at the
same time, on the right hand side of the nose as per the above two photographs

Photo:- Pete Johnston Collection