PBY-5 CATALINA CRASHED ON TAKE-OFF
PROBABLY AT PALM ISLAND, QLD
ON 13 NOVEMBER 1943

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina BuNo 08442 (CAC s/n 1206, Hull #1376) of Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-52 US Navy, crashed on take off on 13 November 1943, probably at Palm Island, near Townsville in north Queensland. Lieutenant Lahodney and his crew were uninjured.

It was Struck off Charge (SOC). I wonder if it is the remains of one of the Catalina wrecks still located on Palm Island. See the photos towards the bottom of this web page on the Palm Island Naval Station.

Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-52 relocated from Perth in Western Australia to Palm Island in the middle of October 1943 and after a month of training, the Squadron relieved VP-11 at Namoai Bay, New Guinea (20 miles east of Milne Bay).

REFERENCES

War Diary - "United States Fleet, Patrol Bombing Squadron Fifty Two"

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 12 November 2023

This page last updated 12 November 2023