E-MAILS FROM MICHAEL NELMES

Subject:     B-24 questions
Date:             Thu, 16 Sep 1999 15:16:33 +1100
From:            Michael Nelmes

Peter - I've been looking at the RAAF Operations Record Books and can tell you the following:

Kingwell's mission of 22 March 1945 was from Fenton & return.

A72-182: 200 Flight wasn't formed until February 1945 so when the accident in January happened this a/c was presumably with a different unit. However, its status card says it was only attached to 200 Flight. So either the status card is incomplete, or the accident happened before the a/c joined its unit. It did later fly with 200 Flight.

Hope this helps anyway.

Regards
Michael Nelmes

Subject:    Another One
Date:            Mon, 27 Mar 2000 00:03:49 -0800
From:           Michael Nelmes

Peter,

The two Wirraways involved in the 14 Feb 1942 crash over Ormiston, Brisbane are recorded as A20-100 and A20-290. They were carrying out 'air fighting exercises'. I can't tell you which crewmen were in which aircraft, but if you write to the RAAF Historical Section at Dept of Defence Air Force Office, CP-1-12 Canberra ACT 2600, or phone them on 02-62662519, they should have the incident report which would give that information.

Regards
Mike Nelmes
AWM

Subject:     Re: Australian airfields
Date:             Mon, 27 Mar 2000 15:44:13 -0800
From:            Michael Nelmes

Re WW2 airfields in Australia - I believe Ian Jenkins (ex-Aust War Memorial) has done some research in this area. Email ijenkins@cyberone.com.au

Mike Nelmes
AWM

Subject:     Re: Some more pages
Date:             Tue, 28 Mar 2000 17:44:52 -0800
From:            Michael Nelmes

Peter,

Re. the confusion over P-39 serial numbers and dates, I checked my copy of 'Airacobra Advantage - The flying cannon' and it records that Lt Walter Harvey brought P-39 41-7215 in wheels-up on 1 May 1942, 8 miles inland; Lt Faletta landed 41-6951 wheels-down on the same occasion. I think Faletta was interviewed on a TV speical about the incident about 10-15 years ago.

Mike Nelmes
AWM

Subject:    Re: A few updates
Date:            Thu, 30 Mar 2000 22:59:36 -0800
From:           Michael Nelmes

Peter,

These 6 guys were all killed in a Hudson (A16-27) which failed to return from a navigational exercise at sea. (23 Squadron had Hudsons as well as Wirraways). Its wireless faded out 20 minutes after takeoff, and nothing more was heard. Matthews was the captain, Beeston the second pilot, and the other four were listed as "crew" (although Savage was an LAC and Starr an AC1; probably ground staff).

Two Hudsons took off at 0700 next morning in search, and found an oil slick at 1500 hours 18 miles east of Jumpin Pin on Stradbroke Island; no wreckage was found.

Mike Nelmes
AWM

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 30 March 2000

This page last updated 21 February 2020