CRASH OF A KITTYHAWK
NEAR TUMUT, NSW
ON 2 MARCH 1942
Kittyhawk #52 of 8th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit Group
Photo:- Col Wilkinson
26th March 2012
70 Years later : P-40E-1 crash site, Shelley’s Creek, Tumut
P-40 Kittyhawk #52, #41-24817 of 8th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit Group belly landed during a smokey haze in a dry creek bed at dusk at "Camelot", Tumut Plains near Tumut, New South Wales on 2nd March 1942. The pilot Mr. Gilbert was uninjured and the aircraft suffered damage to its undercarriage. The aircraft was a total loss and was removed to the airdrome at either Wagga or Canberra. The time of the crash was 0920/2/2.
The P-40 narrowly missed two trees when the pilot belly landed the aircraft. It ploughed through two fences and ended up bouncing over the top of Shelley's Creek and ending up on the opposite bank of the creek. Fortunately for the pilot this opposite bank was a sloping bank rather than a near vertical bank.
REFERENCE BOOKS
"Protect & Revenge"
"The 49th Fighter Group in World War II"
by S.W. Ferguson & William K. Pascalis
Article Adelong & Tumut Express Friday 6 March 1942
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Col Wilkinson and Gordon Birkett for their assistance with this web page.
Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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This page first produced 31 October 1999
This page last updated 27 January 2020
