22 September 1943 - Crash of a Sikorsky Kingfisher off Broken Bay (Mona Vale), NSW

CRASH OF A SIKORSKY KINGFISHER
OFF BROKEN BAY (MONA VALE), NSW
ON 22 SEPTEMBER 1943

RAAF Sikorsky Kingfisher, A48-16, of 107 Squadron RAAF, piloted by Flying Officer Allan Morley Bradshaw (406711), crashed during gunnery exercises off Broken Bay (Mona Vale), NSW on 22 September 1943. Bradshaw's navigator for this flight was Flight Sergeant Stanley Joseph Cheesman (43186). They forced landed in the sea off Pittwater due to a fire in the spent ammunition container in the front cockpit which occurred after the front gun had been fired.

The pilot skillfully executed the landing although blinded by fumes and smoke, but in so doing the starboard float was holed. When on the water, the crew extinguished the fire and F/O Bradshaw endeavoured to take off again. However this was impossible due to the water in the starboard float, and eventually the aircraft turned over and floated upside down. After about 45 minutes in the water, the crew were taken aboard a merchant vessel, the "V. Pulgenbar" and taken to Newcastle.

The RAN made numerous attempts to tow the aircraft to Sydney but it eventually sunk while salvage operations were under way 2 days later.

REFERENCE BOOKS

Newton, John, "RAAF Rathmines", 1977

107 Squadron RAAF ORB

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Barry Pattison for his assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products