ADF Serials - Beaufort

RAAF Serial	Aircraft History
A9-201	Retained for flying experimental work. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-743 10/08/45.
A9-202	Served with 100 Sqn and 7 Sqn. Crashed 05/04/44, 27 miles west of Texas QLD. Converted to components 06/44.
A9-203	Served with 100 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 A9-736 07/06/45.
A9-204	Served with 100 Sqn. Crashed 04/09/43, after being hit by ack-ack in vicinity of Gasmata New Britain. Crew; FLGOFF Thomas Hessey Allanson 415106 (pilot), FLGOFF Mervyn Neol Keehn 405193 (observer), FLTSGT Denis Hamlin Webb 405458 and FLTSGT Keith Grieve 405850 (WAGS) killed. Written off 09/09/43.
A9-205	Served with 7 Sqn and 6 Sqn. Placed into storage 04/10/45 and authorised for write off 05/46.
A9-206	Served with 100 Sqn and 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-725 12/03/45.
A9-207	Served with 14 Sqn. Placed into storage 08/01/46. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co.
A9-208	Served with 100 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 A9-729 23/04/45.
A9-209	Served with 14 Sqn. Placed into storage 06/10/45 and authorised for write off 05/46.
A9-210	Served with 100 Sqn. Crashed 03/04/43, off Coast of NSW. Pilot: FLGOFF Walsh. Crashed 13/07/44, Tadji airstrip PNG. Converted to components 08/44.
A9-211	Served with 100 Sqn. Missing on operations 15/12/43, Goodenough Island New Guinea. Crew; FLTSGT Thomas Burrows 409504, FLTSGT John Eardley Kenny 415663 (pilot), FLTSGT John Arthur Davies 427446, FLTSGT Murray Fairbairn 409528 killed.
A9-212	Served with 100 Sqn, 7 Sqn and No 8 Communication Unit. Converted to components 02/46.
A9-213	Served with 100 Sqn, 8 Sqn and 1APU. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-728.
A9-214	Served with 100 Sqn, and 6 Sqn. Placed into storage 01/46. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co.
A9-215	Served with BTU/6OTU. Crashed 11/02/44, while landing Jervis Bay NSW. Converted to components 04/44.
A9-216	Served with 100 Sqn, 8 Sqn and 1APU. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-723 30/01/45..
A9-217	Served with 8 Sqn. Missing on operations 15/11/43, crashed into sea near Kawa Island, New Guinea after an attack on Japanese ships near Rabual in New Guinea. Found on the 18 March 2001 in waters near Kawa Island. The crew, FLTSGT Jack Carroll Woodgate 420730 (pilot), FLTSGT Stewart Ian Drakes,427073 (observer) and Wireless Air Gunners FLGOFF Geoffrey Stewart Wells 410824, and FLTSGT Byron Veitch Maclean BEM 414053 remains were found in the wreckage. Buried with full military honours at Bita Paka War Cemetery May 2001.
A9-218	Served with 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-724 05/03/45.
A9-219	Served with BTU. Crashed 03/04/43, while on torpedo aiming practice Jervis Bay NSW. Pilot FLGOFF Walsh.
A9-220	Served with 7 Sqn, Crashed 13/06/44, while engaged in an anti-submarine patrol over the Arafura Sea on 13 June 1944. At approximately 1400 hours an aircraft was seen to crash into the sea 6 miles from HMAS Inverell. The aircraft was seen to pass overhead a few minutes earlier and a column of water accompanied by an orange flash was seen from the direction that the aircraft had been heading. HMAS Inverell arrived at the scene of the crash in 20 minutes. All that could be seen were a patch of oil, small pieces of wood and two lifejackets. There was no sign of the crew. The Commanding Officer of HMAS Inverell felt that the depth charges had exploded on impact with the sea which would have killed the crew instantly. A search for parachutes was carried out three miles downwind of the crash site without success. Crew; FLGOFF Frederick Cobden Davies (Nav/Air Bomber) 424386, FLGOFF Raymond Arnold 429006 (WAG), FLGOFF William Ross Blain 432648 (WAG), FLTSGT Owen Gilbert Keats 410899 (pilot) killed. This crew had been posted to 7 Sqn on 27/05/44 and were killed on their second operational flight.
A9-221	Served with 14 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-703 04/09/44.
A9-222	Served with 7 Sqn. Crashed 19/10/44 Cairns QLD. Aircraft had taxying accident when the starboard leg collapsed. Placed into storage 08/01/46. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co.
A9-223	Served with 7 Sqn. Destruction approved 25/06/45.
A9-224	Served with 1OTU, 1APU and No 8 Communication Unit. Placed into storage 31/01/46. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co. Ltd.
A9-225	Served with 100 Sqn. Missing on operations 12/07/43, Gurney Field PNG. On that day a photographic PB4Y-1 shot down an unidentified twin engine aircraft at 06-30S 154-02E. This unfortunate incident occurred while the PB4Y was on a routine search patrol near Buka Passage. To start with, an enemy BETTY was sighted at about the same altitude as the PB4Y and immediately turned to give chase to the BETTY. The BETTY pulled away towards Buka Passage and her superior speed enabled her to pull away from the PB4Y. At about this time, another twin engined was observed about 100 off the water. This plane turned into the PB4Y and when the range closed to about 1000 yards, opened fire. The fire was returned and the other aircraft pulled away. The PB4Y started to give chase but in a few minutes the strange aircraft started to smoke, made a 90 degree turn and landed on the water. The VD-1 PB4Y then circled the area, saw 2 survivors in the water and definitely identified them as white men. They immediately dropped life rafts and such survival gear as was available to the 2 men in the water. They also sent in the position of the survivors and remained in the area to the limit of prudent endurance. Later, it was learned that a Beaufort was reported missing in that area. As a result of this incident, other aircraft were forbidden to enter the areas covered by the search planes while on search. 3 members of the crew survived almost three weeks in the life raft and were twice spotted during that time. The life raft disappeared during a tropical storm and no trace of the crew men was found. Crew: FLGOFF John Clifton Davis 416834 (pilot), FLTSGT Geoffrey Raymond Emmett 401932 (observer), SGT William Thomas Brain 420130 (WAG) and SGT George Collins 420447 (WAG). The crew had been posted to 100 Sqn on 12/06/43 and failed to return from their fifth operational mission. The Liberator was from VD-1 Photographic Squadron One. Crew: Bill Corbett (pilot), Bill Reid (co-pilot).
A9-226	Served with 8 Sqn. Aircraft damaged by bomb splinters when parked in a dispersal bay Goodenough Island 08/10/43. Converted to components 11/43.
A9-227	Served with 100 Sqn, 6 Sqn and BTU. Placed into storage 10/12/45. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co. Ltd.
A9-228	Served with 1OTU. Crashed 04/06/45, Mount Towonga, 15 miles southwest of Eskdale VIC. The Beaufort took off from Mount Gambier at sunset on a long range reconnaissance and night astro naviation exercise. The RAAF conducted a 5 day search of the suspected crash area and found nothing. Not satisfied with this action members of the crew's families led by LT Richard Harrison of the Volunteer Defence Corps located the crash site after searching for only 2 1/2 hours on Mt Towonger. The crews' remains were recovered and buried at Sale War Cemetery. The aircraft wreckage remains in the bush at Mt Towonger.y. Crew; FLGOFF Don Algernon Flavel 416663(Pilot), FLGOFF Robert Victor Clayton 406640(Nav), FLGOFF Frederick Anthony Wallis 408715(WAG) & FSGT Lloyd Joseph Sims 434749(WAG) killed.
A9-229	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed 10/07/43, Bohle River Airfield QLD. Converted to Instructional Airframe No 9 for issue to No 3 STT approved 08/03/44.
A9-230	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed on take off 18/03/43, Nowra NSW. Converted to components 09/09/43.
A9-231	Served with 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-727 03/04/45.
A9-232	Served with 32 Sqn and 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-737 19/06/45.
A9-233	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed into sea 25/10/43, 15-20 miles east of Wedan Mission PNG. Crew: FLTSGT K F Somerville 422204 (pilot) and SGT Lee survived the ditching. FLGOFF David Plummer Davis 275942 and FLTSGT Hugh Pitman 415046 killed. Written off 11/43.
A9-234	Served with 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-726 15/03/45.
A9-235	Served with 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-717 15/01/45.
A9-236	Served with 14 Sqn and 7 Sqn Code: KT-Z (7 Sqn). Struck off charge 08/49.
A9-237	Served with 14 Sqn. Crashed on landing 7/11/1943, Onslow WA. Converted to components 12/43.
A9-238	Served with 32 Sqn and 8 Sqn. Engine caught fire 07/05/44, Nadzab PNG whilst undergoing 40 hourly inspection. Written off 12/06/44.
A9-239	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed on landing 02/01/44, Vivigani Strip Goodenough Island PNG. Converted to components 01/44.
A9-240	Served with 1OTU. Crashed 05/09/43 East Sale VIC. Aircraft failed to become airborne and collided with Fairey Battle L5629. Converted to components 09/43.
A9-241	Served with 7 Sqn. Struck off charge 08/08/49.
A9-242	Served with 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-720 31/01/45.
A9-243	Served with 6 Sqn, 1AD and 7AD. Crashed on take off 07/02/45, Tocumwal NSW. Converted to components 03/45.
A9-244	Served with 32 Sqn and 8 Sqn. Missing on operations 21/10/43, after being shot down during a torpedo attack on Japanese shipping off New Ireland. The crew: FLTLT Godfrey Hubert Vincent (pilot) 400866, WOFF John Pretty Bailey (observer) 4240, FLGOFF A M Brown (WAG) and FLGOFF Charles William Vincent (WAG) 404757 were all taken prisoner. FLGOFF Vincent and WOFF Bailey were executed on 25/11/43. The pilot FLTLT Charles William Vincent died 14/01/44. FLGOFF A M Brown was shipped to Japan and survived the war. The bodies of the three dead crew members were discovered in 1950 as part of a mass grave near Rabaul and were buried at the Bita Pala War Cemetery on 18/07/1950.
A9-245	Served with 1OTU. Forced landing 18/05/43 seven miles from Bairnsdale VIC. Converted to components 08/43.
A9-246	Served with 8 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-735 03/06/45.
A9-247	Served with 8 Sqn. Missing on operations 08/11/43, New Britain. Crew; Sqn Ldr Owen Price 271702 (pilot),FLTSGT Geoffrey William Farnham Allen 412875 (observer), FLTSGT Thomas Charles Hooper 405483 (WAG),FLGOFF Allan John Harrison 405191 (WAG) killed. Price was awarded the DFC for what was officially described as "one of the most gallant acts in the history of the RAAF."
A9-248	Served with 32 Sqn, 8 Sqn and 100 Sqn. Converted to components 12/45.
A9-249	Served with No 8 Communication Unit. Crashed on landing 16/12/44, Lae PNG. Pilot; FLTLT I.H. Fielding. Converted to components 01/45.
A9-250	Served with 1OTU and No 8 Communication Unit. Damaged in collision whilst taxying 13/08/45 Laverton VIC. Struck off charge 08/49.
A9-251	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed and ground looped 31/10/43 Williamtown NSW. Converted to components 07/44.
A9-252	Served with 32 Sqn and 8 Sqn. Allocated to 26 RSU 09/10/43. Damaged during Japanese bombing of Goodenough Island 09/11/43. Issued to 8 Sqn 12/12/43. Crashed on landing 20/05/44 Cape Gloucester Airstrip. Converted to components 07/44.
A9-253	Served with 6 Sqn. Missing on operations 11/04/45. Crew; WO John Kevin Mahoney 427390, FLTSGT William Malcolm McLeod, FLGOFF Edwin John Pitt 433763 and FLGOFF Desmond Moulten 424782 killed.
A9-254	Served with 7 Sqn and No 4 Communication Unit. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-738 25/06/45.
A9-255	Served with 7 Sqn and 8 Sqn. Crashed 24/07/45, Madang PNG. Converted to components 12/45.
A9-256	Served with 8 Sqn. Missing on operations 23/09/43 Hoskins Peninsula. Crew; FLTSGT Keith Harold Gardiner 405476, FLGOFF Frank Stanton Spooner 402682, FLTSGT Norman Cummins Fletcher 405475 and FLTSGT Eric William Braid 414124 (observer) killed.
A9-257	Served with 1OTU. Converted to components 11/44.
A9-258	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed 03/05/43 Canberra. Crew; SGT Leonard Leslie Grist 415138, FLGOFF Owen McAllister Howden 408845 killed. Converted to components 06/44.
A9-259	Served with 1OTU. Crashed 16/04/43, Bairnsdale VIC. Pilot; SQNLDR H O Cook.
A9-260	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed 04/05/43, in sea off Beecroft Head NSW.
A9-261	Served with 32 Sqn. Ground looped 15/0743, Williamtown Aerodrome NSW. Converted to components 07/44.
A9-262	Served with 8 Sqn. Missing on operations 04/12/43, New Ireland/New Britain. Crew; SQNLDR Noel T Quinn (pilot), FLGOFF Ross Bryan O'Loughlin 400662 (observer) FLTSGT Ian Lerwick Mainland 408815 and FLTSGT Donald McDonald 401714 (WAGS). Mainland and McDonald killed in crash, Quinn and O'Loughlin taken prisoner of war. Quinn survived the sinking of the Japanese ship Rakyo Maru while being transported to Japan. O'Loughlin died while in captivity.
A9-263	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed 05/10/43, after test flight Vivigani Airstrip. Converted to components 11/43.
A9-264	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed 06/07/43, 2 miles south west of Bohle River Airfield QLD. Crew; FLGOFF John Francis Goodisson 401786(WAG), FLTSGT David Llewellyn Cole 401419 (observer), PLTOFF John Mitchell 400994 (pilot)& FLGOFF Daniel William Courtman 405347(WAG)killed.
A9-265	Served with 14 Sqn. Placed into storage 15/10/45 and struck off charge 02/48.
A9-266	Served with BTU. Crashed 12/04/43, one mile up Cabbage Tree Creek on northeast side of Jervis Bay NSW. Crew: FLTSGT Walsh (pilot). SGT Cyril Wattie Jackson 414038 (WAG) killed.
A9-267	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed 13/11/44, on take off Evans Head NSW. Converted to components 12/44.
A9-268	Served with BTU. Crashed 14/04/43. This is one of the most spectacular mid-air accidents ever to be caught on film. Three aircraft from 6 OTU were participating in a formation flypast for a party of accredited war correspondents that were on a ship in Jervis Bay, near Nowra, NSW. With a Fox Movietone camera filming the aircraft flew at low level down along the port side of the ship. Once passed the camera the aircraft on the left of the formation began to break away and turned left. As it did Beaufort A9-27, flying in the middle of the formation, began a gentle climb while Beaufort A9-268, flying to his immediate right came along side. The tip of the left wing of A9-265 struck the tail plane of A9-27, which was then torn off of the aircraft as a result. While not receiving much damage Beaufort A9-265 then commenced a left turn, which ended with the aircraft rolling on to its back and plunging nose first into the sea not far from the ship. Immediately after the crippling collision A9-27's climb steepened but it was uncontrollable and the aircraft soon lost the power to stay airborne and it too plunged into the sea nose first not far from the place were the first aircraft fell. Crew; FLTLT David Dey 280627 (Pilot), PLTOFF Jack Norman 407561, PLTOFF Rex Lindsay Solomon 408149 & SGT Hugh Sydney George Richardson 410093.
A9-269	Served with Special Duties Flight, No 7 Communication Unit and No 11 Communication Unit. Placed into storage 22/0146. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co.
A9-270	Served with 1OTU. Struck off charge 08/49.
A9-271	Served with 6OTU,Central Flying School and 1OTU. Placed into storage 25/11/45. Struck off charge 08/49.
A9-272	Served with 1OTU. Forced landing 09/01/44, Lake Wellington VIC. Converted to components 01/44.
A9-273	Served with Special Duties Flight and 1APU. Placed into storage 14/03/46. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co.
A9-274	Served with 32 Sqn. Placed into storage 20/08/46 and struck off charge 09/49.
A9-275	Served with 14 Sqn. Placed into storage 30/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-276	SErved with 32 Sqn. Placed into storage 17/01/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-277	Served with 32 Sqn, 7 Sqn and 100 Sqn. Converted to components 08/44.
A9-278	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed 27/04/45, East Coast of NSW while on an anti-submarine patrol. Crew; SGT James Bradley 415224, SGT Gordon Verdon Keane 412525, FLGOFF John Joseph Brennan 406343 and SGT Arthur Alexander Barbour 412566 killed.
A9-279	Served with 32 Sqn and No 4 Communication Unit. In Flight Accident 05/07/45. Hull only sold to T Carr & Company. Instruments, fitting gear and undercarriage sold to Hughes Trading Co.
A9-280	Served with 1OTU. Placed into storage 23/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-281	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed 11/09/43, Lambton Road near Newcastle Civil Aerodrome NSW. Converted to components 10/43.
A9-282	Served with 1OTU. Forced landing 16/05/43, near East Sale VIC. Pilot; FLGOFF Len Fuller. Converted to components 06/43.
A9-283	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed 13/05/43, Bundaberg QLD. Converted to components 06/43.
A9-284	Served with 5OTU and 1OTU. Ground looped 04/11/44, when tyre blew out on landing East Sale VIC. Placed into storage 30/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-285	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed 31/05/43, Bundaberg QLD. Crew: FLGOFF Denis Kinloch Whishaw 408222 (pilot), FLGOFF Robert Chester Brabham 407998 (observer), PLTOFF James Gavin Hylton 416072 & PLTOFF Leonard Henry Peart 416063 (WAGS) killed. Converted to components 06/43.
A9-286	Served with 1OTU. Placed into storage 21/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-287	Served with 32 Sqn. Placed into storage 18/11/45 and written off 08/49.
A9-288	Served with 5OTU. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-708 7/11/44.
A9-289	Served with 32 Sqn. Crashed on take off 08/10/44, on non-operational travel flight Rockhampton QLD. The port engine seized and on correction the aircraft swung to port, struck and fence and caught fire. Crew: FLGOFF Garnham and FLGOFF K Thompson. Converted to components 11/44.
A9-290	Served with 1OTU. Crashed on landing 27/05/43 East Sale aerodrome, when pilot selected undercarriage up rather than flaps up leve at the end of his landing run. Crew; FLGOFF J R Russell 401854 (pilot), PLTOFF M H Schluter 416289 (observer) and WAGS PLTOFF B D Robertson 416034 and SGT A Reed 408555 not injured. Placed into storage 03/12/45 and written off 08/49.
A9-291	Served with 32 Sqn. Placed into storage 23/10/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-292	Served with 1OTU. Forced landing 14/02/22 East Sale VIC when aircraft swung to port on takeoff due to probable engine failure. Overshot flare path and ran into an open ditch. Crew; PLTOFF A J Wright 418692 and PLTOFF H C Treloar uninjured. Converted to Mark9 and renumbered A9-704 04/09/44.
A9-293	Served with 32 Sqn. Converted to Mk9 and renumbered A9-714 15/12/44.
A9-294	Served with 7 Sqn. Crashed 10/06/44, on landing Higgins Field QLD. Converted to components 08/44.
A9-295	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed 14/06/43, 20 miles east of Townsville QLD. Crew: FLGOFF John Andrew Goodwin 404827 (pilot), FLGOFF F.A.D. Woodbridge (observer), SGT James Keith Sinclair (WAG)405943, Sgt N.J. Kelly 414045 (WAG). This was the second crash for the crew who crashed A9-121 21/01/43 Bairnsdale, VIC. Goodwin and Sinclair were killed on 20/01/44 A9-313.
A9-296	Served with 7 Sqn. Placed into storage 30/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49/.
A9-297	Served with 1OTU. Placed into storage 21/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-298	Served with Central Gunnery School. Crashed on landing 26/04/45, south end of Laverton runway VIC. Converted to components 05/45.
A9-299	Served with 14 Sqn. Served with 12 RSU 09/45 before serving with 11LASU 11/45. Known as "The Trump" as it was used by Air Commodore Raymond James Brownell, RAAF, OfficerCommanding No.11 Group, South West Pacific Area just after the end of the war. Had pennant painted on the nose. Used for inspections of bases. Placed into storage 22/11/45 and struck off charge 08/49.
A9-300	Served with 8 Sqn. Crashed into sea 12/06/44 20 miles north of But PNG.