Flightpath - May 2018

18 |FLIGHTPATH

cations where aircraft were dumped after

the war and, without additional informa-

tion, the only thing that can be assumed is

that they were collected and moved there as

partofsalvageworksatsomepointinthe

past.ThisissupportedbythefactthatA9-

606ismuchmorecompletethanmanyof

the other Beaufort wrecks visited, even re-

taining the rudder pedal assembly and ar-

mourbehindthepilotsseat,andassuch

wouldhaveprovidedanattractivetargetfor

salvage work.

Whilenodetailsabouttheidentityofthe

Dakotahaveyetcometolight,A9-606was

received by the RAAF from DAP in March

1944 and originally assigned to 15 Squad-

ron. This was cancelled and the aircraft

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
It was this image that allowed the
identiication of Beaufort A9-535 to be made,
with an almost identical photograph of this
wreck–albeittaken43yearsearlier
-onpage65ofPaciic Aircraft Wrecks.
[A. Matic];

AviewfrominsideA9-637showingallthat
remains of the fuse panel and battery master
switch in the wireless operator’s compartment.
Therelativelygoodconditionofthealuminium
and the retention of painted stencils inside
many of the Beaufort airframes came as a
surprisegiventheharshconditionsinwhich
they have stood since the end of the war.
[G. Rider];

B-25C‘Feather Merchant’ on display outside

the high school on the main road into town.

[A. Matic];

With some help from enthusiastic locals, A9-

emerges from the jungle. The local villagers

recognise the importance of the aircraft wrecks

tothosewhocometovisitthem,makinggreat

efort to remove vegetation from around the

aircraftcarefullysoastopreservethem for

future visitors to the site.[G. Rider];

Cockpit and tail components of the unidentiied

C-47 wreck located at the village site.[A. Matic];

A closer view of the cockpit of A9-606 showing the

armour plate behind the pilot’s seat. [A. Matic] ;