Date & Time:
Jan 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
A24-8
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Port Moresby – Salamaua
MSN:
250
YOM:
1941
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a flight to Salamaua, carrying radio equipment, and was in formation with a second RAAF Catalina registered A24-9. Approaching Salamaua, it was shot down by a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. Three crew members were killed and five others were rescued.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Robert Thompson, pilot,
F/Lt Paul Metzler, copilot,
LAC Charles Sollitt, wireless operator,
LAC Leo Clarke, wireless operator, †
AC1 Ken Parkyns, flight engineer,
Cpl Jack Perrett, flight engineer, †
AC1 Bill Blackman, rigger,
LAC James Cox, armourer. †
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt Robert Thompson, pilot,
F/Lt Paul Metzler, copilot,
LAC Charles Sollitt, wireless operator,
LAC Leo Clarke, wireless operator, †
AC1 Ken Parkyns, flight engineer,
Cpl Jack Perrett, flight engineer, †
AC1 Bill Blackman, rigger,
LAC James Cox, armourer. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.
