Ww2 Beaufort Wreck Found Off Wa

[Dave Masterson]

From the Perth news today.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-n...w-1226965377921

A WRECK hunter and historian who claim to have discovered the debris of a crashed World War II plane off the West Australian coast say the find has provided closure to the family of one of the deceased airmen.

THE RAAF Beaufighter plunged into the ocean off Cable Beach in Broome on September 18, 1944, killing Sergeants Ronald Kerrigan and Ronald Smith.
In the days after the crash, searchers uncovered nothing.
But local historian Dion Marinis and helicopter pilot Jim Miles say they've found the wreckage, using a combination of sidescan sonar, metal detection and diving.
Mr Miles, an experienced wreck hunter, said it was spread over a large area.
"Initially, we found a piece of window frame off the aircraft two years ago and some stringers which hold the fuselage together," Mr Miles told ABC radio on Tuesday.
"We managed to match that window frame up with an example of the real aircraft. That was the big breakthrough."
After obtaining new underwater imagery a month ago, the men were doing a diving survey over the weekend when they found both engines, a significant piece of fuselage, the tail section and a wing.
The pair have mapped the site in detail and submitted the information to the WA Maritime Museum and RAAF Missing in Action unit.
Mr Marinis said he had been keeping the sister of Sgt Kerrigan abreast of developments throughout the two-year search.
"She's very happy that the aircraft is now found and knows the final resting place for her brother," he said.
He said the woman was "very surprised".
"She didn't think we were going to find it. She's been very grateful and supportive.
"The family has wanted closure for some time."
He said the pair had not been able to track down the Smith family.
Mr Marinis said the Broome Shire supported proposals for a memorial at Cable Beach and a dawn service in September to mark 70 years since the crash.

This post has been edited by Dave Masterson on Jun 24 2014, 05:48 PM

[Dave Masterson]

Apparently it is A19-163

[Warhawk]

Beaufighter A19-163





Attached Image

[Warhawk]

Apparently that's A19-136,..not A19-163,.sorry! :blink: