70th Anniversary, First RAAF Casualties of WWII

[Dean]

Today is the 70th anniversary of the first RAAF casualties of WWII.

A Wirraway, A20-5, of 12 Squadron was one of 5 aircraft flying from Laverton to Darwin. On the approach to landing the aircraft crashed onto the airfield with both crew members killed as a result.

Those killed were Flg Off A. Dolphin and his observer, Cpl H.W. Johnson.

Lest We Forget.

[gordon]

Hi Gordy,

The serial under the wing of the Wirraway doesn't look like a '5'. I presume u have zoomed in to confirm it is the correct number.

Gordon

[gordon]

Yeah why not for u to do all the work. ;)

Thanks.

Gordon

[gordon]

Thanks for that Gordy and as u say that was a brilliant scheme by CAC. However like all brilliant schemes they are circumvented.

Did the person where the photo was actually taken?

Gordon

[OzMatt]

Hi Gordy,

Thanks for showing a photo of the A20-5 remains that I hadn't seen previously.

I must correct you on one point regarding the factory applied silver dope finish however. A well known series of photographs exist showing A20-4, 10 and 11 all in their factory fresh silver finish. Another photo shows A20-20 nearly completed on the assembly line in the same colour scheme. A20-41 and 42 are photographically recorded in their factory applied camouflage schemes, so the transition was somewhere between A20-20 and 41.

Cheers,
Matt