| Accession Number | P02841.001 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | New Guinea1: Aitape, Tadji Airstrip |
| Date made | c 1944 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Portrait of 422062 Flying Officer (FO) Francis Owen Smith looking out of the rear hatch of ...
Description
Portrait of 422062 Flying Officer (FO) Francis Owen Smith looking out of the rear hatch of Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) Beaufort bomber. FO Smith, a member of No. 100 Squadron, RAAF, and a member of the crew who flew Beaufort A9-557 on 34 missions, including its last, when, returning to Tadji from a bombing mission the aircraft landed without brakes and crashed. The aircraft had had its brakes shot out and could not be controlled, crashing into three jeeps. The aircraft was repaired and continued flying. In 1974 the aircraft was recovered from Tadji, and, after several owners it came to the Memorial. It was extensively refurbished with parts acquired from Australia and overseas. FO Smith and his crew were all killed on 13 March 1945 on a bombing mission flying in Beaufort (A9-650) when a defective fuse caused the premature detonation of one of the bombs and destroyed their aircraft.