AUSTRALIA'S WORST AVIATION
DISASTER
70th Anniversary Commemoration Edition
by Robert S. Cutler
At Batchelor Field, near Darwin, in northern Australia, an American B-17 Flying Fortress lies badly damaged with over 1,100 shrapnel and bullet holes in her skin. This war-torn, B-17C bomber has already performed sterling service in the air battle over the Philippines.
Stripped of her heavy armament, she is made ready for transport duty to the beleaguered Aussie Diggers along the northern coast of New Guinea. In March 1943, she begins daily transport service, ferrying American GIs from the jungle battlefields of New Guinea to the US Army Rest Area in Mackay, Queensland, for R&R leave.
On June 14, 1943, she takes off from Mackay Airport on her last, tragic flight.
USAAF B-17C Flying Fortress (VH-CBA), affectionately called,"Miss EMF," for "Every Morning Fix-It," was operated by the 46th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 317th Troop Carrier Group, US Fifth Air Force, and crashed at Bakers Creek, near Mackay, Queensland, killing 40 of the 41 service personnel on board.
Soft cover, 125 pages, includes photographs and diagrams
You can purchase your copy of this great book from Boolarong Press
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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This page first produced 7 May 2014
This page last updated 21 January 2020