KITTYHAWK SHOT DOWN
BY "FRIENDLY FIRE"
NEAR COX PENINSULA, DARWIN, NT
DURING A JAPANESE AIR RAID
ON 4 APRIL1942

P-40 Kittyhawk

On 4 April 1942, USAAF P-40E Kittyhawk #41-5551, #74 of the 9th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group was shot down by Australian Anti-aircraft fire in error during a Japanese air raid near Cox Peninsula, Darwin Northern Territory. The pilot Lt Grover Gardiner was able to bail out. This was more than likely during the Japanese bombing raid of Darwin Civil airfield & Parap Hotel at 1:48pm on 4 April 1942.

This aircraft had been involved in an earlier accident at Bankstown in New South Wales on 27 February 1942. 

Lt. Livingstone was also hit during this air raid but was able to fly to 34 Mile strip, but crashed while trying to land.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett and C. Rossi for their assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 24 July 2002

This page last updated 02 February 2020