CRASH OF A B-25 MITCHELL
3 to 4 MILES EAST OF McDONALD AIRFIELD, NT
5 FEBRUARY 1943

visits since 16 March 2002

On 5 February 1943, B-25C Mitchell, N5-132 (#41-12919) of 18 Squadron of the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEI-AF) crashed about 3 to 4 miles east of its home base at McDonald airfield in the Northern Territory. The whole crew of seven, which included 3 RAAF personnel were tragically killed as follows:-

Schalk
Hiele
Janssen
Kessels
Maarschalkerweerd
Abeleven
MacPherson. 

The aircraft card of N5-132 says: "N5-132 #41-12919 B-25C crashed on t/o from McDonald, 7 KIA.

The aircraft was heavily loaded because its targets were at maximum range. N5-132 crashed during take-off, caught fire and exploded because of the full fuel load. I believe that the remains of the aircraft are still present on the crash site today.

Original 1943 photograph Chris van Reesch of the crash of N5-132 near McDonald airfield (NT).
(Photo supplied by Gerben Tornij)

Photograph of J.J.L.M. Janssen by Chris van Reesch
(Photo supplied by Gerben Tornij)

Subject:    Vultee Vengeance Crash
Date:             Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:13:01 +1100
From:           "Brian Coleman" <bcoleman@alphalink.com.au>

Greetings Peter, and a Happy New Year,

Further to your request for information re a Vultee crash at Batchelor. I was looking through my copy of "Are You There Don R?", author Gordon Wallace, later retitled "Up In Darwin With The Dutch", and found a reference to a Vultee Vengeance which crashed on 15-5-1943 near 18 Squadron Camp site. Pilot F/O D.C. Wilmot killed in the crash, co-pilot survived although severely burned. Plane was on way to Richmond for service. Aircraft Number A27-11. Does that help. There is a photo of the crash site on page 99 of the publication.

Also, in the same book on pages 145-146 there is mention of N5-132 which crashed on 5 February 1943, near McDonald airfield near Lloyds Creek, with a photo.

Regards

Brian Coleman

NOTE:- One source gives the location for this crash as being 3 to 4 miles east of McDonald airfield while another source says it was NW of Batchelor airfield near Lloyds Creek.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Ed Ragas and Gerben Tornij for their assistance with this home page.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"De Nederlandse Mitchells"
by Gerben J. Tornij, 1999, ISBN 90-9013058-6)
This book is still available (http://www.flash-aviation.nl/ or http://www.lhshop.nl/)

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 1 January 2000

This page last updated 15 October 2006