CRASH OF A BUFFALO
AT DERBY, WA
ON 25 SEPTEMBER 1942

visits since 1 February 2003

RAAF Buffalo A51-5 crashed at Derby in Western Australia on 25 September 1942. The wreckage of this aircraft was recovered in recent times (about 1999/early 2000).

This aircraft was one of 17 Buffalos that were transferred to the RAAF in 1942. They had earlier been part of the Netherlands East Indies Air Force. With the fall of Singapore twenty Model 439D's and one 339D were sent to Australia in March 1942. They initially were transferred to the USAAC. They still had their Dutch serial numbers and their original US "NX" test numbers. Once they arrived in Australia, most of them were allocated temporary numbers.

Seventeen of these aircraft were transferred to the RAAF and became A51-1 through to A51-17. The first six were sent in crates to Essendon where they were assembled at the Ansett Airways hangar. Cameras were installed and the aircraft were allocated to the newly formed PRU at Laverton in June 1942. The rest of the Buffalos were moved to the PRU at Darwin where they became operational in August 1942.

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This page first produced 12 March 2000

This page last updated 10 March 2006