FORCE LANDING OF 3 KITTYHAWKS
AT DOUGHBOY
SOUTH EAST OF GOULBURN, NSW
ON 17 MAY 1943

visits since 6 February 2003

86 Squadron RAAF, comprising 24 P-40M Curtis Kittyhawks, was formed at Willaston near Gawler in South Australia on 4 March 1943. On 1 May 1943 the squadron started to leave by train for Townsville in north Queensland. The aircraft took off for Laverton on the 1 May 1943. They stayed there until 17 May 1943 when they headed for Richmond.

Just south of Sydney they ran into 10/10 cloud. "A" Flight turned back and landed at Wagga and "B" Flight continued on for Richmond. The aircraft split up and two ended up landing at Richmond, three force landed at Doughboy, just south east of Goulburn on the Shoalhaven River and the remainder landed at Goulburn.

Laurie Brown, Danny Shiells and Jack "Chat" Chattilon were the pilots who force landed at Doughboy. The local post-mistress was one of the many voluntary spotters dispersed through Australia and she notified Goulburn that 3 Kittyhawks had crash landed. The three pilots were taken by RAAF truck to the Goulburn railway station where they caught a train to Melbourne to pick up three replacements Kittyhawks.

REFERENCE BOOKS

"86 Squadron 1943-45 - Men, Kittyhawks and Mustangs"
By Peter F. Howard

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This page first produced 17 September 1999

This page last updated 06 February 2003