|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 01JAN42 | Received by USAAF. |
| 01JUN42 | Received at Dallas Modification Center, Texas. |
| 02JUL42 | Received Colorado Springs AB. |
| 01AUG42 | Received Lowry AF, Colorado. |
| 11AUG42 | Received Colorado Springs AB. |
| 02NOV42 | Received Sacramento Air Depot, California for despatch to 5th Air Force, SW Pac, Australia (SUMAC) from San Francisco. |
| 21NOV42 | Received SUMAC. |
| 27FEB43 | Allotted to 1PRU ex USAAF, Eagle Farm, Brisbane. The Form E/E88 for A55-3 shows "Late 41-2122". |
| 16MAR43 | Arrived Coomalie Creek, NT from Eagle Farm, Brisbane on delivery to 1PRU. Pilot Flt Lt C.C. Lawrie. |
| 21MAR43 | Photo recce of Penfoei (5.00hrs). Pilot Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. |
| 22MAR43 | 1PRU signals RAAF HQ that the intercooler system on A55-3 is unserviceable "after only 16 hours flying. Modifications unsuitable this climate." (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| 18APR43 | Photo recce of Penfoei (5.00hrs). Pilot Flt Lt P.B. Sinnott. |
| 20APR43 | Photo recce of Penfoei (4.40hrs). Pilot Flt Lt C.C. Lawrie. |
| 21APR43 | Photo recce of Dili (4.15hrs). Pilot Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. |
| endAPR43 | Unserviceable with leaking intercoolers. |
| 11MAY43 | Survey flight of Portuguese Timor, Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. Weather unsuitable. |
| 13MAY43 | Staged through Groote Eylandt for a survey of Frederick Henry Island and District. Weather unsuitable. |
| 15MAY43 | Positioned Coomalie Creek to Groote Eylandt, Sqn Ldr C.C. Lawrie. |
| 16MAY43 | Survey of Frederick Henry Island & District. Weather unsuitable. |
| 19MAY43 | Returned to Coomalie Creek. |
| 22MAY43 | Survey of Kai Island, Flt Lt W.H.S. Talberg. Recalled due unsuitable weather. |
| 24MAY43 | COO
26-2 Fuiloro, Dili, Lae 25000ft 4hr 35min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W.
Robilliard) The 1PRU ORB records that weather was unsuitable. |
| 29MAY43 | Photo recce of Penfoei, Sqn Ldr C.C. Lawrie. |
| 21JUN43 | COO 2/8 Photo Penfoei, Koepang 26000ft 4hr 55min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 26JUN43 | COO 9/1 Penfoei 26000ft 5hr 30min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 12JUL43 | COO 25 Kei Is, Tanimber, Saim, Trimetrogon run, CP Arnheim vicinity, 26000ft 5hr 40min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 10AUG43 | Engine test 24000ft 1hr 15min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 12AUG43 | COO 48
Penfoei, Tenau, Golf strip, new strip Roti 30500ft 5hr 30min. (Source: Log
book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) Robilliard's family recalls that he had an engine failure on this flight and a decision on whether or not to bale out or attempt the return ocean crossing on one engine was influenced by the fact that it was his wife's birthday! |
| 19AUG43 | Base - Gorrie 3000ft 1hr 10min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 22AUG43 | Received 14ARD ex 1PRU for 240 hourly. |
| 14SEP43 | Received 1PRU ex 14ARD. |
| 17SEP43 | Signal from NWA advises that initial equipment Lightning aircraft are beyond repair and suitable only for conversion. (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| 18SEP43 | RAAF HQ advises NWA that replacement F-4s are not available and arrangements have been made for "complete overhaul first priority by USAAF. Can you fly both Lightnings to Townsville?" (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| 18SEP43 | A note on stationery "From the Desk of Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney" to Col Victor E. Bertrandis, C.O., Advanced Echelon, Fifth Air Force Service Command, Townsville states simply: "2 P.38's for 1PRU to be repaired there". (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| 20SEP43 | Signal from NWA: "Lightning A55-3 pilot F/L Talberg departed for Townsville 200800. ETA 201530". (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| 01OCT43 | Signal from NWA: Repairs commenced on A55-3, Anticipate date for completion 31 Oct.. (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| NOV43 | Altitude
test 34000ft acceptance test USA 1hr 15min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W.
Robilliard) (This would refer to a test flight in Townsville where the aircraft was overhauled by the USAAF. The exact date is not recorded but it could have been only 1 or 2 November). |
| 01NOV43 | Extract
from a report on a visit to NEA and NWA by S.O. Admin: "A55-3 arrived over
NWA HQ approximately 1800 hours 1 Nov., and I later heard that owing to
failure of the hydraulic system the pilot (F/L Robilliard) was forced to
abandon the belly tank, cockpit canopy and make a belly landing. Some damage
was caused to the aeroplane, but up to my departure the extent of same was
unknown". Note: This implies that A55-3 belly-landed on its delivery flight from Townsville on 01NOV. However, A55-3 did suffer a belly landing on 10DEC43. Is this the accident that the reporter "later heard" of, or were there two separate belly landings, given that pilot Robilliard is quoted for 01NOV and crash report for 10DEC states pilot Sinnott. (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) Update 13JUL10: It is now known from Flt Lt Robilliard's log book that A55-3 did not return to base until 02NOV43. Although Robilliard's family recall that he later mentioned some difficulty landing a Lightning (possibly a beach landing) it could not have been a belly landing on this occasion as the aeroplane was back on ops by 13NOV43. |
| 02NOV43 | Townsville - Cloncurry 15000ft 1hr 55min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 02NOV43 | Cloncurry - Pell 15000ft 4hr 30min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 13NOV43 | COO 29 Lore, Fuiloro, Chater, Lautem 28000ft 3hr 20min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 13NOV43 | Consumption test 12000ft 1hr 45min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 14NOV43 | Batchelor - Coomalie 20min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 18NOV43 | Coomalie - Drysdale 15000ft 2hr 50min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 21NOV43 | Drysdale - Coomalie 15000ft 1hr 30min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 22NOV43 | Coomalie - Drysdale 15000ft 1hr 25min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 23NOV43 | COO 43 Drysdale - Penfoei - Koepang - Namlea - Jas (illegible) - Nth Coast Roti - Nembela 28000ft 3hr 15min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 23NOV43 | Drysdale - Coomalie 15000ft 1hr 30min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 30NOV43 | Coomalie - Millingimbi 1000ft 1hr 30min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 01DEC43 | COO 48 Aroe Is. 15000ft 4hr 45min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) |
| 01DEC43 | Millingimbi
- Coomalie 10000ft 1hr 30min. (Source: Log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard) This is the last recorded flight in A55-3 by Flt Lt Robilliard. Total hours on Lightnings for Flt Lt Robilliard 91 hours 10 minutes (all in either A55-1 or A55-3) |
| 05DEC43 | Condemned by 5th AF, Brisbane as a result of a non-combat accident. (This is suspect, unless it relates to the alleged belly landing on 01NOV43) |
| 10DEC43 | Landed at Batchelor, N.T. with the undercarriage retracted. The Aircraft Accident Data Card confirms the date as 10DEC43 and the pilot as F/LT B. Sinnott. The card states: "Aircraft crash landed due to hydraulic pressure failure and the undercarriage indicator showing not locked". There are no injuries recorded and the time of the accident is recorded as daytime. (NAA Series A9845 Item 7127491) |
| 13DEC43 | Received by 4RSU. |
| 14DEC43 | Signal from NWA: "A55-3 beyond repair capacity this area and will probably have to be converted to components". (NAA Series A11093 Item 3081559) |
| 26DEC43 | Received 14ARD ex 4RSU. |
| 10JAN44 | Approved for conversion to components. |
| Wreckage acquired by Darwin Aviation Museum. |
| 1AD | No 1 Aircraft Depot based at Laverton, Vic. | 14ARD | No 14 Aircraft Repair Depot based at Gorrie, N.T. | 8CRD | No 8 Central Recovery Depot based at Darwin, N.T. | 1PRU | No 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit based at Hughes, N.T. and later Coomalie Creek N.T. | 1RSU | No 1 Repair and Salvage Unit based at Manbulloo, N.T. | 4RSU | No 4 Repair and Salvage Unit based at Pell, N.T. |
| COO | A duty code specific to 1PRU |
| NWA | North Western Area |
| Issue | Date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 19JUL10 |
Added
details from the log book of Flt Lt F.H.W. Robilliard thanks to
his son Iain Robilliard. Also added five air-to-air images of
A55-3 from the same source.
|
| 11 | 19JUN09 |
Added
an image of the remains of A55-3 thanks to Owen Veal of the Aviation
Historical Society of the Northern Territory.
|
| 10 | 17FEB04 |
Added
several references from RAAF Command HQ files (NAA Series 11093
Item 3081559) and a report on the final crash (NAA Series A9845
Item 7127491)
|
| 9 | 04JAN04 |
Added
more detail of the aircraft's USAAF service thanks to Terry Geary.
|
