Crash of a B-26A Marauder at Cairns airfield, north Queensland on 5 July 1942

CRASH OF A B-26A MARAUDER
AT CAIRNS AIRFIELD, QLD
ON 5 JULY 1942

visits since 21 February 2005

B-26A Marauder #40-1533 of the 2nd Bomb Squadron (another source suggests the 33rd Bomb Squadron) of the 22nd Bomb Group, USAAC crashed while landing at Cairns airfield at 4.30pm on 5 July 1942 while returning from a bombing mission in New Guinea. The B-26A had earlier left Cooktown north of Cairns at 1.30pm. One engine had failed just prior to touching down at Cairns causing the pilot to lose directional control of the aircraft. It ran off the runway into a mangrove swamp off the end of the southern runway. There was only one minor injury only. The aircraft was salvaged.

B-26A Marauder #40-1533 had been issued to the 33rd Bomb Squadron in June 1942.

cairns01.jpg (37224 bytes)

This one ran out of dirt at Cairns. Photo courtesy of S. Adshead

The above photo is on page 49 of Vera Bradley's book, near information on the crash of a B-25 Mitchell at Cairns airfield and details of a few other crashes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Bob Livingstone for his assistance with this web page.

REFERENCE BOOKS:-

"I Didn't Know That"
"Cairns and Districts, Tully to Cape York, 1939-1946,
Service Personnel and Civilians"
By Vera Bradley (1943 AAMWS)

Red Raiders web site

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