Several Bristol Beaufort bomber wrecks of the Royal Australian Air Force downed in World War Two have been located under water in recent years, but the latest has been discovered by chance in the Timor Sea off Darwin, capital of Australia’s Northern Territory.
The twin-engined aircraft A9-497 was known to have ditched during a 1944 mission, but all four of the crew had survived their emergency landing and been rescued the following day, according to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The other 2020s discoveries were A9-186, found in 2020 and A9-374 in late 2023, both off Gasmata in Papua New Guinea.
The intact A9-497 wreck was found by a sonar survey team commissioned by the Australian Hydrographic Office, part of the ADF, to conduct a routine survey, although the surveyors had not expected to find any aircraft in the area.
The sonar images they obtained were detailed enough for experts to be able to determine the type of plane, where it came from and its condition on landing. The throttles, gauges and cables in the cockpit were still intact, along with both engines and propellers. The gun-turret with machine-gun also remained in place, pointing to port.
Primary RAAF bomber
A9-497 had been part of the RAAF’s No 1 Squadron based at Gould, about 100km south of Darwin. Its role included convoy protection off Australia’s northern coasts and assaults on Japanese-held territory in what is now Timor-Leste.
The Beaufort was the successor to the Bristol Blenheim and the RAAF favoured the plane for its long-range capabilities when it came to patrolling its extensive coastline or flying far out to sea to engage an invasion fleet, and its capacity to deliver either bombs or torpedoes.
Seven hundred Beauforts were built in Australia between 1941 and 1944, making it the RAAF’s primary bomber in the Pacific war. Nine front-line squadrons flew only Beauforts, and another 10 flew them alongside other aircraft.
The Defence Department has said that A9-497 will remain undisturbed under water under Northern Territory management. Its depth was not disclosed.
Seeking uncle's plane
Marine surveyor Ocean Ecology had located the two earlier Beauforts missing off PNG. Scuba divers visited A9-186 from 100 Squadron and confirmed that remains of two of crew who had gone down with the plane in 1943 remained onboard.
Also from 100 Squadron was A9-374, which had also crashed in 1943 and was identified by Ocean Ecology specialist divers last September. It was found dispersed at a depth of 16m at what was described as a challenging dive-site.
On both occasions Ocean Ecology had in fact been searching for a third RAAF Beaufort bomber lost near Gasmata. Its surveys had been funded by marine ecologist and philanthropist Dr Andrew Forrest, because the still-missing aircraft had been piloted by his uncle, Flying Officer David Forrest.
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