Tom Spencer examines the RAAF’s Second World War Mosquito photo reconnaissance operations over the Dutch East Indies.
In mid-1944 the first of six Mosquito PR.40s, modified from the Australian-built FB.40 variant, was delivered to No.1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) at Coomalie Creek in the Northern Territory. They were to supplement the unit’s miscellany of CAC Wirraways and Lockheed Lightning F-4s, the latter on loan from the US Army Air Force.
The ‘Mossie’ was an ideal aircraft to cover the Japanese-held islands of the Dutch East Indies, as it had the speed and range to do the job. Mosquito FB.40 A52-26 served as the prototype for the ‘solid-nosed’ PR variant, the first two of which (A52-2 and A52-4) arrived at Coomalie Creek in May and August.
They soon began operations, supporting the capture of Noemfoor Island in Dutch New Guinea during late August and A52-2 flying nine sorties. But A52-4 did not survive long as on 6 September it force-landed on a beach west of Manokwari in Dutch New Guinea where, to prevent it falling into enemy hands, the crew set fire to it.
OPERATIONS BEGIN
On 10 September, 1 PRU re-formed as 87 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force under Sqn Ldr Alfred Hermes. It had th…
