ADF Serials - Airacobra

ADF-SERIALS
Australian & New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History

RAAF A53 Bell P-39D,P-39F & P400 Airacobra

Bell P-39D
Aeracobra
A53-9

Aircraft Serial	USAAF Serial	Type	C/N	Aircraft History
A53-1	41-7119	P-39F-1-BE	15B-4	Received 27/07/42 2 AD. Served with 24 Sqn 02/08/42 to 19/02/43. Crashed Luddenham 19/02/43 when the engine failed in flight, P/O A F Tutt abandoned the aircraft over South Luddenham, near Sydney Australia. Total Time 140.55 hours. Converted to components 06/03/43. Written off 08/03/43. The remains of this aircraft still exist in South Australia and has been identified by two separate sources.
A53-2	41-7134	P-39F-1-BE	15B-19	Received 27/07/42 2 AD. Served with 24 Sqn 02/08/42 to 07/06/43. 02/10/42 24 Sqn, Shrapnel holed airframe, starboard tyre punctured, windscreen and gun sight damaged. Served with 82 Sqn 21/06/43 to 15/09/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 20/09/43.
A53-3	41-7157	P-39F-1-BE	15B-42	Received 27/07/42 2 AD. Served with 24 Sqn 02/08/42 to 24/02/43. 26/08/42 24 Sqn, undercarriage failed to lock down and aircraft damaged. Engine failure 24/02/43 at Bankstown NSW and damaged beyond repair. Converted to Components 22/03/43.
A53-4	41-7163	P-39F-1-BE	15B-48	Received 27/07/42 2 AD. Served with 24 Sqn 02/08/42 to 07/06/43, during this time many repairs completed at 5 AD. Served with 82 Sqn 21/06/43 to 15/09/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 20/09/43.
A53-5	41-7164	P-39F-1-BE	15B-49	Received 27/07/42 2 AD. Served with 24 Sqn 02/08/42 to 26/10/42. Crashed 26/10/42 after an engine failure at Bankstown NSW, aircraft destroyed. Allocated to 2 AD 02/11/42 and converted to components 03/12/42.
A53-6	41-7168	P-39F-1-BE	15B-53	Received 27/07/42 2 AD. Served with 24 Sqn 02/08/42 to 12/10/42. Holed Propeller 05/09/42 while employed in air to ground gunnery practice. Served with 82 Sqn 07/06/43 to 20/08 or 30/08/43. 20/08/43 or 30/08/43 (Records not clear) Forced Landing due to Engine failure 4 miles due west of Liverpool, aircraft repairable. Crated 22/10/43 for return to the US 5th Air Force, which occurred on the 11/11/43.
A53-7	41-7141	P-39F-1-BE	15B-26	Received 27/07/42 2 AD? Served with 24 Sqn 05/08/42 to 15/05/43. Forced Landing 06/10/42, propeller and engine damage. Served with 83 Sqn 21/05/43 to 04/07/43, while waiting to re-equip with the Boomerang. Served with 82 Sqn 05/07/43 to 15/09/43. Forced landing at Williamtown NSW 02/09/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 22/10/43.
A53-8	40-3017	P-39D-BE	15-27	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 17/08/42. Served with 23 Sqn 17/08/42 to 26/02/43. Served with 83 Sqn 26/02/43 to 30/03/43. Undercarriage collapsed 30/03/43, With 3 AD from 31/03/43 to 03/04/43. Converted to components 26/08/43, Remains crated and returned to US 5th Air Force.
A53-9	40-3035	P-39D-BE	15-45	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 17/08/42. Served with 23 Sqn 17/08/42 to 26/02/43. Served with 83 Sqn 26/02/43 to 28/05/43. Converted to components 26/08/43, Remains crated and returned to US 5th Air Force.
A53-10	41-6758	P-39D-BE	15-97	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 17/08/42. Served with 23 Sqn 17/08/42 to 24/09/42. Passed to 10 RSU for Repairs. Served with 23 Sqn 01/10/42 to 26/02/43. Served with 83 Sqn 26/02/43 to 15/07/43. Served with 82 Sqn 16/07/43 to 15/09/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 28/09/43.
A53-11	41-6805	P-39D-BE	15-144	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 17/08/42. S erved with 23 Sqn 17/08/42 to 26/01/43. On 26/01/43 there was a landing accident, mainplanes fuselage and engine all damaged. Passed to 3 AD 03/02/43 for repair. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 04/10/43.
A53-12	41-6944	P-39D-BE	15-283	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 17/08/42. Served with 23 Sqn 17/08/42 to 26/02/43. Served with 83 Sqn 26/02/43 to 14/04/43. Served with 24 Sqn 15/04/43 to 07/06/43. Served with 82 Sqn 21/06/43 to 01/07/43. 01/07/43 Aircraft damaged beyond repair in a forced landing during a practice interception 1 mile east of Bulli Rifle range. Converted to components 26/08/43, Remains crated and returned to US 5th Air Force. Note: The P-39 restored by the Classic Jets Fighter museum at Parafield, SA has been finished to represent A53-12.
A53-13	41-7085	P-39D-BE	15-424	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 17/08/42. Served with 23 Sqn 17/08/42 to 26/02/43. Served with 83 Sqn 26/02/43 to 15/07/43. Served with 82 Sqn 16/07/43 to 15/09/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 20/09/43.
A53-14	41-6968	P-39D-BE	15-307	Received by 23 Sqn from the USAAC 31/08/42. Served with 23 Sqn 31/08/42 to 24/09/42. At 10 RSU 24/09/42 to 01/10/42. Served with 23 Sqn 01/10/42 to 26/02/43. Engine Change by 10 RSU 06/10/42. Served with 83 Sqn 26/02/43 to 15/07/43. Damaged by blockage in 37mm cannon 26/06/43. Served with 82 Sqn 16/07/43 to 23/09/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 23/10/43.
A53-15	41-6723	P-39D-BE	15-62	Received by 3 AD 13/05/43. Was to go to 82 Sqn but cancelled. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 10/10/43.
A53-16	41-6738	P-39D-BE	15-77	D-BE Sumac RAAF 18-Feb-42 9-Mar-42 28-Apr-44 36th PS/ 8th FG A53-16 Accepted 30/07/41 To "X" 18/02/42 "X" 09/03/42. Issued to 36PS/8th PG Lowood. Wheels up landing 26/03/42. Was tfr to RAAF 3AD ret to AAF, not allocated to RAAF Sqn. Returned USA 27/01/44, Surveyed 28/04/44.
A53-17	41-6929	P-39D-BE	15-268	Received by 3 AD 13/05/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 11/10/43.
A53-18	41-6947	P-39D-BE	15-286	Received by 3 AD 13/05/43. Was to go to 82 Sqn but cancelled. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 04/10/43.
A53-19	41-7189	P-39F-1-BE	15B-74	Received by 3 AD 13/05/43. Served with 82 Sqn 19/07/43 to 14/10/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 14/10/43.
A53-20	41-6838	P-39D-BE	15-177	Received by 3 AD 09/07/43. Was to go to 82 Sqn but cancelled. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 29/09/43.
A53-21	41-7235	P-39F-1-BE	15B-120	Received by 3 AD 09/07/43. Was to go to 82 Sqn but cancelled. Repairs carried out by 3 AD before being returned to the US 5th Air Force 14/10/43.
A53-22	41-7199	P-39F-1-BE	15B-84	Received by 3 AD 27/07/43. Returned to the US 5th Air Force 28/09/43.
BW114	?	P400	14-306	The P400 loaned for initial training at Laverton. P400 Airacobra BW114 Built to Contract DA-42-4801(Defense Aid) Received from Bell Aircraft Company :25/12/41 To Memphis Tenn.: 25/12/41 To Port of Exit : San Francisco :10/02/42 Left USA Cont to Project "X" : 19/02/42 Arrived Australia: 15/04/42 Assembled and accepted USAAF (Sumac) : 21/04/42 Damaged/Wrecked AFMSC: 10/02/43 94Hrs TT Condemned: 01/04/1944.

The Author of this page is Darren Crick updated by Brendan Cowan

Source: WW2 Airfields 50 years on, Eagle Farm 1942, by Brian Creer, Small Air Forces Observer, Aircraft Status Cards from National Archives.

Emails: Gordon Birkett, Stephen Szczurek, Joe Baugher, Johan van der Wei, Stig Jarlevik, Stephen Smith, Bob Livingston, Dean Norman, Robert Brosing, Ron Cuskelly.

Updated 11 June 2013

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