38 |
Construction
completed at Burbank.
|
24JUN38 |
Delivered
to KNILM by Lockheed and subsequently shipped to the Netherlands East
Indies.
|
JUL38 |
Registered
PK-AFQ to KNILM.
|
FEB42 |
Used
with other KNILM aircraft on evacuation flights from the NEI to Australia
in advance of the Japanese invasion. After escaping to Australia the
aircraft was operated by KNILM under charter to the military.
|
28MAR42 |
Acquired
from KNILM by the USAAF. Subsequently allocated ADAT call-sign VHCXK
and operated by the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron based in Brisbane.
|
07OCT42 |
Crashed
on landing at Rockhampton and completely destroyed by fire. Four crew
and six passengers jumped through the flames to escape, all sustaining
burns, some serious. Source states that the aircraft was being operated
by the 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron. (Source: ORB, No 21 Operational
Base Unit, Rockhampton) Some sources state that the aircraft crashed
at Cooktown on 08OCT42 but this is evidently incorrect.
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|
Statement
by Major James O. Cobb [no date given - c. 1945] 1st Lt. James O.
Cobb - Pilot - 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron (Cobb was previously with
the 19th BG c. March 1942) "About October 5, I made a flight to Archer
Field near Brisbane, Australia to pick up American and Australian
officers and an assorted load of such items as bomb detonators and
machine gun ammunition. On October 7, returning to my home base at
Townsville, I was to land at Rockhampton to exchange mail. Upon attempting
to land, the main gear of my Lockheed transport collapsed, due to
what was later determined to be sabotage damage, and as a result of
the ensuing crash the airplane burned to the ground and all of the
ten people aboard were severely burned and had to be taken to a hospital
conveniently located in that town. When I was released, about a month
later, the move of the Division was almost completed, and the first
airborne invasion (so far as we know) was already underway. I was
immediately assigned to help in hauling what remained of the Division
into New Guinea, taking my flights on the run which departed Townsville
about six o’clock in the morning and returned about 1 o’clock in the
afternoon, and as further treatment for the burns I received, I took
my ultraviolet treatments at night."
|
20JUN44 |
In
a retrospective book-keeping exercise, the aircraft was formally taken
on charge by the USAAF under the designation C-111-LO and allocated
the serial number 44-83235. It should be noted that this serial was
never carried on the aeroplane.
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