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Operation: Test flight
Date: 13th December 1944 (Wednesday)
Unit: No. 23 (NZ) Squadron
Type: Corsair F4U-1D
Serial: USN BuAer 57754
Code: 754
Base: Momote Airstrip, Los Negros, Bismark Archipelago.
Location: On airstrip
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Kenneth McGowan NZ/432222 RNZAF Age 22. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 14:56 hrs from Momote airfield, with his aircraft fitted with long range fuel tanks carrying 600 gallons of fuel. Lifted off and on passing the control tower drifted towards the left embankment southeast of the runway, crashed, overturned and burst into flames.
He had not run up the engine beforehand and started up using his main tank, rather than the reserve tank as was normal procedure. It was thought that flying with a near-full fuel overload for the first time, he may have been deceived during the take-off run by the humped runway and became airborne with inadequate airspeed.
The aircraft was one of eight that was about to be ferried by 23 squadron pilots to Leyte in the Philippines on behalf of the USN.
Burial details:
Initially buried at Los Negros and later reinterred.
Fl/Sgt. Kenneth McGowan. Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery. Grave 5. 12. Born at Greymouth on the 15th November 1922. Worked as a tractor driver for the Public Works Department at Greymouth. Enlisted on the 19th of February 1943. Wings awarded on the 20th of March 1944. Promoted to sergeant on the 13th May 1944. Joined 23 squadron on the 07th August 1944. Promoted to Fl/Sgt. on the 10th November 1944. Son of Robert Greenlees McGowan (died 12th March 1967) and Lynda Clara McGowan (née Stewart, died 14th August 1963, age 60), of Cobden, Westland, New Zealand. A total of 439 flying hours were logged.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Wings Over New Zealand Forum
Other pages that may interest you:
KTY 26-02-2024
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Last Modified: 26 February 2024, 12:15