In the background

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

The last pic at least looks like the Jap surrender at Borneo

Apologies Richard, I forgot to include the link to these pics, which gives the location as Lae, not Borneo as in Keith's pics. Nice work on your part to make the connection - it's definitely the same a/c as can be seen in the camouflage detail on the fin (pics 1 and 2 below).

Here's the link to the Lae pics: http://www.antiaircraft.org.au/photo...new-guinea/lae

It took me a while to identify the a/c type but eventually I found pic 3 on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachikawa_Ki-54 (aircraft recognition is even more fun than identifying CMPs!)

[Tony Wheeler]

Here's another "CMP in the background" from the same site, this time a CGT 8 at Buna. I've come across other pics of CGT 8s being landed here, and even some brief footage of a CGT 8 with short 25 pdr in tow, turning off the beach into the jungle. From memory it's on the ANZAC 3-disc series - I shall locate again and post here.

Here's the link to the image below: http://www.antiaircraft.org.au/photo.../buna/buna-657

On the same site can be found some rare pics of cab 12 FATs in Australia:
http://www.antiaircraft.org.au/photo...ure/townsville

[aj.lec]

On the same site can be found some rare pics of cab 12 FATs in Australia:
http://www.antiaircraft.org.au/photo...ure/townsville

This raises a question -Did these featured gun tractors stay in Australia or where they deployed overseas and not return ?
Where are they now I wonder?

[cliff]

There is a fully restored one here in Gympie

[Mike Cecil]

Tony,

REF: 'Apologies Richard, I forgot to include the link to these pics, which gives the location as Lae, not Borneo as in Keith's pics.

The C60X is labelled 47 OBU, ie 47 Operational Base Unit. From April to November 1945, this unit was located on Labuan Island. They had not been in New Guinea since their move to New Britain in March 1944.

There is the remains (fuselage in poor repair) of a 'Hickory' in the AWM collection. It was one of the aircraft used to ferry Japanese reps to a surrender ceremony - don't remember which one. It was marked with large green crosses over the Rising Suns. Both are visible etched into the Aluminium of the rear fuselage.

Edit update: I've just checked the AWM site, and if you type 'Hickory' into 'Collections Search' you get a seriers of images of a KI-54C Hickory on Labuan Island. One image shows the tail, left side, and it looks pretty much identical to the pattern on the image posted here. So I suggest the images are of the surrender party landing at Labuan Island, Borneo rather than Lae, NG. I seem to remember that the AWM fuselage is this aircraft.

Mike C

[Mike K]

Those pics make you wonder.

At that stage of the war . How many serviceable aircraft did the Japs have around Borneo ? And, where did they manage to find the fuel ? Unless the Allies supplied the fuel for that aeroplane . The Jap uniforms seem to be clean and they are not starving by the look of them .

The main thrust had by passed that area and the Japs were pretty well cut-off from theri supply chain.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

So I suggest the images are of the surrender party landing at Labuan Island, Borneo rather than Lae, NG. I seem to remember that the AWM fuselage is this aircraft.

Yes, there was a query in my mind as to the location - Lae didn't make much sense to me at this late stage of the war.

As you say Mike, camouflage detail confirms this as the same a/c pictured in the AWM series, and other detail including personnel present indicates it was the same occasion.

Also, AWM descriptions confirm this to be the fuselage in the collection as you say:

"THIS AIRCRAFT, A TACHIKAWA KI-54C (HICKORY) WAS FLOWN TO AUSTRALIA AND WAS AT RAAF FAIRBAIRN FOR MANY YEARS. THE AIRCRAFT IS NOW IN THE COLLECTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL."

"This aircraft, a Tachikawa Ki-54c (Hickory) was flown to Australia and was at RAAF Fairburn for many years. It is now at the RAAF museum at Point Cook, Victoria."

If the fuselage is all that remains of this a/c today, I wonder what happened to the rest of it...? Perhaps the following may be a clue as to its fate over the years:

"While the aircraft was at Labuan 300276 Warrant Officer Leonard Anthony (Len) Pearce and his crew had the responsibility for servicing the aircraft. As a souvenir of the event he removed the engine plates from the aircraft, one of which is now in the collection of the Australian War Memorial."

AWM image below depicts a plate removed from the shock absorber. It's a shame this historic a/c wasn't preserved for display.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

It's a shame this historic a/c wasn't preserved for display.

Actually it occurs to me that it may have simply decayed - apparently this type was codenamed "Hickory" because it was made of wood.