In the background

[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