The Beaufort Bomber Found on the Pacific Ocean Floor After Vanishing in 1943 with a Crew of Four.
Researchers have uncovered a lost aircraft nearly 80 years after it disappeared in the Pacific. The Beaufort Bomber was dispatched to attack airfields near the city of Foggia in Italy in 1943 during World War II. The aircraft, which carried a crew of four, has been missing ever since. Currently, the wreckage has been located in the waters off Gasmata, Papua New Guinea. Discovered late last year, the plane has been identified as the Beaufort Bomber A9-374 from No. 100 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), according to a report by Interesting Engineering on October 2.
Bristol Beaufort reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. (Photo: Wikimedia).
Developed by Bristol Aeroplane Company, this twin-engine bomber is one of 1,380 aircraft produced at the time. Some were manufactured in Australia and used by the RAAF. “The wreckage of A9-374 is scattered over a wide area in deep water at 16 meters, so identifying it after 80 years requires significant time, effort, and teamwork,” said Air Chief Marshal Stephen Chappell of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Chappell noted that the mission involved several professional divers and maritime archaeologists working in a complex area containing heavily damaged wreckage covered by layers of mud and marine life. This marks the second discovery made by the diving team from Ocean Ecology.
Designed for dual roles as a reconnaissance aircraft and torpedo bomber, the first prototype of the Bristol Beaufort flew on October 15, 1938. These bombers also carried out mine-laying operations. In the spring of the 1940s, they began laying magnetic mines in enemy coastal regions, continuing until mid-1943.
During its coastal operations, Beaufort aircraft participated in missions across the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Atlantic Ocean. In 1942, all Beaufort squadrons were deployed to the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans to counter threats from enemy forces. According to the Royal Australian Air Force Museum, 700 Beaufort aircraft were produced in Australia.
