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| RAAF No. 22 Squadron Former Assignments NEIAF  Lyon 1996  Daniel Leahy 2000   Peter Flahavin 2004 |
Pilot FLGOFF Harry Rowell, 411191 (survived) Trafalgar, VIC Gunner FSGT Douglas Frederick Lyon, 420018 (survived) Summer Hill, NSW Gunner Harry Jamieson, 420007 (survived) Force Landed September 12, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 3839. Purchased by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as Boston Mark III serial number AL907. At the factory, painted with camouflage and RAF markings. One of twenty-two Bostons for the RAF that was instead allocated to the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEIAF) and over painted with Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy) markings. No U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) serial number was allocated to this plane. Disassembled and shipped overseas bound for the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) but while in transit, diverted to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History During March 1942 delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as DB-7B Boston Mark III serial number A28-8. Assigned to No. 22 Squadron code DU-J. Nicknamed "Jessica". Also known as "J is for Jessica" for the last letter of the tail code and nickname. The nose bombardier position was painted over and four fixed .303 machine guns installed inside the nose for strafing. Later, this Boston and DB-7 Boston A28-9 were field modified to add two .303 machine to the tail. In total, this plane flew 56 combat missions before it was damaged and written off. Below the cockpit on the left side of the nose was a scoreboard with three rows of yellow bomb markings indicating bombing missions flown (20+20+2). Mission History On September 12, 1943 took off from Vivigani Airfield on Goodenough Island piloted by FLGOFF Harry Rowell as one of four Bostons on a mission against Gasmata on New Britain. The formation was led by DB-7B "Spirit of Sport" A28-15 pilot F/L Harry Dawkins with DB-7B "Indoor Sport" A28-16 pilot FSgt Eric G. T. Riley and DB-7B A28-7 pilot F/O Peter Gunson. Over the target, hit by anti-aircraft fire in the cockpit and knocked out the hydraulic system. Damaged, this Boston managed to return but only the left landing gear locked into place. Rowell ordered his crew to bail out, but they requested to stay aboard and crash land at Vivigani Airfield. After circling to use up as much fuel as possible, belly landed wheels up and slid until coming to rest 150 yards off the runway. None of the crew were injured in the landing. A large crowd watched the landing including recently arrived U.S. Army personnel. Afterwards, a photograph was taken of Rowell in the crashed plane with Wing Commander Charles Learmonth alongside. After the crash, crew chief W/O "Peggy" O'Neill removed the control yoke and presented it to Rowell as a gift. The mission was dubbed "Black Sunday" by the Squadron for their heavy losses. Wreckage This Boston was written off and converted to components with the engines, outer wings, tail fin and rudder removed for use as spare parts. Afterwards, the rest of the plane was abandoned at Vivigani Airfield. In the early 1970s, Charles Darby noted the original paintwork including the Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEIAF) markings with "Kon Marine" and a scoreboard with three rows of bomb markings indicating missions flown. Salvage In September 1984, The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) planned a training exercise "Operation Venture One" to salvage an A-20 wreck as a training exercise, using a CH-47 Chinook from No. 12 Squadron to recover A-20G "Hell'N Pelican II" 42-86786. As this plane was the only salvageable RAAF Boston in Papua New Guinea and the former pilot Harry Rowell advocated for it to be recovered. In 1987, this Boston was recovered from Vivigani Airfield by RAAF Chinook and flown to Madang Airport where it was loaded aboard HMAS Tobruk and shipped to Sydney. When it arrived former crew members Harold Rowell, Black Harry Craig and David Duncan were invited to a dinner aboard the vessel. Afterwards, moved by truck to RAAF Amberley for restoration. Restoration Between 1987–1996 this Boston was restored to static condition at RAAF Amberley. Former pilot Rowell was asked to provide the original control yoke for a copy to be made. The restored plane was painted in the markings of A28-8. On September 12, 1986 the restored plane was unveiled at RAAF Amberley, on the 35th anniversary of the September 12, 1943 mission when it force landed with veterans from No. 22 Squadron in attendance. Display Afterwards, moved to Royal Australian Air Force Museum Point Cook (RAAF Museum Point Cook) for pubic display. In 1996, former crew member Douglas Lyon visited the restoration to see his aircraft. An oil painting of "J is for Jessica" and display is part of the RAAF Association in Bull Creek. References WW2 Nominal Roll - Harry Rowell, 411191 WW2 Nominal Roll - Douglas Frederick Lyon, 420018 Boston in service with Royal Australian Air Force ADF Serials - Boston A28-8 Pacific Aircraft Wrecks (1979) page 46 Bruce Hoy Diary, November 8, 1983 Bruce Hoy Diary, November 17-18, 1983 "I hosted a visit by Air Marshall Evans to my facility in Gordon during which I made an offer to him of the former No. 22 Squadron A28-8 Boston bomber at Vivigani on Goodenough Island. This later resulted in Operation Venture One and the recovery of A-20G "The Hell 'n Pelican"." Bruce Hoy Diary, November 18, 1983 "...lunch with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall David Evans. I was somewhat worried about leaving the house, as the security measures had not been carried out. It was a very enjoyable lunch, and Air Marshall Evans advised me that as soon as he returns to Canberra he will set the wheels in motion to have A28-8 recovered by the [Royal Australian] Air Force." Bruce Hoy Diary, June 29, 1984 "... I then typed the letter to the RAAF in Canberra, formalising the offer made by me during the visit last year to my branch by Air Marshall David Evans of the Douglas Boston A28‑8 to the Royal Australian Air Force..." Bruce Hoy Diary, July 4, 1984 Bruce Hoy Diary, July 20, 1984 Bruce Hoy Diary, July 21, 1984 Bruce Hoy Diary, July 24, 1984 Bruce Hoy Diary, July 26, 1984 "Eric Lundberg delivered a letter proposing that the RAAF would recover two aircraft with sufficient components to restore two aircraft, one to be returned to our Museum and that this proposal would be subject to official confirmation from Canberra and that the initial offer of A28-8 would still remain in place." Bruce Hoy Diary, July 27, 1984 " also wrote to the Milne Bay Provincial Government advising them, under the same terms, that the RAAF will be recovering A28-8, currently lying derelict near Vivigani Airfield, Goodenough Island, and that this aircraft will be recovered by the RAAF in September 1984" Wings of Destiny (2008) by Charles Page pages 9, 18, 155, 160, 174, 184, 204-205, 247-248, 259, 276, 277-280 (September 12, 1943 crash landing), 369 (recovery and restoration), 370 (photo), 407 (Index Boston A28-8), 410 (index Jessica) Thanks to Bruce Hoy for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 17, 2026 |
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