Grumman TBM Avenger

In October ’23, we received a call telling us that Scallop Fishermen had pulled up some ‘aircraft looking’ items in their dredge. We decided to send a team to Stanley Tasmania, to meet up with the fisherman and to discuss where the parts were found. It was thought that there was a small possibility that the aircraft parts could be from the Beaufort Bomber we are searching for off the coast of King Island.

It was obvious from where the parts were found, just north of Three Hammocks Island, that they were not from our Beaufort Bomber. The fisherman were kind enough to allow us to bring the parts home with us. 

We were able to work out that the parts were not from a Beaufort Bomber, however, we did not want to waste the effort so far, of all concerned, so it was decided that we would follow through with trying to identify what aircraft the parts were from. Working together with the plane aficionado from Fallen Diggers, Jason Stagg, SOE’s Martin Tozer & Darren Cook were able to established that the parts concerned were in fact from a Gruman TBM Avenger.

Report written by Martin Tozer to be sent to Heritage Tasmania.