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Gentlemen,
The de Havilland Mosquito entries for the 1951 Mossie washed up on the shore must be N60648 former KA996 of the RCAF. It went missing over the Davis Straits after leaving Goose Bay, Labrador for BW1, en route to Israel. The story of this aircraft appeared in the American Aviation Historical Society journal Volume 44, No. 3, Fall 1999 on pages 230-231.
"According to Born In Battle", #19, 1981. inclement weather delayed Kurtz and his navigator several days at Goose Bay. The navigator was forced to leave to attend his wedding. Seymour Lerner from New York arrived to take his place. Finally, at 17:35 hours on the evening of Thursday 17 May both men took off for Narsavaq (also know as BW3) in Greenland estimating arrival at this stations at 21:05Z No word was heard of the aircraft since departure and USAF 6th Air Rescue Squadron was alerted at 01:30Z hours on 18 May. The squadron was responsible for all Air-Sea Rescues in this area and the unit was divided into flights which were dispersed at various reginal air bases.
Flight A at BW1 provided a SC-47 and one SB-17 Fortress for the Mission Commander at Goose Bay for use in the search. Harman AFB also supplied one SB-17. At 09:30Z hours Agentia NAS, Newfoundland notified Flight B by telephone that one B-17 and one PBY were to proceed to BW1 to participate in the Mosquito search. On Saturday 19 May, a request was received from Flight C for a Flight B aircraft to take part in the search. At 12:00Z hours the following day SB-17 No. 3701 piloted by Major R.B. Moore and Captain Richard T. Saxe departed Goose Bay. The aircraft remained at that station until 26 May 1951, searching daily with negative results.
Lloyds List published by Lloyds of London records N60648 as being lost in the Davis Straits between Canada and Greeland.
Norm Malayney
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