Served with 78 Sqn; on 25/5/44 it was issued to 78 Sqn from 11 RSURP and was coded HU-E with
"Black Magic" on the cowl and was so named by F/L Baker who initially flew this a/c; on 3/6/44
F/L Denis Russell Baker (411271) flew this in the last major aerial combat of the RAAF during WW2
in the Pacific claiming a fighter destroyed; on 10/6/44 F/L Baker shot down the last Japanese
aircraft in the New Guinea campaign in this a/c; on 6/9/44 blew blast tubes while attacking Samate
strip with W/O Peter Barton Lavender (408853) returning successfully; on 9/10/44 it was received
back at 78 Sqn from 22 RSU and three months later was flown by Australia's only aboriginal fighter
pilot of WW2 W/O Leonard Victor Waters (78144); on 26/12/45 it was stripped of useable equipment
and burnt at Tarakan Is. [The code for this a/c has been suggested as HU-L and appeared on an
aerogram in dedication to W/O Len Waters. However photo and log book evidence contradicts it being
HU-L.]
RAAF No78 Sqd P40E "Black Magic" v2.0
"Black Magic" P40E with improved damage