The Boomerang is often referred to as Australia’s ‘panic fighter’, its development having been triggered by the Japanese advance in the Pacific.
The day after two Royal Navy battle ships were sunk by Japanese aircraft off the coast of Malaysia in early 1942, the decision was made to produce an indigeonus fighter at the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation facility at Fisherman’s Bend, Melbourne. Just 16 weeks and three days later, the first Boomerang took to the air. This remarkable feat was achieved by using as many existing assemblies as possible.
The Pratt & Whitney R.1830 twin Wasp radial engine (as used in the DC-3) was already in production in Australia for the local production of Bristol Beaufort bombers. The Wirraway advanced trainer, effectively a license built and modified variant of the North American NA-16, was already under series production by C.A.C., and from this aircraft, the Boomerang borrowed the centre-section, undercarriage, tail group and much of the cockpit equipment. The plywood and aluminium covered steel tube fuselage was entirely new.
This video was shot at Temora in NSW, Australia.
Video by: Anthony Portelli, an Historical Aviation Film Unit Media Partner
Source: YouTube