Date:	Friday 19 November 1948
Time:	09:00 LT
Type:	de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
Owner/operator:	22 (City of Sydney) Squadron, RAAF
Registration:	A17-738
MSN:	DHA.1069
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	1 mile North of Schofields Aerodrome, Schofields, Sydney, NSW -   Australia
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Bankstown Airport, Sydney, NSW (BWU/YSBK)
Destination airport:	RAAF Schofields, Sydney, NSW

Narrative:
DH.82A Tiger Moth A17-738, 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron, RAAF Bankstown, Sydney, NSW: Crashed during aerobatics 1 mile North of Schofields Aerodrome 19.11.48. Both crew - Flight Lieutenant Robert Charles Mackay DFC (Service Number 402527, aged 33) and Flight Lieutenant Jack Harold Dunk DSO, DFC and Bar (Service Number 421845, aged 29) killed.

The incident was reported at the time in the contemporary local press (Glen Innes Examiner (Glen Innes, NSW) Friday 19 November 1948 Page 1):

TWO KILLED IN PLANE CRASH:
Sydney, Friday -
An R.A.A.F. Tiger Moth aircraft crashed at Schofields aerodrome, near Blacktown to-day, killing two members of the R.A.A.F. The names off the two victims are being withheld until the next of kin have been informed.

No details of the crash have been released by the Air Force, but an official statement is expected to be made later to-day. Police were sent from Blacktown shorty after the crash at 9 am to investigate.

This is the third air crash involving light aircraft within a month".

There was an update on 21 November 1948 when an inquest was held into the deaths of the two crew, which gave their names (The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW) Monday 22 November 1948 Page 3):

"PLANE CRASH INQUIRY:
R.A.A.F. officials are trying to ascertain why a Tiger Moth 'plane crashed near Schofields on Friday, killing its two occupants. The victims were Flight-Lieutenant J. Harold Dunk, single, of Leichhardt, and Flight-Lieutenant Robert C. Mackay, married, with a 15-month-old daughter. Both were awarded the D.F.C. during the war.

Mackay was the son of Mrs. V. R. Mackay and the late Mr. C. F. Mackay, of Mullagalah, near Bourke. He married Miss Florence Officer while she was serving as a V.A.D. with the 6th A.G.H. at Gaza, Palestine. He returned as a wing-commander in 1945, and later re-enlisted in the R.A.A.F.

A funeral with full military honours will be held for the two crash victims at Rookwood Crematorium this afternoon, after a church service at St. Andrew's Cathedral at 2 p.m."

Wreckage recovered to 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 9.12.48. Not repaired, declared a non-effective airframe and struck off charge 10.2.49.

1. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/production-lists/DH82.pdf
2. Glen Innes Examiner (Glen Innes, NSW) Friday 19 November 1948 Page 1: TWO KILLED IN PLANE CRASH: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182109374
3. The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW) Monday 22 November 1948 Page 3: PLANE CRASH INQUIRY: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18090867
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a17c.htm
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/pAus10.html
6. Exploits of Squadron Leader J.H. Dunk, D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar: South Yorkshire Times August 11 1945 https://conisbroughanddenabyhistory.org.uk/article/exploits-of-squadron-leader-j-h-dunk-d-s-o-d-f-c-and-bar/
7. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/804657
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/printthread.php?t=29358&pp=10&page=1
9. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10680586
10. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/804658
11. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?19810-Robert-Charles-Mackay-RAAF-402527
12. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/printthread.php?t=29358&pp=10&page=1
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._22_Squadron_RAAF#Post-war
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Station_Schofields#History

c/no. DHA.1069: Taken on charge as A17-738 at 2 Aircraft Park, RAAF Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 28.10.44. To RAAF Tamworth, NSW 30.10.44 and placed in storage; transferred to Care & Maintenance Unit 12.12.44. To 2 Aircraft Depot RAAF Richmond, NSW 17.3.47. To 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron, RAAF Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 24.5.48.

Crashed during aerobatics 1 mile North of Schofields Aerodrome 19.11.48. Both crew - Flight Lieutenant Robert Charles Mackay DFC (Service Number 402527 and Flight Lieutenant Jack Harold Dunk DSO, DFC + Bar (Service Number 421845, aged 29) killed.

Wreckage recovered to 2 Aircraft Depot, RAAF Richmond, NSW 9.12.48. Not repaired, declared a non-effective airframe and struck off charge 10.2.49.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-May-2025 23:52	Dr. John Smith	Added
21-May-2025 23:57	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]
21-May-2025 23:58	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, ]
21-May-2025 23:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Category, ]