A Royal Australian Air Force roundel has been donated to Wingham Museum.
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It is believed the roundel was cut from a CAC Wirraway war plane after it crash landed in 1942 on the Mooral Creek property of Mr and Mrs Alfred Green.
Grandaughters Evelyn Priestly and Colleen Bailey of Gunnedah donated the roundel last month.
They told Manning Valley Historical Society (MVHS) researchers the plane landed in their grandfather’s cornfield and was initially not too badly damaged until it swerved and hit a tree.
The impact wrecked the engine of the plane but the pilots – Sgt J A Bond and Sgt RJ Thacker – were in good enough spirits to sign the roundel.
The Wirraway planes were known to be training and general purpose military aircraft with a number of them sent into combat during World War II.
The roundel was simply cut from the wreckage, possibly by Mr Green, and has been kept in the family ever since.
The item will be included in the soon to be revamped war display at the museum.
“We’re absolutely delighted,” said researcher Margaret Clark.
“It’s a piece of local history which brings the war close to our shores.”
The design is the original Royal Air Force's red, white and blue roundel which was initially adopted by the Royal Australian Air Force.
The RAAF replaced the design in 1956 with the red kangaroo ‘in motion.’