'Dumbo' was a Group original which was flown to Australia all the way from mainland US after the 22nd BG deployed shortly after Pearl Harbor. On 27 November 1942 she sustained bad hits over Buna, and so she was flown back to Australia where the ground crews set to work. It was time to replace the engines anyway, so they did just that.

Two days before Christmas in 1942, the groundcrew had just completed the major overhaul of the aircraft at Reid River, Queensland. This included replacing both engines and propellors, as well as three brand new tyres. Bob Miller, her assigned pilot, took her for her first post-overhaul test-flight, but bad luck was about to strike.

During take-off, the LH tire burst just before rotation and Miller not surprisingly lost control of the bomber as it careered into a ditch. It immediately burst into flames and the rest can be seen in the photos. The below one captures the accident shortly after it happened.

The crew were badly shaken, but got out and were OK.