Special tribute: How two pilots paid respect to thousands killed

It’s been 80 years since one of the world’s most historical tragedies occurred and a surprise attack killed thousands of people.

Aerotec Toowoomba pilots Matt Handley and Tim Berry flew the two Boeing PT-17 Stearmans as a special tribute to those who lost their lives in a surprise military strike on Pearl Harbour. Picture: Lenn Bayliss

Two pilots with a passion for classic aircrafts have paid respect to the lives lost during Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbour eight decades ago.

Aerotec chief flying instructor and pilot Matt Handley and long-time customer Tim Berry each flew a Boeing PT-17 Stearman aircraft over Toowoomba City last week to pay mark 80 years since the historical tragedy.

The restored aircrafts the pair flew last week on December 7, were originally used to train pilots in the 1940s and played a pivotal role in World War II.

“Our reason for doing it was really to just remember and commemorate the (Pearl Harbour) event,” Mr Berry said.

“The big thing – that a lot of people don’t know – is Pearl Harbour occurred and was tragic for the U.S, but our Australian troops were also under fire in the Pacific before World War II commenced.

“Military history for our country, as well as our allies is very important to me and with Covid-19, too many important dates were slipping by and I believe it is important that our younger generations understand this history.”

The same model of both planes were also in service at the time of the Pearl Harbour attack and first spotted the Imperial Army.

Mr Berry, who is both a professional and hobby pilot, has been taking his own restored aircraft to Toowoomba’s Aerotec base for years.

His plane is painted in the traditional U.S navy Pearl Harbour colour scheme, while the blue and white striped Stearman, flown by Mr Handley and owned by Aerotec, is painted in the U.S navy World War II ‘Recall’ colours.

“As radios were not invented for aircrafts at the time, this paint scheme was used to alert other aircrafts to return to base,” Aerotec Toowoomba spokeswoman Annamaria Zuccoli said.

The surprise attack on Pearl Harbour occurred in Hawaii, on December 7, in 1941.

More than 2400 Americans were killed during the incident and 1200 people were wounded.

The crew of the first Australian aircraft lost in the first battle of the Pacific theatre were defending Malaya from a seaborne invasion when they were shot down the following day.

Pilot Lieutenant John Ramshaw, 21-year old flight Sergeant Garet White, 28-year old Jeffery Coldrey and the wireless air gunners, were killed when the aircraft crashed offshore.

Their bodies were not recovered and are now commemorated on the Singapore Memorial at the Kranji War Cemetery.