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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 26, 2006 22:12:42 GMT 12
According to adf.serials on the Auster page here www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/nz1701.shtmlNZ1707 served with "No.1 Reconnaissance Squadron in 1963" What does this mean? No. 1 Squadron RNZAF ceased to be a reconnaissance squadron in 1945 I believe when at the end of the war it was disbanded. From 1949 through till the 1st of August 1957 the Squadron was re-activated as a fighter squadron in the Territorial Air Force, flying Harvards, Mustangs and Vampires. It then was deactivated till the 1st of August 1972 when it reformed as a transport squadron with Bristol Freighters. So how could the Auster be part of the unit then, whilst it was not operating? As far as I know the RNZAF has not had any specific Reconnaissance Squadrons since WWII (except No. 2 Sqn till it was renamed No. 75 Bomber Sqn in the late 1940's). So, was No.1 Reconnaissance Squadron a New Zealand Army unit instead of RNZAF perhaps? I know Sioux helicopters spent a period working in the Army, did this Auster too? |
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Post by phasselgren on Mar 8, 2006 6:37:10 GMT 12
I can not say anything about 1963 but during the years as a Territorial unit the major role of No.1 Squadron was reconnaissance. I found this information in the book A Long Patrol by James Sanders.
It would be interesting to know if any of the Mustangs were equipped with cameras.
I will look into my copies the AHSNZs Journal from 1963 and see if I can find any information No.1 Squadron.
/Peter
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 9, 2006 7:14:51 GMT 12
I have the book myself, a great book, but I never realised that the squadron was still a Reconnaissance Squadron when P-51D equipped. Admittedly I have not yet read past the WWII chapters. Saving the postwar stuff for another time.
Is there such a category as Fighter Reconnaissance?
It would indeed be interesting to know if the Mustangs carried cameras for recon work.
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Post by phasselgren on Mar 10, 2006 7:33:32 GMT 12
Fighter Reconaissance was a speciality of RAF. Fully armed fighters with one or two cameras for tactical recce. They used some FR-variants of the Spitfire.
I looked inte he Journals of 1963 and could not find anything about No.1 Reconnaissance Squadron but I found something about the reconnaissance. During the joint Army/RNZAF-exercise "Reflex Two" (25th September- 15th October 1963) air reconnaissance was done by elements of Nos 14 & 42 Squdrons (Journal Nr/Vol 6). According to the next Journal Harvards and Austers flew aerial reconnaissance and spotting missions but nothing about which unit the Austers belonged to. It was not No 42 sqn because according to another Journal from 1963 they only had C-47s, Devons and Harvards in their inventory.
I have also looked in Kiwi Air Power by Matthew Wright. According to this book the Austers in 1967 belonged to No. 3 Reconnaissance flight at RNZAF Wigram but nothing about No. 1 Sqn.
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Post by shorty on Jun 8, 2008 22:54:50 GMT 12
Sounds like a typo. Sure he didn't mean "3 Battlefield Support Squadron" which is what 3 Sqn was known as then. Battlefield Support could easily be misconstrued as reconaissance.
1 Sqdn as a TAF Reconaissance Squadron was pre war only.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Jun 9, 2008 9:39:42 GMT 12
NZ1707 was of course the Antartic Auster.
post these duties she was assigned to the general flight firstly at Ohakea
then to No.3 Battlefield Support Squadron 3BSS as part of the the Reconnaissance Flight
(prior to the introduction of the Sioux)
Paul
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 9, 2008 12:08:39 GMT 12
That makes perfect sense now, thanks.
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Post by 30sqnatc on Jun 10, 2008 1:28:32 GMT 12
Can I offer another view. 1 Reconnaissance Squadron was a Territorial NZ Army unit around that period. Could in be 'served with' does not indicate ownership rather an 'in support' role as I believe many of the pilots at that time were regular Army Air Corps (posted to 3 Sqn?).
Paul
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 10, 2008 15:46:51 GMT 12
That also makes sense too Paul.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Jun 11, 2008 13:17:16 GMT 12
When the Austers and later the Sioux's were used by the Army (and often flown by Army pilots) during exercises the aircraft and crew were "attached" or temporarily "posted" to the respective Army unit. This could be the reason why 1 Reconnaissance Squadron appears as the user.
The aircraft always remained operated by the RNZAF
Paul
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Post by nzav8a on Jun 11, 2008 23:43:01 GMT 12
NZ1707 Wigram 1959  Wellington  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 12, 2008 0:15:28 GMT 12
Those are excellent photos. I'm surprised with so many Austers flying around the place that nobody has painted one up in the yellow Antarctic scheme to fly in displays with the Warbirds Beaver.
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Post by shorty on Jun 12, 2008 21:42:02 GMT 12
Before I post some photos of 1707 I thought you may be interested in these shots so that you can see the difference between the two types we operated. Starting with 1701 getting a wash  and then moving on to 1702 in the silver scheme also. When at Ohakea I can recall us being called out to line the runway so as to grab the struts on real windy days to get the Auster down. By that time they were in camo. My photos of that are on slides.  |
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Post by shorty on Jun 12, 2008 22:33:32 GMT 12
Now on to 1707. First with skis  and then without skis (at Ohakea in May 64)  Sitting outside 5 hangar  and finally as it was when I was at 1 TTS in the latter half of 67  It was in the workshop we used for metalwork and machining instruction  |
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Post by hairy on Jun 13, 2008 22:34:28 GMT 12
Now on to 1707. First with skis Nearly snap  ............. from my collection  Surely it has to have been taken shortly after yours when the engine had been started, or of course, before yours if the engine is being shut down.  |
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Post by shorty on Jun 13, 2008 22:38:31 GMT 12
Thats spooky!
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Post by hairy on Jun 13, 2008 22:44:11 GMT 12
Eerie even. |
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Post by hairy on Jun 13, 2008 22:49:49 GMT 12
Was your one taken by you as I did not take mine, There is a possiblity, I reckon, that they came from the same camera judging by the shadowing in the bottom left. Also good to see I'm not the only one who stuffs up the borders when scanning.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2008 23:13:32 GMT 12
I have to say it is really good to see some of the other Austers apart from the Anarctic one getting some coverage. You see so little of the others. The yellow one takes all the limelight. I know some of the others are still flying but I am yet to ever see one turn up at an airshow. It's a shame really.
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Post by hairy on Jun 13, 2008 23:49:32 GMT 12
I have to say it is really good to see some of the other Austers apart from the Anarctic one getting some coverage. You see so little of the others. The yellow one takes all the limelight. I know some of the others are still flying but I am yet to ever see one turn up at an airshow. It's a shame really. NZ1702/ZK-DBU is a semi-regular flier at Dairy Flat. (part of the Smith stable)  |
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............. from my collection
