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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 22, 2011 0:52:17 GMT 12
Last Thursday I visited former RNZAF pilot Allan 'Skip' Watson, who flew P-40's in combat, as well as Corsairs and then postwar he flew Mustangs.
Looking through his photo album I spotted the familiar sight of a P-40N with the name "ESMA LEE" on the nose cowl. It turns out this was his personal aircraft during his tour with No. 19 Squadron at Torokina.
The name was his idea, and he had one of his groundcrew members apply the name to the cowl. Esma Lee was the name of a girl he knew back in Auckland. there was even a photo of Skip and Esma Lee together in his logbook.
The interesting thing is this is a well known "named" Warhawk, it has appeared on decal sheets and as 'repaints' for Flight Sim aircraft. But a search of Google will tell you that the aircraft was NZ3287. I'm afraid it wasn't.
Skip's logbook reveals he never ever flew NZ3287, but in fact he flew NZ3237 on 26 occasions from Guadalcanal and Torokina whilst flying with No. 19 (Fighter) Squadron.
I guess someone along the way misread the serial in a photograph and the wrong number passed into folklore.
The aircraft was coded E by the way, that bit is correct in the decals and repaints.
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Post by McFly on Jun 22, 2011 12:30:42 GMT 12
From the Air Force Museum collection. ' 3/4 front view of Kittyhawk NZ3237 'Esma Lee' taxiing on an unknown Island airstrip' (DWNZ3237)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 22, 2011 13:05:16 GMT 12
Thanks Marty, that's the one.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 22, 2011 15:21:00 GMT 12
Love to see any more photos from his album.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 22, 2011 16:44:28 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 23, 2011 16:19:56 GMT 12
Thanks, always good to see new shots. I wonder how many more are out there in cupboards, boxes and perhaps lost to the tip.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 24, 2011 11:22:46 GMT 12
Happy to help Peter. Indeed it is amazing what is still out there in private albums and very nice to be able to find 'new' photos of such topics.
Maybe the members of the Flight Sim forums should pass this info above onto their forums so the repaints can be corrected.
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p40man
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 2
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Post by p40man on Dec 12, 2016 16:41:54 GMT 12
Hi, I have purchased the ID plate that belonged to P-40N-20 nicknamed Esma Lee, flown by Allan "Skip" Watson and l am currently working on a new rebuild of the P40 here in the US, the plate was salvaged from the dumping grounds in NZ. I plan to keep its name as Esma Lee with similar paint scheme. I'm hoping to get more details of both Skip and the aircraft's history, Thanks for any help. Nick Last Thursday I visited former RNZAF pilot Allan 'Skip' Watson, who flew P-40's in combat, as well as Corsairs and then postwar he flew Mustangs. Looking through his photo album I spotted the familiar sight of a P-40N with the name "ESMA LEE" on the nose cowl. It turns out this was his personal aircraft during his tour with No. 19 Squadron at Torokina. The name was his idea, and he had one of his groundcrew members apply the name to the cowl. Esma Lee was the name of a girl he knew back in Auckland. there was even a photo of Skip and Esma Lee together in his logbook. The interesting thing is this is a well known "named" Warhawk, it has appeared on decal sheets and as 'repaints' for Flight Sim aircraft. But a search of Google will tell you that the aircraft was NZ3287. I'm afraid it wasn't. Skip's logbook reveals he never ever flew NZ3287, but in fact he flew NZ3237 on 26 occasions from Guadalcanal and Torokina whilst flying with No. 19 (Fighter) Squadron. I guess someone along the way misread the serial in a photograph and the wrong number passed into folklore. The aircraft was coded E by the way, that bit is correct in the decals and repaints.
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Post by joey05 on Dec 12, 2016 19:43:37 GMT 12
Wow that's awesome, imagine two ex RNZAF P40s in kiwi schemes, together in formation! A job for Mr Conroy in the future!
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Post by corsair on Dec 12, 2016 22:18:29 GMT 12
Hi Nick
Have just PM you
Thanks
Corsair
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