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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 22, 2012 14:57:52 GMT 12
I am hoping to catch up with my mate Wing Commander Owen Hardy DFC this weekend. He is one of the very few still living New Zealand fighter aces. As I can't find the older post on this I thought I'd start a new one. Owen wrote his autobiography of his days in the RNZAF and RAF, both in wartime and peacetime. The book is called "Through My Eyes: Memories of a life in the Royal Air Force in war and peace." This book is not available in shops and can only be purchased online through Lulu who have published it for him. here is the link: www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=owen+hardyI have the paperback version (you can also get it as an ebook on that link), and I must say that it is a crackingly good read. After training New Zealand Owen was attached to the RAF and following his OTU training he stayed on for a short while at the OTU as an instructor. He was working there with the Battle of Britain ace brian Kingcombe, and when Brian was taking over No. 72 Squadron at Biggin Hill, he took Owen with him as a new Sgt Pilot. Owen flew sweeps across the Channel with this squadron and eventually they went to North Africa and took the fight to the Germans there. When he eventually returned to Britain, Owen joined No. 485 Squadron and was with them during the invasion of Europe. The book is full of detailed wartime memories and stories and is really a great read, and it continues into his long peacetime career in important RAF roles. I had the pleasure of interviewing Owen about his wartime experiences and he told me then that apart from the book he'd written just for his family he'd never told the story of his Air Force days to anyone. He was very modest and retiring in the interview I did but the stories he did tell were a great taste into the life of a truely great fighter pilot and gentleman. His book is a far greater, deeper look into that. I really highly recommend this to anyone who has an interest in wartime flying, the RNZAF and our great fighter aces. Plus the book is really pretty cheap too for such a very rare item. |
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Post by McFly on Feb 22, 2012 17:01:09 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 22, 2012 18:20:48 GMT 12
Thanks Marty. I'm sure you have read Owen's book, what did you think of it?
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Post by McFly on Feb 23, 2012 20:32:54 GMT 12
Thanks Marty. I'm sure you have read Owen's book, what did you think of it? Yes Dave, a good read and very insightful. I particularly like Owen's recount of how he use to 'land the Spitfire backwards..!' and was his 'signature' arrival  I'll ask Sean or Doug this coming Saturday if it might become part of their display routine?  I've included the excerpt from Owen's book (pg.108/109) below: A year earlier, on the first day of arriving at Bone and while surveying the miserable outlook over the airfield from what had been the airport terminal, Tony Bartley had been watched while coming in to land. Tony, who later married the actress Deborah Kerr, had done a spell as a production test pilot with Vickers Supermarine the markers of the Spitfire, and on this particular occasion he had shown off the placid handling characteristics of the aircraft by gracefully side-slipping it on the final curve of approach and executing a touch down of butterfly perfection.
That was a sight of beauty at its best and a manoeuvre well worth mastering. There had been no chance to try side-slipping after that, the Sommerfeld landing strips did not provide much room for error and, more importantly, one had to keep a sharp eye open during approaches and landings for possible strafing attacks. Rednal on the other hand was ideal. Proper runways, a relatively clear circuit and, since the Spitfires were not carrying ammunition, feather light aircraft in weight and touch.
Not one opportunity was missed to slid-slip a landing. It eventually became the signature of my arrival. A fast run in a hundred feet or so above the end of the runway, slam the throttle shut, into fine pitch, pull hard up at forty five degrees to port, bang the undercarriage down at the top of the semi-loop, pop the flaps, partly roll right way up facing about thirty degrees away from the axis of the runway and kick on hard top rudder. Done properly the Spit would slide sideways down and, without help take a natural curve of approach to the runway where, if necessary, any excess speed could be fish-tailed off.
Even the Spitfire IXs with full ammunition tanks were docile enough to accept the treatment. So docile in fact that many months later when in Germany a remark was made "Oh you're the pilot who brings the Spitfire in backwards". Also, after having to land at an
away airfield and, on meeting with an old friend, being told " I knew it was you. I saw you land".
The pleasure gained from this habit did not come from a desire to show off but from the delight in showing off a virtually unknown superb flying characteristic of the Spitfire. If others had been impressed as much as Tony had impressed me then perhaps something worthwhile had been passed on.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 23, 2012 21:26:17 GMT 12
Yes, wonderful stuff. Maybe we can get Owen to demonstrate it himself on Saturday. ;D
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Post by McFly on Feb 27, 2012 21:13:32 GMT 12
Speaking of which...Here WGCDR Owen Hardy gets reacquainted with a Spitfire cockpit during the recent 485 (NZ) Sqn reunion.   |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 27, 2012 21:49:01 GMT 12
Great photo!
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Post by McFly on Aug 24, 2016 19:24:45 GMT 12
WGCDR (Ret) Owen Hardy DFC* AFC, recently received France’s highest award - the ‘Legion d’Honneur’ for services to France during WW2. Owen was flying Spitfires with No. 485 (NZ) Sqn over the Normandy beaches in France during the Allied Invasion of Europe in June 1944. Colonel Patrice Morand (French Air Attaché to the UK), Brigadier Evan Williams (NZ Defence Attaché) and Wing Commander Mike Cannon (NZ Air Attaché to the UK) travelled to his home to present the award. Colonel Morand presents the Legion d’Honneur to WGCDR (Rtd) Owen Hardy.   ‘Legion d’Honneur’ – France’s highest award.  Owen Hardy was born on 30 July 1922 in Auckland and joined the RNZAF in March 1941, He trained as a pilot in New Zealand and Canada before arriving in England. He flew Spitfires in combat in Europe and North Africa with No. 72 Squadron, and later with No. 485 (NZ) Squadron over occupied Europe and remained with them until the end of hostilities in August 1945. He is a New Zealand fighter ace with his tally of air combat victories, and holds the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Bar as well as the Air Force Cross (AFC). He rejoined the RAF in 1947 and flew Vampire and Saber jets in developing jet fighter tactics as well as establishing the fledging RAF Jet Aerobatic team which was a forerunner to the Red Arrows. Owen also held various senior staff roles and appointments both in the UK and abroad, finally retiring from the service in 1969. Owen was a member of the No. 485 (NZ) Sqn Association, and attended a number of the reunions held at RNZAF Whenuapai over the last few years. Owen returned to the UK to live closer to family in 2014. Owen Hardy (standing facing center) with No. 485 (NZ) Sqn in Europe - 1945  WGCDR Mike Cannon, COL Patrice Morand, WGCDR (Rtd) Owen Hardy and BRIG Evan Williams.  Owen Hardy at Buckingham Place to receive his Air Force Cross award from the Queen - 1953  WGCDR Mike Cannon presents a plaque to Owen Hardy on behalf of the Chief of Air Force, AVM Tony Davies.   Owen reunited with a Spitfire at the 2010 No. 485 (NZ) Sqn Association reunion - RNZAF Whenuapai  With fellow No. 485 (NZ) Sqn veterans in front of the RNZAF Base Auckland Headquarters Spitfire gate guard (2013). L-R Max Collett, Jim Robinson, Harvey Sweetman and Owen Hardy  Owen reunited with another Spitfire at the 2013 No. 485 (NZ) Sqn Association reunion - RNZAF Whenuapai  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 24, 2016 19:32:44 GMT 12
Fantastic! Congratulations to Owen, it is much deserved. A great man.
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Post by camtech on Aug 25, 2016 8:17:33 GMT 12
While this is wonderful, it makes me wonder why these awards are being made so long after the actions that very clearly earned them. I know in some cases, it is only when previously classified documents are released, but surely not all.
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Post by McFly on Sept 7, 2016 7:40:10 GMT 12
Now up on the RNZAF Facebook page - ' Here' |
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