Post by nzmonty on Jul 4, 2013 20:18:12 GMT 12
Hopefully this is in the right place and hasn't been coved before.
I discovered quite by chance that I was working with the granddaugher of Jim Robinson ex 485 (NZ) squadron and later 81 Squadron in Africa. It all came about as I took her for a flight in the Cub and she mentioned her grandfather flew Spits during the war. She never memtioned who is was and it wasn't till later that I realised he was still alive and going strong. It was then that the nagging started, i.e. me nagging her for more information. All she knew was he flew FLA, funnly enough I knew this registration...
Anyway after much hassling and nagging and pointing out she should know this information and gather what she could now while she was still able, I think I triggered something As his great grandson will arrive in the world soon, I assured her that he would no doubt want to know all about his Great Granddad too.
So having sorted permission to share here's some photos and snippets from his private collection. I'm assured there is more to come.
I've cut and pasted her words, after all it's not my story....oh and the photo's are large, I left them as I got them.
Background is as follows (very rough):
In 1941 He (Jim Robinson) went first to Canada to train - in Ontario. They trained on Harvards. They could get to New York for the weekends! He got his wings there in late 1942.
After Canada he went to the UK to train in Kent. The photos with the damaged tailplane were from a training exercise where they were flying in formation and the guy behind him flew too close and his propellor ripped off his tailplane. He managed to keep control of the plane and radioed to base and they cleared the runway for emergency landing. The other guy also managed to land with a damaged propellor. Freaky eh! Later he was shot at and emergency landed and also had engine failure and emergency landed so he said it was good practice to have this happen during training!
In the UK he was first training with 485 (NZ) squadron. Then at end of 1942 he got sent to the front in Africa (Algiers) to cover the first army with 81 squadron. He stayed with 81 squadron till the end of the war. While in north Africa, this was the squadron that Colin Gray was CO for for three months or so, I asked why so short a time and he said that Colin got rotated round different squadrons since having him part of a squadron was such a big morale booster. He said that Colin had much success shooting down enemy planes while with 81 squadron. He said that on fights with Colin, he was amazed at whatColin was able to see - he could see the enemy from miles away and would be shooting down enemy planes that the others couldn't even see. Amazing. So when Colin Grey joined 81 squadron he chose the plane with letters FL (which were the squadron letters) and A. Since Jim was moving to a more senior position after Colin left the squadron, he was allowed to choose his plane and chose the same one as Colin had flown. He had this plane for the rest of his time in north Africa. Cool, huh! I didn't get a chance to ask the story behind the 'Kakariki special' and kiwi on the plane - whether that was Hi's drawing or Colin's.
I hope this is as interesting to others as it is to me. I never knew Harvards had fixed gear, can any shed any light?
And does anyone know what the Aircraft is in the last photo?
As I fly the too the photo's of the missing tailfin just blow me away that he got it back on the ground.
Anyway, as I get more I'll share....
And isn't the 'Kakariki special' just awesome!
Cheers,
Daniel
I discovered quite by chance that I was working with the granddaugher of Jim Robinson ex 485 (NZ) squadron and later 81 Squadron in Africa. It all came about as I took her for a flight in the Cub and she mentioned her grandfather flew Spits during the war. She never memtioned who is was and it wasn't till later that I realised he was still alive and going strong. It was then that the nagging started, i.e. me nagging her for more information. All she knew was he flew FLA, funnly enough I knew this registration...
Anyway after much hassling and nagging and pointing out she should know this information and gather what she could now while she was still able, I think I triggered something As his great grandson will arrive in the world soon, I assured her that he would no doubt want to know all about his Great Granddad too.
So having sorted permission to share here's some photos and snippets from his private collection. I'm assured there is more to come.
I've cut and pasted her words, after all it's not my story....oh and the photo's are large, I left them as I got them.
Background is as follows (very rough):
In 1941 He (Jim Robinson) went first to Canada to train - in Ontario. They trained on Harvards. They could get to New York for the weekends! He got his wings there in late 1942.
After Canada he went to the UK to train in Kent. The photos with the damaged tailplane were from a training exercise where they were flying in formation and the guy behind him flew too close and his propellor ripped off his tailplane. He managed to keep control of the plane and radioed to base and they cleared the runway for emergency landing. The other guy also managed to land with a damaged propellor. Freaky eh! Later he was shot at and emergency landed and also had engine failure and emergency landed so he said it was good practice to have this happen during training!
In the UK he was first training with 485 (NZ) squadron. Then at end of 1942 he got sent to the front in Africa (Algiers) to cover the first army with 81 squadron. He stayed with 81 squadron till the end of the war. While in north Africa, this was the squadron that Colin Gray was CO for for three months or so, I asked why so short a time and he said that Colin got rotated round different squadrons since having him part of a squadron was such a big morale booster. He said that Colin had much success shooting down enemy planes while with 81 squadron. He said that on fights with Colin, he was amazed at whatColin was able to see - he could see the enemy from miles away and would be shooting down enemy planes that the others couldn't even see. Amazing. So when Colin Grey joined 81 squadron he chose the plane with letters FL (which were the squadron letters) and A. Since Jim was moving to a more senior position after Colin left the squadron, he was allowed to choose his plane and chose the same one as Colin had flown. He had this plane for the rest of his time in north Africa. Cool, huh! I didn't get a chance to ask the story behind the 'Kakariki special' and kiwi on the plane - whether that was Hi's drawing or Colin's.
I hope this is as interesting to others as it is to me. I never knew Harvards had fixed gear, can any shed any light?
And does anyone know what the Aircraft is in the last photo?
As I fly the too the photo's of the missing tailfin just blow me away that he got it back on the ground.
Anyway, as I get more I'll share....
And isn't the 'Kakariki special' just awesome!
Cheers,
Daniel