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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 19, 2013 15:36:12 GMT 12
I was talking with wartime veteran Doug McElwain the other day. He was an instructor on Oxfords during WWII. he told me while he was doing his Flying Instructors Course at the Central Flying School, RNZAF Station Tauranga, one of the CFS Instructors took a P-40 up which they had on strength there, and he ran out of fuel. He said the pilot was forced to ditch into the sea in the inner harbour, just off a cemetery on the Tauranga side. The pilot was picked up safely in his raft.
I did a search on adf,serials and cannot see any mention of a P-40 going into the sea at Tauranga. Does anyone know more details of this incident?
I wonder if the wreckage is recoverable?
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Post by shamus on Aug 19, 2013 18:59:03 GMT 12
Dave. Their is an RNZAF accident report. 25/2/1257 for P40 NZ3195 Judea, Tauranga, fuel shortage, on 14 January 1944.
May be the one.
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Post by The Red Baron on Aug 19, 2013 21:59:29 GMT 12
If it crashed near Judea it was probably near the green x.There is a cemetary near the pa there.The water is deepish there when the tides in,but when it goes out its a vast mudflat and the plane would have been easily recoverable.If it was near the old cemetary in town the water around there is very deep as it was the old port and it would have been a major job to recover the plane.  Did you talk with Doug McElwain about his topdressing days?...  |
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Post by errolmartyn on Aug 19, 2013 22:28:28 GMT 12
Yes, NZ3195 it was, at 1030hrs on 14 Jan 44.
Pilot Flt Lt Francis Trevor Lampen, a New Zealander with the RAF at the time but on loan to the RNZAF, had 1889 hrs solo but was on first P-40 solo. Accident card incorrectly prefixes his number (41300) with NZ.
"While executing wide circuit on first solo on type, engine failed at 800 feet due to failure to change to full fuel tank. With insufficient height to glide to airfield pilot pumped up undercarriage and attempted flaps up landing in river estuary, but overshot and crashed into bank.
Pilot did not make himself familiar with cockpit layout before solo. It was unnecessary to pump up undercarriage. Raising the undercarriage lever would have been sufficient and pilot would then have had time to carry out normal cockpit check.
Slackness on part of CFI in allowing solo when pilot not conversant with the cockpit drill and D.V.A."
Anyone know what D.V.A. might stand for?
Errol
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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 19, 2013 22:29:01 GMT 12
As adf goes on to say:
"Converted to instructional airframe INST95 at Tauranga on 14 March 1944. Reduced to produce on 02 May 1945."
it would seem that the aircraft was recoved from the ditching site at the time.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Aug 19, 2013 22:32:26 GMT 12
D.V.A. = Drills of Vital Actions
aka: what to do when flying the damn thing
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 19, 2013 23:13:51 GMT 12
Thanks chaps. Doug said that the pilot instructor got away without any disciplinary action, seemingly to Doug's disdain as he didn't like the guy.
I did chat a little with Doug about his topdressing Red Baron, but he was not particularly forthcoming with stories. He's not a well man and had trouble keeping on the subject a bit. But I got some very detailed memories of his RNZAF days however. I was really hoping for more meaty topdressing stories though.
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