Capture of F/O W Kloster, 3 Sqn RAAF (RAF) on 22 Nov 1941
Nov 5, 2013 12:18:03 GMT 12
flyjoe180 likes this
Post by dewobz on Nov 5, 2013 12:18:03 GMT 12
For last year's Kiwimodeller "North Africa & Desert War" GB comp I tried to find a Kiwi 1/48 diorama subject and was sorely tempted by the story of S/L J E A 'Willy' Williams, nominally RNZAF (by dint, it appears, of having been born in NZ) who was forced to land behind enemy lines on 31 Oct 1942 in his 450 Sqn RAAF 'Desert Harassers' P-40M, captured and interred in Stalag Luft III. He became Supply Officer for The Great Escape and one of 'The 50' murdered by the Gestapo. He had been C/O of 450 Sqn for 3 days.
However, I really wanted to build an earlier P-40B/C Tomahawk because I love the early war aircraft that "held the fort" so I researched more and came up with this -
SHOT DOWN NEAR EL-ADEM
My diorama depicts the capture of F/O William (Bill) Kloster of 3 Squadron RAAF (RAF) on 22 November 1941 in the El-Adem, Torbruk area of North Africa after crash-landing his P-40B Tomahawk Mk IIb AK390 'W'. The aircraft still wears its previous 112 “Shark” Squadron markings. Kloster’s capture is affected by the crew of an Afrika Korps Recon Sd.Kfz.250/3 Half-Track and Afrika Korps infantry in a Kfz 305 Opel Blitz 3 ton truck. Senior tank commanders observe. For the purposes of this diorama I have assumed Kloster crash landed the aircraft and was injured. I wanted to portray the German's relative supremacy in North Africa at the time and did this by depicting an "over-reaction" of troops sent to capture Kloster.
NorthAfrikaDIO FINISHV2 010 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 016 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 019 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 018 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 015 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 036 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 003 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 017 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 013 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
The Editor of 3 Squadron’s official website notes -
The 22nd of November 1941 was a 'black day' for 3 Squadron – its blackest - with a total of nine pilots (nearly half of the Squadron's strength) failing to return from the two intense fighter combat operations. Even more tragically, five of these men died in action.
I cannot find any more information about Bill Kloster’s capture or imprisonment but information about another pilot, F/O H R H Roberts, captured on the same day lends interesting detail. Author Russell Brown, on pg 47 of his excellent book "Desert Warriors", reports the contents of F/O Harold Robert's Prisoner-of-War debriefing file about his final flight of 22 November 1941:
During the dogfight, F/O Roberts' aircraft was holed in the oil tank by six bullets, his windscreen was shattered, and he was struck in the head by a piece of the canopy. Unconscious for some seconds, he recovered to force-land successfully on the undercarriage. He left the aircraft intact as per orders and started walking back, but was captured after 15 miles.
This diorama remembers those brave men, our Anzac comrades and the Commonwealth flyers of the Desert Air Force.
Cheers
Wally.
However, I really wanted to build an earlier P-40B/C Tomahawk because I love the early war aircraft that "held the fort" so I researched more and came up with this -
SHOT DOWN NEAR EL-ADEM
My diorama depicts the capture of F/O William (Bill) Kloster of 3 Squadron RAAF (RAF) on 22 November 1941 in the El-Adem, Torbruk area of North Africa after crash-landing his P-40B Tomahawk Mk IIb AK390 'W'. The aircraft still wears its previous 112 “Shark” Squadron markings. Kloster’s capture is affected by the crew of an Afrika Korps Recon Sd.Kfz.250/3 Half-Track and Afrika Korps infantry in a Kfz 305 Opel Blitz 3 ton truck. Senior tank commanders observe. For the purposes of this diorama I have assumed Kloster crash landed the aircraft and was injured. I wanted to portray the German's relative supremacy in North Africa at the time and did this by depicting an "over-reaction" of troops sent to capture Kloster.
NorthAfrikaDIO FINISHV2 010 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 016 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 019 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 018 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 015 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 036 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 003 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 017 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
NorthAfrika GB FINISH test1 013 by Wally Hicks, on Flickr
The Editor of 3 Squadron’s official website notes -
The 22nd of November 1941 was a 'black day' for 3 Squadron – its blackest - with a total of nine pilots (nearly half of the Squadron's strength) failing to return from the two intense fighter combat operations. Even more tragically, five of these men died in action.
I cannot find any more information about Bill Kloster’s capture or imprisonment but information about another pilot, F/O H R H Roberts, captured on the same day lends interesting detail. Author Russell Brown, on pg 47 of his excellent book "Desert Warriors", reports the contents of F/O Harold Robert's Prisoner-of-War debriefing file about his final flight of 22 November 1941:
During the dogfight, F/O Roberts' aircraft was holed in the oil tank by six bullets, his windscreen was shattered, and he was struck in the head by a piece of the canopy. Unconscious for some seconds, he recovered to force-land successfully on the undercarriage. He left the aircraft intact as per orders and started walking back, but was captured after 15 miles.
This diorama remembers those brave men, our Anzac comrades and the Commonwealth flyers of the Desert Air Force.
Cheers
Wally.
