|
|
Post by chinapilot on Jul 19, 2014 22:15:12 GMT 12
At 4:30
|
|
|
|
Post by ErrolC on Jul 19, 2014 22:32:53 GMT 12
Note you can set YouTube videos to start at a timestamp.
Rather than getting the link from the from the address bar at the top of the browser, click on 'share this video' above the video's description (in this case " Published on 7 May 2013 New Zealand National Film Unit presents Weekly Review No. 143 (1944)' etc). Tick the box next to "Start at:", and enter the time (mm:ss). If you have paused the video, the time it is paused at is filled in.
Ticking the box just adds a simple code to the end of the standard link, giving e.g.http://youtu.be/DQY-fVMAHiE?t=4m30s
Doing this saves people having to skip ahead (or watch all the video), which can be a pain on a phone.
In any case, thanks for the link!
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 20, 2014 10:06:51 GMT 12
Excellent footage. I wonder who the crew were.
|
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Jul 21, 2014 11:36:06 GMT 12
Yes, great footage Dave H, although I am certain I have seen "out-takes" from this on other films before - still this is a much longer look at the "Cat" crews. Plus you get some views of the famous "Bob" Semple (of Semple tank infamy) opening the Plunket rooms in Wellington, and some great scenes of US landing cradt, etc, exercising in Wellington harbour in late 1943. As for the dating of the 6 Squadron Catalinas, it should be possible to get a faily close approximation, as the narrator states that they had completed 33 "Dumbo" rescues by this time, and I have somewhere a list of each rescue and the dates they were accomplished - must be very early in 1944. One thing I just HAVE to comment on though is the sound made by the Catalinas in this film. I think the quality of the recording apparatus is to blame, but from personal experience I KNOW that they do NOT sound like a feeble farm tractor, more like a DC-3 flying about six feet above your head - they are QUITE NOISY INSIDE! Great sequences of the crew about their business too. Love the flying clothing (what flying clothing?)
David D
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 21, 2014 12:19:08 GMT 12
Yes, I too have seen a few brief clips from this in other films. Yeah I was thinking what's that bloke doing ironing his shirt? He's not gonna wear it. Haha
Very interesting to see an electric iron being used actually. The laundry hut must have had electrical power points? Or a cable to a generator.
They cannot have been in Fiji when that was taken as they had and army of houseboys and bearers there who did all the laundry and cleaning etc. The airmen never had to iron their own shirts in Fiji I don't think.
|
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Jul 21, 2014 17:35:30 GMT 12
Dave H,
Yes I think we can safely say that this film was shot at Halavo Bay - there were certainly a goodly number of "stills" taken of that same Catalina and these still survive in the official negatives. Incidentally the 32nd and 33rd Dumbo rescues was undertaken by 6 Squadron on 18th February 1944 by F/O G C Hitchcock and crew - survivors of a B-25 of the 69th Bomb Squadron (presume 42nd BG), USAAF, which crashed into the sea off Bouganinville after being hit by groundfire whilst strafing ground targets. In addition, the body of another member of this crew was recovered but was NOT added to the official "rescued" list because of his medical condition. Three others were killed including Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Green (possibly Officer Commanding this squadron?)
The above crew was one of those based on USS COOS Bay, operating from the Treasury Islands between 9 Feb and 3rd April 1944; RNZAF Cats operating from the Treasuries carried out a large number of operations (mostly air-sear rescue) in this "very forward" area, so got lots of interesting work - 29 of the squadron's total of rescued personnel were picked up by these crews over a mere six-week period, a good proportion of their entire haul during WW2.
Incidentally, if anybody really wants to work out the identity of the crew in question, the following 14 men were all the captains on the squadron in February 1944 (the 34th successful Dumbo mission was only a few days after the above rescue).
Wing Commander I A Scott (CO); S/L J R S Agar.
F/Ls H T Francis, J R McGrane, R L Scott. (McGrane was first officer i/c of the Treasury detachment).
F/Os J D Aitken, D S Beauchamp, W E Burgess (although not on ops till 21/2/44), J A Hendry, G C Hitchcock, W B Mackley (DFC), G A Scholes, D F T Sheehan.
F/Sgt J B Monk.
I also have the names of second pilots and naviagtors for most of these crews, and may have others in complete crew lists, but this mainly goes to illustrate size of squadron at this time. No. 6 also had three other crews on 4-weeks leave in NZ at this time - all returned to Halavo Bay on 11th March.
David D
|
|
|
|
Post by chinapilot on Jul 21, 2014 20:05:58 GMT 12
Espírito Santo stands out clearly on the Nav's chart.
|
|
|
|
Post by ErrolC on Jul 21, 2014 21:19:25 GMT 12
Espírito Santo stands out clearly on the Nav's chart. Jenny Scott noted this on YouTube! Sent from my D5503 using proboards |
|
|
|
Post by chinapilot on Jul 22, 2014 20:19:24 GMT 12
Guess nobody scrolls down to the comments but thanks for pointing it out  |
|
