kiwiwreckdiver
Squadron Leader
Still military and aviation history mad
Posts: 115
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Post by kiwiwreckdiver on Dec 4, 2015 13:52:41 GMT 12
Hello gents
Im doing a little research for an American mate , who recently purchased the ID and bunch of part that remained to P40K NZ3056
NZ3056 P-40K-15 21702 42-10318 - Assembled by No.1 Aircraft Depot, Hobsonville and BoC at Hobsonville on 28 January 1943. Coded "7".
To No.14 Squadron. Crash landed on beach at Guadalcanal at 1345 hours on 16 June 1943 after engine failure.
Repaired and returned to service.
To No.4 OTU, Ohakea by September 1944.
Crashed half a mile from the end of the runway at Ohakea during a test flight on 19 May 1945.
Written off books at Ohakea on 31 May 1945.
I would love to hear from anyone that has Log book entries of this particular aircraft and men who may have flown her, to try shed some detailed light on her service history .
THe remains and ID having been in storage with Charles Darby for a number of years.
Any help or a point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 14:34:52 GMT 12
The No. 14 Squadron ORB has the following entries:
20-5-43 "7" Sgt Doug Robertson - 35 minute night patrol at code points, E/A came in but no interception made
21-5-43 "7" P/O Mort Bullen - scramble to intercept bogey aircraft approaching island, all being friendly
22-5-43 "7" P/O Mort Bullen - night patrol, no interception made, no E/A in area
23-5-43 "7" F/O Jack Meharry - scramble to identify bogey aircraft approaching island, all being friendly
27-5-43 "7" F/O Colin Guild - scramble to identify bogey aircraft approaching island, all being friendly
The pilots mentioned above were:
Sergeant Douglas William Robertson (Service number unknown to me)
Pilot Officer William Morton "Mort" Bullen (NZ417015)Died 24 May 1964
Flying Officer Henry Joseph "Jack" Meharry (NZ41992) Killed 5 Aug 1944 in Spitfire in UK
Flying Officer Colin Trevenna Guild (NZ40969) Killed 30 June 1943 in collision on runway at Guadalcanal
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 14:49:26 GMT 12
In terms of the incident on 16th of June 1943, all the Operations Record Books states is:
"16/6/43
After 2 days rest we were given two of the routine local patrols over base, one at 0700 and another at 1000 hours. Both of these were uneventful. At 1305 8 aircraft were scrambled to meet 120 enemy fighters and dive bombers approaching shipping in the roads. Out of these eight only four made contact. P/O GIFFORD had engine failure owing to a bird's nest in the air intake and was escorted home by his No. 2, P/O Avery.
Also F/Lt BROWN and P/O STANLEY did not make contact. The others however, did will accounting for five more enemy aircraft, F/Lt OLDFIELD another 2, making his score 3 in two days, F/O CLARKE also 2, and F/O Guild 1. We suffered no damage to either pilots or aircraft. On the whole it was a very good day, the island fighters accounting for some 80 confirmed fighters and dive-bombers."
So no mention of a beach landing. It could only have been F/O Peter Gifford from this day if it happened, from what I gather fromthat ORB entry. But it seems odd they never mentioned it if his deadstick P-40 did come down on a beach!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 14:59:33 GMT 12
Bryan Cox flew NZ3056 at No. 4 OTU on the 5th of September 1944, doing Night Circuits, this being his last P-40flight before Corsair conversion at Ardmore.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 15:05:23 GMT 12
Gavin Gullery flew this aircraft with No. 20 (Fighter) Squadron at RNZAF Station Ardmore
08 Feb 1944 - Local Flying Practice
08 Feb 1944 - Local Flying Practice (second flight that day)
14 Feb 1944 - Formation Flying X Pairs
14 Feb 1944 - Formation Flying X Pairs (second flight in this aircraft that day, third flight of the day)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 15:20:32 GMT 12
Ex-No. 31 Squadron Avenger pilot Leighton Stephenson flew NZ3056 at No. 4 OTU, Ohakea:
23 Sep 1944 - cross country turns pairs
04 Oct 1944 - Fours Attacks
07 Oct 1944 - Long Range X-Country
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 15:25:00 GMT 12
Neville Jackson flew NZ3056 at No. 4 OTU, Ohakea:
3 Aug 1944 - First Solo in P-40!
3 Aug 1944 - Local Flying Practice
3 Aug 1944 - Local Flying Practice
5 Sep 1944 - Night Flying (same night that Bryan Cox flew this aeroplane!)
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 4, 2015 16:33:13 GMT 12
The No. 14 Squadron ORB has the following entries: 20-5-43 "7" Sgt Doug Robertson - 35 minute night patrol at code points, E/A came in but no interception made 21-5-43 "7" P/O Mort Bullen - scramble to intercept bogey aircraft approaching island, all being friendly 22-5-43 "7" P/O Mort Bullen - night patrol, no interception made, no E/A in area 23-5-43 "7" F/O Jack Meharry - scramble to identify bogey aircraft approaching island, all being friendly 27-5-43 "7" F/O Colin Guild - scramble to identify bogey aircraft approaching island, all being friendly The pilots mentioned above were: Sergeant Douglas William Robertson (Service number unknown to me) Pilot Officer William Morton "Mort" Bullen (NZ417015)Died 24 May 1964 Flying Officer Henry Joseph "Jack" Meharry (NZ41992) Killed 5 Aug 1944 in Spitfire in UK Flying Officer Colin Trevenna Guild (NZ40969) Killed 30 June 1943 in collision on runway at Guadalcanal Dave, Robertson's number was NZ417161. Errol |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2015 16:41:44 GMT 12
Thanks Errol
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kiwiwreckdiver
Squadron Leader
Still military and aviation history mad
Posts: 115
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Post by kiwiwreckdiver on Dec 4, 2015 18:09:53 GMT 12
WOW Dave thanks for all the INFO , would be great to see if Brian could be reacquainted with one of his old birds. I shall pass the INFO on to the new owner. If he hasn't seen it already  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 19, 2016 2:48:17 GMT 12
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 19, 2016 12:28:16 GMT 12
It would be fantastic if this can come to NZ for rebuild. Was it a forumite who won the big Lotto prize at the weekend? ;-)
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Post by TS on Apr 19, 2016 13:43:30 GMT 12
Not being smart here but is that all the bits they have to go on. Doesn't look like much, but you could have thought that with KA114.  |
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Post by keroburner on Apr 19, 2016 14:28:30 GMT 12
I guess all the value being in the dataplate....
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Post by jp on Apr 19, 2016 18:24:33 GMT 12
Are dataplates by themselves worth much? I know the whereabouts of a couple of P-40 plates ex-Rukahia.....
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Post by curtiss on Apr 19, 2016 19:15:23 GMT 12
Data plates arent worth all that much to rebuilders. They seem to change hands for around $1000 for fighters -depending on rarity. Less for transports, trainers , bombers etc.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 19, 2016 21:20:06 GMT 12
The trick is finding a dataplate from an aircraft with a great history to make it more interesting to a prospective buyer, and then enticing someone the right money to purchase it for a project starting point.
Allan Arthur's P-40 in Aussie started as a dataplate from the same source as this one, so....
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Post by TS on Apr 19, 2016 22:17:18 GMT 12
The trick is finding a dataplate from an aircraft with a great history to make it more interesting to a prospective buyer, and then enticing someone the right money to purchase it for a project starting point. Allan Arthur's P-40 in Aussie started as a dataplate from the same source as this one, so.... Sounds like a bit of fudging going on here to make things look good...... |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 20, 2016 2:42:11 GMT 12
??
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Post by TS on Apr 20, 2016 10:59:27 GMT 12
Ok I guess what I'm trying to say is. You can have any pile of bits and pieces that resemble and aircraft, find a good Data plate with history to it then say this pile of bits was a famous fighter or whatever. Hence fudging it so that it attracts a buyer??? Just sayin not arguing. |
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