Harvards with No. 14 (Occupational) Squadron in Japan

[Dave Homewood]

I was just looking through the copy I have of Bryan Cox's RNZAF logbook, and I noted that in Japan he flew a couple of Harvards with based at Iwakuni with No. 14 (Occupational) Squadron. The first was on the 21st of August 1946, a 'Check Dual' ride with F/Lt Hutton, in a Harvard he has noted as '129'.

The second was two days later, 23rd of August 1946, again with F/Lt Hutton, noted as an "Instrument" flight, in a Harvard recorded as "131".

Then on the 20th of December 1946 Bryan did another instrument flight with F/Lt Hutton in an Harvard he's recorded as "5988". He did instruments flights again in "5988" on the 27th of March 1947 with F/Lt Max Hope; and the 31st of March 1947 with F/O Mal Gunton.

So the squadron obviously had these aircraft on their station at Iwakuni for continuity training and perhaps communications duties (though that role is not included in Bryan's notes). They do not seem to be RNZAF serials, and I am pretty sure they only took their FG-1D Corsairs from New Zealand, not any Harvards. So I wonder who they belonged to. Were they RAF examples? USAAF? Were they on a permanent loan to the squadron for the period they were there and accessible for use by the squadron the whole time? Were they from another unit on the base and just borrowed as and when needed?

I wonder too if any photos exist of these aircraft? If they were attached to the squadron on a lease basis, did they get RNZAF markings and perhaps any personal names added (most of the Corsairs got girl's names painted in, so maybe the Harvards too?).

[planewriting]

I have just copied the above query to Bryan for his comment. Watch this space.

[Dave Homewood]

I was thinking about doing the same, so thanks for that.

[davidd]

Thought we had listed these Harvards in the RNZAF aircraft serials publication, but no, not there at all! (Probably because these seemed to be aircraft provided on "casual loan" basis from local RAF.) The two aircraft with 3-digit numbers (129, 131) had the prefix "KF", and the one marked "5988" may have been an American example (USAF?) Don't think the Australians, South Africans or Indians had any Harvards in Japan, but I stand to be corrected.
David D

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks David. Was there an RAF presence on Iwakuni airfield at the same time as No. 14 Squadron was there?

[Dave Homewood]

I see in the late Gordon Jennings' logbook he also flew Harvard '131' with F/Lt Hutton for a 'Dual Check' on the 22nd of August 1946, and 'Instrument Flying' on the 24th of August 1946.

Then on the 26th of August Gordon took LAC Maclean up with him in '131' for 'Flying Practice'.

He lists Harvard '988' for an 'Instrument Flying' flight with Hutton on the 30th of January 1947 and that must be the same Harvard as Bryan's '5988'.

[planewriting]

Okay guys, that's the preamble; here is what Bryan Cox has to say,

"I didn't realise that Dave Homewood had scanned my logbook! No problems. Yes the Harvards at Iwakuni(only 20 miles from Hiroshima) were RAF ones, and I didn't realise there were so many registrations, as they must have been kept in a particular hangar! I can only recall them as being for continuation instrument training, which would be difficult to do dual in a Corsair! - but not impossible. I think some of our pilots including Max Hope and Mal Gunton did continuation instrument training, in respect of their intention to remain in the RNZAF, where for family reasons I intended to be discharged on returning to NZ in March 1947. And we were very lucky to make it on the flight between Manila and Morotai, for which W/O Doug Holloway received the Air Force Cross!

The RAF and RIAF Mk XIV Spitfires were all based at Miho about 100 miles NW of Iwakuni, and the three RAAF Mustang squadrons were based at Bofu about 50 ? miles south of Iwakuni. However, there was also an RAF Dakota transport squadron based at Iwakuni, plus their few Harvards. I recall seeing all their C-47 Dakota pilots made three-point landings, as I always did in Tigers, Harvards, Kittyhawks and Corsairs - with never any problems.

My flight at Iwakuni in Corsair NZ5620 was my last flight in the RNZAF, and appropriately a Dusk patrol!

I recall an amusing incident in one of these two Harvard flights. The pilots took off 'under the hood' using the D.I. (Direction Indicator) or gyro compass which could be just set on ZERO to keep straight on take off. However, they were frequently caged(or locked) for manoeuvring as their maximum pitch and roll limits were about 50°, beyond which they could topple and damage the gyros. Either Max or Mal neglected to check the gyro was uncaged, and nearly ran off the runway - no great problem as there was grass either side. I wouldn't like to bring it up with Mal - after his questionable? forced landing at Guadalcanal on our Corsair ferry flight back to NZ in November 1945, and his Sunderland incident at Rongotai, which I know he doesn't like to speak about!

That's about all I can recall about the Harvards - except for the fact that whenever I flew in one up there, I used to think "What a toy!" after the Corsair!
P.S. I don't recall any of our Corsairs in Japan having any names painted on them, and about the only Corsair I recall with a girl's name was the first registration NZ5201, which had ALMA painted on it, which I photographed at Rukuhia post-war, as my Great Aunt and Uncle who were visiting us from the South Island at Te Rapa had a daughter called Alma! - which is why I photographed it, unaware it was the first registration! When Tim Wallis bought his first Corsair he phoned me to ask what name I would suggest for it. I thought of NZ5201, being the first registration, and I had a photo of it, and its operational details were published in the book AIRCRAFT COLOUR SCHEMES by Warren Russell, a copy of which I had, and still have. So he numbered his birdcage Corsair NZ5201. A number of P-40s had girls, or other weird names, painted on them - like three different ones named 'Gloria Lyons'".

[pjw4118]

Dave here are a couple of shots from the Mel Guntons album about Iawkuni 1946/7












Spitfires certainly there but I can spot Harvards in any of the other shots

[Dave Homewood]

Bryan must have forgotten that I photographed his logbook a few years ago. He was in he room with me at his home when I did it.

Just to prove there were names on several of the Corsairs up in Japan, this is from the collection of the late Gordon Jennings and shows Corsair NZ5617 with the name "VERNA" and the aircraft next to it seems to be named "ROSALEEN" when you blow up the photo.



And these shots come from the collection of the late Noel Hanna. The first one is NZ5620, called "Nany"


And then there was "Gremlin"


And "Raelene"

[Dave Homewood]

That top shot that Peter posted is great, and shows names on all those Corsairs. Plus it shows the Corsair with the white (or yellow?) cowls! I have seen that appear in shots before but the aircraft was facing the camera and it appears to be a white/yellow cowl ring, but this shows it was the entire cowl. Plus we can see the number, so it was apparently NZ5626. Brilliant.

[agalbraith]

Great info guys!

I have spent many an hour at Wigram looking at 14sqn Occ force stuff and had not come across some of these images.

Gremlin was '60' so got the name for apparently having servicing issues all the time. There is a nice pic of her at Wigram with the fwd cowl ring only unpainted.

There was '39' Kathleen

What really intrigues me is the light painted cowl and spinner dome on '26' This airframe has always intrigued me as to why it was painted. Bryan mentioned in his book about diving on other flights of Corsairs and not seeing them till the last seconds due to their dark colours. Did I read they painted one or some with a light coloured cowl for visibility? Either way, great stuff, thank you all for posting.

Just in time for the new Tamiya F4U-1D LOL......no I already have too many on the go!

[davidd]

Looks as though many of the RAF Harvards flown by 14 Squadron pilots in Japan were Mk. IIB's (which were built in Canada by Noorduyn Aviation Ltd, Montreal, probably during 1944/45 period.) I have a note that KF 113 was flown by a 14 Sqdn pilot in Japan in June 1948. Three Mk. IIBs turned up in New Zealand for RNZAF in October 1944, KF 403, 407, 410, becoming NZ1100 to 1102. These almost immediately became orphans as all further allotments of this type to the RNZAF were cancelled at about the same time, as a decision had been reached by the "powers that be" in Canada and the UK that the Empire Air Training Scheme (known in Canada as the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan) should be progressively run down, and to cease completely in about March 1945. So far as I know, the RNZAF machines were NOT AT-16s as has often been stated, as these Canadian-built Harvards (serial numbers KF100 - KG309, that is 1,110 aircraft, although it is possible that 200 or more of the later aircraft were not built) were supposedly financed by the Canadian government, but if anybody can disprove this belief, I would be happy to be re-educated! However the NZ aircraft show no USAAF numbers as one would expect with USA financed Lend-Lease aircraft. The aircraft with the 4-digit serial remains a mystery.
David D

[Dave Homewood]

This type of thread is why I love this forum.

[Mustang51]

Folks, if I can find it, I have/had a pic of a Harvard at Iwakuni when the RAAF Mustangs were there. I am sure that it was Iwakuni and not Bofu but stand to be corrected. Now to delve into the fathomless abyss of my study.......

[Dave Homewood]

That would be great Pete, thanks!

[pjw4118]

There are plenty of Japan pics in the pile but none with Harvards only C47, B25, P61.
These may not have been seen before.

]















And I like this one of raw air power. The victory flight over Tokyo

[Dave Homewood]

Great shots there Peter. I'd only seen one of them before. I'm pretty sure that first photo is not in Japan though, the aircraft are wearing the wartime roundels.

[davidd]

I agree with Dave H (post immediately above), almost certain they are our FG-1Ds at Los Negros. And the last photo of huge formations of US Navy carrier aircraft (including SB2C Helldivers in lead nearest to camera) would appear to be flying over USS Missouri shortly after the surrender of Japan, intended to impress the vanquished enemy. The dinghy in foreground is probably Japanese, quite a contrast (intentional?)
David D