RNZAF Lockheed Ventura PV-1 NZ4624

[alanw]

Hi All,

Quick question for our Forum Brain Trust

ADF Serials lists the above PV-1 NZ4624 as listed on
No. 2(BR) Squadron roster circa August 1944m being lost on
a transit ferry flight to Guadalcanal Oct 1944 (roughly 3 months)

Ventura Decals lists NZ4624 as with 11 SU coded as OP-F 1944

Interestingly ADF Serials lists PV-1 NZ4524 as OP-F, BOC with Unit 12
Ohakea August 1943, then to 2 GR Squadron Ohakea circa September 1943.

So question is who is right ADF Serials or Ventura Decals?

Your input would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks/regards

Alan

[davidd]

Alan,
11 SU (original designation was 11 BMU) was formed from groundstaff of 2 BR Squadron at Ohakea in August 1943, but the squadron itself departed for the forward area (in this case Espiritu Santo) in November 1943, taking all their own aircraft with them. With little real work to do, 11 SU had many of its experienced technical personnel posted overseas to help stiffen up the the overseas Ventura-equipped SUs (10 at Guadalcanal, 12 at Espiritu Santo, 13 at Nausori), and then went into semi-recess at Ohakea. It was finally issued with some Hudsons by February 1944, for reformation of 3 Squadron, and these were quickly replaced by new PV-1s (ex Hawaii) in March 1944, including 4546, 49, 50 - 54, 56, 57, 59, 61 - 64, and probably 67. All the earlier aircraft (from 46 - 54) were transferred to 14 SU at Whenuapai in late May 1944, for 1 Sqdn, while remainder were ferried overseas by crews of 3 Sqdn, to re-equip 12 SU at Espiritu Santo. 11 SU seems to have briefly gone into recess again before it was relocated to Gisborne in early June 1944 where 2 Squadron was about to be reformed following its first overseas tour. This unit was re-equipped with mostly older PV-1s returned from the forward area by 2 Sqdn, but in about August the unit was provisioned with brand new PV-1s from Hawaii, including NZ4624. There is a poor photograph of a PV-1 (OP-F, with "24" across fin/rudder) taken at Ohakea so far as I can tell, so this would likely be the origin of the connection between 2 Sqdn and 11 SU. This aircraft has almost certainly been repainted and I would imagine that this is the war weary NZ4524, returned to NZ from E/Santo. Those large fuselage codes (OP and KJ, ignoring the ZX code for the moment) were only worn in New Zealand fairly briefly, mostly in 1944 before they were obliterated when the aircraft were sent overseas, or tfd to other units in NZ. This is only a partial answer, but hope it goes some way to clarifying the situation. Incidentally Unit 12 was RNZAF Station Ohakea, the unit which officially brought this aircraft on charge in RNZAF, although it had been accepted by RNZAF in Hawaii some months earlier. I do not know why these aircraft were credited to Unit 12, but they were. Unit numbers were also known as Stores Accounting numbers, and their main purpose was, as the name implies, for stores (equipment) accounting purposes.
David D

[alanw]

David D,

Thank you ever so very much for taking the time to research the information
for me - very much appreciated

What you have posted, answered a number of questions and more, and also
gave me further learning about my Country's wonderful Air Force history.

The more I look more to learn

I had no idea about the 12 Unit information - cool to know

I for one am very grateful for the records and archives held by the RNZAF Museum.

As an aside, I just yesterday came across this link written about our WWII Air Force
it's a slog to read through and makes the blood boil a tad - don't know where this
individual got their info

warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/kiwis-over-the-pacific-the-rnaf-in-world-war-ii/

Thanks again

Regards

Alan

[davidd]

Alan,
Well, it is not that well written, and there are some very peculiar statements made here and there - PBO (Hudson) means Patrol Bomber Observation??? I don't think so! Also the photograph of the Hurricane and RNZAF officer talking to pilots thought to be an RNZAF aircraft in Pacific? In North Africa I think! However some parts are fairly close to the truth, so overall I might give it a 5 out of 10. I've seen far worse. However no credits given as to what his sources of information were, some from some obviously dodgy sources I would say. However the Hudson photo was totally new to me, although I have seen several other shots taken on the same sortie. And yes, I have to thank the RNZAF Museum for much of my information, although a greater proportion probably came from National Archives in Wellington, and other material from log books, interviews, etc.
David D