Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2018 16:12:09 GMT 12
I hope this topic is not getting too tiresome as it does represent only a limited part of the activity of the RNZAF in the pacific war, but my father was an 8 SQN PV1 pilot based at Emirau from Jan to Mar 45 hence my bias.
I was hoping to integrate a few old wartime images from the island with the current Google earth map to offer a guess as to the location of the PV1 BR SQN’s during their time there. It is well documented that in late 1944/early 1945 American Marine PBJ personnel occupied the North Cape region of the island. To some degree the Americans must have shared facilities with the Kiwis as my farther remembered messing with them and the enticing smell of freshly perked coffee filling the mess tent, a novelty for a 20 year old Kiwi at that time. Furthermore, it wasn’t long until a Kiwi/American liaison was established to address the dry base order. Unfortunately, having commandeered a US jeep operated by willing American flyers for the purpose of imbibing illicit alcohol on the outer island road the driver was subjected to a “blind flying” test on the return journey. The jeep crashed (roll over and personnel ejected), and 8 SQN operation records note with reference to one of the SQN drinking mates of my father that on 25/2/45 “F/L ………. Pilot. Injured in jeep accident, suffering compound fracture of the finger, dislocated shoulder and shock. Reduces number of Crews in Squadron to 13.” (copyright National Archives of NZ;AIR1 146/1).
My father also remembered attending an open air picture theatre with the Americans which I believe is in the Marine PBJ personnel area (see photo not under copyright).
Picture theatre Emirau
Note the image (not under copyright) of the flight of PBJ’s taxing with RNZAF PV1’s seen in holding areas along the northern taxiway. I believe this is the taxiway which adjoints the Marine PBJ personnel area and that the PBJ flight turned into the short taxiway (see image below) leading to the North Cape airstrip (the bomber strip).
From the Google Earth snapshot (copyright acknowledged) these aircraft would have entered a mid-point in the 7000ft long runway thus the option of a NW or SE direction take off exists (depending on the wind direction) with plenty of usable strip even under zero wind conditions. Obviously the 90ft width of the strip accommodated a two abreast take off pattern described to me by my father. During these operations in the event of engine failure on take-off, even if the aircraft was still performing well (climbing), no attempt to return to the strip was allowed and a straight ahead water landing was required. There were always rescue boats in the water of the bay during mass take offs, but this fact did little to improve the crews hopes of surviving a water landing in a fully loaded bombed up PV1.
Emirau
So, my guess is that the PV1 BR SQN aircraft were located on the northerly taxiway of the North Cape airstrip and that the SQN personnel were accommodated near the Marine PBJ personnel area with some sharing of facilities with the Americans.
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I was hoping to integrate a few old wartime images from the island with the current Google earth map to offer a guess as to the location of the PV1 BR SQN’s during their time there. It is well documented that in late 1944/early 1945 American Marine PBJ personnel occupied the North Cape region of the island. To some degree the Americans must have shared facilities with the Kiwis as my farther remembered messing with them and the enticing smell of freshly perked coffee filling the mess tent, a novelty for a 20 year old Kiwi at that time. Furthermore, it wasn’t long until a Kiwi/American liaison was established to address the dry base order. Unfortunately, having commandeered a US jeep operated by willing American flyers for the purpose of imbibing illicit alcohol on the outer island road the driver was subjected to a “blind flying” test on the return journey. The jeep crashed (roll over and personnel ejected), and 8 SQN operation records note with reference to one of the SQN drinking mates of my father that on 25/2/45 “F/L ………. Pilot. Injured in jeep accident, suffering compound fracture of the finger, dislocated shoulder and shock. Reduces number of Crews in Squadron to 13.” (copyright National Archives of NZ;AIR1 146/1).
My father also remembered attending an open air picture theatre with the Americans which I believe is in the Marine PBJ personnel area (see photo not under copyright).
Picture theatre Emirau Note the image (not under copyright) of the flight of PBJ’s taxing with RNZAF PV1’s seen in holding areas along the northern taxiway. I believe this is the taxiway which adjoints the Marine PBJ personnel area and that the PBJ flight turned into the short taxiway (see image below) leading to the North Cape airstrip (the bomber strip).
From the Google Earth snapshot (copyright acknowledged) these aircraft would have entered a mid-point in the 7000ft long runway thus the option of a NW or SE direction take off exists (depending on the wind direction) with plenty of usable strip even under zero wind conditions. Obviously the 90ft width of the strip accommodated a two abreast take off pattern described to me by my father. During these operations in the event of engine failure on take-off, even if the aircraft was still performing well (climbing), no attempt to return to the strip was allowed and a straight ahead water landing was required. There were always rescue boats in the water of the bay during mass take offs, but this fact did little to improve the crews hopes of surviving a water landing in a fully loaded bombed up PV1.
Emirau So, my guess is that the PV1 BR SQN aircraft were located on the northerly taxiway of the North Cape airstrip and that the SQN personnel were accommodated near the Marine PBJ personnel area with some sharing of facilities with the Americans.
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