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Post by kiwichappers on Nov 25, 2007 22:39:19 GMT 12
Thanks Anthony. The feeling is mutual and inspirational.
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neil
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 6
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Post by neil on May 24, 2008 12:52:37 GMT 12
Hi Kiwichappers
It was a pleasant surprise to stumble accross your site and find you had honoured my father in this way. Beautiful work. My father is still alive but his health is very frail. I'm not sure if he received your letter but he has had a great deal of correspondence over the years and has given up replying in recent times. As for your query about Macchi 202 I am reasonably au fait with Dad's records, such as they are, but I'm not aware of any existing photographic evidence. His Air Force career has been quite well documented by various people, particularly Malcolm Laird and Paul Sortehaug. However if you have any other queries please let me know and I'll try to offer what assistance I can.
Best Regards Neil Schrader
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 24, 2008 14:26:50 GMT 12
Welcome to the forum Neil, it's great to have you here.
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Post by kiwichappers on May 28, 2008 9:36:08 GMT 12
Neil it has been a great pleasure to read your post and I second Dave's welcome to you. Thank you for the complimentary remarks on the models which I have enjoyed researching and building. I am pleased to be able to honour your father in particular and his generation generally in this small way.
As you have read on the thread I have thoughts of building a couple more aircraft to round out this group and would like to take up your offer of assistance. The most likely subjects are an NAC DC3 and a representative aircraft from 71OTU.
I have almost accepted that definitive evidence for the Macchi 202 is unlikely to surface although I keep 'finding' photos of a Macchi 202 flown by Kiwis in Sicily and Malta. The latest example appeared last week in Alan Pearts new book. It is an attractive aircraft which I would like to model so there will be a 'theatre typical' one, probably based on the Richard Caruana photo, in the collection.
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neil
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 6
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Post by neil on May 28, 2008 19:10:16 GMT 12
Thanks for the welcome Kiwichappers and also to you Dave. I think you could safely assume that Dad flew all of the NAC aircraft starting with the Lockheed Lodestar, DC3, Friendship, Viscount and Boeing 737 (his favourite). So any photos of individual aircaft that take your fancy should be suitable. As for the 71 OTU aircraft, I know they operated Harvards, Hurricanes and perhaps the odd Spitfire but would have to check with his logbook to confirm this. He also briefly commanded a Mustang wing (again no photos) after the war which had his personal aircraft emblazoned with his initials WES. I can't remember which wing although a visit to his logbook will confirm. My parents live 700 Km away which makes quick reference difficult but if you let me know what you want I'll try respond asap.
Cheers Neil
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Post by kiwichappers on May 29, 2008 9:41:36 GMT 12
Neil I realised your dad had flown DC3s and 737s as these were mentioned in a newspaper cutting I have of his last flight in a 737 but the others are a welcome surprise. Adding them will give a good contrast to his war service although I may not build them all in 1/48th scale. At a little over 700mm span for a 737 they are getting quite large.
The Mustang sounds interesting and I would like to take that one further. I wonder if any forum members have any information on this particular aircraft.
I appreciate the tyranny of distance when keeping in contact with parents as I currently live in the UK which is many hours flying from 'home' in North Taranaki. When researching I have found patience has many rewards so aaw is every bit as acceptable as asap.
Kind regards Francis
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Post by kiwichappers on Jun 5, 2008 4:10:12 GMT 12
Dave I read in another thread here that you might be especially interested in RNZAF Mustangs. In your research/collecting have you come across any information on the Mustang Neil Schrader mentions. I would be very keen to add this aircraft to the collection if I can pin down a little more detail.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 5, 2008 13:09:21 GMT 12
Sorry, I have no info on that particular Mustang, Francis.
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neil
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 6
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Post by neil on Dec 2, 2008 13:33:39 GMT 12
Francis, sorry about the delay but I do have some more info on Dad's Mustang from his logbook. 616 Squadron was disbanded at the end of August 1945 and returned to England/Manston on September 1st and were renumbered as 263 Squadron. Sept 21 Manston to Acklington. October 16 to Church Fenton, all the while flying the Meteors of ex 616. However on Nov 8 he records his 1st solo in a Mustang IV (P51D?) coded PBD. A second flight in PBD followed on Nov 10 then all subsequent flights, 14 in all, were flown in WES (perhaps the same aircraft recoded) ending on Dec 10. As a Wing Commander there would have been 2 other squadrons under his command although their numbers are not recorded. Dad then left the Squadron to attend a course at the Empire Test Flying School in Shropshire. Sorry, not much to go on , no photos but might lead you in a productive direction. Regards Neil
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neil
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 6
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Post by neil on Dec 2, 2008 19:19:31 GMT 12
Further to my last post, it could have been a Polish wing. 303 Polish Squadron changed their codes to PD in August 1945 so Mustang PBG could have been PD-G.
Neil
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Post by kiwichappers on Dec 3, 2008 22:25:05 GMT 12
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neil
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 6
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Post by neil on Dec 4, 2008 8:40:06 GMT 12
Francis, in my last post I should have written the code of the Mustang as PD-B. Also I believe the airfield in question to be Turnhouse in Scotland as Dad's last logbook entry flying a Meteor notes "Low level attack on Turnhouse 'drome". I don't think too many RAF units were operating the Mustang IV so that may help to narrow your search. I could send you copies of the relevant logbook pages when I figure out how to include attachments, or I could mail them to you. Regards Neil
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