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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 1, 2022 12:41:56 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 14, 2022 16:00:54 GMT 12
I spent some time with Lew in late 2018 , he was in fine form . As well as a DFC he was awarded a NZ Order of Merit.. He entered the RNZAF at ITW Levin in March 1943. After pilot training in Canada he flew Sundelands with 230 sq ( August 1944) , Lancasters ( Oct 48 3236 OTU ) and back on Sunderlands in Jan 49. I have a copy of his wartime log and a few Sunderland pictures copied from his album if anybody is interested.
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Post by pjw4118 on May 25, 2022 16:23:56 GMT 12
And here's one given to me by the Canadian Defence Attache
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Post by pjw4118 on May 15, 2022 12:08:27 GMT 12
I agree Peter , its nice to see a large aircraft given some freedom and it just shows you how much more they have in reserve when on airline duties.
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 17, 2022 12:06:54 GMT 12
David , this is quite a complex issue as the posting of ground staff seems to have been quite independent of operations , however 2nd TAF squadrons tended to take their servicing crews along with them . Examples in the NZBCA group like Wally Halliwell (an engine mechanic Halton trained ), serviced Hurricanes ( Northholt ) in the BoB , then to Speke assembling Hudsons , then to Rhodesia and EFTS school on Tiger Moths , then India on anything that needed engine work. Charlie Shepherd was an armourer and an early posting to UK , where he served on 10 squadron at Leeming , 75 at Feltwell then in the 2ndTAF 80 and 486 squadrons. As they were not allocated to a squadron , this caused some grief postwar when trying to join squadron associations as they often had only their paybook to prove postings.
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 13, 2022 15:27:43 GMT 12
Looks very much like Nadi , the mountain in the background is next to the Lautoka road. I think the caption had 1942 ? showing .
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 12, 2022 13:09:03 GMT 12
I think that the TV news said that 20 were RNZAF maintenance crew .
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 11, 2022 16:17:00 GMT 12
The Spitfire took off 10 minutes ago , did a nice low circuit and headed south.
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 10, 2022 10:52:40 GMT 12
Must admit being a bit underwhelmed by the flypast , quite high and brief , but thanks Damon for the comments on the rules. Living within the Whenuapai control zone , we get used to low and slow and better still , low and fast fly overs and I had expected the same yesterday . A pity the "historic " flight cant borrow a Harvard , P51 and P40 to make up the numbers .
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 10, 2022 10:45:12 GMT 12
Great to see , especially the "flak"
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 7, 2022 12:06:24 GMT 12
I certainly recall it , form the front porch of our home in Mt Albert. It was strongest out east and we had no idea of the cause although a nuclear war came close second to Lake Taupo going up. It was certainly was an awesome site and made you feel very small in the scheme of things.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 1, 2022 15:33:36 GMT 12
A terrific effort Dave , its kept relevant and current and always evolving. WONZ provides my daily dose of aviation and I can appreciate the effort you put in to keep it that way , so thanks from me and the many many other forum dwellers Peter Wheeler
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 25, 2022 15:10:08 GMT 12
Boy that brings back some memories , but how do you keep them dust free?
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 16, 2022 16:05:23 GMT 12
The Dunlop name rang a bell and the NZBC membership list for 1997 includes a J D Dunlop of Napier listed a a navigator on 166 sq.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 10, 2022 14:06:14 GMT 12
Mad mac , the Stirling IV photo of "its easy cobber " is from Noel Sutherlands logbook ( copied 4.15 ) and is his aircraft L9 - E of 190 squadron. He used it for most of the airborne ops in 1944 and towed Horsa gliders across the Rhine in 1945 .
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 6, 2022 13:39:59 GMT 12
S/L Graham Mandeno (DSO DFC*) was closely involved in the early RAF jets. After tours on 58,156,139 Squadrons he was posted to the DDTE unit of the Minisytry of Supply. He completed a course at PowerJets Lutterworth in January 1945 then became an assistant and pilot for G/C Watts the DDTE. He finally flew the Meteor in August 45 part of preparing EE454 for the World Speed Attempt. _AAA2614 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2594 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2595 - Copy by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2641 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2645 - Copy by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr CCI06022022 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr He also inspected 616 Squadron in January 1945 for Power Jets, 335CU at Colerne and later 616 at Lubeck in June. His report includes comment from W/C Schraeder abut the Me262. He visited many of the German turbo jet plants in June 1945 and some of the 10 page report is shown below CCI05042017 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2649 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2631 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2632 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2651 - Copy by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2662 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2663 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2664 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2666 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr _AAA2667 by Peter Wheeler, on Flickr
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 25, 2022 15:12:32 GMT 12
Regarding Lancaster/ Lincoln marks , it seems a British habit to give new marks to upgraded airframes until they have little resemblance to the original then its renamed as seen in Spitfire? Spiteful , Typhoon/ Tempest , Mosquito/ Hornet , Vampire / Venom etc . . The Australia Lincolns were further modified with extended noses . Regarding Lancaster armament , the machine guns lift out of their mounts quite easily and were routinely taken back to the armourers shop after ops for cleaning , servicing etc, so photos of RAF bombers 'Unarmed" are quite common and not unusual.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 15, 2022 14:07:16 GMT 12
Just lovely you are very fortunate!
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 5, 2021 15:53:44 GMT 12
Imagine the noise and bustle in wartime , and probably many two up schools.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 8, 2021 17:14:27 GMT 12
Yeh Dave , I am a sucker for this new show, but the original HE Bates books read even better. Sad they have done just a PC remake , like All Creatures have done . It would have been a better show ( to me ) if it was set in the 1980s when immigrant Indians and Africans ( am I allowed to say those words ) were well part of the UK rural scene and would give the show a real modern lift and new gags. Sadly I have to accept that at some time we will see a remake of Doc Martin , but possibly not the Goon Show.
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