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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 16, 2015 14:03:44 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 16, 2015 13:52:51 GMT 12
Sunday morning at Hobsonville in front of hundreds of horrified witnesses an unmanned bi plane plummeted to the ground. No causualties have been reported.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 13, 2015 14:19:54 GMT 12
Thanks Dave , Ill be there , Saturday at the skateboard park is now cancelled . I am sure the kids would rather see the kites !!!
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MOTAT
Feb 11, 2015 11:27:03 GMT 12
Post by pjw4118 on Feb 11, 2015 11:27:03 GMT 12
Graeme,thanks for posting this . Ian certainly had a dangerous career on aircrew, I have seen some of his target photos, but would appreciate a copy of your records for the NZBCA Archives.
Regarding his early service, it is unusual to complete ITW , spend four months on flying training then go back to ITW for 5 weeks then back to flying.It may have been simply a holding posting while the new school was opened at Ashburton and New Plymouth ( Bell Block ) took up other responsibilities. Does his surviving log book carry over any flying hours from New Plymouth ? If not maybe he was scrubbed from flying , and went back through the system again.
ITW was a training camp for new entrants and log books were not kept.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 9, 2015 14:08:17 GMT 12
Dave , screened meant that they were stood down from operations. Usually because they had already done enough ops , sometimes because of a medical condition or injury , or were a evader/escaper who couldnt continue to fly over Europe in case of recapture.
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MOTAT
Feb 5, 2015 14:21:01 GMT 12
Post by pjw4118 on Feb 5, 2015 14:21:01 GMT 12
The Avenger is just inside the rear doors of the new hangar. To get it up into the FAA area will be a huge task and involve moving most of the aircraft except for the Solent and Lancaster! I think there was some cosideration given to moving the display, perhaps to Devonport but they have a worse shortage of space than MOTAT. With conservator Gerry Barton now gone , work on the Solent appears to have ceased for now. With the Lancaster we have been catching up on some corrsion prevention spraying and lubrication of the control runs.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 4, 2015 19:00:14 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 4, 2015 17:51:37 GMT 12
Baz , a turret on an Auster what a great idea , although the recoil may cause a few problems. Where would you mount it ? Jimmy Sheddan et al once shot geese from a Storch and caused a serious reduction in airspeed , their C of G already compromised with beer bottles. I like your sending messages by UAV , certainly an update on the old wire wizzy things I remember from boyhood ( 1000 years ago ) that hurtled across department stores. They apparently carried all sorts of useful things from the stores boys to the account girls as well as cash.
In reality , maybe if some body wishes to fly across your property at less than 500 ft permission is needed.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 4, 2015 14:43:43 GMT 12
It would be a shame if idiots spoiled a great tool and hobby. Mind you if one pestered me I would introduce it to some No2 shot
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 2, 2015 10:59:40 GMT 12
Nice to get some more information Dik. In the Luftwaffe record , was a position of the combat quoted ? In some records I have seen the location quoted , this would assist in perhaps identifying where Watts/Matheson came down.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 2, 2015 10:45:16 GMT 12
More details about the Ardmore range are in the Lost Military Camps Ardmore Post on this page. There is a large buuilding programme uner way within the area. Dave the current bases and units are on this chart downloaded from the NZ Army site. At Papakura the original huge camp has been really reduced and the land given over to some housing and a lot of playing fields The SAS Camp is ringed by a very impressive fence and a very plain 'door' All rather different to the CMT days
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 28, 2015 14:34:30 GMT 12
Hello Andrew , its nice to have contact with someone from the Matheson family. Our Ass (NZBCA) has quite a lot of material on Stephen Watts gathered from his family. A chapter covering his RAF career was included in our book , "Kiwis Do Fly " and you should be able to access on line , or from a library. Archie was a bit older than most for aircrew and needed just a few more ops to complete his tour. Stephen Watts had completed his tour and was awaiting the new COs arrival ,,and fatally agreed to take Archie on an op. We understand that Archies wife was living in Featherston but we have been unable to track her any further. Stephen Watts did indeed drop the first " cookie " from a Mosquito , it being a three way race including the CO and the other Flight commander. His letter says " I wasnt second" There is a well publicised photo of two officers sitting astride a cookie by a 692 Mosquito. Despite wearing wings and many ribbons , the caption names him as an engineering officer ! I am happy to add more by email . Peter Wheeler
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 22, 2015 15:42:13 GMT 12
Interesting comments , thanks very much. Ken served on 264 from Sept 41 until April 42, if you would like copies of his log book entries for this time PM me with your email address.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 21, 2015 14:06:55 GMT 12
As some one who didnt get to the show , thanks for the great range of photos guys.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 11, 2015 15:34:35 GMT 12
Thanks for the feed back , it will make for a great display. I will put a post on the NZBCA page when a date for dedication has been confirmed.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 10, 2015 19:03:21 GMT 12
In searching for more details on the upcoming Thomas Frederick Duck exhibit, Ken Crankshawes family have been very helpful and have a lot of material. Here is a bit of it I found of interest. Officers of 75 Sq Ken flew with Sgt Gurrs crew After a spell with the Central Gunnery School he joined 156 PFF Squadron on Kearns crew before transferring to Jack Wrights flying Thomas Frederick Duck Ken was famous for hill bell ringing on op. The bell is currently with his widow, on her porch in Sydney The TFD art and associated display will be unveiled during April. Are there any more photos on crew details out there?
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Post by pjw4118 on Jan 10, 2015 17:15:13 GMT 12
Thanks Pete and Ian , like old colour slides , its often whats in the background that is interesting
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 22, 2014 18:51:17 GMT 12
Nicky Barr, Director of The International Bomber Command Centre is visiting New Zealand and asked we publicise the new centre. It is planned that all archives will be online, free and interactive. It will be getting NZBC support
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 22, 2014 7:09:48 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 16, 2014 18:19:41 GMT 12
Johnny , thats from a very special raid , on Bertchesgarten April 1945. NZ pilot George Hitchcock was deputy master bomber and took over the lead when the MB radio failed. He said that was the day Bomber Command "trailed its coat all over southern Germany"
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