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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 29, 2014 9:41:40 GMT 12
Here is a PWD photo of Mungaroa 1943 and one of Te Awamutu. The stores building appears to be beside the dairy company and railway.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 28, 2014 13:20:11 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 24, 2014 11:21:51 GMT 12
I came across these in a search of the IWM archives. The caption states... NZ Army Medical Corps recover souvenirs from the German LZ85 airship. This was shot down on 6 May 1916 by gunfire from HMS Agamemnon and crashed in the marshes of the River Vardar Macedonia Having located the Vardar in Greece I wonder what were NZ medical corp doing in Greece. they certainly had the Kiwi spirit, nicking stuff but did any of it come back home?
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 24, 2014 11:13:30 GMT 12
Interesting details David. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly NZ mobilised to produce airfields , stores, radar units , batteries etc etc and built MTBs ,Bren Gun Carriers plus ammo, uniforms and a thousand other items. In some way the response to the Christchurh earthquake has been quite minor
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 23, 2014 16:33:05 GMT 12
Thanks Barnsey , all clear , even the Makomako bunkers
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 22, 2014 16:47:43 GMT 12
Back on track lads. Mangaroa stores were alongside Adelaide road and there are half a dozen houses still there.If you google earth the site the circle road seen in wartime photos is still there. Strangely It was still listed as an Army Camp in the 1978 Armed Forces return. So all the buildings must have been trucked away after that. Also listed in the same return is an Ammunition depot at Makomako , outside of Paihiatua. I have driven past and recall seeing a NZ Defence sign but I cant locate it today on Google earth. Probably long gone is the Army camp at Hororata near the Te Pirita aerodrome. Has anybody got details.?
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 21, 2014 11:03:54 GMT 12
Shilton Harold W DFC (NZ42508) Harold was a navigator on 10 and 96 Squadron Halifaxes. Postwar he served in the RAF and RNZAF. Service at 1300 Friday Davis Funerals , Mt Eden
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 20, 2014 17:09:58 GMT 12
Charlie Shepherd NZ391907 went to UK in 1940 as an LAC armaments fitter and posted to 10 squadron . He served on 75 squadron from March 41 and finally with 486 then 627.He tells a great story that some months after the war was over an officer noticed his New Zealand shoulder patch and asked what the ... was he still on an operational squadron as everyone else had gone home. He thought he must have been overlooked as there werent many Kiwis ground crew in UK to start with. He eventually left in December 1945. He has given the NZBCA the best collection of groundies photos we have.
Joe Tomlin NZ401045 transferred to the RNZAF as an Instrument Repairer and left for the UK in November 1941.After serving on ASR squadrons and 1651 HCU he applied to Bill Jordan to get " operational " and was posted to 75 squadron at Mepal. There he specialised in auto pilot repair.Joe was posted back to NZ in 1944. Post war he kept up with aviation , building Jodel ZK- ECF and later rebuilt the NZBCA/MOTAT Lancs auto bombsight. We have a terrific video shot in Joes garage of the sight controlling a plotting pen across a map laid on the floor.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 20, 2014 11:51:53 GMT 12
Nick Carter flew on tour on 75 Squadron as W/OP to his Pilot Jack Wright from Wellington. When they moved to Mildenhall in August 1942 the crew took over BJ772 D for Duck finishing their tour in October. Here is D for Duck as painted for Nick post war.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 18, 2014 13:16:26 GMT 12
Dave , theres Joe Tomlin in Tairua and Charlie Shepherd from Maungatapere. Kiwi ground staff were pretty rare in RAF Bomber Command , so we generally have RAF bods as members such as Wally Halliwell and Geoff Pattenden. There should be plenty of Pacific guys still around.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 13, 2014 14:10:45 GMT 12
suthg and others. If you make it to MOTAT Wednesday mornings our BCA guys are there along with the restoration team. A cup of coffee is always available. PM me with dates if you intend to come.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 11, 2014 11:50:51 GMT 12
Beautiful finish Mummbles , you have sparked the kit bug in me again . But glue in my hand seems to come alive and is found in places I am sure I didnt touch.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 9, 2014 7:59:29 GMT 12
Not sure Dave , on an enlargement it could be name tag but, I will ask him and make sure.
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 8, 2014 16:50:09 GMT 12
The Ventura at Motat is next in line for an upgrade , the working team was announced today. They have some corrosion fixing to do and a good service before painting.
The aircraft data file held shows it as NZ4600 ( 41-38117 , FD665) , a USAAF machine ex Alaska but with wings from a Lodestar ( Australia ) and a tail unit from NZ 4522 and 4618. I will post the full file when I have a decent copy. The questions are
Did this aircraft have any combat history What was its service history What paint scheme did it have What paint scheme could it have
All comments welcome
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 8, 2014 13:08:30 GMT 12
New Patron Earlier this year AM Sir Richard Bolt sadly passed away. Dick Bolt was our founding Patron (1986) and served with President Bill Simpson through a period when there were over 1000 veterans on the roll. In recent times Dick was the force behind the memorial trophy commissioned for presentation to the top RNZAF Squadron. With the position of Patron vacant, members proposed that Les Munro CNZM, DSO, QSO, DFC be invited to step into this role, one that he has kindly accepted. It is a privilege to have such a gentleman as patron. Les is well known to many and his wartime career known to many more. Here are a few photos of the less well known side of Les. 767 Captain With Leonard Chesire Auckland 1986 Operation Taxable D Day with Leonard Chesire as second pilot Hurrican pilot and CO of 1690 BDTF July 44 ITW Levin Jan 41 Petwood Hotel Woodhall Spa Book Launch MOTAT 2010 With good friend, the late Tony Iveson at Tauranga
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Post by pjw4118 on Sept 29, 2014 17:14:21 GMT 12
Its always the food !!
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Post by pjw4118 on Sept 27, 2014 13:32:02 GMT 12
I have just had word that Frank Cardwell ( NZ 422096 ) died last night. Frank flew as a navigator on 44 squadron ( F/L Anning ) completing 32 ops and following a months leave transferred to 617 squadron. They were involved in the Tirpitz raids of November 1944 and in March dropped two of the 22000lb Grandslams. Frank finished his service with 48 operations.
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Post by pjw4118 on Sept 15, 2014 15:48:20 GMT 12
Hello David, I hope the originals come with more info. Having got the photos,the names to go with them are always a problem , especially when the original photographer can no longer remember much at all.
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MOTAT
Sept 12, 2014 12:31:51 GMT 12
Post by pjw4118 on Sept 12, 2014 12:31:51 GMT 12
Really interesting comments, and keep them going as MOTAT monitors this site. One thing thats obvious from visiting aviation museums here and overseas is that the ones situated at an airport have a great advantage as there is FLYING going on , maybe not vintage aircraft but fliers. There are plenty of examples. The ones that dont have flying are a completely different event , say compare the RAF Museum at Hendon with IWM Duxford or Pt Cook with Canberra. The non flying museums are now having to make a real effort to go live in some way. More inter action , more hands on. This probably applies to all museums not just the aviation ones. So MOTAT has a challenge . Recent suggestions have included running steam trains along the tram route , steam boats on the lake ,model fly ins on the park area behind the hangars, aviation art exhibitions , helicopter visits , all aimed at bring people in. Engine runs , even using borrowed operating models could be part of it, but it is totally dependant on how MOTAT management want to proceed . Remember they are now overseen by an ACC Amenities Committee. The freedom to act is much less than in years past and likely to get worse as the organisation gets bigger. With something like 60 employees and a corporate structure it wont be simple.
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MOTAT
Sept 11, 2014 16:51:00 GMT 12
Post by pjw4118 on Sept 11, 2014 16:51:00 GMT 12
Ahhh yes , the NZBCA would love to run the Lancaster again , technically its feasible BUT not practical. The Aviation section are very keen to have motor runs , Cliff Taits Airtourer for one , and there are other engines that could be run in static test beds. You are right , OSH does have a BIG say , next time you are there check on the perspex guards to cover the electrically driven cut away engine. But it is feasible to have some runners and even scale model flyers , but it awaits the motivation by MOTAT management.
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