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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 6, 2020 11:43:41 GMT 12
Being in a valley , it would be a strange place, the nearest I know of is Hot Water beach on the other side of the Coromandel range. Did the Ardmore Corsairs use the swamp area near Paeroa for gunnery/ rocket practice ? If so then a target store nearby could be needed. There was also an artillery range up in the Kaueranga valley that was still marked on post war survey maps as dangerous.
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 5, 2020 10:14:22 GMT 12
Thats sloppy book keeping , didnt they know that 78 years later you would need those details !
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 4, 2020 13:05:03 GMT 12
"Combat Codes" lists VN for 50 squadron from Hampdens in September 39 to Manchesters in April 42. With the National Archives ORB records , there are two series , the summaries , which are useful for checking crew movements and the details ,. This series lists each aircraft and crew on every raid with times and debrief summary .Usually they show both serial and aircraft letter.
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 3, 2020 16:12:45 GMT 12
I agree, the closest airfields are Thames, Waharoa or Waihi Beach ( not wartime ) perhaps a drill hall for the ATC ?
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 3, 2020 15:57:20 GMT 12
This rang a bell ( very rare these days) and I looked up notes from Bill Simpson who at the time was instructing beam approach at South Cerney (Glos) So to add a bit of colour to the discussion these are the notes " Real bushmen , hard cases , drank in the same pub as me. Called the English beer weasel piss and the trees they cut down , matchsticks. The locals couldnt understand Kiwi timber jacks so they jacked up one end ( of the pub?) and everyone fell about like they were full. Ate anything they could trap or shoot and got into trouble for cleaning out the local Lords pheasants . Meant to be under the NZ Army but they ignored that .I think they had a hell of a job finding them all when it was time to go home. They made a lot of money selling the timber to the locals ".
I am sorry I didnt record more , as then the subject of NZ bushmen in England was news to me .
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 1, 2020 16:18:48 GMT 12
I dont understand most of what has been said here but the last one I cooked was bloody awful.
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Post by pjw4118 on Dec 1, 2020 16:13:49 GMT 12
How about ...unique. I am sure the movie company will give you some clips to show so the shop better stock up on a few B17 models
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 30, 2020 15:56:36 GMT 12
True , but its all very close around there , 10-20 km , so the training grounds are all within a route march of each of the camps . Even Porton Down chemical plant and Boscombe Down are all part of that greater military area . Its worth a day whizzing around there as much as the locked gates permit. Another one is in Cornwall where there four airfields , radar stations and chemical sites all on the same peninsula and like Wiltshire , a military history going back over 200 years in some places . Easy to be a full time historian as there is still so much there.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 30, 2020 15:38:19 GMT 12
Yes Dave , unchanged really he's like Arthur Joplin , and a few others , just timeless it seems .
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 30, 2020 15:35:25 GMT 12
Quite right Dave , a very neat exercise , good for all. You should have got a role , just image US fatigues , a fat cigar and a jeep as crew boss and a tidy packet of US $$. When the film people give the Ok there are some neat photos to post.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 30, 2020 13:27:26 GMT 12
Now its on WONZ , I can say something , the B17 project has been kept under wraps as the movie hasnt been released yet. I can say little but its not about the Whenuapai B17. Myself and two other Lancaster guides from the NZBCA took a series of actors from this movie into the Lanc at MoTAT for experience and some technical details. Many photos were taken and action shots supplied but all remain under embargo until the movie is released. The mockup ( slightly over size ) was built and asembled in a warehouse on the North Shore where the filming was done. Other sites included up north and Muriwai Beach . A perfect Sperry ball turret replica was also made. When filming finished the whole set was offered to us rather than scrapping it. As It didnt fit into MOTAT ideas and B17s are not really a RAF BC item I rang Andrew, explained a few details , then asked do you want it ? . An immediate one word answer, and in typical of Classic Flyers style they had it in Tauranga the following week. With a bit of aluminium cladding it will look the real deal inside and out and make a great walk through display . Photos will follow when I have been given the word.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 30, 2020 13:08:02 GMT 12
From memory its from WWI and NZ soldiers were stationed there , they also carved a Kiwi into the chalk hill which remains today .
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 24, 2020 12:09:31 GMT 12
The photo of Course 62 was taken at 11 OTU RAF Westcott Dec/Jan 1943.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 24, 2020 11:58:00 GMT 12
Tom Whyte ( NZ433389) is in the course 50 photo , second row . He came from ITW at Delta to Ashburton where he had landing problems and remustered as an AG . He ended as a rear gunner on 101 squadron in March 1945. He was commissioned in Canada ( Mt Joli ) for topping the air gunnery course.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 23, 2020 8:14:38 GMT 12
On Sunday we held the much delayed annual memorial service and AGM. RNZAF Auckland were hosts with 5 Squadron who the NZBCA have long been associated with. Following the service and AGM members were invited to the ops room and a look aboard a 5 Squadron Orion. Our thanks to Base Commander Group Captain Andy Scott and 5 Squadron CO Wing Commander Glen Donaldson. Evader Harry Cammish (98) with Base and Squadron CO's The 2020 Executive. Lindsay Mouet (Treaurer), Bruce Hebbard (President), Charles Davies (Secretary), Michael Copsey (VP)
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 23, 2020 8:02:20 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 22, 2020 8:22:56 GMT 12
Good to see again , lots of aircraft and the Nissen huts are full of material too. Certainly a two day visit. Thanks for reminding me.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 9, 2020 9:27:17 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 8, 2020 15:21:34 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 3, 2020 15:26:04 GMT 12
Dave , I am pleased that you captioned " myself , left " as I would have missed you. Again , really well done
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