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Post by smithy on Sept 22, 2017 20:47:19 GMT 12
Many thanks Dave and that's a wonderful image! That does indeed look like a cricket roller.
We know the serials of the Tempests used by 485 (EJ900, EJ904, EJ975, EK252, EK347, EK492 and EK512) so this airframe wasn't used by them. I suspect that 33 flew these aircraft out to the Continent when they departed Predannack so this image probably predates 485 Sqn's arrival there. It would be interesting to know how the Tempests used by 485 were coded. I was under the impression that normally all conversion/GSU/OTU units have to be coded in some form so as to be identifiable (I've always imagined this was in a large part to prevent stunt/reckless flying). Where this becomes problematic is that there's a very good chance that 485 were sharing their Tempests (and Typhoons) with 349 Sqn who were also tasked with conversion to Tempests at the same time as 485 at Predannack so you wonder how were these aircraft coded, if at all?
What's frustrating is that 485 were there for nearly 2 months but so far only one solitary photo of them with a Tempest.
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Post by smithy on Sept 22, 2017 19:10:21 GMT 12
I saw and read that thread Dave but being originally about the Special Hobby modelling kit and being in the Modelling section I thought that there's the chance that it could be missed by someone not into modelling. I'm interested in whether anyone has seen photos of 485 using Tempests (other than the semi-formal group snap). As I mention it's a very long shot but you sometimes never know what photos people have tucked away in their collections and especially unpublished ones.
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Post by smithy on Sept 22, 2017 8:21:54 GMT 12
Hi all,
I was wondering whether anyone has seen (or even better has) any photos of the Tempests used by 485 and whilst they were in use with them, apart from the squadron group photo in front of one at Predannack in Cornwall? I like to think I have a pretty good collection of info, books and documents relating to 485 but in all my time of being interested in them I've only ever seen that one photo. There were apparently 7 Tempests used by 485 for that very brief period before relocation back to the Continent and equipping with Spit XVIs.
To be honest this might be a very long shot but as they say, if you don't ask you'll never know.
I imagine that they weren't coded up with OU codes or could they have been? I was under the impression that these Tempests were possibly being shared for conversion with another squadron at Predannack, 349?
Anyway any help, discussion welcomed.
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 20, 2017 22:47:13 GMT 12
Many thanks Adam!
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Post by smithy on Sept 20, 2017 8:34:09 GMT 12
Sorry but just had to add this here as I thought it would bring a smile to the faces of a few members here. I stumbled upon a New Plymouth High School newsletter from 2006 wherein Athol McIntyre issues a challenge for old boys of the school: 1) Those aged 80 or over to send in a photo of themselves wearing their same old "Tiger" blazer (blazer worn by 1st XV, 1st XI, etc members) they had as a pupil to see if they still fitted it. and... 2) Any 85 year old who can come up with two similar girls that Athol met on a cruise in the Caribbean. Definitely one of those who lived life with a smile on his face and a wink in his eye!
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Post by smithy on Sept 20, 2017 6:59:09 GMT 12
I just posted this over at Britmodeller but thought that perhaps I should start a thread here as well seeing as it's a Kiwi bird and the first Kiwi one I've fiddled around with since my A-4K which is languishing in a box awaiting me to finish decalling. This one will be a bit special for me as it will be Doug Brown's "Wine, Woman and Song". Doug was a good golfing mate of my father and when he found out what a WWII aviation history nut I was invited me round for a chinwag. I ended up have chats with Doug several times and I have some wonderful memories of sitting round at Doug's place just off Vicky Ave, drinking coffee and listening to his experiences. For fear of sounding twee, this is my little tribute to him and those chats. This is Tamiya's little Spit and it's a lovely little kit. I had to remove the wing strakes and the headrest as the airframe I am doing didn't have these. I didn't go overboard with the cockpit as this will have a closed canopy so only added some Eduard seatbelts. Bit of tidying up and she's nearly ready for paint.
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Post by smithy on Sept 19, 2017 6:01:28 GMT 12
I also have McIntyre down for a tour with 488(NZ) squadron in the uk from 16/11/42. No end date though. Adam Hi Adam, Sorry only just saw your post now. Sortehaug and Listemann's 485 book has McIntyre with 488 until April 1943 (no firm date of the month) whereupon he was posted to 3 Sqn (Tempests) as a supernumerary squadron leader. He's an interesting fellow, having many and varied postings with the RAF postwar and afterwards became Rolls-Royce's military representative in their aero division. He was also Head Boy at New Plymouth Boys High. By all accounts a bit of a character. Tim EDIT: Oops made a bit of a balls up of McIntyre's movements in this last post. He was not transferred from 488 Sqn to 3 Sqn but rather "went on attachment to Rolls-Royce at Derby, where he became Senior Service Instructor on the Fighter Pilots' Engine-Handling Course" (Wynn's "Men of the Battle of Britain"). After this he went to 83 GSU for conversion to Typhoons/Tempests and then to 3 Sqn subsequently.
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Post by smithy on Sept 18, 2017 18:50:59 GMT 12
Brodes, please do get the ball rolling in terms of getting Jack's writings collated and published - with the approval of the family of course. It would be wonderful to be able to read and enjoy such a book.
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Post by smithy on Sept 18, 2017 6:14:52 GMT 12
That really doesn't surprise me Dave as he actually was a very gifted writer, almost poetic - and I mean that in the best of senses and not in the flowery sense, he could use a phrase to convey a lot of meaning and elicit emotion.
Damon, I wonder if you could confirm that that book was a collection of all of Jack's writings. If so then that's all there is. But I might be wrong but someone who writes that well usually has a boxful of scribblings and pieces so I was wondering whether anyone knows just how much Jack wrote and if anyone has thought of publishing them. I don't know Jack's family nor am I in contact with them but I'd urge anyone here who does know them to find out just how much Jack wrote and to suggest the idea of getting his writings published if there are enough.
There's a lot of pilots who have written books and they've been enjoyable affairs for the enthusiast (I myself devour WWII pilot memoirs) but then every now and again you get the odd pilot who can actually write and those are the books which are even more memorable and atmospheric and stand above the more run of the mill memoirs. From what I have read of Jack he's in that latter category.
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Post by smithy on Sept 17, 2017 7:07:46 GMT 12
Hello all,
I was wondering if any attempt has been made to collate and publish Jack Stafford's writings about his experiences during the war. I first read a couple of Jack's stories back in 2002 on that Hawker Tempest site and even back then I was struck by what a capable and expressive writer Jack was. A number of years later with Jack's death Errol posted a very moving piece that Jack had written describing his farewell to his family and his leaving NZ for the war in Europe - it was enough to bring a tear to the eye.
I was wondering if Jack had written more, it would seem that such a gifted and natural writer would have, and if so, are any plans afoot to publish these.
Perhaps just my own opinion, but if there are enough existing I really think his writings deserve a wider audience than bits and bobs on the odd website here and there. I actually used to work in publishing and still have a few useful influential contacts if I could help!
Cheers,
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 12, 2017 6:13:52 GMT 12
That's quite remarkable how good the Sunderland looks now. Last time I saw her when I was back home many moons ago she was a right mess. Well done MOTAT and it's about time the old girl was given a nice cosy space inside.
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Post by smithy on Sept 12, 2017 6:10:46 GMT 12
Good on them and well done.
There was a woman here (Solveig Krey) who was not only Norway's first female naval vessel commander but also the first female submarine commander in the world back in the mid 90s. According to my wife who met her she was fairly hardcase.
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Post by smithy on Sept 12, 2017 5:48:02 GMT 12
No problem Errol and I had a sneaking suspicion that the fingers had moved faster than the old noggin! Thanks once again.
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 11, 2017 19:21:52 GMT 12
Many thanks Errol. I'd been trying to find an obituary from one of the Cornish newspapers but unfortunately had not found a thing.
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 11, 2017 0:33:11 GMT 12
Another question (probably for Errol!) regarding this NZer. Does anyone have the date of McIntyre's death? He apparently died in December 2011 somewhere in Cornwall.
Thanks in advance,
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 10, 2017 21:34:25 GMT 12
Many thanks Errol, as usual I thought that you would come through! Any idea what he pursued postwar?
Best,
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 10, 2017 7:30:42 GMT 12
Hello all,
Just trying to find out what happened to this airman post war upon repatriation (he was shot down on the 7th August 1941 whilst with 485 and became a POW). He suffered fairly severe burns to the hands and face and was treated at St Omer Hospital at the same time that Bader was there.
Cheers,
Tim
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Post by smithy on Sept 7, 2017 6:55:12 GMT 12
If any kiwi's story from WWII deserves to be told on the silver screen, it's Upham's.
There's only one thing, if you're going to make it, it sure as eggs better do justice to the great man.
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Post by smithy on Mar 16, 2017 11:54:28 GMT 12
Sorry Dave, but once again not an official air force/service communication but a newspaper reference. During WWI, in the RFC/RNAS/RAF, you just don't see any references to kills in any official squadron, wing, brigade, etc communiques or documentation.
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Post by smithy on Mar 16, 2017 11:06:26 GMT 12
So perhaps the term 'Kills' was actually invented by Hollywood, circa 1930? Could be Dave. You certainly don't see it in WWI RFC/RNAS/RAF official documentation, and although the USAS isn't my thing, but I'd be highly surprised if they used it. They tended to copy British claim protocol as Aircraftclocks has given examples of above. You also don't see it in early to mid WWII official RAF documentation. I'd imagine that possibly the reason for it creeping into ORB and combat reports late WWII is due to RAF's squadrons exposure to US terminology arising from closer operational cooperation. Saying that it doesn't seem to have been a "formally" accepted term. It's certainly not used in high level RAF communiques.
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