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Post by McFly on Nov 8, 2023 18:31:34 GMT 12
Uboat victory: "Direct hit on German U Boat by a crew from the Sunderland Operational Training Unit near the Norwegian coast. The crew of this aircraft were later posted to No. 490 Squadron." MUS9408911a MUS970706 From uboat.net: U-675: Sunk on 24 May 1944 in the Norwegian Sea west of Alesund, in position 62.27N, 03.04E, by depth charges from a British Sunderland aircraft (4 OTU RAF/R). 51 dead (all hands lost). Link: uboat.net/boats/u675.htmI've not found a reference to the aircrew. Anyone able to help? Sunderland was ML736 and captained by Flt/Lt T F P. Frizell RAAF, with W/O John Stuart Macdonald (NZ391059) as 1st Pilot, and F/O. M. Angelo RNZAF Nav. (Flt/Lt Frizell was onboard ML736 as an instructor with 4 OTU on that mission with W/O MacDonald (RNZAF) and crew who later went to 490 Sqn RNZAF) “U-675 was spotted and sunk in the North Sea west of Alesund, Norway, by a Sunderland on training duty, aircraft 'R' of RAF No. 4 OTU. The flying boat was captained by Flight Lieutenant F. P. Frizell, RAAF, and manned by a scratch crew of instructors and trainees. The crew of U-675 were themselves inexperienced, being on their first patrol. They were all lost.”
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Post by McFly on Nov 2, 2023 19:52:21 GMT 12
"Visit to RNZAF Station by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Dean Eyre. L-R: Mr Eyre, unknown, Wing Commander MJ Millener, in the Ground Training Wing Headquarters.- March 1961 (2016-209.312)""Visit of the minister of Defence, Mr Dean Eyre, to RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay, Fiji. A member of the Fiji Police presenting Mr. Eyre with a Tabua during a Kava ceremony. Air Commodore RJ Cohen.(centre back). - 25/04/1961 (2017-017.150)"
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Post by McFly on Oct 30, 2023 20:10:52 GMT 12
Ah nope.. Those links/reports are for ZK-HHK not ZK-HKK. ZK-HKK:
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Post by McFly on Oct 30, 2023 19:13:41 GMT 12
Looks to have been ZK-HKK in a previous life ( link)
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Post by McFly on Oct 30, 2023 17:04:47 GMT 12
"Ground crew of 10 (SU) bombing up RNZAF Ventura NZ4516, Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, December 1943. This aircraft was normally flown by F/Lt. Spicer of 1(BR) Squadron. Nose art: "Patua Te Ra". The Maori god Maui is brandishing a club at the rising sun, which he has caught in a net. Maui and the Sun is a traditional legend from the Maori people of New Zealand. It explains how Maui and his brothers slowed the sun's journey across the sky to make the days longer for eating, fishing, and hunting. 'Patua Te Ra' translates as 'Striking the Sun'. (Colorized by Daniel Rarity)"( Link)..
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Post by McFly on Oct 30, 2023 15:57:22 GMT 12
There's a previous thread about NZ4516 with some information here ( link).. And - Yates appears in Colin Hanson's By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999: YATES, Corporal Leslie Vincent, MM.NZ403361; Born Llanelly, Wales, 23 May 1919; RNZAF 6 Sep 1940 to 15 Sep 1945; Fitter IIA. Citation Military Medal (29 Sep 1944): Gallantry and extreme devotion to duty were displayed by this non-commissioned officer in the face of intensive enemy action over a period of two weeks at Bougainville, Solomon Islands. Although for a greater part of the time the landing strip had been evacuated of aircraft as it was in line of constant shelling from artillery attacking the Allied positions, Corporal Yates continued with his task of repairing a damaged bomber aircraft beside the strip, and even when, at one stage, all other personnel had been withdrawn for four days, he and his party carried on in an exposed position regardless of the fall of enemy shells, some of which landed sufficiently close to cause further damage to the aircraft under repair. Under his leadership repairs were eventually completed, and the aircraft later flown to base. The aircraft was Ventura NZ4516, with repairs being undertaken Mar 1944. See also E A Henrickson and D E Ohms. Errol
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Post by McFly on Oct 27, 2023 19:04:11 GMT 12
Picked off Gavin Conroy's Facebook 'Classic Aircraft Photography' page ( Link) "Mosquito NZ2308 back on its feet yesterday for the first time in decades as work continues at Avspecs Ltd. to restore this to fly, top job guys, Onward!"
(Photo Gavin Conroy)
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Post by McFly on Oct 26, 2023 11:59:43 GMT 12
Does NZ7271 still exist today? It was registered in Swaziland but not sure how many years ago that was.
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Post by McFly on Oct 24, 2023 15:19:24 GMT 12
Would Greenwood have been flying from the left or the right seat? Pilot was flying from the right seat and Observer in the left...
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Post by McFly on Oct 24, 2023 12:01:47 GMT 12
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Post by McFly on Oct 21, 2023 18:55:59 GMT 12
How about a replica Gloster Grebe? that would make a fine project, perhaps a homebuilder (the Grebe wasnt very big, and had relatively conventional construction techniques) An Armstrong Siddeney Jaguar might be a bit hard to come by, but an Ivchenko M14P would probably suffice. Both the 626 and Grebe would be ideal replica projects - great idea! Novicepilot, yes I think I was thinking of the Flycatcher, my apologies. Bruce, the Grebe would be a nifty little flyer too, and small so easy to hangar. Also they came in single and dual seaters so if you draw up a good plan other homebuilders may want to buy it and you can recoup your costs. Best of all, they only cost 2500 pounds (or at least they did when Sir Henry Wigram bought the first one for NZ).
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Post by McFly on Oct 18, 2023 7:18:14 GMT 12
Some previous posts/info on Scott... ( Link)
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Post by McFly on Oct 13, 2023 11:57:44 GMT 12
Craig Forster just reminded me that today is 30 years to the day since he and Steve Gyde ejected from the Macchi. Can you remind 'Force' that the RNZAF is still waiting for the jet he signed out and never returned to be personally recompensed via a 'Form 664B' (Stores Accounting Recovery Action)...
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Post by McFly on Oct 12, 2023 20:43:59 GMT 12
I’m trying to find out whether any US Navy ships and-or submarines visited NZ in 1953 to 1954: any information would be appreciated. "In May 1954, following a visit to Sydney for the Coral Sea celebrations, the United States aircraft carrier TARAWA, accompanied by the U.S.S. O’BANNON (destroyer), visited Wellington. This event not only created great public interest, but also brought aircraft, which, for the first time in New Zealand, broke the sound barrier. In January 1955 another United States ship visited Wellington this time a type rarely seen-the Icebreaker U.S.S. ATKA. ATKA made Wellington her final port of call before proceeding to the Antarctic where she carried out preliminary surveys in connection with the 1957 Geophysical Year." ( Link)...
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Post by McFly on Oct 12, 2023 19:56:54 GMT 12
How many RNZAF/ex-RNZAF Macchis have been lost now in crashes? Is that three? Correct - NZ6465 (wet feet), NZ6468 (gravel rash) and NZ? (rotisserie sparrow). And NZ6467 (Wheels up on touch & go - gravel rash - Apr 92), and NZ6460 (Engine failure after takeoff - gravel rash - Nov 94)..
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Post by McFly on Oct 11, 2023 7:43:29 GMT 12
This just in from Marty Fitchett. Aermacchi MB339C crash Nimes"A small two-seater Aermacchi MB339 C plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Nîmes Grande Provence Méditerranée airport, in Gard Tues 10th Oct. The two people on board managed to eject. They would only be slightly injured. They were nevertheless transported to the Nîmes University Hospital for medical examinations. The plane belongs to SDTS. This company based in Saint-Gilles, in the Gard, operates eleven aircraft, including nine Aermacchi MB339 C. These are training and ground attack aircraft, considered very maneuverable and versatile. It “benefits from solid recognized experience in the field of operational air training through Air-Air, Air-Ground or Air-Surface missions responding with the greatest realism to the requirements of the Armed Forces”, explains the company on its site, which collaborates in particular with the army. Severe disruptions to flights to and from Nîmes An outbreak of fire, which was quickly contained, required the intervention of firefighters. Airport traffic was stopped. Flights to London and Charleroi are currently delayed, as well as the arrival of the flight from Charleroi." aviation-safety.net/wikibase/346423SDTS acquired the Macchi's from Draken in 2019 - See: www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzmacchi339.htm
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Post by McFly on Oct 9, 2023 11:02:36 GMT 12
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Post by McFly on Oct 8, 2023 8:55:46 GMT 12
'Night Stalker MH-60M Black Hawk Spotted In Blue Camouflage' While we're working on dissecting the latest batch of photos from Pete Wilson, here's a pic of the latest exotic blue camouflage scheme for the Army’s 160th SOAR Black Hawks. - Norm are you a fan of this..?
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Post by McFly on Oct 7, 2023 15:09:42 GMT 12
It has been a long time since I posted about my appeal. It has had many twists and turns - and delays! I have had to resubmit it several times due to filing errors. The pandemic added another two years to the process. But now we near the end. I have finally presented all my evidence to an Appeal Hearing Officer. They have allowed me two more weeks to add to the evidence. I think I have a pretty strong circumstantial case. If anyone has anything more to add - this is the time. One of our forum members, 'Frankly', posted that he had had a mate who recalls hearing something about a 'hard' landing when we (The American Special Ops group) were here. If anyone had/has heard of something like this happening, a signed declaration to even such a vague recollection would be gold. So, can anyone add to this story? I will post on November 11 (U.S. Veteran's Day) the results of the appeal and thus give true closure to this thread. Welcome back Norm - that was a long (5 years) lunch break you took..! Was worried you had been paid a visit by a Govt vehicle with men in dark suits (G-Men) wanting to know what your interest in New Zealand was back in 1984, and perhaps sending you away for some reassimilation conditioning..? And looks like "Black Hawk Down at Whenuapai" Part 2 is spiking some additional interest and information/photos etc..
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Post by McFly on Oct 6, 2023 17:57:17 GMT 12
Canberra bomber wheel in its more natural environment...
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