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Post by davidd on Feb 26, 2024 8:54:55 GMT 12
Note that all the RNZAF Mustangs, shipped from USA in 1945, were (I think) given the "full protection" system at the North American factory prior to shipping. However also possible they were test flown at factory, then flown to an airfield adjacent to one of the East or West Coast ports, given protection treatment, then hoisted onto aircraft carrier, merchant ship or oil/fuel carrier for onward transport to final destination). The protection system used for the RNZAF Mustangs in 1945 was a type of black, shiny plastic material known as "Plastiphene" if my memory is working correctly. Many other types of new American aircraft received this treatment in USA prior to being shipped overseas, especially fighters and light bombers, also possibly used for light communications aircraft too, although fabric covered light aircraft probably crated and carried below deck. The Plastiphene was particularly suited to protecting aircraft carried as deck cargo on merchant ships, or on aircraft carriers used, literally, as aircraft-carrying aircraft carriers! The Plastiphene was left on the NZ Mustangs in storage until they were being prepared for flying from 1951/52 onwards. However RNZAF PV-1 Venturas were carried from California to Hawaii from about June 1943 onwards till August/Sept 1944 with no additional protection, and paid the price, particularly if they ran into storms.
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Post by davidd on Feb 26, 2024 8:18:19 GMT 12
Remember that the Zero (Zeke) at the Museum in Auckland was almost scrapped in the early 1950s, when this aircraft was "resting" in the long grass outside at Hobsonville, having been uceremoniously booted out of the TTS hangar, presumably on the orders of the Officer in charge of that school. Such an aircraft had very little if any lessons to offer to the young airframe and engine tradsemen passing through the school, and it was apparently considered a left over from the war, with no present value or use. It was only luck that saved the Zeke from being sold to the scrapman, when an (administrative) officer realized what was happening, and fortunately he also remembered that this aircraft had previously been promised to the as-yet unbuilt war museum, and questioned why it was being put out to grass along with a larg number of Catalinas as well as other obsolete material. A narrow squeak, it was that close. It was also noted at this time that some young airmen, seeing the strange aircraft in the long grass, wandered over to have a closer look - some were believed to have casually taking small parts of the Zeke as souvenirs, assuming that it was going to be scrapped anyway.
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Post by davidd on Feb 26, 2024 7:49:36 GMT 12
Was January 1935 a bit too early for Tiger Moths in NZ? I have a list of prewar NZ civil accidents around somewhere, but cannot lay my hands on it at the moment! I think it more likely that this was a Gipsy Moth of some kind.
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Post by davidd on Feb 24, 2024 11:04:36 GMT 12
That was my thinking too Dave (re Daniell and Paul B-L), also agree with rest of your statement.
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Post by davidd on Feb 24, 2024 9:48:31 GMT 12
The ANZUS agreement was a result of the Peace Treaty signed with Japan (in San Fransico?) in 1951, and was intended as a signal to Australia and New Zealand that America was not going to allow the Japanese dragon to arise again without there being strict controls on the type of equipment, the size and numbers of the individual Japanese forces and types of aircraft (and roles), etc., which would be allowed, along with all sorts of guarantees. At this time the Americans were more interested in shoring up the "Allied" defences all around the World as the Soviet Union and China were widely considered (by most Western nations) as the great threats of the time, while Japan was slowly but surely rising into the status of a very wealthy country, economically speaking, although of course it entirely lacked any armed forces by virtue of the agreement reached at end of WW2. However the Americans were in fact pretty keen to get the Japanese to build up fairly considerable military forces for the defence of Japan (as well as regional defence), but offensive types/roles were specifically excluded (read BOMBERS). Japan by this time was starting to appear as a dynamic economy with a large and skilled workforce, so manufacturing jet aircraft and engines (as well as warships, etc), was considered to be relatively easy for the Japanese to undertake, and would assist greatly in securing this part of the still rather troubled and unstable world - not certain whether Japan was given financial assistance with setting up these production lines or not, but it was no surprise that only American aircraft types were put into production. Must say I was surprised to see the British Vampire mentioned! Japan of course was soon considered almost an international superpower so far as its economy was concerned. At about the same time as the build up of the new armed forces in Japan, Germany was also being urged to rapidly build up its armed forces for pretty much the same reasons, but in Europe. Again, defensive type equipment (whatever that might be!) was strongly emphasised.
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Post by davidd on Feb 24, 2024 9:20:21 GMT 12
Well spotted Dave!
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Post by davidd on Feb 24, 2024 9:16:37 GMT 12
Heroic rescue with VERY improvised equipment, but pulling in an exhausted swimmer with a sort of "Indian rope trick" manoeuvre may have been a step too far! Still, a very ingeneous attempt, and it was a true tragedy that one of the main instigators of the rescue should have died as a consequence. The sea has always managed to harvest a good crop of humans aound New Zealand every year without fail.
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Post by davidd on Feb 24, 2024 9:04:46 GMT 12
75 Squadron was never a Territorial Squadron, so that part shoud be removed from this question right now! Seems like people of little knowledge and/or great aspirations getting everything mixed up in a regular dogs' breakfast to me. I would tend to agree with ErrolC.
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Post by davidd on Feb 21, 2024 7:37:51 GMT 12
The (three) Zeros seen at Jacquinot Bay were the later model 52s; the one now in the Museum came from south Bougainville by ship.
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Post by davidd on Feb 12, 2024 14:20:07 GMT 12
After his unfortunate experience at Ardmore, Warren Hart was shipped to Europe, and ended up being posted to a Tempest Squadron with the 2nd Tactical Air Force, on the Continent. This just happened to be 486 (RNZAF) Squadron, date of posting in from 83 GSU being 5/4/45 (almost a month prior to VE-Day), along with two other new NZ pilots. 486 Sqdn was stationed at RAF airfield B80/Volkel (Holland) at this time, but the squadron moved to Germany on 10th and 11th April, to Hopsten (?) Between 10th and 13th April, Hart flew six operational sorties, all listed as "standing patrols". Whilst engaged on the last of these patrols, Hart was unfortunate to suffer a forced landing in his Tempest in British territory, due to petrol shortage "and possible oil leak", and was admitted to No. 25 General Hospital on same date. He was transferred to No. 8 (Br) General Hospital the following day, and evacuated by air to UK on 21st April. Following his discharge from hospital, posted again to 83 GSU on 22/6/45, and thence to 407? Sqdn on 12/7/45, thence to 33 PRC (2 Wing) on 21/7/45. Ceased attachment to RAF w.e.f. 4/1/46, disembarked NZ (2 PDT, Wellington) on 10/1/46, to Southern NEP [Cat 17] (at Wigram) same date, transferred to Reserve, Class A, Section I 10/3/46, relinquished RNZAF temporary commission 31/7/47. Enlisted in RAF w.e.f. 28/10/47, (from 9 PDC to 12 RNZAF PDC), embarked for UK for second time 31/10/47, presume served in RAF as pilot (in rank of Pilot I?) Discharged from RAF w.e.f. 3/2/51; enlisted in RNZAF General Reserve (SRW) 4/2/51, as Pilot P1 4/2/51, seniority 24/6/49, discharged from RNZAF General Reserve 3/2/55. "Entitled to wear ribbons of 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939/45, and NZ War Service Medal, 1939/45.
Postwar he eventually became a topdressing pilot with his own aircraft, and just happened to be the first pilot to land at a brand new (and quite high) topdressing strip on Banks Peninsula in about 1959, alongside the main summit road between the Hilltop Hotel and rest of the "Eastern Bays" as they were called. The farm on which the new strip was located just happened to belong to Ivan Charles Duxbury, my late father. The strip is probably still available for use by topdressing aircraft, although it is now owned by another farmer, who lives just above Duvauchelle. Aircraft was a Piper Super Cub, complete with sign-written company titles painted on the fuselage in white, "Harts Aerial Topdressing Ltd" if I remember correctly (There exists a single colour slide of this aircraft on the strip, at this time.) I am also fairly certain that this aircraft's registration letters were only applied in very small letters on the vertical tail surfaces.
The date of Hart's departure from NZ to the UK was 23rd August 1944, ex Port Chalmers, with just two RNZAF personnel aboard, the other being A F Howse (See Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrw, Vol III, page 615). Hart served briefly in RNZAF Figher squadrons after completing his fighter training at Ohakea with 2 OTU on about 16/2/44, thence to 16 Squadron at Ardmore on 17/2/44, and to 20 Sqdn (also at Ardmore) 25/2/44, finally posted to "No-effective Pool" on on 12/4/44, thence to 1 SFTS at Wigram, just 6 days later. This summary of his flying career is thought to be fairly accurate, although there are bound to be a few errors and puzzles remaining to be solved.
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Post by davidd on Feb 12, 2024 10:57:02 GMT 12
"Unknown" officer in front row is, I believe, Air Commodore G S Hodson. And on 2nd row, to left of Cohen, stands (I believe) "Mac" Calder. In 2nd to back row, think that is I R (Ian) Morrison (later CAS of RNZAF, 1960s), probably 5th from left, although 3rd from left looks like him too! There exist several photographs showing members of the various wartime COs conferences, and some of these may have more complete identification of the individuals.
Vincent "ceased attachment to RNZAF" and departed NZ for the UK on 10th April, 1943 (by air or ship?). He had arrived in New Zealand (presume by ship?) on 18th June 1942, so in NZ for about 9 months. Possible that his RAF number was 09109.
So far as I can tell, Vincent was attached to Air HQ (Wellington) from 18th June 1942, "for Air Staff duties". He was appointed Assistant CAS 13/7 - 26/8/42, then Acting CAS "during temporary absence overseas of Air Commodore R V Goddard, 27/8 - 9/10/42", and finally as "Deputy CAS and Member of Air Board from 10/10/42." Goddard's visit overseas was to the USA, and was for the purpose of setting up the Lend-Lease arrangements (Mutual Aid) between NZ and the USA, with this culminating in the signing of the agreement in Washington, in early September 1942. I think the NZ politician Walter Nash, would also have been present for this important meeting.
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Post by davidd on Feb 11, 2024 9:57:15 GMT 12
Fantastic commentary/detailed explanations and photography from Denys, I think we can say that he (and this inherently includes the vast collective knowledge of his varied team) has definitely (and over a very long period) become quite the experts on the vagaries of the collection of aircraft under their care. Also noticing that fine looking Marstrand tyre on the tailwheel in last image. I was also very impressed with the Mosquito tail cone in my days at Ferrymead (and at Pigeon Bay), and could not but help thinking even then that it would have been made out of different materials if built in another age, although even in wood it was a masterpiece of fabrication.
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Post by davidd on Feb 11, 2024 9:41:42 GMT 12
The second to last sentence of the article really does not make any sense. If the first part of this sentence were changed to read: "Early in the war he served in Singapore, Sumatra" (etc.), which would greatly improve veracity of the article. Incidentally his full name was Stanley Flamank VINCENT, DFC, AFC, and his seniority in rank of Group Captain (as at January 1943) was 1st June 1942. He was attached to RNZAF on 18/6/42 in acting rank of Air Commodore, promoted to rank of Air Commodore w.e.f. 1/6/42. He had earlier been promoted to Wing Commander w.e.f. 1/1/37, thence to Group Captain w.e.f. 1/3/40.
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Post by davidd on Feb 10, 2024 17:53:33 GMT 12
Wow, a great feast Grant, thanks for all your efforts in allowing us stay-at-homes to see modern views of so many of the old sitas as they now are, saves us a lot of walking.
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Post by davidd on Feb 10, 2024 15:53:31 GMT 12
I imagine that most forumites will have gathered that the two views of the "spit" are taken from opposite directions! Incidentally there ARE some permanent human inhabitants on the "spit", although they are all nestled together on the seaward side at the eastern end, in a long-standing settlement usually known as Birdlings Flat. Or they WERE there when I visted a year or two ago - perhaps things have changed since? This settlement would be in top photograph on extreme right-hand side, but is too distant to show on this image. There may be some basic "fisher folk" cabins on the western end of the spit, but perhaps this also out of date? Incidentally the wartime RNZAF airfield and buildings can just be seen on lower (b&w) photograph, near road on LH side, approximately on horizontal out line from the "1500" and "F/8?" annotations on the margin. Could even be a gaggle of aircraft on field (maybe Oxfords?)
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Post by davidd on Feb 8, 2024 20:26:27 GMT 12
Should that number be 2194?
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Post by davidd on Feb 5, 2024 14:15:50 GMT 12
Earliest RAAF (or RAN for that matter) aircraft to appear in NZ was a Supermarine Seagull III amphibian, about 1929/30 (?) which landed at Wigram from one of Australia's cruisers after combined exercises in NZ waters I think. The crew (of 3?) of this aircraft all left their signatures at the "Bush Inn" (watering hole for NZPAF/RNZAF officers in Upper Riccarton) and their visitors. The aircraft was duly photographed at Wigram. I don't think any more Australian aircraft were seen in New Zealand until AFTER WW2 (although it is possible that the odd Lancaster, Dakota or Catalina did visit during war). Postwar visitors were more common, with at least one amphibious Catalina at Wigram (1948?) from McQuarries Island, also Lincolns escorting first group of ex-RAAF Mosquitos to NZ in 1946, and through 1950s and 1960s there was a steady procession of Canberras (including 1953 Air Race ones), Lincolns and Dakotas from East Sale (School of Air Navigation), and later also Neptunes and some of their early (C-130A) Hercules. There were also Naval visits with aircraft carriers potwar, such as Gannets, Sea Venoms, and some helicopters including Bristol Sycamores (only ones to come to NZ?), maybe also Fairey Fireflys? Also late in WW2 (or just after) we had a visit from an RAAF Liberator or two. This list simply assembled from memory, so bound to be others to be flushed out. During WW2 we almost certainly hosted RAN Walrus aircraft aboard our, as well as Australian cruisers - they tended to be swapped between Commonwealth cruisers with very little comment - although they eventually had to be returned to the proper owners, especially if the respective navies carried out a census of all their aircraft.
Of course we saw plenty of visits from RAAF Caribous and F-111s as well as Hercules and Orions from the 1970s onwards, on routine exercises, as well as HS 748s (which had replaced the Dakotas at East Sale) and those Mirages IIIs. Probably also VIP Viscounts and Convairs?
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Post by davidd on Feb 5, 2024 13:29:27 GMT 12
Does the Geneva Convention not have something to say about hurling nuclear weapons about promiscuously? Or don't they even express an opinion?
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Post by davidd on Feb 1, 2024 18:14:51 GMT 12
Can't see those wingtip fences, are they they very small ones?
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Post by davidd on Jan 30, 2024 12:08:31 GMT 12
I was scratching my head, wondering what an Il-16 was, I knew of no such Ilyushin, then the penny dropped! Fat fingers! Have suffered from that throughout my life too. And were there really hordes of hastily trained Luftwaffe pilots sent to fight the skilled Russians on Eastern front? Always thought it was the other way around, at least in first year of that war.
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