spiderw
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 5
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Post by spiderw on Jun 28, 2006 21:08:07 GMT 12
I've just joined and am keen to find out as much as I can about RNZAF 490 squadron. My late father flew with the squadron out of Jui.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 28, 2006 22:58:15 GMT 12
Welcome spiderw This squadron is perhaps one of the least known about of all RNZAF squadrons, it just seldom gets a mention. There's a tiny amount of detail here www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2RAF-b3-7.htmland photo here www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/WH2-2Epi-fig-WH2-2Epi-a016a.htmlplus there is mention of the squadron here www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2RAF-c15.htmlI assume there must be a chapter at least in Paul harrison and Brian lockstone's book 'New Zealand Flying Boats'? I'm not sure as I don't have a copy, but it must include the squadron, surely? There was also a good article in a 1980's-90's NZ Wings magazine about 490 Squadron I recall, which mentions how they got their motto, etc. What did your father do? Was he a pilot or another member of the aircrew? I wish I knew more to try to assist you. Has anyone else got ideas? One thought, there used to be a group who met every year at Hobsonville (called the Hobsonville Old Boys from memory). They were all flying boat veterans of the wartime RNZAF. No doubt some of them served at Jui before transferring home to No.'s 5 and 6 Squadron, or the Flying Boat Transport Flight. I wonder if any of them are still around, and if they still meet up?
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spiderw
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 5
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Post by spiderw on Jun 29, 2006 18:09:42 GMT 12
Thanks for that. Dad was a Flying Officer and flew both Catalinas and Sunderlands out of Jui. He used to say it was long tedious flying over huge stretches of the Atlantic trying to find convoys and then frighten off U-Boats which they could never see !!
Apparently Jui was a hell hole - a steamy swamp !! Dad's relaxation was having a vege garden outside the Mess !!
he also said they did scuttle most of the aircraft there after VE day.
Grateful for any comments or help
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Post by davidhay on Feb 20, 2007 9:00:51 GMT 12
Can anyone tell me how to link up with relatives of Wing Commander McGregor Turnbull of the RNZAF? I am writing a biography about Sir Alister Hardy FRS who was professor of zoology at Oxford University between 1946 and 1961. He had family connections with the McGregor Turnbull family in Glasgow, Scotland but I am finding it very difficult to get any more information. I am wondering if the Wing Commander is connected with the Glasgow branch of the family?
Dr David Hay Aberdeen University Scotland
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 20, 2007 19:16:39 GMT 12
Welcome David. I'm afraid i have never heard of Wing Commander McGregor Turnbull. Was that two surnames, or was McGregor his first name? Have you any further details? All I can recommend to you is to contact the RNZAF Museum at info@airforcemuseum.co.nz or perhaps post a message to the RAF Commands forum www.rafcommands.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=DCForumID6&conf=DCConfID1That is if you haven't already. Sorry I cannot be more use to you. Cheers Dave
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Post by davidhay on Feb 21, 2007 17:40:22 GMT 12
Dear Dave,
Thank you for your reply. I have a little more information about McGregor-Turnbull. He was a Squadron Leader, not a Wing Commander and by the look of the hyphen I guess that is his surname:
Re: RNZAF Stations Web Update Post by sean on Jun 16, 2006, 11:30am
RNZAF Station Delta - Commanding Officers
“Station Masters” 07 Jun 43 SQNLDR McGregor-Turnbull 03 Nov 43 WGCDR FA Swoffer MBE WGCDR SL Gilkison WGCDR IE Rawnsley MBE
Does anyone recognize him? If so, any information would be welcome.
David Hay
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 21, 2007 18:28:53 GMT 12
Cheers David,
Now I see where you're coming from. He may well have been an RAF officer, some of our station commanders were from Britain on secondment. I think your best bet is contact the RNZAF Museum. Theyre a helpful bunch and they should have something there about him, being a station commander.
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Post by supercoops on Jan 27, 2009 0:20:18 GMT 12
Hi I am a keen modeller and either make or collect models of NZ WW11 Airforce planes. Although I have tried to research on the internet I have not found any photos of 488 Sqn Beaufighters and their colour schemes. I was wondering if you could advise me as to where I could see these or obtain so I can make up a model. Thanks. Supercoops
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A4k
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by A4k on May 11, 2009 19:26:32 GMT 12
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Post by lancelink on Apr 13, 2010 22:20:27 GMT 12
"The underground emergency opps centre for RNZAF Whenuapai Station ww2... where approx was it located in comparison with today?" New to the board but might be able to help with this. After leaving the Air Force, I was working on the MOW on Whenuapai in 1975/76 and one job we were doing was to clear some scrub from a grass area between the side road on the left, Toroa cr, going from the main gate and the MOW compound. One of the boys fell down through some rotten timber,covered in dirt, onto a set of stairs that led into a concrete installation, we just filled up the hole and carried on cutting the scrub down and regrassed the area I f you have Google Earth, the attachment is the general area, cheers, Lance Attachments:
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 13, 2010 22:58:58 GMT 12
Welcome Lancelink. It would be neat if an archeology group could dig around and get into the bunker.
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Post by lancelink on Apr 14, 2010 22:56:27 GMT 12
Apparently there was a tunnel from there to the Command and Staff College building, but don't if anything led off in another direction
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Post by lancelink on Apr 16, 2010 18:04:24 GMT 12
Also over by the Golf Club on Kauri Rd, the scrub there is covering a lot of old crash wreckage that was pushed off the airfeild and covered in dirt, home to many rabbits now, cheers
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Post by oggie2620 on Dec 6, 2010 6:50:18 GMT 12
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grw1
Sergeant
Posts: 12
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Post by grw1 on Jun 14, 2011 9:05:41 GMT 12
can anyone steer me to this:-
There was also a good article in a 1980's-90's NZ Wings magazine about 490 Squadron I recall, which mentions how they got their motto, etc.
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