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Post by suthg on Nov 30, 2013 13:38:45 GMT 12
A great range of planes in those two photos there Dave - a great couple of photos.
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Post by baz62 on Dec 1, 2013 14:24:11 GMT 12
Zooming in to the photo I see the TBF Avenger doesn't have a turret so one of the Target Tugs and I recall seeing a photo of NZ2504 at an airshow, wonder if it was this one? As seen here: NZ2504 at airshow
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 1, 2013 15:53:07 GMT 12
As well as wartime markings on at least one Corsair at that February 1947 Air Pageant I see there was also a mix of postwar markings too. Plus at least two Mosquitoes! Does this photo of the crowd with buildings behind help to identify the venue?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 1, 2013 16:10:50 GMT 12
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Post by baz62 on Dec 1, 2013 17:01:29 GMT 12
This is like an episode of CSI! Well done Dave!
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Post by shorty on Dec 1, 2013 18:07:26 GMT 12
That ties in with the Mosquito/Corsair photo I mentioned, The Corsair with the post war roundels looks to have "57" on the cowl.However the aircraft are parked in a different order with the 2 Corsairs to the port side of the Mossie.
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Post by komata on Dec 2, 2013 5:09:30 GMT 12
Do we know who the 'important people' are in the top photo? (And not a P-40 in sight..... ) Thanks
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Post by davidd on Dec 2, 2013 8:10:50 GMT 12
The fellow at the microphone LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE D G (Dan?) Sullivan, Labour Government, who had been the Minister of Supply during WW2, and a very prominent politician of the time. Could even be Walter Nash second from right, but I might be stretching recognition a bit on this one! David D
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Post by shorty on Dec 2, 2013 9:15:12 GMT 12
I would say that the Mosquito visible just behind the suits is NZ2302, based on my photo
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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 2, 2013 10:13:34 GMT 12
The fellow at the microphone LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE D G (Dan?) Sullivan, Labour Government, who had been the Minister of Supply during WW2, and a very prominent politician of the time. Could even be Walter Nash second from right, but I might be stretching recognition a bit on this one! David D This display, the first post-wr air pageant took place at New Plymouth on 22 Feb 47. Another view of the bods gathered on the microphone platform appears in Wings of Mar 47 and is captioned: Official opening of the Pageant by Hon. W. Nash; with him Mr. E. R. C. Gilmour (Mayor of New Plymouth), Hon. D. Sullivan and Messrs. H. W. Lightband and R. T. Cadwallader (president. R.N.Z.A.C.). Errol
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 2, 2013 10:18:43 GMT 12
This speaker at the event, looking for all the world like Mr Mackay from Porridge, is Mr R.T. Cadwallader, President of the RNZAC.
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Post by komata on Dec 3, 2013 15:47:51 GMT 12
Thanks Dave for the last image. It would have been nice if the photographer had focused his camera slightly to the right of Mr. Cadwallader; there's a very nice Corsair sitting there, a far more interesting item...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 3, 2013 16:50:08 GMT 12
I think that the Corsair marked 10 on the tail is the same one seen here in the late Dave Howlett's photo. He was from New Plymouth and was an ex-Corsair pilot. I reckon he was probably at this event and snapped this photo. The markings and condition look the same, as does the venue.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 3, 2013 16:54:00 GMT 12
According to adf.serials NZ5610 (coded '10') was "with the Central Fighter Establishment, Ohakea from approximately March 1946. Probably ferried to Aircraft Storage Unit, Rukuhia during April 1947." so I think this is the aircraft for sure.
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Post by shorty on Dec 4, 2013 14:01:38 GMT 12
Likewise the entry for NZ5657 is similar so it looks like the identities of three of the four aircraft is established with just one Mossie to go.
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Post by komata on Dec 5, 2013 4:43:05 GMT 12
Based on that, Dave, a Corsair was still flying in New Zealand in April 1947.
Any advance on that?
Do adf.serials give similar information for P-40's?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2013 10:13:51 GMT 12
I guess the Corsairs were kept flying here in NZ till it was decided no further pilots would go up to Japan.
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Post by ZacYates on Jan 6, 2022 21:23:07 GMT 12
So folks, any further advances on the final RNZAF Corsair and Kittyhawk flights? A fascinating subject I managed to miss entirely!
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Post by davidd on Jan 6, 2022 23:13:17 GMT 12
Referring to the recent book by Robert Montgomery ("Pacific Corsair", published by Ventura Publications 2021), and specifically a short section (pages 102, 103) titled "They simply fade away", it is noted that five refresher or conversion courses were held in New Zealand to supply replacement pilots for 14 Squadron in Japan.
The original pilots sent to Japan were, of course, given additional training at Ardmore before embarking at Auckland aboard HMS GLORY in March 1946. The five replacement courses have proved very difficult to locate details of, but most, if not all, seem to have been held at No. 1 FTS, Wigram. No. 1 commenced 14th April 1947 (no end date given); No. 2, 4th Aug - 17th October 1947; No. 3, 22nd Sept - 19th Dec 1947; No. 4 (6 pilots, including 4 from Reserve), 8th Dec 1947 - (early) 1948; No. 5, 9th February - 19th March 1948, total of six pilots (all names known).
Apparently much of their training was carried out in Harvards, and it is not clear how much, if any flying was undertaken in Corsairs. However it was noted in the 14 Squadron history that during the last months of occupation duties in Japan, a Harvard 2B (RAF aircraft) was made available to the unit for dual checks and instrument flying, and "for the training of replacement pilots". Whether this means that this Harvard was to be used in conjunction with the Corsairs already present for the full conversion training is unknown; however the February/March 1948 chaps were probably the last to be sent up from New Zealand. However I am not certain exactly when the requirement for occupation duties were cancelled, so it is possible that further replacement pilots were intended to be flown up for training in Japan. However, the last squadron members arrived back in NZ in December 1948.
The two Corsairs usually associated with postwar Wigram (the silver ships, NZ5526 and 5531) are known to have been with the CFS during this period (1946 - 1948), and I have always believed that the conversion/refresher training to meet the Japanese requirement was the reason for their presence at Wigram, but have never found hard proof for this. Perhaps one day something will show up to confirm or disprove this theory.
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 7, 2022 9:33:05 GMT 12
Is a list available of the last lot of pilots who served with No. 14 Squadron in Japan? Maybe we can find some of their logbooks. I know off the top of my head that Noel Hanna was one of them, but his logbook was burned in the barrack fire there sadly, and I suspect the same will be the case for other NCO pilots in that group.
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