Vincents in the Pacific !!

[Dave Homewood]

Did you know that while plannign was going on by the Allies to attack Guadalcanal, the US was short of aircraft. The RNZAF had no units in the Pacific at the time except on Fiji, where Vincents were being operated by No. 4 GR Squadron.

Rear Admiral McCain (Commander Air, South Pacific) requested the RNZAF to send six Vincents to New Caledionia to carry out patrols!!

He mustn't have been aware of what exactly a Vincent was or something. That was practically sending them to the front line. The RNZAF decided to send Hudsons instead and that was when our activity in the Pacific Forward Area began.

I doubt Vincents would have lasted too long up there - even the Huddy's had to mix it with the Japs and some were shot down.

[turboNZ]

I think the Japs would have laughed at us so hard for bringing Vinnies out to action that would have crashed themselves !!!! ;D

TNZ

[Tony]

Don't forget they had already crossed swords with Vildebeeste in the Malayan/Singapore campaign