Wartime aircraft with nicknames and identities

[Dave Homewood]

[Dave Homewood]

I just found a feature article on No. 485 Squadron which shows that the Spitfire V known as AUCKLAND IV was also known as LUCY IV. I don't think I have seen that before. The fill article is here paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/new-zealand-herald/1941/10/25/13 but below are the photos with LUCY IV.

[smithy]

Howard Hill's Spit R6616 was named Gwen as I think I may have told you Dave. I have two photos which I'll try and scan for this thread.

[Dave Homewood]

Here's an angle on AUCKLAND V (REMUERA). Does anyone recognise the crest? From the NZ Herald on the 13th of June 1942:

[smithy]

Nov 5, 2018 20:45:45 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Here's an angle on AUCKLAND V (REMUERA). Does anyone recognise the crest? From the NZ Herald on the 13th of June 1942:

Dave, that's AD114 (coded OU-Q), Jack Rae's regular mount at the time. The crest is meant to be the coat of arms of Auckland Grammar (Jack's old school) although it's not entirely accurately drawn. Remuera was the suburb that Jack grew up in as well.

AD114 is thought to have been initially allotted the presentation name EXONIAN IV but subsequently was allotted AUCKLAND II and V. She also carried the name "Peggy" for a period, Peggy being Jack's girlfriend at the time. Peggy is actually present in this image in the scroll above the Grammar coat of arms although the quality of this image is pretty poor so it's rather indistinct.

[Dave Homewood]

Someone should put out a decal sheet with all the interesting No. 485 (NZ) Squadron Spitfires on it.

[smithy]

They have Dave. DK Decals, a Czech outfit, released a 485 Sqn sheet in 1/72 a couple of years back. I used it for Doug Brown's Spit Vb which I posted here awhile back. The only problem with the sheet is that the research is a bit iffy to say the least, especially for the Spit Is, IIs and Vs so there's a lot of schemes which aren't correct. For example Doug's plane on the sheet has the wrong serial number and incorrect fuselage and underwing roundels. Saying that the sheet is great for the nose art decals, presentation names and that type of thing but anyone wanting to be accurate needs to do a bit of research first and not rely upon the DK Decals sheet.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Tim, I did not know about that sheet.

[AussieBob]

FWIW from the Czech website www.dkdecals.cz/

[johnnyfalcon]

That would make a neat Bar wall poster

[Dave Homewood]

A newly discovered No. 4 Servicing Unit nickname, P-40N NZ3145 - 'T' was known as "Taieri".

[chook]

First time posting anything with flickr -heres hoping...

I believe this is NZ3120 J - credit to Ray Archibald 18 squadron

www.flickr.com/photos/169620854@N04/shares/H92nZW

[chook]

Hopefully the link can be followed - BTW Alan Walker is the Pilot on the wing

[Dave Homewood]

That's brilliant! In fact it's Shit Hot! Thanks for posting!!

[davidd]

That photo of 4 SU's P-40 "J" is DEFINITELY NOT NZ3120, which was a P-40N-1 with the early type canopy. Dirty work at the crossroads, so does anybody know the real identity? I have no idea.
David D

[chook]

Oops sorry, I used the reference on the serials thread and should have been more diligent. I'll dig around for any other J photo.

[davidd]

Easily done chook, identification of aircraft by serial with no visible serial is a black art indeed. Keep the BS detecting radar apparatus switched on at all times - 4 SU has caused a lot of trouble, as they were the only overseas SU which used letters for tactical identification, and naturally they used the same letters again and again - there are only 26 letters, and they didn't use all of them by any stretch. Apart from the initial group flown up to the Pacific Island in September/Oct 1943, very few of their aircraft serial number/code letter combinations have been identified, excepting those lost in combat (and that depends on whether the letter was shown in the ORB), or sometimes thoughtfully recorded by a pilot in their logbook as noted by Dave H recently. Some others were recorded by a member of ground-staff who thought this might prove of interest to folks like us 70 years later!
David D

[chook]

Thanks David - A good lesson! Concur re the multiple use of letters - maybe this is the correct 3120 - sadly no nickname.

[djm]

The crew in the photograph pasted onto the Stirling photograph are not correctly identified. My uncle William James Anderson was a member of the crew with Ben Dallenger and I have a number of photographs of the crew of Stirling W7569 MG D wish crashed on the 16/17 September 1942. In the photograph of "Ben Dallenger on the engine of a Stirling with the "Tiki" the date is given as 1943 - Ben was killed on 16/17 September 1942.

[pjw4118]

Thanks Dennis , I will be in touch.