No. 6 Squadron - Vildebeests?

[Dave Homewood]

I know that Wikipedia can be wrong, but i have to check this out. This link on No. 6 Squadron RNZAF states that the squadron formed with Vickers Vildebeests

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._6_Squadron_RNZAF

I have always understood that No. 6 Sqn was an Army Co-op Sqn and formed around Hawker Hinds. It then changed it's title to No. 21 AC Sqn or something (maybe 20, maybe 22, there were three of them, can't recall, not the point)

But did they really have Vildebeests (or Vincents) beore being equipped with the Hinds? If they did, that would mean they were probably a GR and not an AC Sqn first, and I'd have to inculde them in my book.

Any firm evidence out there?

[corsair67]

Dave, I had a quick look through "Portrait of an Air Force" today, and from what I could see it only mentions Hinds.

When did 6 SQN move onto Catalinas? Maybe they used Vildebeests before the Cats?

[Dave Homewood]

As far as my limited knowledge on 6 Sqn goes, they reformed in Fiji to become a Flying Boat Squadron, and at the time had no aircraft because the Catalinas were delayed. The ex-5 Sqn Singapores that could still fly were pressed back into service for a couple of months to cover the gap.

But there were, to my knowledge, no Vildebeests in Fiji. I think only Vincents were taken there, flying with No.s 4 and 5 GR Sqns. If anyone can disprove this I'd like to hear.

Maybe 6 Sqn did use some Vincents in that stopgap period. That is a possibility I guess. But I think realistically Wikipedia has got it wrong.

I mean on the same page it states that No. 5 Sqn moved to Fiji with Singapores and Vincents. Actually No. 5 (GR) Squadron formed at Fiji around three Singapores and flew for some time before it was redesignated an (AC) Sqn, and the Vincents joined the Sqn. It was then redesignated again but the same two types remained. So there is an innacurracy just there.

Sadly very few books mention the Hind operations in RNZAF service. 'Beckoning Skies' by Bryan Young gives a great account of them as trainers at No. 3 SFTS, Ohakea, but I've yet to find a good account of them in Army Co-op Sqn service. I wish each squadron had had an official history written, like all the Army battalions did.

[corsair67]

I noticed the book mentioned 7 SQN had Vincents and Vildebeests, so maybe that's where Wikipedia got confused?

I agree about the Squadron histories too. Were there official histories written about the RNZAF in general?

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, some very good ones. Hugely expensive to buy second hand, but luckily for us most were put online by the Governemt last year, and they're free and easy to search.

This is all the WWII Official Histories online so far
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-corpus-WH2.html

There are other non-WWII histories also online
But for our purposes the best are

New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. I)
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1RAF.html

New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. II)
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2RAF.html

and
New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. III)
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-3RAF.html

Plus this one is about RNZAF in general
Royal New Zealand Air Force
www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2AirF.html

There are other useful books like The home Front I and II, War Economy, even the Dental and Medical ones have RNZAF stuff. The search function searches all books. There were some smaller Official histories put out like "Assault On Rabaul" I have a photocopy of that one) and one on the NZ'ers flying in the Battle of the Atlantic etc too, which are not yet online.

Sqns that used the Vincent and Vilde were No.s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 plus the various schools. Never found a reference to No. 6 Sqn using them at all.

[corsair67]

That's great, Dave: I will have to have a bit of a look at those sites over the Chrissie break.

I do faintly recall that my High School library had some NZ official military history books gathering dust in the Reference stack somewhere, but they all looked a bit too hefty to try and read during lunch breaks! I think they'd been donated to the school at some stage.

[Dave Homewood]

Oh, and some squadrons have had non-official or semi official histories written.

No. 1 Sqn is covered in 'A Long patrol' by James Sanders, covering the Sqn from 1930-1984

No. 6 Sqn apparently had a book written years ago which was never published, and I know a lady who's Dad was writing another history as he'd been a Catalina pilot, but he died before he finished it., So she has loads on the Catalinas (should ask her about the Sqn's early days but I don't know if he covered Hinds at Milson)

75 Sqn was done by Norman Franks but I hear it has lots of mistakes. A more complete history is soon to be published by Colin Hanson (who did the fantastic medal book By Such Deeds)

485 Sqn is covered by Kevin Wells in his book

486 Sqn has been done really well by Paul Sortehaug, big book (too expensive for me sadly)

488 Sqn was done in 1949 by Leslie Hunt in Defence Until Dawn. Les Hunt was the sqn's Intelligence officer, and he went on to write a lot on warbirds and aviation, compiling the first aircraft survivors guides in Britain. Doesn't cover the Singapore days though, but I believe this has been covered well in Buffaloes Over Singapore

489 Sqn was covered unofficially by Don Tunnecliffe in his autobiographical book From Bunnies To Beaufighters

Another unit history, unofficial, is the book Singapore Harriers by Frank someone which covers No. 1 Aerodrome Construction Sqn. The book is ammature, photocopied, but fascinating and the photos priceless. A pity it wasn't published properly as the photos are poorly presented. He's dead now. I hope the RNZAF Museum got his original photos.

Any I've missed???

[Dave Homewood]

Most libraries, schools and otherwise, have some of the Official histories. But it's so much easier to read them online, and to search them. Great innitiative by the Govt to do this.