Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 27, 2011 22:43:03 GMT 12
This interesting article reminds me of something that a Corsair pilot told me last year, that he and his squadron members had been sent to New Guinea to pick up and ferry US Hellcats. This however is RNZAF Corsair pilots ferrying US Corsairs form the Americans to forward bases. I did not know that the RNZAF had gotten up as far as the Phillipines, very interesting.
Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 11, 13 January 1945, Page 8
BUSTLE ON LEYTE
AMAZING SCENE
BATTLE RUSH OF PLANES
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC, Jan. 12
A description of the incredible activity on Tacloban airfield, Leyte, which confronted the New Zeaand pilots when they arrived over the runway in the American Corsairs they were flying to the island, was given by Squadron Leader J. J. de Willimoff, D.F.C., of Auckland, in an interview on his return to the New Zealand base. At that time Leyte was completely in the hands of the Americans; the initial attack on Mindoro had been made three days before, and Luzon was being heavily bombarded by United States carrier-based aircraft.
The scene on the ground surpassed anything the New Zealand pilots had ever witnessed, said the squadron leader. Fighters arid bombers were taking off at either end of the runway, according to instructions wereiced from the control tower. There was no time for the machines to make long taxi runs into take-off positions. At each, end of the strip dense clouds of dust were rising where the ground had been torn up by the constant pounding of wheels. Aircraft of all types were coming in, taking off, and taxi-ing. All the time, the control tower was repeating its instruction to keep rolling.
"Our chaps weren't used to landing in these conditions, but they brought down their aircraft without any' trouble," said Squadron Leader de Willimoff. "As each machine landed it had to taxi flat out and dive into the nearest parking area or it would be struck by the one coming in behind."
So fast were events moving on Leyte that the scene was one of unflagging activity. Aircraft which crashed or became damaged were pushed to the side of the strip by a bulldozer and left there. Others took their place. The demands of war left no time for attention to' repairs until the pace slackened.
LONG FLIGHT DESCRIBED.
Describing the flight, Squadron Leader de Willimoff said that all went well on the first day until the pilots ran into bad weather extending north across their route. A towering tropical "front" 25,000 feet high and extending right down to the sea checked their progress, and they were forced to stay at their first staging point. There they remained for the rest of the day and all the next day. The following morning they were able to take off on the second leg of the journey, on which one aircraft turned back with hydraulic trouble. Here, too, they were delayed for two days by bad weather.
"The last two legs of the journey were completed in one day," the squadron leader continued. "We flew on to the last staging point, where we refuelled before leaving on the final hop to Leyte., Flying Officer Mclntosh had turned back with hydraulic trouble, and we were only six strong when we reached the last staging point. Here, however, we were joined by more American Corsairs, which were also going into service in the Philippines."
At Leyte the New Zealand pilots were accommodated in an old Japanese ; barn which was being used as a transport shed. A truck was driven in and the headlights provided lighting. The men carried their own blankets and mosquito nets. The conditions were rough, for this was the centre of the battle area. There was an air raid that night by the enemy, but the men were so exhausted by their long tedious flight across the Pacific that most of them did not even wake. Those who did were too tired to do anything about it, and promptly went off to sleep again.
HOSPITALITY OF AMERICANS.
"Throughout our trip we received the greatest hospitality from the Americans," said Squadron Leader de Willimoff: "They seemed pleased to see us and our New Zealand shoulder flashes were a passport to every place in the islands we called at. The Americans spoke of their respect for the New Zealand'pilots and expressed the hope that they would have our squadrons fighting with them in the Philippines before long."
The squadron leader met several American pilots who had been at Munda, Ondonga, and Guadalcanal when he was there in the early days of the Pacific war and he found pleasure in renewing old acquaintances. He also talked with a pilot who had taken part in the recent engagement in the Philippines when 17 out of 19 Japanese ships were destroyed and sunk. The pilot was one of eight Corsair pilots who attacked a large enemy convoy carrying thousands of Japanese troops. Strafing as they dived, the Corsairs blasted and pounded a ship with 1000lb bombs until they saw it come up a shattered wreck, roll over on its side, and sink. Only two of the vessels survived the grim battle and they limped away from the scene of the conflict.
The New Zealand pilots arrived on Leyte three days after the first American landing on Mindoro. The aircraft they ferried would have been used for the initial attacks if the weather had not delayed their arrival. Air combat over Leyte itself had practically disappeared and interest was mainly centred around Mindoro, and on Luzon which the Third Fleet was attacking with carrier-based aircraft.
Leyte was rather different to the Islands further to the south-east, where New Zealand squadrons were operating, said Squadron Leader de Willimoff. It was more civilised; there was less jungle and the ground in some places had the appearance of being cultivated. There were several areas of flat countryside, too, but over it all was the devastating mark of war. There was a town at Tacloban, a few miles from the strip. It was a fair sized town, bigger than Noumea in New Caledonia, but like all towns that have been the scene of bitter fighting it was war-scarred and deserted—a ghost town.
Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 11, 13 January 1945, Page 8
BUSTLE ON LEYTE
AMAZING SCENE
BATTLE RUSH OF PLANES
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC, Jan. 12
A description of the incredible activity on Tacloban airfield, Leyte, which confronted the New Zeaand pilots when they arrived over the runway in the American Corsairs they were flying to the island, was given by Squadron Leader J. J. de Willimoff, D.F.C., of Auckland, in an interview on his return to the New Zealand base. At that time Leyte was completely in the hands of the Americans; the initial attack on Mindoro had been made three days before, and Luzon was being heavily bombarded by United States carrier-based aircraft.
The scene on the ground surpassed anything the New Zealand pilots had ever witnessed, said the squadron leader. Fighters arid bombers were taking off at either end of the runway, according to instructions wereiced from the control tower. There was no time for the machines to make long taxi runs into take-off positions. At each, end of the strip dense clouds of dust were rising where the ground had been torn up by the constant pounding of wheels. Aircraft of all types were coming in, taking off, and taxi-ing. All the time, the control tower was repeating its instruction to keep rolling.
"Our chaps weren't used to landing in these conditions, but they brought down their aircraft without any' trouble," said Squadron Leader de Willimoff. "As each machine landed it had to taxi flat out and dive into the nearest parking area or it would be struck by the one coming in behind."
So fast were events moving on Leyte that the scene was one of unflagging activity. Aircraft which crashed or became damaged were pushed to the side of the strip by a bulldozer and left there. Others took their place. The demands of war left no time for attention to' repairs until the pace slackened.
LONG FLIGHT DESCRIBED.
Describing the flight, Squadron Leader de Willimoff said that all went well on the first day until the pilots ran into bad weather extending north across their route. A towering tropical "front" 25,000 feet high and extending right down to the sea checked their progress, and they were forced to stay at their first staging point. There they remained for the rest of the day and all the next day. The following morning they were able to take off on the second leg of the journey, on which one aircraft turned back with hydraulic trouble. Here, too, they were delayed for two days by bad weather.
"The last two legs of the journey were completed in one day," the squadron leader continued. "We flew on to the last staging point, where we refuelled before leaving on the final hop to Leyte., Flying Officer Mclntosh had turned back with hydraulic trouble, and we were only six strong when we reached the last staging point. Here, however, we were joined by more American Corsairs, which were also going into service in the Philippines."
At Leyte the New Zealand pilots were accommodated in an old Japanese ; barn which was being used as a transport shed. A truck was driven in and the headlights provided lighting. The men carried their own blankets and mosquito nets. The conditions were rough, for this was the centre of the battle area. There was an air raid that night by the enemy, but the men were so exhausted by their long tedious flight across the Pacific that most of them did not even wake. Those who did were too tired to do anything about it, and promptly went off to sleep again.
HOSPITALITY OF AMERICANS.
"Throughout our trip we received the greatest hospitality from the Americans," said Squadron Leader de Willimoff: "They seemed pleased to see us and our New Zealand shoulder flashes were a passport to every place in the islands we called at. The Americans spoke of their respect for the New Zealand'pilots and expressed the hope that they would have our squadrons fighting with them in the Philippines before long."
The squadron leader met several American pilots who had been at Munda, Ondonga, and Guadalcanal when he was there in the early days of the Pacific war and he found pleasure in renewing old acquaintances. He also talked with a pilot who had taken part in the recent engagement in the Philippines when 17 out of 19 Japanese ships were destroyed and sunk. The pilot was one of eight Corsair pilots who attacked a large enemy convoy carrying thousands of Japanese troops. Strafing as they dived, the Corsairs blasted and pounded a ship with 1000lb bombs until they saw it come up a shattered wreck, roll over on its side, and sink. Only two of the vessels survived the grim battle and they limped away from the scene of the conflict.
The New Zealand pilots arrived on Leyte three days after the first American landing on Mindoro. The aircraft they ferried would have been used for the initial attacks if the weather had not delayed their arrival. Air combat over Leyte itself had practically disappeared and interest was mainly centred around Mindoro, and on Luzon which the Third Fleet was attacking with carrier-based aircraft.
Leyte was rather different to the Islands further to the south-east, where New Zealand squadrons were operating, said Squadron Leader de Willimoff. It was more civilised; there was less jungle and the ground in some places had the appearance of being cultivated. There were several areas of flat countryside, too, but over it all was the devastating mark of war. There was a town at Tacloban, a few miles from the strip. It was a fair sized town, bigger than Noumea in New Caledonia, but like all towns that have been the scene of bitter fighting it was war-scarred and deserted—a ghost town.