RNZAF P-40's with names

[Dave Homewood]

Some of the RNZAF's P-40 Kittyhawks received nose-art names. The most famous of course would ne Geoff Fisken's "Wairarapa Wildcat" (NZ3072).

Others almost as well known were NZ3007 HQ-A 'MAGNOLIA MUFFLEWORT' and NZ3008 HQ-B 'UMSLOPOGAAS'.

All three of the above P-40E's served with 14 Squadron in its early days.

Also well known are the three P-40's that wore the Gloria Lyons artwork.

However some 1994 editions of NZ Wings unearthed potos of some more obscure names on RNZAF P-40's, and after some deliberation it was suggested by David Duxbury that they were probably P-40N-20's serving with No. 4 Servicing Unit sometime after the 23rd of March 1944.

They were:

NZ3??? A “TAURANGARURU”
NZ3??? D “DANGA”
NZ3??? F “Flora Ann”
NZ3??? I “TWO TIMER”
NZ3??? P “PADDY THE RIP”
NZ3??? “He Ho’u”
NZ3??? “KOHIMARAMA VII”

As you can see I don't know their RNZAF serial codes, and I wondered if anyone out there has since then confirmed which aircraft they were? Or who named them.

They're all great nicknames I reckon. Taurangaruru was named afetr a small settlement near Waiuku.

Danga was pure RNZAF slang, and was short for Dangaroo. A Danga was someone very new to the RNZAF, and were considered a danger because they didn't know enough. I love that term.

I don't know how many Kohimaramas there were but I think there was at least one Corsair with the name too.

I hven't a clue what He Ho'u means though. Any ideas?

[flyjoe180]

Im more interested in Two Timer...

[Bruce]

I think there was also a "Parkyakarcus" (or similar spelling) at Ohakea as I recall reading an article taken from Whites Aviation about the famous photo shoot with Umslopogaas, Flown by Stan Quill. Parkyakarcus was also mentioned and I remember it distinctly as it is such a cool name!

[Bruce]

According to the Te Aka Online Maori Dictionary (I sell the hard copy version where I work) the phrase "He Hou" (with a macron over the o) means "Like New" (which could be poking a bit of fun at a war weary P40N - the initial batch of which were fairly tired ex USAAF examples!)

www.maoridictionary.co.nz

[Dave Homewood]

Indeed Leo White wrote in his book 'Fighters' about the photo shoot he did with three 14 Squadron P-40's. In the text he says one was called 'PARKYAKARKUS'. However if you examine the photo the two aircraft with names visible are 'UMSLOPOGAAS' and 'MAGNOLIA MUFFLEWORT'.

So Parkyakarkus was either another on the squadron that had stuck in his mind, or perhaps its name was only on the port side and isn't seen. If that theory is right that would then make it NZ3036 HQ-Q.

[Dave Homewood]

And if you've wondered where the Umslopogaas name came from, see here
www.violetbooks.com/umslopogaas.html

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for the explanation for He Hou, Bruce. Another nifty name.

[Dave Homewood]

On page 57 of Brendon Deere's first volume of Military Wings, there's a photo of a line up of OTU P-40's at Ohakea in 1943. The front one in the line-up has two names written on the cowl, one above the exhausts in white capital letters which is clearly two words, the first very short and the second long.

The other name is beneath the exhaust and a darker colour, and looks more like cursive writing. It appears to start with an L.

I wonder if anyone out there has a better print of this photo, and a magnifying glass?