Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 25, 2007 12:51:34 GMT 12
Local man Peter Hulse was a Fitter in the wartime RNZAF and he served for a year up at Espiritu Santo (five months) and Guadalcanal (seven months) servicing Venturas with No. 11 Servicing Unit, and then asembling and servicing Corsairs with the Corsair Assembly Unit.
He was also a bit of an amateur artist and he's kindly leant me his precious art book to scan. here are a few of the highlights from his collection...
The Chow Line
Washing Day, using a Cactus Stove - as mentioned in another thread I began today this stove was invented by Cambridge man Fred Morriss
Corsair
At one point Peter went to visit Flt Lt Arthur Baker, who was also from Cambruidge and had the neighbouring farm to Peter's. Arthur was a Works Officer in charge of an RNZAF logging and milling unit that supplied timber to all the RNZAF and US camps. Peter drew the following image;
After Peter had assembled this Corsair (he was responsible for the engine) it went for its first test flight, and last. The pilot had the mixture set wrong and it wouldn't climb more than 100 feet. It came down, just missing a jetty, into the shallow sea off the end of the airstrip. As Peter was responsible for the plane he was made to guard it all night to stop souvenir hunters. He reckons no-one would have been mad enough to try as the water was shark infested. He spent the night sleeping under the larger tree on the centre left. I don't know the identity of the aircraft lost.
He was also a bit of an amateur artist and he's kindly leant me his precious art book to scan. here are a few of the highlights from his collection...
The Chow Line
Washing Day, using a Cactus Stove - as mentioned in another thread I began today this stove was invented by Cambridge man Fred Morriss
Corsair
At one point Peter went to visit Flt Lt Arthur Baker, who was also from Cambruidge and had the neighbouring farm to Peter's. Arthur was a Works Officer in charge of an RNZAF logging and milling unit that supplied timber to all the RNZAF and US camps. Peter drew the following image;
After Peter had assembled this Corsair (he was responsible for the engine) it went for its first test flight, and last. The pilot had the mixture set wrong and it wouldn't climb more than 100 feet. It came down, just missing a jetty, into the shallow sea off the end of the airstrip. As Peter was responsible for the plane he was made to guard it all night to stop souvenir hunters. He reckons no-one would have been mad enough to try as the water was shark infested. He spent the night sleeping under the larger tree on the centre left. I don't know the identity of the aircraft lost.
