Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2007 13:40:20 GMT 12
In WWII the two TEAL Short Empire flying boats were often commandeered for RNZAF duties, and their crews were RNZAF Reserve so on these missions they were technically RNZAF crews and wore RNZAF uniforms.
Apparently one such secret mission was just after Pearl Harbor was attacked and the flying boat was seconded to take Finance Minister Walter Nash to the USA for some conference. This was apparently the first aircraft to fly into Pearl Harbor since the attack and some carrier based US pilot mistook it for a marauding Japanese flying boat. He attacked it and fired on the Empire. The crew had to dangle a Union Jack flag out of the window to get the attack to stop.
When they landed they found only one hole, in the wing.
Does anyone know more about this incident? Who else was aboard, the exact mission purpose, who the US pilot was or which carrier he was from and what he was flying, etc?
Is this story widely known? I only discovered it in an old book yesterday, but it's scant on detail.
Apparently one such secret mission was just after Pearl Harbor was attacked and the flying boat was seconded to take Finance Minister Walter Nash to the USA for some conference. This was apparently the first aircraft to fly into Pearl Harbor since the attack and some carrier based US pilot mistook it for a marauding Japanese flying boat. He attacked it and fired on the Empire. The crew had to dangle a Union Jack flag out of the window to get the attack to stop.
When they landed they found only one hole, in the wing.
Does anyone know more about this incident? Who else was aboard, the exact mission purpose, who the US pilot was or which carrier he was from and what he was flying, etc?
Is this story widely known? I only discovered it in an old book yesterday, but it's scant on detail.
