RNZN FAA F4U-1 Corsairs revealed!

[corsair67]

I have just watched a dvd I purchased through ebay called "Legends of the Air: Vought F4U Corsair" which shows remarkable footage of RNZN FAA Corsairs operating from RNZN light carriers in the Pacific theatre!



'RNZN' FAA Corsairs onboard HM'NZ'S Victorious - 1945.


The NZDF, WWII veterans and war historians have obviously been keeping this secret for all these years, but thankfully a well researched dvd documentary producer has finally had the courage to bring this to light for the enjoyment of all.

Maybe there was concern in some circles of the RNZN that if the public knew of the RNZN FAA, then it may overshadow the wonderful achievements of warships like the Achilles or the Moa and Kiwi?

I think this forgotten treasure is as important to NZ history as the rediscovery of the films of the great New Zealand-born film maker, Colin McKenzie.

Okay - B/S mode off now!

Anyway, apart from the above RNZN FAA blooper (and a few others) there is some great stock footage of Corsair operations on the dvd, so I'm still glad I ordered it.

[FlyNavy]

Who is Colin McKenzie? OK I see now (via slow internet connection):
"Forgotten Silver purports to tell the story of 'forgotten' New Zealand filmmaker Colin McKenzie, and the rediscovery of his lost films..."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgotten_Silver

[Dave Homewood]

Hmmm, well, there were certainly a good number of Kiwis flying and serving as "groundcrew" for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm in WWII.

I guess I can understand the mistake, the markings are similar.

However, HMNZS Achilles didn't do a great deal in the Pacific though, it never encountered a Jap ship or aircraft as far as I know. It's more glorious days were all in 1939 at the River Plate. Still a remarkable effort but its later Pacific days were not quite up to the deeds of Kiwi and Moa.

Forgotten Silver was superb, especially the film of Richard Pearce flying before the Wrights.

[corsair67]

Dave, I don't think there's any excuse for these sorts of mistakes, it's just sloppy research. And it wasn't the only example on the dvd, as there were quite a few others.

Yes, Kiwis certainly played an important role in the RN FAA as pilots, crew and sailors. I recall reading somewhere that after the war one of the FAA squadrons put on a huge flypast over Gisborne(?) as a mark of respect for one of the locals who'd been a very popular pilot and who'd lost his life on operations with that particular squadron.

Forgotten Silver has been on tv a couple of times over here, but that was quite a while ago now. I recall that it allegedly caused quite a stir in NZ when it came out?