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Post by shamus on Jul 15, 2011 20:42:18 GMT 12
I thought it was about time we had a Hind Pile. Here are a few to start. The Hind is one RNZAF aircraft of which there appears to be only about half the Hinds we had were ever photographed. Maybe some of you out there can fill in some of the gaps. NZ1504 in a lineup of Hinds. NZ1508 being re-fuelled from a mobile tanker, Sthn.Alps in backround NZ1506 after its crash landing at Woodville. NZ1509 with pilot, Vernon Benner in front. NZ1545 at the Central Flying School in Tauranga. NZ1535 at Rongotai TTS with othe Inst. airframes. An unidentified Hind during a run-up. Hind ZG-H NZ1562 banking away somewhere over Northland. More to come.
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Post by errolmartyn on Jul 15, 2011 21:29:55 GMT 12
"NZ1506 after its crash landing at Woodville."
The field was 'most unsuitable' and the pilot 'stalled at 150' on a gliding turn when approaching to land,' at 1145. (accident card)
Errol
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Post by shamus on Jul 15, 2011 21:48:09 GMT 12
Thanks Errol, I believe the pilot was Pat Molloy and I have couple of photos coming up of him with Hinds.
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 15, 2011 22:11:34 GMT 12
Nice photos, and thanks for sharing them.
It is such a shame that so few pictures appear to have been taken of RNZAF Hinds, as in my opinion they are one very attractive looking aircraft.
I guess it is another case of it just being a machine to most people who worked on them over 70 years ago, so it probably didn't seem important to take lots of pictures of them.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 15, 2011 22:23:55 GMT 12
Really great shots Jim. It looks like the crash site of NZ1506 is being guarded and inspected by local Home Guard members. Was Molloy exercising with the Home Guard, or are they maybe army in the fatigues gear?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 15, 2011 22:37:57 GMT 12
Craig, I agree that they are a lovely looking aircraft. The photos from Duxford last weekend were amazing seeing four Hawker biplanes together in the sky.
Of the aircrew members I have been lucky to talk to about the Army Co-op Hinds, pilot Tony Pierard and air gunners Bill Edhouse, Tim Murray and the late Jock Leaf, they all loved the Hinds. All flew with No. 20 (AC) Squadron from Onerahi which seems to have been perhaps the happiest and most brilliant station and squadron in the RNZAF. They all loved a bit of fun. One of their fellow air gunners was George 'Red' Hannah who later made a name for himself in a Ventura turret fighting off multiple Zero fighters and downing a few of them.
I have also talked to several pilot who trained in them too, including aces Geoff Fisken and Alan Peart, and they had a high regard for them, though some of the pilots recall its odd penchant for leaking fuel onto your leg during every flight!
Geoff Fisken told me a great story. He flew for a short time with No. 3 SFTS as a service pilot before heading off to Singapore. One day he was tasked with taking up a member of the Home Guard who was going to inspect his men from the air to test their camouflage. They get up and then Geoff heard a cuffuffle, looked back and his passenger was gone from the back cockpit. He soon realised the Home Guard had decided to jump because he had panicked and freaked out. He had a parachute but it was no good because the guy hadn't undone the monkey stap, so he was hung over the side of the plane on a long stop, flapping in the wind and panicking. Geoff tried to coax him back in but he couldn't manage it so they landed with the HG on the outside of the plane. It was his first and very last flight!
I guess there are just less photos around as there were less units using them, and those were small units anyway, and of course cmaeras were illegal in the RNZAF so maybe the no photo rules were more stringently applied on those units than on others. However there are definately photos out there as Jim has proven here, so luckily some of them bent the rules.
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Post by shamus on Jul 15, 2011 22:50:10 GMT 12
Dave, NZ1506 was in the No 6 Army Co-op Sqn. at the time and I suspect those guys were in the group of ground troops that they were supporting when the accident occurred.
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Post by errolmartyn on Jul 15, 2011 23:16:17 GMT 12
Thanks Errol, I believe the pilot was Pat Molloy and I have couple of photos coming up of him with Hinds. Shamus, Yes indeed, 'twas Pat Molloy. The incident didn't seem to do too much harm to his career in the long term: From Colin Hanson’s 'By Such Deeds - Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999' MOLLOY, Flight Lieutenant Patrick, mid. NZ413454 & 133404; Born Auckland, 10 Aug 1919; RNZAF 15 Jun 1941 to 20 Oct 1945, Res. to 11 Oct 1958; Pilot. Citation Mention in Despatches (16 Mar 1945): For meritorious service. Served three tours totalling 92 missions with 14 Sqn RNZAF - two on Kittyhawks and one on Corsairs - and one at COMZEAIRTAF. During the Japanese assault on Torokina airfield, starting 8 Mar 1944, Flt Lt Molloy commanded a company of 110 men which formed part of the Torokina Airfield Defence Force. Died Auckland, 8 Dec 1988. Also on board was NZ404152 LAC Harry James Cashford. Both suffered injuries, but to what degree I do not know. Errol
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 15, 2011 23:30:48 GMT 12
Errol, out of pure interest, would you have any idea whether the 110 men Pat Molloy commanded at Torokina would have been RNZAF, or would they have been Army? I wonder if it was these RNZAF chaps in the photo below, which I had as a signature picture on another forum, showing airmen landing on the Torokina beach head.
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Post by shamus on Jul 16, 2011 11:22:40 GMT 12
Errol, many thanks for that information. I did not know he had such a distinguished career. I interviewed him way back in the 1970s, and I remember him saying he broke Sgt. Cashfords leg in the crash. Didn't mention any injuries to himself.
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Post by errolmartyn on Jul 16, 2011 12:14:58 GMT 12
Errol, out of pure interest, would you have any idea whether the 110 men Pat Molloy commanded at Torokina would have been RNZAF, or would they have been Army? I wonder if it was these RNZAF chaps in the photo below, which I had as a signature picture on another forum, showing airmen landing on the Torokina beach head. Sorry, Dave, I don't know. Errol
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Post by shamus on Jul 17, 2011 11:16:40 GMT 12
A few more Hinds in the RNZAF. Hind XX-C of the No 6 Army Co-op Sqn, flying near the Chateau, Mt Ruapehu. A formation of No 20 Army C0-0P Sqn. Hinds over Northland. NZ1524 of No 21 Army Co-op Sqn being flown by Pat Molloy. An unidentified Hind undergoing maintenance in the Union Airways hangar at Milson. A Hind poss. NZ1535 at TTS Rongotai. Note the black painted port wing. Another unidentified Army Co-op Hind.
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 17, 2011 13:08:38 GMT 12
A few more Hinds in the RNZAF. A formation of No 20 Army C0-0P Sqn. Hinds over Northland. What a classic image that one is. Beautiful!
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Post by shorty on Jul 17, 2011 13:39:06 GMT 12
Something that seems unusual to me is that the photo of NZ 1524 has (what I presume are )solo weights fitted yet has someone in the rear cockpit?
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Post by shamus on Jul 17, 2011 15:00:52 GMT 12
Yes Shorty I notice that too. Don't know why, but the aircraft must have been in balance to fly.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2011 16:53:45 GMT 12
Those are superb shots in that latest batch Jim. Wonderful stuff!
That five-ship that Craig has quoted is great close formation!
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Post by lumpy on Jul 17, 2011 17:09:11 GMT 12
Something that seems unusual to me is that the photo of NZ 1524 has (what I presume are )solo weights fitted yet has someone in the rear cockpit? Perhaps there may have been a minium weight requirement for the rear seat ( rather than just a solo /dual rule ) ? I recall years ago doing gliding , where if the student didnt weigh at least kg40 , then the balast weight went in . Perhaps the rear occupant was just small ( and not carrying ammo boxes etc ) ?
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 17, 2011 18:40:29 GMT 12
NZ1524 of No 21 Army Co-op Sqn being flown by Pat Molloy. This looks like it could be a Gavin Conroy shot, beautiful! Would love to have this one as a poster on my lounge wall.
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 17, 2011 18:46:37 GMT 12
Sorry if this may seem like a silly question, but did the RNZAF buy any/all it's Hinds brand new, or where they secondhand RAF machines?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2011 19:07:09 GMT 12
They were second-hand.
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