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Post by ZacYates on May 23, 2022 8:53:36 GMT 12
Detail question: what height serials are NZ3031 and her sisters wearing in this photo, and what colour were the codes? ALB090772924 by Zac Yates, on Flickr That unknown airfield was RNZAF Station Ohakea, and it as the famous race that Doug St George flew in NZ3283 vs the C.O. of No. 1 (Bomber) Operational Training Unit in Ventura NZ4543 ZX-F. ALB951704031 - Kittyhawk with 4 Operational Training Unit and Ventura with 1 Operational Training Unit. A race between Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk NZ3283 (left) and Lockheed PV-1 Ventura NZ4543 ZX-F. Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Ohakea. Air Force Museum of New Zealand Hands up those who would like to see this recreated at a Kiwi airshow? Not necessarily at the same altitude, mind you!
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Post by davidd on May 23, 2022 15:13:57 GMT 12
As has been pointed out elsewhere, the Kittyhawks assembled at Harewood in 1942 had serial numbers applied which were considerably smaller than the ones applied (more or less contemporaneously) to Kittyhawks at Hobsonville. If the Hobsonville ones had theirs in the usual 8 inch high numbers, perhaps Harewood used six inch high ones? Special note, there is very little written evidence in historical records about application of serial numbers on RNZAF aircraft during WW2. The photographs taken of 15 Squadron Kittyhawks at Whenuapai show both sizes of serial number in different photographs. The smaller numbers were located noticeably lower on the rear fuselage. It seems likely that Harewood manufactured their own (undersized) stencils out of ignorance. A number of Hudsons were also assembled at Harewood, and I have often wondered if these same stencils were used on them?
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Post by planecrazy on May 5, 2023 18:48:11 GMT 12
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Malcolm Laird
Flight Sergeant
Currently drawing various RNZAF decals
Posts: 24
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Post by Malcolm Laird on Jan 6, 2024 14:48:45 GMT 12
Just found this: NZ3031 I've recently interacted with Dave Homewood about the colour of NZ3031's code letters in this photo. I'd had the idea that they were red, but after doing a little test in PhotoShop, Grey seems more likely. Cheers, Malcolm
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 6, 2024 14:59:40 GMT 12
Yeah, I thought they were red at first too, but Barf Bosher convinced me that they were grey. The red codes did not come along till later with No. 4 (F) OTU.
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Post by Antonio on Apr 22, 2024 16:24:22 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 22, 2024 16:57:28 GMT 12
What a shame you did not get them, I'd love to see high res scans of these without the watermarks.
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Post by Antonio on Apr 22, 2024 20:50:46 GMT 12
What a shame you did not get them, I'd love to see high res scans of these without the watermarks. Sold for $77 plus change!
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Post by shorty on Apr 23, 2024 19:47:36 GMT 12
Another"named" aircraft that was part of the four ship formation from Masterton with NZ 3oo8 and others was called "Thundergutz (dont know the serial t this stage. The names were apparently lifted fromFm A centerfold cartoon in Australian "MAN" magazine.
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Post by oj on Apr 23, 2024 21:44:41 GMT 12
Welcome back Shorty. Such a relief to see you are still extant and fully facultied (to coin a word).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 23, 2024 21:51:08 GMT 12
Welcome back Shorty!!
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Post by davidd on Apr 24, 2024 14:48:01 GMT 12
Yes, that name THUNDERGUTZ certainly rings a bell witth me too. There was some sort of scramble to name the No. 14 Squadron Kittyhawks (no idea when this occurred unfortunately, but would have to have been sometime between about June 1942 and February 1943, which was their period at Masterton; certainly all those with these names seemed to have them by this time.) Peter Gifford semed to recall a quite a lot about the naming; he was most closely associated with MAGONOLIA MUFFLEWURT and UMSLOPOGAAS (NZ3008?) Some of the background to this last-named aircraft on this thread is not particularly accurate with respect to the original (fictitious) African warrior. Apparently the author, H Rider Haggard, was not too concerned with real African history, although he relied on the general sweep of this continent in those days to provide him with the inspiration for his characters, and probably made a small fotune with his book sales. From memory, the book portrays this fictitious character as a Zulu warrior, and he was cast as the illigitimate son of the tribe's chief (who was a real character in history). However their close relationship was concealed from the son, who went through his life as an ordinary warrior, but obviously he was possessed of great leadership qualities. It is about 60 years ago that I read any of Haggard's books, and think I only read "Alan Quatermain", so totally unqualified to pontificate on anything further (such as King Solomon's Mines", "She", "Nada the Lily", or "The Queen of Sheeba". I think Peter Gifford (14 Squadron pilot at the time, ex 488 Sqdn) read the lot!
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