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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 22, 2011 17:48:18 GMT 12
You make a good point there Marcus. I take back what I said as it's obviously wrong.
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Post by Tony on Jul 23, 2011 4:44:45 GMT 12
Interesting pics.
The one thing I note is that the star shows through but the bars seem to have been applied locally - that is just a plain white bar without the blue outline.
NZ3264 ex 43-23913 was BoC in March 1944. Corsair NZ5201 was also BoC that month but had the complete star and bar marking.
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Post by shorty on Jul 23, 2011 10:06:43 GMT 12
Macfire
Although based on the American bars for proportion, the RNZAF bars differed slightly in having no border specified. A border was normal, however, for those aircraft delivered later with bordered US bars. The RNZAF specification was for each bar to be one roundel radius long as half as wide. . The RNZAF also specified that the bars should be placed equally about the roundel centre which, in theory, gave a slightly different overall shape to the US marking in which the top of the bars was lined up with the arms of the star
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 23, 2011 16:21:13 GMT 12
Here's a shot from Tim Murray's collection of NZ3037 JZ-P, with NZ3034 JZ-W behind, both of No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron, probably at Whenuapai. Note the shapely figure of a Vincent or Vilde getting airborne behind the Kittyhawks.  |
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Post by tbf25o4 on Aug 2, 2011 15:15:11 GMT 12
An interesting addition to the later P-40E and early P-40K is the small dorsal fillet at the bottom of the fin where it joins the fuselage. This can been seen on some of the RNZAF P-40 photos. It was put there to counter a take-off swing due to the shortened fuselage
Paul
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Post by buffnut453 on Aug 2, 2011 15:54:30 GMT 12
I'd say that some were delivered with the at least the star from the star and bar. Not necessarily. There are several cases where aircraft were removed from one contract and delivered to another, with markings changing at the factory prior to delivery. For example, the P-40s destined for the AVG had RAF roundels applied at the factory but the markings were overpainted at the factory prior to delivery. Similarly, the DB-7s delivered to the Dutch East Indies in late 1941 originated from RAF contracts but the RAF roundels were, again, overpainted with Dutch neutrality triangles. I see no reason why P-40s that had been destined for the USAAF should not be diverted to the RNZAF, with the consequence that the USAAF star roundel was overpainted with the RNZAF roundel at the factory prior to delivery, particularly if the NZ serial numbers were factory-applied. Kind regards, Mark |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 2, 2011 16:29:07 GMT 12
I don't think serials were applied till the aircraft were Brought On Charge at Hobsonville, but I do see the rest of your reasoning there.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 2, 2011 23:26:31 GMT 12
Here is an official report on the new role of the Warhawks when the RNZAF first began to use their escort fighters as ground attack weapons.
The Evening Post, 9th of March 1944
N.Z. WARHAWKS
(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) BOUGAINVILLE, March 8.
R.N.Z.A.F. Warhawks today carried out their first raid as fighter-bombers when they flew out from an advanced Solomons base to unload a cargo of medium bombs on the middle of Rabaul. Taking advantage of low cloud to hide their approach, the bomb-laden Warhawks caught the Japs by surprise, spreading explosive bombs among buildings, and then skimming away on their homeward run without a scratch.
The Warhawk fighters' change to the role of fighter-bombers has resulted from deterioration in the Japanese air operational position over the Rabaul area, enabling bombers to go in with reduced escort.
The New Zealand Fighter Wing went out in strength for the operation, being led by its commanding- officer, Wing Commander C. W. K. Nicholls, and the pilots came back from their initiation into the art of dive-bombing full of enthusiasm.
"The whole show went very well," said Wing Commander Nicholls. "All our bombs fell among buildings, except four which went into the sea near the docks and may have done some damage. We must haye tricked the Japs by keeping out of sight high above the clouds as we came around on to the target area.
LITTLE A.A. FIRE.
"Just over the city there was a clear space with cloud all around. We dived smartly down to this gap, let out bombs go, and were away before the Japs could do much about it. There wasn't much flak about, although planes at the rear of the formation ran into a bit of it as the enemy defences got going."
"We didn't have a chance of observing the full results of our bombs, but we started at least one big fire. I saw a building, which looked like a big Hotel, erupt in a great cloud of brown smoke. On our way in we also let the Japs have a taste of lead. Altogether the raid was, very satisfactory."
The Warhawks approached New Britain in normal flight order, and as they turned towards their target they changed to echelon formation. Some 1600 feet below the pilots could pick out Rabaul through the clouds. With the wing commander leading the way, the pilots peeled of in pairs and swept down in a breathless dive, reaching over 400 miles an hour down to about 500 feet. After releasing their bombs the fighters broke away from the area, going out between two volcanoes to the north of Rabaul.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Aug 9, 2011 10:18:31 GMT 12
Amazing scans guys, these are very interesting logbooks indeed.
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Post by nzmonty on Aug 14, 2011 16:40:47 GMT 12
Not sure if this is of interest. This was taken by my Grandfather during WW2. He was a photographer for the RNZAF stationed across a number of NZ bases during the war training photographers before they went overseas. He spent a lot of time in Oxfords and Hudson’s. Alas I have no idea exactly where in NZ this was taken.  We have a number of family albums of his time with the RNZAF so I will try and get my hands on them again and spend some time scanning them as there are some cool photos. I also have some amazing 16mm movies which I don't believe he was officially allow to take home!! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 14, 2011 19:26:06 GMT 12
That is great Monty. The markings look to be from 1942.
I'd love to see more form his collection. Especially if there are photos of Hudsons or Vildebeests/Vincents or Baffins or Venturas.
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Post by Tony on Aug 14, 2011 20:24:41 GMT 12
That is great Monty. The markings look to be from 1942. I'd love to see more form his collection. Especially if there are photos of Hudsons or Vildebeests/Vincents or Baffins or Venturas. All the photos  |
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Post by John L on Aug 15, 2011 13:40:20 GMT 12
and the movies....
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davem2
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 98
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Post by davem2 on Aug 15, 2011 15:30:01 GMT 12
Anyone have any period shots of NZ 3119?
TIA
Dave
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 15, 2011 16:23:47 GMT 12
Here's a few treasures from Rukutoria 1. NZ3009 as she was when Don Noble and I were dismantling it and gathering parts from others.  2. The Number plate from NZ3232  3. An engine cover plate? from an unknown aircraft. The engine plates I have are from P+W R1340/S341 and R2800-8W. The stamp number is presumably a part number. Any ideas lads.   4. P40 control column and close up of the U/C switch.   5. Corsair handgrip  I should have kept more! |
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 15, 2011 16:28:35 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 15, 2011 17:08:00 GMT 12
For Rukutoria read Rukuhia,,, blame the snow !
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 15, 2011 18:04:59 GMT 12
Superb photos Peter!
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Post by nzmonty on Aug 15, 2011 19:15:22 GMT 12
That is great Monty. The markings look to be from 1942. I'd love to see more form his collection. Especially if there are photos of Hudsons or Vildebeests/Vincents or Baffins or Venturas. All the photos OK, I've managed to take some stills from the only DVD I have and will post on a new threat as not all P40 content. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 10, 2011 0:46:23 GMT 12
Three more photos, these from veteran Keith Hay's collection. This is the photo the current header comes from. His album simply says BSI 1943, but David Duxbury says it is at Kukum.  This one shows NZ3220 'Gloria Lyons' at Lunga Beach, Guadalcanal  This one is marked as 'Green Island 1944'. I didn't know that the Kittyhawks operated from Green Island.  Note the dark stripe where the white fins meet the fuselage on the two foreground P-40's. Were they deliberate markings or co-incidental repair points? |
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