The RNZAF P-40 Pile

[baz62]

Dec 6, 2014 16:56:07 GMT 12 planecrazy said:

where they just saving white paint or being lazy? Thank you.....

They painted the roundels on all six positions and the aircraft would have had the US star and bars on only one wing (top and bottom) so naturally there is no bar on one roundel which i presume was added at a later time? Lazy? Not our boys!

[planecrazy]

Found a couple of pic's, all be it only of models, with RNZAF Kittyhawks with
wing roundels only over the American stars and bars, just wondering if this is
correct? Hoping some knowledgeable person may be able to confirm or deny
if did some RNZAF P40s may have been marked as such? Thank you so much.

ipmsauckland.hobbyvista.com/Gallery/Events/Regionals02/collection2.jpg

www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal12/11201-11300/gal11205-P-40-DeKeyser/00.shtm

[projectwarbird]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum.

I'm looking for any pictures of P-40K-15, NZ3056, serial 42-10318.

Thanks

[Peter Lewis]

NZ3056 - Crashed half a mile from the end of the runway at Ohakea during a test flight on 19 May 1945.

[projectwarbird]

Hi Peter,

Here is the history that I know.
Assembled by No. 1 aircraft depot, Hobsonville and BOC at Hobsonville on 28 January, Coded "7"
To NO, 14 Squadron. Crash landed on beach at Guadalcanal at 1345 hours on 16 June 1943 after engine failure ( I think it ran out of gas do to the large enemy aircraft attack)
Repaired and returned to service.
To No.4 OTU, Ohakea by September 1944. 19 May 1945 crashed like you said then on 31 May 1945 written off books.

[errolmartyn]

May 8, 2015 11:44:54 GMT 12 projectwarbird said:

Hi Peter,

Here is the history that I know.
Assembled by No. 1 aircraft depot, Hobsonville and BOC at Hobsonville on 28 January, Coded "7"
To NO, 14 Squadron. Crash landed on beach at Guadalcanal at 1345 hours on 16 June 1943 after engine failure ( I think it ran out of gas do to the large enemy aircraft attack)
Repaired and returned to service.
To No.4 OTU, Ohakea by September 1944. 19 May 1945 crashed like you said then on 31 May 1945 written off books.

According to my files, aircraft accident cards (also covering combat casualties) exist for NZ3056 as follows:

16 Jun 43: nil for any aircraft

23 Aug 44: 1900 hours at Ohakea with 4 OTU. ‘When landing at night, in cross-wind port tyre burnt on touchdown causing aircraft to swing towards checkers control. To avoid collision pilot applied opposite rudder and brake which caused aircraft to nose over. (Minor repair). . . . Probably cause: Excessive application of brakes.’
The pilot was NZC437340 Sgt Norman Rosser, 40.20hrs on type, 277.15 total solo.

21 Mar 45: 1930 hours at Ohakea with 4 OTU. ‘Landing at night: Aircraft bounced after touching down, and port wing dropped. Pilot applied right rudder and brake to straighten up causing aircraft to swing violently to starboard, port wing tip scraping runway. (Minor repair). . . . Probably Cause: Bounce on landing causing ground loop. . . . Pilot’s first landing on P40 aircraft at night.’
The pilot was NZ4310879 Sgt K M (Keith Murray?) Elliott, 22hrs on type, 134 total solo.

19 May 45: 1055 hours at Ohakea with Maintenance Wing. ‘Take-off [for test flight] – Engine failed at approximately 100’ airspeed 140 M.P.H. After making a cockpit check pilot carried out a forced landing, aircraft striking fence and willow trees and coming to rest across ditch. Pilot slightly injured. (Write-off). . . . Remarks: C. of I. failed reveal cause of engine failure.’
The pilot was NZ413483 Flt Lt Richard Otto Schmidt, 127hrs on type, 831 total solo.

Errol

[projectwarbird]

errolmartyn,

That is great info. Thanks for sharing it. The info I have is from doing Google searches. Can't rely on that info too often. Do you have any more info about NZ3056. Was it really coded "7"? Do you know it's combat history?

Thanks
Eric

[errolmartyn]

May 9, 2015 0:53:21 GMT 12 projectwarbird said:

errolmartyn,

That is great info. Thanks for sharing it. The info I have is from doing Google searches. Can't rely on that info too often. Do you have any more info about NZ3056. Was it really coded "7"? Do you know it's combat history?

Thanks
Eric

Eric,

'tis all I have, I'm afraid.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

You might have to look at the squadron Operations Record Books at the National Archive to establish the aircraft's combat history. Actually if it saw air to air action it should also be recorded in Chris Rudge's excellent book "Air To Air".

[davidd]

Have just made a trawl through this thread and came across some comments regarding the colour view of an RNZAF P-40 taking off from Torokina in 1944. This view and resultant comments all dated November 2012, on Page 8. Dave H raised the question as to whether this photo was printed in reverse, but after a quick check I am in no doubt that the photo is the correct way around - perhaps the comparative view mentioned by Dave was itself printed in reverse. Torokina fighter strip was aligned ESE/WNW, a single runway 4,200 feet by 100 ft, marston matting over volcanic sand. Latitude 06 deg, 15' 19" S, longitude 155 deg,13', 05" E. Thus runway heading practically East to West, with western end of strip ending on the sea shore north of Cape Torokina, as in the photograph; the southern shore was almost parallel to the strip, but is hidden from view behind the coconut palms and remnant forest (as is the aforementioned Cape Torokina).
Dave D

[davidd]

As to NZ3056, indeed this aircraft carried the cowling code number "7", and it was damaged at Kukum on the 16th June 1943 during the big daylight attack (estimated 120 enemy a/c, fighters and dive bombers) of that date, not quite Battle of Britain standard, but pretty big for the South Pacific!

14 Squadron contributed eight P-40s - aircraft and pilots were: S/L S G Quill in "19" (this was NZ3072 Wairarapa Wildcat of course), F/L J A Oldfield in 17, F/O M R Clarke in 14, F/O C T Guild in 2, F/L E H Brown in 9, P/O A G Stanley in 21, F/O P D Gifford in 7, and P/O E L Avery in 34.

All were scrambled at 1305, and landed between 1345 (Gifford, with engine trouble), 1350 (Avery, who was escorting Gifford), the rest landing between 1440 and 1505 hours. As pointed out by Dave H, Chris Rudge's book should have a fairly detailed account of the activities of this date.

The late F/O Peter Gifford (died in about December 2001 from memory, his grave at the Avonhead cemetery) told me that the problem was a bird's nest in the radiator intake. Although these aircraft were detailed for the scramble alert section at the time, the cheeky birds (supposedly myna birds) had been busy assembling their nest while the pilots were in the ready room awaiting the call to arms, and nobody else noticed them (or if they did, said nothing about it!)

After a normal take off, Peter's attention was caught by the coolant temperature gauge (and probably a funny smell) as they climbed for altitude, and the temperature just kept climbing higher and higher, with the engine beginning to show further signs of distress.

He realized that something was seriously amiss, and headed back to Kukum, and ended up belly landing on the Kumum beach beside the strip. Cannot recall whether this was because he had insufficent height remaining, or on orders from the controller due to the developing attack. Anyway Peter was unhurt, but the aircraft was out of action for some time, appearing back on operations on the 22nd July (an uneventful Rendova patrol, flown this time by F/O P S Green).

This was its last operational flight on the "front line" and shortly afterwards it was returned to Espiritu Santo for training duties with 2 SU (and with 1 SU from early October 1943). It is highly likely that it was one of the eight P-40Ks ferried to Espiritu Santo by No. 14 Squadron pilots at the end of their first tour, on 25th July.

14 Squadron records state that nine set out for Santo, but one was forced to return with engine trouble. Interestingly No. 2 SU at Santo only acknowledge receiving seven of these aircraft.

After the departure of 14 Squadron to New Zealand, several further squadrons arrived from New Zealand in succession, and served at Santo for their advanced operational training as well as providing protection for the base, and this included not infrequent scrambles to intercept "bogies" coming in from the north, including a number subsequently confirmed as hostiles; however none were ever intercepted by the NZ aircraft.

It should be mentioned that many of the enemy incursions were at night, and the RNZAF pilots at Santo were surprised to learn that they were also considered to be night-fighter pilots, and were therefore required to attempt interceptions when required during the hours of darkness! Needless to say, this was a big ask of the pilots who had never been trained in such duties, although they had all been trained in night flying as such.

The P-40s with 2 SU at Espiritu Santo used a similar system of code numbers as those at Guadalcanal (1 SU), but each had a separate sequence of numbers, so 3056 would have lost its "7" and acquired a new number. Unfortunately very few of the codes on the the aircraft at Santo are known, and we certainly do not know what code 3056 was allotted.

By this time the P-40Ks were considered to be "obsolete" for front-line employment although there really was not that much wrong with them; the P-40M was now considered the only "up to date" model until the P-40Ns turned up a couple of months after this. Most of the "obsolete" early models (surviving Es, Ks, and Ms) were returned to New Zealand in period from late December 1943 (apparently all Es), then late January and mid-February 1944.

NZ3056 was almost certainly in the late January 1944 group of 15 aircraft, ferried by pilots of No. 17 Squadron who arrived safely back at Ardmore on 3rd February, having been escorted by Hudsons of 9 Sqdn.

Thereafter it was generally speaking a somewhat quieter life for these early models, although flying intensity and the usual wear and tear typical of fighter OTU's meant that there was plenty of scrapes and crashes, and a not inconsiderable number of deaths.

Please note that information on RNZAF P-40 operations in the Pacific area is fairly complete, but details of the ferry flights, both northwards from NZ as well as on return from Pacific, vary from squadron to squadron, with some episodes having no records at all. Hope this provides some of the information you are looking for.

David D

[projectwarbird]

David,

Thank you for posting this history about NZ3056. The amount of knowledge you guy's have is impressive. I so appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me and everyone else on this forum.

I'm going to search and purchase books that I can also learn about NZ in WWII.
Swift to the Sky
Air to Air
also a couple books written by Charles Darby
What other's should I look for?

I still would love to find a picture of NZ3056, I have been told that it was on the cover of a magazine during the war? Wings I think?

Thanks
Eric M

[BenG]

Eric, I dare to ask the question but why are you so interested by this particular P-40K?
Based on user name, I guess you're rebuilding a P-40?

Thanks! Ben

[davidd]

projectwarbird,
I have incorporated a few minor improvements and corrections in my previous big post although none of these are of huge importance in themselves, but it might read a little better.
David D

[projectwarbird]

David,

The changes you made are great. Thank you.

Ben,

To answer your ?, yes. With the help of Charles Darby I have obtained critical parts from several RNZAF P-40's including (especially) NZ3056. The effort is to rebuild NZ3056. This is a long term project and I hope to have 3056 back in the air some day.
This is why I'm trying to find out it's history and any pictures. I appreciate any help with this.

Thanks!
Eric M

[Deleted]

Bravo Eric! I have no information to share but I do have a lot of enthusiasm for your project. Please do keep us posted as is practical for you, I know many of us would appreciate it.

[baz62]

That's great eric. Is this in New Zealand? Pioneer are THE P40 gurus here as you would likely know. Good luck with your project.

[projectwarbird]

Hi all,

Thank you for the supportive words. I'm located in Asheville North Carolina, United States. I will be putting a page with up-dates and pictures on my web site www.projectwarbird.com and I will also keep this forum up to date. I have talked to Paul at Pioneer and hope they will be able to help out. With the new P-39 project they just received, they are a little busy now. They have inspected the tail gear oleo strut for me and are shipping it over. I really hope to do more work with they in the future.

Eric M

[baz62]

Let us know if you need any parts Eric as most of us know someone with bit and pieces!

[projectwarbird]

baz62,

Parts are definitely needed. I have a large list of parts needed and a small budget to get them. I'm working with a couple gentlemen now that have parts. I'm doing B-17 restoration work for the parts. All the money raised by selling parts on my web site go to the project. Also I will in the future have t-shirts made and other items for sale. This is an all out effort to see 3056 back in the air.

Eric M