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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 6, 2015 22:55:52 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 7, 2015 0:02:20 GMT 12
Superb!!
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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 7, 2015 21:33:06 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 7, 2015 22:04:16 GMT 12
These photos are very cool.
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Post by davidd on Jan 9, 2015 8:41:37 GMT 12
Date of that last photo (NZ1009's post of 2nd January) must be approx. 1951 - 54, and could it possibly be at Hobsonville? Afraid I am not familiar with the surroundings at Taieri in those days, but some of those tile-roofed houses at rear look familiar. What other stations of that time had housing that close to the boundary? Vampires were being assembled at Hobsonville during this time, and were test flown by a civilian pilot (a Mr Walker from DH of Australia), but the landings were carried out at Whenuapai as Hobsonville was pretty marginal for the type. Also ansferred to Woodbourne in early 1950s. Also the Oxford and Anson could be from the TTS which was housed at Hobsonville until being transferred to Woodbourne in the early 1950s.
Don't think they had Red Owls in those days, not till late 60's and early 70's, although the concept of a mass formation flight in Harvards flown by students and instructors seems to have been introduced in the late 1950's under the name of "Roundhouse" or something similar. However this was not a tented camp exercise, but relied on accommodation at established stations, also giving the students a quick tour of almost the entire RNZAF (excluding Fiji of course)) - they had plenty of stations to choose from in the early 1950s!
David D
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Post by davidd on Jan 9, 2015 8:50:41 GMT 12
"NZ1009"s last photo of three pilots he posted on 3rd January has a familiar looking chap on the left - could that be the late R J N (Ray) Archibald? He would have been a F/L or possibly a S/L by this time. He was of course in the TAF postwar, so likely that the other two pilots were also Canterbury TAF squadron.
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 9, 2015 9:40:01 GMT 12
Ah of course, I think you're spot on there David that the photo was taken at Hobsonville, and it looks like it is the apron in front of the large tin hangar (No. 3 Squadron's hangar for many later years), looking to the east. That would account for the houses and for the bush clad hilly backdrop. Plus the concrete apron. If you look at the buildings on the right of the photo in the distance you can see the two-storey Officer's Mess.
If we'd have been able to see a bit more to the right it would have been more obvious as the Station Headquarters and the hangar that became the gym would have been to the right. Also one thing that tricked us was the palm trees were still small in this photo. But yes i am sure that is Hobby now that you mention it. Well done.
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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 9, 2015 11:07:33 GMT 12
Re David's comment re "Roundhouse", this photo appears early in the thread (Page 13) from the same formation and was taken during Exercise Roundhouse - April, 1958 - lumpy thinks the town below this photo is Blenheim.  |
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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 9, 2015 11:29:52 GMT 12
On locations and dates and things. There is a pic of 1077 in the formation overhead Wigram, looking out to the South or South West. The caption refers to an airshow and there does appear to be an area cordoned off in front of 4 & 5 Hangars. I am thinking the cars could be parked on the oval.
The pic has also featured a couple of times here so I won't repost but do we have a better idea of when that could have been taken ?
I am assuming sometime '50's but that is based more on the housing development in the Amyes Rd area and beyond. I have neighbours that are asking the question.
Interestingly the Dix St and Springs Rd MQ patch is just being built at the time.
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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 9, 2015 12:03:29 GMT 12
ADF Serials for NZ1077
NZ1077 Mk III Previously EZ245. From RAF/FAA lend-lease allocations. Shipped to New Zealand on "Hughli Gulf" in April 1944 and assembled at Hobsonville. BOC 03 May 1944. With No.1 (TAF) Squadron 19 February 1957-08 August 1957. Stored at Woodbourne after service with No.1 FTS. Converted to INST174 with No.4 TTS at Woodbourne 17 October 1957. Sold by GSB tender in 1964. Previously mounted on a display pedestal in Ashburton back yard. Under restoration at Ashburton with C. and K. Horrell.
Possibly prior to 1957 as NZ1077 is not in TAF colours and the airshow is at Wigram and not Auckland?
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Post by gibbo on Jan 19, 2015 11:02:37 GMT 12
I am trying to identify the Harvard shown in the following photograph (RNZAF Museum). The serial number seems to end in 8 and I think it is a Mk II which would limit it to one of NZ908, NZ918, .., NZ998?  Possibly this event - from For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998): Sat 4 Aug 1945 NEW ZEALAND Air-air practice attacks 2 Operational Training Unit, RNZAF (Ohakea)Harvard IIA NZ1035 - on a diving pass at 0930 the port wing struck the tail of the target aircraft (NZ1048). The latter’s tail disintegrated, the aircraft spiralling into the ground on Mr Dalrymple’s farm at Parewanui, SW of Ohakea, where it burst into flames. With part of its port wing sheered off, NZ1035 entered a shallow spiral, recovered momentarily, then flicked over and crashed about 1000 yards away on the same property. The pilot is buried at Christchurch. Pilot: NZ4313159 Sgt Charles Roderick GRAY, RNZAF - Age 20. 138hrs solo (85 on Harvard) Gray’s father, Douglas Wanklyn Gray, was a First World War pilot who served in the RNAS and RAF, and, for a short time afterwards, the Canterbury (NZ) Aviation Company.2 Operational Training Unit, RNZAF (Ohakea)Harvard IIA NZ1048 - collided in mid-air with NZ1035 as described in the previous entry. The pilot is buried at Otahuhu. Pilot: NZ4310378 Sgt Warren Selwyn SHARPE, RNZAF - Age 20. 148hrs solo (93 on Harvard) Errol ...sorry, having fun getting used to the post function first time round!  I've been reading this forum for a few years but never quite managed to register! Have done so now as I have info about this particular thread that can definitely eliminate NZ1048. I've been tracing my late Dad's best mate 'Rory' Gray who was killed in the collision between NZ1035 & NZ1048. Just last Friday I visted Archives in Wgtn & viewed the crash report, which included a few photos of both a/c afterwards. Both were well beyond salvage but NZ1048 was totally disintegrated & fire damaged so it certainly wasn't NZ1048. |
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Post by baz62 on Jan 19, 2015 11:32:48 GMT 12
Possibly that "8" is part of a "3".
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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 19, 2015 22:33:24 GMT 12
I think baz62 is correct and the harvard is NZ1043. The ADF Serial info is:
NZ1043 88-13192 Mk IIA 41-33719 Previously EX746. From RAF/FAA lend-lease allocations.
Shipped to New Zealand on "James Hogg" in June 1943 and assembled at Hobsonville.
BOC 26 June 1943.
Struck by NZ1014 while taxying at Ohakea 28 June 1945.
Written off books at Ohakea 09 August 1945.
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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 19, 2015 22:42:27 GMT 12
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Post by NZ1009 on Jan 19, 2015 22:53:22 GMT 12
In August 1962 the RNZAF Harvard aerobatic team took part in an airshow at Darton Field (Gisborne) in conjunction with the official opening of the new air terminal building. The pilots were Flight Lieutenants Stewart Boyes, John Buckmaster, Barry Reid and Barry Flavall. The following photo, I believe shows Stewart Boyes somewhere near Gisborne. (RNZAF Museum)  The following photo appeared in the Barry Reid thread and shows Barry Flavall somewhere near Gisborne. I think is worth repeating here because of the similarity to the photo above and also because of his recent passing. (RNZAF Museum)  |
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Post by gibbo on Jan 19, 2015 23:35:55 GMT 12
Possibly this event - from For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998): Sat 4 Aug 1945 NEW ZEALAND Air-air practice attacks 2 Operational Training Unit, RNZAF (Ohakea)Harvard IIA NZ1035 - on a diving pass at 0930 the port wing struck the tail of the target aircraft (NZ1048). The latter’s tail disintegrated, the aircraft spiralling into the ground on Mr Dalrymple’s farm at Parewanui, SW of Ohakea, where it burst into flames. With part of its port wing sheered off, NZ1035 entered a shallow spiral, recovered momentarily, then flicked over and crashed about 1000 yards away on the same property. The pilot is buried at Christchurch. Pilot: NZ4313159 Sgt Charles Roderick GRAY, RNZAF - Age 20. 138hrs solo (85 on Harvard) Gray’s father, Douglas Wanklyn Gray, was a First World War pilot who served in the RNAS and RAF, and, for a short time afterwards, the Canterbury (NZ) Aviation Company.2 Operational Training Unit, RNZAF (Ohakea)Harvard IIA NZ1048 - collided in mid-air with NZ1035 as described in the previous entry. The pilot is buried at Otahuhu. Pilot: NZ4310378 Sgt Warren Selwyn SHARPE, RNZAF - Age 20. 148hrs solo (93 on Harvard) Errol Another point I picked up too is that whilst 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915...' states Sgt C. R. Gray is buried in Christchurch, he is in fact in the Kelvin Grove cemetery in Palmy. I visited the grave over the weekend. |
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Post by errolmartyn on Jan 20, 2015 11:00:26 GMT 12
Another point I picked up too is that whilst 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915...' states Sgt C. R. Gray is buried in Christchurch, he is in fact in the Kelvin Grove cemetery in Palmy. I visited the grave over the weekend. Quite right, too, Gibbo! Have Palmerston North in my research notes but my keyboard mysteriously typed out Christchurch when preparing the manuscript. Errol |
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Post by NZ1009 on Sept 5, 2015 18:53:03 GMT 12
NZ1079, NZ1076 and NZ1009 over the Tasman Glacier  NZ1007 painted in an interesting combination - presumably shortly after it arrived in Australia   |
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Post by NZ1009 on Sept 5, 2015 23:35:56 GMT 12
The final formation of 17 Harvards forming up over Kaitorete Spit on 24 June 1977  and lining up after the flypast  Another 17 Harvard formation  |
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Post by baz62 on Sept 6, 2015 10:36:30 GMT 12
Was this the 1973 Airshow at Wigram? Great photos thanks a lot for sharing them! |
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