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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 19, 2008 10:52:10 GMT 12
NZ5544 was certainly found, crashed near Pokeno on night training flight ex-Ardmore 15Apr45.
The Corsair crashes ex-Ardmore (as distinct from at Ardmore) listed are:
NZ5320 - W/off after f/l into Piako swamp 28Sep44 ex-Ardmore. Pilot P/O Peter C Shepard (as discussed)
NZ5353 - LWT night flying ex-Ardmore 15Apr45. Pilot Flt.Sgt. Mortimer (probably the one mentioned above as NZ5544)
NZ5515 - Cr into ground Waiuku golf course during unauthorized low flying ex-Ardmore 16Aug44. Pilot Sgt.Barney P Warbrick
NZ5536 - Cr into sea near Waiheke Island 3Mar45 ex-Ardmore. Pilot F/O A P Fogerty
NZ5544 - Cr near Pokeno on night training flight ex-Ardmore 15Apr45. Pilot Flt.Sgt. S C Ferrick
NZ5551 - Cr on beach near Mangere & exploded 23Mar45 ex-Ardmore. Pilot Flt.Sgt. J Dempsey
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 19, 2008 11:03:03 GMT 12
The one Dad mentioned is probably considered as a crash in the Armore region as it was between the airfield and the Army camp. It could ossibly have been a P-40 of course, but Dad did say a Corsair.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 19, 2008 11:14:34 GMT 12
By the way Shorty, were you really on Mastermind?
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Post by shorty on Oct 19, 2008 11:31:20 GMT 12
Yep, last series made (1984) "RNZAF aircraft 1937-1957"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 19, 2008 14:49:22 GMT 12
How'd you do?
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Post by shorty on Oct 19, 2008 16:30:15 GMT 12
Didn't win the trip to London (but lots of kudos around Wigram)
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 19, 2008 16:47:37 GMT 12
Dave, sorry, I wasn't doubting the story - I was just thinking that there are still potentially two Corsairs out there that possibly could be worth finding, and would solve a couple of unsolved mysteries of NZ aviation.
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Oct 19, 2008 20:01:46 GMT 12
Surely the Piako swamp Corsair mystery can be put to bed forever,it aint there anymore...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 19, 2008 20:43:10 GMT 12
Even if it was, it wouldn't be worth tuppence.
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teal
Sergeant
Posts: 14
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Post by teal on Oct 20, 2008 1:38:38 GMT 12
New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials and Aircraft History seems to have a couple of mistake then, not sure why, but would be great to clear up all the confusion as it states the followingÂc.
NZ5353 - Crashed on a night flying exercise near Mangatangi at about 2230 hours on 15 April 1945. The pilot reported equipment problems prior to the aircraft striking a ridge and burning. Flight Sergeant Allan Mortimer killed. Aircraft written off Ardmore on 30 April 1945.
NZ5516-- Force landed at Papakura on 08 November 1944 after engine failure. Pilot Officer C. O'Neill injured. Aircraft written off books at Hamilton on 26 April 1044.
NZ5544-MIA.
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Post by 43willys on Dec 15, 2008 16:31:48 GMT 12
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 15, 2008 16:38:56 GMT 12
What an amazing series of photos!  Sounds like this Piako Swamp Corsair is as likely to be found as the North head Boeing floatplanes.  |
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Dec 15, 2008 19:37:52 GMT 12
Thanks to Google street view this is what you can see standing on Maukoro Landing Road,which would put you right in the middle of that map....  maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=old+hill+road+nz&sll=-37.503768,175.604267&sspn=0.016172,0.027466&ie=UTF8&ll=-37.430637,175.488954&spn=0,359.972534&z=15&layer=c&cbll=-37.433695,175.485536&panoid=GMZC-MP3q2KUocJ07UfUnQ&cbp=12,228.95735522795962,,0,5 Yep....definitely no Corsair anywhere in sight...... ;D |
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Post by FlyNavy on Dec 15, 2008 20:16:05 GMT 12
Pool Guy, thanks for the amazing Googlie road demo. Nope, no Corsair to be seen.
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Post by fletcherfu24 on Dec 15, 2008 20:33:38 GMT 12
Of course its possible after the Air force removed everything from the Corsair they could carry,they simply blew it up.
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Post by grgrimmer on Oct 2, 2013 21:44:35 GMT 12
NZ5544 was certainly found, crashed near Pokeno on night training flight ex-Ardmore 15Apr45. The Corsair crashes ex-Ardmore (as distinct from at Ardmore) listed are: NZ5320 - W/off after f/l into Piako swamp 28Sep44 ex-Ardmore. Pilot P/O Peter C Shepard (as discussed) NZ5353 - LWT night flying ex-Ardmore 15Apr45. Pilot Flt.Sgt. Mortimer (probably the one mentioned above as NZ5544) NZ5515 - Cr into ground Waiuku golf course during unauthorized low flying ex-Ardmore 16Aug44. Pilot Sgt.Barney P Warbrick NZ5536 - Cr into sea near Waiheke Island 3Mar45 ex-Ardmore. Pilot F/O A P Fogerty NZ5544 - Cr near Pokeno on night training flight ex-Ardmore 15Apr45. Pilot Flt.Sgt. S C Ferrick NZ5551 - Cr on beach near Mangere & exploded 23Mar45 ex-Ardmore. Pilot Flt.Sgt. J Dempsey Flyernzl, Where did you get this information from, in particular the info on NZ5544? The only info I have found to date claiming that it was found near Pokeno is in Brian Cox's book "TOO YOUNG TO DIE" (page 285). On approaching Brian about this, he said an Aviation Historian supplied this information, but on contacting this historian, he now recognises that he made a mistake. The reference to a Corsair crashing near Pokeno came from the Ardmore "Day Book" on the day NZ5353 was found and was only a generalisation of the area it was found in. He says that NZ5544 is still missing! In saying this, I do recall reading somewhere else of an aircraft crashing near Pokeno, although this may have originated from the same source. If there genuinely was a crash near Pokeno during WW2, I would certainly like to know more. Incidently, if you have a look at the accounts in Brian Cox's book (page 277 - 285), you will find there were more Corsair crashes ex Ardmore: NZ5505, NZ5516, NZ5517, NZ5521. Regards, Gavin www.findlostaircraft.co.nz |
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Post by curtiss on Oct 3, 2013 18:48:58 GMT 12
Gavin,
The RNZAF crash file for NZ 5544 is 25/2/2156. If you got that file from NZ archives it would state if the aircraft was found. The crash file index confirms the date as 15.4.45 ex Ardmore. File description: Missing training flight 1 Dead. The fact that it states 1 dead would seem to indicate that the aircraft was found.
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Post by graemewi on Oct 3, 2013 20:51:01 GMT 12
I just had a quick flick through Chris Rudge's book "Missing" for NZ5544, in there it has it based at Ardmore, with it flying out of Whenuapai on the night it was lost with Ferrick, and still missing. There are some interesting witness sightings of it over a huge area - Onehunga, Rangitoto, Tiri, Howick, Milford, Riverhead forest (x2), Waihehe. Must have been a nightmare coordinating the search, compounded with the loss of NZ5353 on the same night. Interesting to see the variance in published accounts of the loss of NZ5544 as well.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 3, 2013 21:58:08 GMT 12
Flyernzl, Where did you get this information from, in particular the info on NZ5544? The gen in that 2008 post was based on the details available at that time. Obviously, things have moved on since then, and much more info has become available. |
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kiwiwreckdiver
Squadron Leader
Still military and aviation history mad
Posts: 123
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Post by kiwiwreckdiver on Oct 10, 2013 23:23:26 GMT 12
My uncle Bow was younge boy when this crashed he said it sat out there for a number of years and many locals did go out and pull parts off it but one local farmer from TeAroha area was caught with jerry cans full of Av gas and arrested.
He and his buddies pulled a few parts off as kids souviners he aparenlty had the fuel cap for a number of years, hes gettin on now but im headed to a family get togeather this weekend, finger crossed he still got into somewhere.
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