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Post by Richard Wesley on Sept 7, 2020 12:35:47 GMT 12
I have some great news about nz5544, apparently someone has seen the wreck and described it as a fighter plane that was grey in color. This is most likely the corsair as it is a fighter plane. The color could be referring to tarnished aluminium which appears grey, it would make sense to have lost its paint as it has been 75 years. No aircraft has ever crashed in that area so all evidence points to it being the lost aircraft. I cannot say the location as i fear people will take parts off it so i am heading out tomorrow to see if it is indeed nz5544. If it is i will update the board and maybe bring a few people to see it before i assume ![]() it would be removed and put in a museum. update: unfortunately i am unable to have a look tomorrow. I am a student so my time is restricted to the weekend or the holidays. i will most likely check it out in the next few weeks and i will update on what i have found. Looking on aerial maps i have found what looks to be a crashed corsair. i can make out the main fuselage that looks to be in two pieces with the tail a few metres behind, there is a clear break right behind the wing and i think i can make out the gull shape of the wing and the engine seems to have separated a bit from the fuselage. Are these recent aerial photos you are referring to here? They must be very high res to be able to make out the detail you describe. Look forward to further news. |
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Post by shorty on Sept 7, 2020 16:34:57 GMT 12
If this turns out to be true the crash site will be classified as a "war grave" with all the legal responsibities that entails
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Post by stephanwind on Sept 7, 2020 20:06:11 GMT 12
I have some great news about nz5544, apparently someone has seen the wreck and described it as a fighter plane that was grey in color. This is most likely the corsair as it is a fighter plane. The color could be referring to tarnished aluminium which appears grey, it would make sense to have lost its paint as it has been 75 years. No aircraft has ever crashed in that area so all evidence points to it being the lost aircraft. I cannot say the location as i fear people will take parts off it so i am heading out tomorrow to see if it is indeed nz5544. If it is i will update the board and maybe bring a few people to see it before i assume ![]() it would be removed and put in a museum. update: unfortunately i am unable to have a look tomorrow. I am a student so my time is restricted to the weekend or the holidays. i will most likely check it out in the next few weeks and i will update on what i have found. Looking on aerial maps i have found what looks to be a crashed corsair. i can make out the main fuselage that looks to be in two pieces with the tail a few metres behind, there is a clear break right behind the wing and i think i can make out the gull shape of the wing and the engine seems to have separated a bit from the fuselage. Are these recent aerial photos you are referring to here? They must be very high res to be able to make out the detail you describe. Look forward to further news. yes i couldn't get the latest imagery but it is a high quality map that you would usually pay for. I am certain as the shape is very unnatural, i have put an overlay of a corsair and it has matched almost perfectly, the length was a problem as the measuring tool was inaccurate but after some calculations i found the object to be almost the same length as a corsair. of course you can never be sure, i hope to be able to visit the location soon. |
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Post by stephanwind on Sept 7, 2020 20:28:42 GMT 12
Does anyone know who i should contact if i do find that it is nz5544? also would the plane be recovered, i know it would be a war grave but it would be such a shame for it to be left there. no doubt people will take parts from it and ruin the wreck.
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Post by shorty on Sept 7, 2020 21:32:04 GMT 12
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Post by Richard Wesley on Sept 7, 2020 21:34:17 GMT 12
Does anyone know who i should contact if i do find that it is nz5544? also would the plane be recovered, i know it would be a war grave but it would be such a shame for it to be left there. no doubt people will take parts from it and ruin the wreck. I have no idea, but my guess would be that due to the presence of human remains I would be contacting the police in the first instance. However having said that, the main thing is there is no hurry. If you do indeed find the location, don't share the location until you are clear in your own mind who should know and why. Clearly I would have thought an established museum should take an interest in recovery and display. Good luck, but please remember there are a lot of shapes out there on aerial photos that look like long lost aircraft! |
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Post by camtech on Sept 7, 2020 21:38:03 GMT 12
Besides contacting police if human remains are involved, obviously the wreckage is still government property and should be reported the the Ministry of Defence/RNZAF.
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Post by chrism on Sept 7, 2020 21:40:48 GMT 12
Does anyone know who i should contact if i do find that it is nz5544? also would the plane be recovered, i know it would be a war grave but it would be such a shame for it to be left there. no doubt people will take parts from it and ruin the wreck. Great work and hope you are successful! Please be very careful who you tell regarding the location, if you tell anyone at all initially. As you say if word gets out souvenir hunters could cause dramas. Maybe a call to the police for advice regarding possible body/war graves? And maybe RNZAF museum, NZ Warbirds or Motat about recovery, preservation and display if that's what you wish? I would be happy to donate towards recovery or even help, as I'm sure many others on here would! Best of luck. |
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Post by lemuel on Sept 10, 2020 22:48:20 GMT 12
Does anyone know who i should contact if i do find that it is nz5544? also would the plane be recovered, i know it would be a war grave but it would be such a shame for it to be left there. no doubt people will take parts from it and ruin the wreck. Great work and hope you are successful! Please be very careful who you tell regarding the location, if you tell anyone at all initially. As you say if word gets out souvenir hunters could cause dramas. Maybe a call to the police for advice regarding possible body/war graves? And maybe RNZAF museum, NZ Warbirds or Motat about recovery, preservation and display if that's what you wish? I would be happy to donate towards recovery or even help, as I'm sure many others on here would! Best of luck.
Agreed, remember what happened when the Daring shipwreck was found. Despite the remote location, people went at it with chainsaws before it was able to be recovered.
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Post by McFly on Oct 21, 2020 18:44:59 GMT 12
I have some great news about nz5544, apparently someone has seen the wreck and described it as a fighter plane that was grey in color. This is most likely the corsair as it is a fighter plane. The color could be referring to tarnished aluminium which appears grey, it would make sense to have lost its paint as it has been 75 years. No aircraft has ever crashed in that area so all evidence points to it being the lost aircraft. I cannot say the location as i fear people will take parts off it so i am heading out tomorrow to see if it is indeed nz5544. If it is i will update the board and maybe bring a few people to see it before i assume ![]() it would be removed and put in a museum. update: unfortunately i am unable to have a look tomorrow. I am a student so my time is restricted to the weekend or the holidays. i will most likely check it out in the next few weeks and i will update on what i have found. Looking on aerial maps i have found what looks to be a crashed corsair. i can make out the main fuselage that looks to be in two pieces with the tail a few metres behind, there is a clear break right behind the wing and i think i can make out the gull shape of the wing and the engine seems to have separated a bit from the fuselage. Did you manage to use the last school/Uni holidays to continue your search..? |
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axelford
Squadron Leader
I have visited 13 Plane wreck sites and counting, happy to help with info!
Posts: 121
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Post by axelford on Nov 2, 2020 8:44:09 GMT 12
WOW. I'm really excited to hear there might be a lead on Nz5544, stephanwind do you think you could show a screenshot without giving away the location?
Also lol that's relatable about only having time on weekends due to school.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 6, 2020 21:52:20 GMT 12
Regarding NZ5320 that crashed in the Piako swamp, the following two extracts are from the RNZAF Station Ardmore Operations Record Book from 1944.   So as suspected a salvage party was indeed sent to retrieve it. |
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Post by shorty on Nov 6, 2020 22:58:01 GMT 12
Or maybe at that stage it was the intention but they would have to do a survey to ascertain if it was possible?
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Post by gibbo on Jan 7, 2021 18:45:05 GMT 12
I have some great news about nz5544, apparently someone has seen the wreck and described it as a fighter plane that was grey in color. This is most likely the corsair as it is a fighter plane. The color could be referring to tarnished aluminium which appears grey, it would make sense to have lost its paint as it has been 75 years. No aircraft has ever crashed in that area so all evidence points to it being the lost aircraft. I cannot say the location as i fear people will take parts off it so i am heading out tomorrow to see if it is indeed nz5544. If it is i will update the board and maybe bring a few people to see it before i assume ![]() it would be removed and put in a museum. update: unfortunately i am unable to have a look tomorrow. I am a student so my time is restricted to the weekend or the holidays. i will most likely check it out in the next few weeks and i will update on what i have found. Looking on aerial maps i have found what looks to be a crashed corsair. i can make out the main fuselage that looks to be in two pieces with the tail a few metres behind, there is a clear break right behind the wing and i think i can make out the gull shape of the wing and the engine seems to have separated a bit from the fuselage. Did you manage to use the last school/Uni holidays to continue your search..? Hey stephanwind, with holidays now well advanced have you managed to make any progress? Is there any help any of this audience can offer to make this happen? |
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axelford
Squadron Leader
I have visited 13 Plane wreck sites and counting, happy to help with info!
Posts: 121
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Post by axelford on Jan 11, 2021 12:16:47 GMT 12
yeah I second this, anything we can do to help?
I'm dying to hear an update on this...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 19, 2021 14:24:32 GMT 12
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Post by retiredav8r on Sept 11, 2021 13:16:15 GMT 12
If anyone really and truthfully knows the whereabouts of the Corsair NZ5544, stop mucking around with all the BS and contact one of the major aviation museums in NZ or the air force. Give them the info so the aircraft can be saved. All this rubbish of "Its secret" is just childish. I personally know of 2 historical aircraft groups that would be very interested at retrieving the aircraft.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 11, 2021 13:24:43 GMT 12
Contact the RNZAF, no question of it. There is a missing airmen with the aircraft.
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Post by retiredav8r on Sept 11, 2021 20:22:05 GMT 12
I was not aware this was still a war grave, even more important to give the information to the correct authority, in this case RNZAF.
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axelford
Squadron Leader
I have visited 13 Plane wreck sites and counting, happy to help with info!
Posts: 121
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Post by axelford on Sept 12, 2021 17:04:40 GMT 12
If anyone really and truthfully knows the whereabouts of the Corsair NZ5544, stop mucking around with all the BS and contact one of the major aviation museums in NZ or the air force. Give them the info so the aircraft can be saved. All this rubbish of "Its secret" is just childish. I personally know of 2 historical aircraft groups that would be very interested at retrieving the aircraft. Indeed! It is so frustrating reading through Findlostaircraft and hearing of all the locals or others who make up stories or say they will tell the location for a price, terrible indeed as it makes it harder to find the real stories and sightings, and we are talking rare aircraft and missing people here, no one should withhold that information. As to NZ5544 specifically it is a little more manageable plane to find as the pilot was requesting to join the circuit, he must have had a visual on Whenuapai or the nearby area in order to want to land. And he would have been maneuvering to approach from the right direction, the crash must have happened suddenly then as no mayday was heard. Few things could have caused such a sudden end, either critical structural failure or meeting terrain suddenly are what I think happened. What has this got to do with it being easier than other aircraft to find? Well considering the proximity to Whenuapai and the lack of Corsair hiding spots there is a narrower field to search, that being places such as Waitakere ranges, Riverhead forest (Unlikely in my opinion but perhaps workers have overlooked a spot) or the bodies of water around Auckland. Only my ramblings, I am sure RNZAF had a good look back then but I just think there is a chance it crashed leaving no tree damage etc. |
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