Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2014 12:07:51 GMT 12
A spitfire named 'The Waipawa Special'
CAROLYN VEEN
Last updated 14:54 23/04/2014
CAROLYN VEEN/FAIRFAX NZ
Canvas Spitfire: Max Collett at home with a treasured painting.
Seventy two years ago this month a young Hawke's Bay man was among those to sign up for the Royal New Zealand Air Force - going on to fly Spitfires in World War II.
Excitement far outweighed any fear as he enrolled, Max Collett said.
"When you're 18 and somebody comes along and says 'join up and we'll take you around the word and teach you how to fly' you're not going to say no - no way, not at that age," said the now 90-year-old.
Young pilot: Max Collett, 72 years ago.
SPITFIRE ACTION: This photo was taken through the gunsight of the fourth Spitfire, by its pilot Max Collett with a contraband camera
Of the young men he trained alongside, "none showed fear" he said, not because they were naive about the horrors of war, but believed "it won't happen to me".
Like teenagers of any decade, the young trainee pilots felt 6-foot-tall and bullet-proof.
"We all believed we wouldn't be killed, or seriously wounded, because that sort of thing only happened to other people."
Collett, who was with the 485 (NZ) Squadron all through its trek across Europe and eventually into Germany as part of the occupation forces, had his fair share of near misses.
"On one occasion I got a few stitches in my head when another plane landed right on top of mine.
"We were at Drope in Germany and I had only just landed; I was still in the plane when it hit me. Being knocked out cold for about five days, I didn't know anything about it until I woke up in hospital.
"Apparently the pilot coming in after me was too close and he landed right on top of my plane, chewing up my tail - his propeller ended up in my cockpit."
Playing against the odds and sometimes the rules, Collett admits he secretly carried a forbidden pocket camera with him all the time, and was able to capture some rare moments.
"I did manage to get a photo of one of our Spitfire formations - I took it through my gunsight and you can even see the bombs on their bellies."
Once when he forgot to take the camera, his plane was shot down and he had to bail out.
"I wish I'd had my camera with me - that would have made a good photo . . . you weren't supposed to take photos, but I did anyway."
Collett insisted he was "no bloody Battle of Britain hero".
"I'm just a common garden sergeant pilot - there were hundreds like me, and I just managed to get through the war after three- and-a-half years, that's all.
"Had the war lasted another six weeks, I would have been a Flight Lieutenant but it didn't and I didn't."
Born and bred in Waipawa, Collett named all the Spitfires he flew "The Waipawa Special".
Unfortunately he had to ditch a number of them.
"I was credited with destroying four aircraft - unfortunately they were all ours," he joked.
His two brothers also joined the air force, and while Albert got through the war, his brother Bill, on conversion from Wellingtons to Lancaster bombers, was killed.
Collett turned 22 the day after he arrived back in New Zealand.
He went to work for the Public Trust in Waipukurau, where he met his future wife, Noeline.
"I withstood the assault of the all the girls overseas and came back and married a Kiwi," he said.
Collett moved to Napier in 1952.
- © Fairfax NZ News
CAROLYN VEEN
Last updated 14:54 23/04/2014
CAROLYN VEEN/FAIRFAX NZ
Canvas Spitfire: Max Collett at home with a treasured painting.
Seventy two years ago this month a young Hawke's Bay man was among those to sign up for the Royal New Zealand Air Force - going on to fly Spitfires in World War II.
Excitement far outweighed any fear as he enrolled, Max Collett said.
"When you're 18 and somebody comes along and says 'join up and we'll take you around the word and teach you how to fly' you're not going to say no - no way, not at that age," said the now 90-year-old.
Young pilot: Max Collett, 72 years ago.
SPITFIRE ACTION: This photo was taken through the gunsight of the fourth Spitfire, by its pilot Max Collett with a contraband camera
Of the young men he trained alongside, "none showed fear" he said, not because they were naive about the horrors of war, but believed "it won't happen to me".
Like teenagers of any decade, the young trainee pilots felt 6-foot-tall and bullet-proof.
"We all believed we wouldn't be killed, or seriously wounded, because that sort of thing only happened to other people."
Collett, who was with the 485 (NZ) Squadron all through its trek across Europe and eventually into Germany as part of the occupation forces, had his fair share of near misses.
"On one occasion I got a few stitches in my head when another plane landed right on top of mine.
"We were at Drope in Germany and I had only just landed; I was still in the plane when it hit me. Being knocked out cold for about five days, I didn't know anything about it until I woke up in hospital.
"Apparently the pilot coming in after me was too close and he landed right on top of my plane, chewing up my tail - his propeller ended up in my cockpit."
Playing against the odds and sometimes the rules, Collett admits he secretly carried a forbidden pocket camera with him all the time, and was able to capture some rare moments.
"I did manage to get a photo of one of our Spitfire formations - I took it through my gunsight and you can even see the bombs on their bellies."
Once when he forgot to take the camera, his plane was shot down and he had to bail out.
"I wish I'd had my camera with me - that would have made a good photo . . . you weren't supposed to take photos, but I did anyway."
Collett insisted he was "no bloody Battle of Britain hero".
"I'm just a common garden sergeant pilot - there were hundreds like me, and I just managed to get through the war after three- and-a-half years, that's all.
"Had the war lasted another six weeks, I would have been a Flight Lieutenant but it didn't and I didn't."
Born and bred in Waipawa, Collett named all the Spitfires he flew "The Waipawa Special".
Unfortunately he had to ditch a number of them.
"I was credited with destroying four aircraft - unfortunately they were all ours," he joked.
His two brothers also joined the air force, and while Albert got through the war, his brother Bill, on conversion from Wellingtons to Lancaster bombers, was killed.
Collett turned 22 the day after he arrived back in New Zealand.
He went to work for the Public Trust in Waipukurau, where he met his future wife, Noeline.
"I withstood the assault of the all the girls overseas and came back and married a Kiwi," he said.
Collett moved to Napier in 1952.
- © Fairfax NZ News
