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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 6, 2015 15:29:12 GMT 12
I recently was told that following the a few of the A-bomb tests in Australia during the 1950s, the radiation clouds drifted east and made thier way across the Tasman and New Zealand aircraft, presumably RNZAF were sent up to monitor their progress. Does anyone have any more information? Did the aircraft carry out sampling? Which aircraft/units were used?
Any information would be of interest, thanks.
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Post by baronbeeza on Mar 6, 2015 19:57:07 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 6, 2015 21:11:18 GMT 12
Bernie was of course not RNZAF
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Post by baronbeeza on Mar 6, 2015 21:43:15 GMT 12
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 7, 2015 14:15:48 GMT 12
Thanks Baron. One aspect of Grapple where the RNZAF played a role was in transporting radiation samples (samples collected from the clouds by flying aircraft near or through them, possibly? The RAAF did this with Lincolns and Canberras during testing in Australia)in RNZAF Sunderlands from Christmas Island to Papeetee, Tahiti before they were flown to the UK. The Golden age of NZ flying boats lists the Sunderlands used, including NZ4115 at MoTaT.
Interesting mention of Whenuapai based aircraft (what type? Dakota? Bristol?) carrying out sampling during the Hurricane test in 1952, does this mean it flew into the cloud as RAAF Lincolns and Canberras did in later tests, I wonder, and if so, what measures for decontaminating the aircraft were taken? After the Hurricane test, four Lincolns were so badly irradiated that they were stored far away from facilities at Amberley and were eventually scrapped and buried, one of which was allegedly dumped at sea.
The worst radioactive cloud drift was during the Mosaic 2 test at Monte Bello in 1956 and the Buffalo 1 and 2 tests at Maralinga the same year, where the clouds spread across the continent and travelled over east coast cities, including Brisbane and Sydney. Australian scientists carried out tests for strontium 90 in livestock and human bones and organs on a massive scale as a result of the drifting clouds.
I've read the Christmas Island page before about the Valiant and it mentions XD818 at Hendon, although its in the Cold War Museum at Cosford now.
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Post by baronbeeza on Mar 7, 2015 17:28:25 GMT 12
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 9, 2015 11:25:22 GMT 12
Nice one Baron, those books look interesting. I've been doing a bit of reading and the Brits flew Canberras into the clouds in Australia and Christmas Islands; 76 Sqn operating B.2s and B.6s and 1323 Flt, later 542 Sqn in Australia, the latter along with 76 and 101 Sqns, operating PR.7s were tasked with radiation cloud monitoring during Grapple. Haven't been able find out more about RNZAF monitoring after Hurricane, which I'm interested in, though.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Mar 9, 2015 12:33:10 GMT 12
I believe that Mustangs of No.42 Squadron carried out 'sampling' test during the Australian atomic tests in the mid 1950s
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 9, 2015 13:51:22 GMT 12
42 Sqn? Mustangs were placed at Emu as part of the Totem tests, but RAAF never had a 42 Sqn operating Mustangs. There were Supermarine Swifts during the Buffalo tests in 1956 as well. Interesting piece of footage here atken during one of the Buffalo tests showing the laying of equipment for blast impact trials, with shots of the Swifts at 4:00 and at 7:26. There's also a 76 Sqn (RAF) Canberra having taken air samples, as well as Valiant WZ367 getting airborne at 4:25. This aircraft was one of two 49 Sqn Valiants deployed during Buffalo for live air dropping; its sister WZ366 did the honours; this aircraft was aloft on 11 October when the bomb was dropped from its sister, but carried sensor equipment only.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 9, 2015 17:53:14 GMT 12
Paul refers to the Mustangs of No. 42 Squadron RNZAF
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 10, 2015 5:13:06 GMT 12
My apologies, I wasn't aware 42 Sqn RNZAF had Mustangs.
Don't be shy, Paul; more information would be most welcome.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 10, 2015 10:39:12 GMT 12
Back then No. 42 Squadron was a very interesting unit with all sorts of aeroplanes - Dakotas, Avengers, Mustangs, Devons, and Harvards, and they conducted all sorts of roles. Not like the watered down version of the unit today. Their Mustangs normally did target towing I believe, as did the Mustangs that were on strength with No. 75 Squadron and No. 14 Squadron.
There's a famous photo out there of a No. 42 Squadron Dakota leading an Avenger, a Mustang, a Harvard and a Devon in formation. Has anyone got a copy?
That formation could actually be reproduced again today!
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Post by tbf25o4 on Mar 10, 2015 14:06:00 GMT 12
Many years ago, I worked in Air Staff with one of the last mustang pilots who recalled flying regular "weather" flights westward from Ohakea with sampling devices attached to the wing plyons. If I recall correctly, the devices had been developed by DSIR and they were recovered by them after each flight.
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Post by isc on Mar 10, 2015 19:38:05 GMT 12
Only found one Mustang accredited to 42 sqd NZ2423, formaly 3 sqd TAF, plus 2406 and 3422, that seem to have passed through 42 sqd before going to The CFS then to 14 and 75 sqd as target tugs. isc
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 10, 2015 21:31:08 GMT 12
Excellent, thanks guys. Getting quite a picture from the scraps you're feeding. Standard procedure, apparently, that the Brits and Aussies used for sampling was to fly into the cloud with a Geiger counter, which would start clicking and when that stopped, you knew you were out of the cloud. Certainly fit with the radioactivity hinted at in the document Baron provided. I wonder what methods were used to decontaminate the Mustangs? The RAAF Lincolns were hand washed and the guys doing the honours contracted all kinds of illnesses in later life as a result.
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skyman
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 83 
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Post by skyman on Mar 12, 2015 9:53:29 GMT 12
Back in early 1965 while stationed at Tengah with the Canberras of 14 Squadron I recall seeing an RAF Canberra with a round intake-type hole in each of its wing-tip tanks where the nav light usually fitted, but I don't remember to which squadron it belonged. I later figured these to be for air sampling.
On another occasion with 14 Squadron Canberras at Tengah during 1969 all personnel working on the aircraft were instructed to keep their hands away from their faces and to wash thoroughly before eating or drinking. This was due to the possibility of our Canberras picking up fallout from the Chinese atmospheric nuclear tests.
Al.
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Post by nuuumannn on Mar 12, 2015 11:32:44 GMT 12
Interesting, skyman. In that film clip I posted above at 7:08 you see a fella scooping out samples from a Canberra wing tip tank.
Thanks isc, the book Mustangs of the RAAF and RNZAF lists NZ2423 with 42 also and that it is with the Smith collection in Tasman. No mention of 42 Sqn's use of the Mustang in the text though. I suspect the new and rather substantial book on Commonwealth Mustangs might have information about it.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Mar 12, 2015 13:51:35 GMT 12
From Flight Lieutenant Neil Wood's logbook
No.42 Squadron Mustangs flown
9/1/56 NZ2420, 24/1/56 NZ2403, 14/3/56 NZ2423, @1/3/56 NZ2403 (over several days towing banners for No.75 Squadron)
2/10/56 NZ2402. He was posted off the squadron in November 1956 having flown a total of 52.25 hours on the squadron's mustangs
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Post by isc on Mar 12, 2015 20:17:51 GMT 12
nuuumannn, sorry forgot to put where I got the info,"Mustangs of the RAAF and RNZAF" Peter N. Anderson. isc
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Post by pjw4118 on May 2, 2015 16:20:02 GMT 12
I am currently going through Allan George 's collection of photographs and log books and see that he flew two high altitude Mustang sorties for "air collection". He was later interviewed about it and the Geiger counter readings that were found.. I will scan the news clipping and log book pages in the next couple of days and post them here.
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