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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 27, 2006 19:41:04 GMT 12
Back in 1990 I got a flyer inside my subscription of New Zealand Wings magazine for the temporary exhibition at the RNZAF Museum called 'A Boy In A Bomber'.
I was a bit disappointed then that it was scheduled to run only from the 28th of September 1989 till the 27th of September 1990. As I was based in Auckland I thought I's never see it.
So I was very pleased when I was postedto Wigram in March 1991 and it was still on show, having been extended due to popularity.
The really great thing is the display is still there! It has recently moved positions to make way for the Strike Wing Exhibition, but it's still as impressive as ever. I'm so glad this interesting exhibit has become permanent. There are some amazing bits in it. I especially like the piece of fabric from a Wellington of No. 75 Squadron with the nose art of Thomas Frederic Duck on on. The artwork was removed from the Wellington and attached by the same crew later on a Lancaster. It grew in meaning to me when i read of the actual exploits of this crew, in Alan Mitchell's fantastic 1944 book New Zealanders in the RAF.
I discovered also that one of the crew memebrs who served on the Lancaster that carried the nose art was a Ken Crankshaw, who after the war lived for many years in Cambridge. He's apparently still around somewhere these days in Australia but sadly I never managed to track him down for an interview for my Cambridge website.
There have been several exhibitions come and go at the museum, but it looks like A Boy In A Bomber is here to stay. Excellent.
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Post by crankshaw2 on Nov 19, 2014 17:11:52 GMT 12
Back in 1990 I got a flyer inside my subscription of New Zealand Wings magazine for the temporary exhibition at the RNZAF Museum called 'A Boy In A Bomber'. I was a bit disappointed then that it was scheduled to run only from the 28th of September 1989 till the 27th of September 1990. As I was based in Auckland I thought I's never see it. So I was very pleased when I was postedto Wigram in March 1991 and it was still on show, having been extended due to popularity. The really great thing is the display is still there! It has recently moved positions to make way for the Strike Wing Exhibition, but it's still as impressive as ever. I'm so glad this interesting exhibit has become permanent. There are some amazing bits in it. I especially like the piece of fabric from a Wellington of No. 75 Squadron with the nose art of Thomas Frederic Duck on on. The artwork was removed from the Wellington and attached by the same crew later on a Lancaster. It grew in meaning to me when i read of the actual exploits of this crew, in Alan Mitchell's fantastic 1944 book New Zealanders in the RAF. I discovered also that one of the crew memebrs who served on the Lancaster that carried the nose art was a Ken Crankshaw, who after the war lived for many years in Cambridge. He's apparently still around somewhere these days in Australia but sadly I never managed to track him down for an interview for my Cambridge website. There have been several exhibitions come and go at the museum, but it looks like A Boy In A Bomber is here to stay. Excellent. |
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Post by crankshaw2 on Nov 19, 2014 17:13:38 GMT 12
Ken Crankshaw's wife Val still has the old Mooloo Bell (Ken ring the bell Crankshaw) We are Ken's Son and daughter in law living in Papamoa if you want to get in touch re info ph 07 5424291
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 19, 2014 17:59:24 GMT 12
Thank you and welcome to the forum Crankshaw2. It's much appreciated.
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 20, 2014 7:57:51 GMT 12
Thats amazing Ken as we (NZ Bomber Command Ass) are currently arranging a major permanent display about the crew of D for Duck and Thomas Frederick Duck .This will be located in the entrance of the BC area at MOTAT.
We have Nick carters oil painting and Jack Wrights copy of the original nose art . This is currently being conserved. The bell was part of the story about this crew. The W/op Nick Carter is still in good form , living in Hamilton and would certainly love to make contact.
Ah the amazing powers of the Forum and so timely. I will give you a call.
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Post by fwx on Nov 21, 2014 9:55:31 GMT 12
Fantastic, I also have an interest in the Thomas Frederick Duck crew, especially their respective times at 75 (NZ) Sqdn, so its great to hear that the families are in touch. So Peter, how are we currently placed wrt the story repeated above of the Wigram nose-art being the original canvas removed from the Wright crew's Wellington, BJ772, AA-D for Duck? BJ772 was apparently burnt out at dispersal after being struck by fragments from a crash-landing Boston on the night of 28 September 1942, only days before the crew was posted off to 156 PFF Sqdn. So is the Wigram copy the genuine original Wellington canvas? Cheers, Chris P.S. This great photo of Ken Crankshaw and the Curr crew is in "Forever Strong" by Norman Franks:  |
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 21, 2014 12:25:58 GMT 12
The D for Duck art was burnt in the fire along with the Wellington. The only art that survives is the painting of AA-D Nick carter had commissioned and the original pencil sketch made for the painter. Both are held by the NZBCA.
When the crew moved to 156 Squadron Alf Drew joined them. He had done a full tour on AA-F Fred. The crews new Lancaster was GT-T and from the letters came TFD.
Lac Maund , ground crew, painted two TFD on fabric. One was glued to the nose of GT-T and after their tour was taken off and brought home. This is now at Wigram.
Maund signed his second painting and presented it to Jack Wright. This copy has been passed to NZBCA by his family.
Thanks for posting the photo Chris , I hadnt noticed it in Forever Strong.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2014 12:33:16 GMT 12
Why does it list Ken Crankshaw's medals as DFM (DFC), in brackets like that? Or is this just another of Norman Frank's blunders in that book?
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Post by pjw4118 on Nov 22, 2014 10:55:30 GMT 12
I have now talked to the brothers Crankshaw and the bell survives in Mikes front porch in Sydney. Kens widow Val lives there too.
Mike has promised a photo of the bell to go into the new TFD display.
Power to the Forum for this result.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2014 10:58:19 GMT 12
Superb.
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Post by davidd on Nov 23, 2014 8:32:44 GMT 12
Dave H,
The DFC in brackets would seem to be one way of expressing a subsequent award, see "By Such Deeds" (Colin Hanson), page 140, which shows date of second award as October 1943, with 156 Sqdn.
David D
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Post by Andy Wright on Mar 8, 2021 21:17:34 GMT 12
Does anyone know the serial number of the 156 Sqdn Lanc GT-T above? I think it's a III in the JA serial range.
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Post by kiwi285 on Mar 10, 2021 15:13:02 GMT 12
I remember Ken Crankshaw from my younger days (I bought a few items from him). He worked in a hardware shop in Duke Street named Allen Hardware. I remember Dad telling me that Ken carried a bell with him on operations and when they were over enemy territory the Pilot called up and said 'ring the bell Crank'. Great to hear that the bell still exists with the family. I didn't realise that Ken had moved to Sydney years ago - you just lose track of people.
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