The Don Subritzky Photo Collection

[Dave Homewood]

I am extremely pleased to tell you all that longtime forum reader and member Don Subritzky has very kindly loaned me a huge pile of photos from his collection, with the intention of scanning and posting them here for members to see. There are loads here, so this will be a long thread I suspect, with plenty of interest. Don is not sure of the source of many of the photos which he's been given over the years, there are definitely a lot of official type shots as well and private photos. Where I can I'll try to post credit.

I believe this is a Spitfire cockpit


No. 6 Squadron RNZAF Short Sunderland NZ4107 "D" over the northern end of Auckland Harbour Bridge (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)


No. 14 Squadron RNZAF de Havilland Vampire T.11 NZ5710 (now in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand) (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)


No. 42 Squadron Hawker Siddeley Andover - serial not visible (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)


This is Avro Anson NZ406 'G' from the School of Navigation and General Reconnaissance at Omaka, then New Plymouth. This aircraft is also in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand now (rebuilt with the aid of other aeroplanes) (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)



This aircraft had nose art which I've read before was Ferdinand The Bull, in the theme of Disney characters that were painted on all the school's Ansons' noses. But looking at it close up, it doesn't quite look right when you look at the Disney cartoon. Here'sa crop from the above photo, and also Ferdinand himself. Any thoughts?





It almost looks like a Disney dog (Pluto??) facing back down the plane, with a light background?

[Dave Homewood]

Here is an RNZAF Fairey Gordon NZ636 at Wigram, with No. 1 Service Flying Training School. Note the rare cockpit seems to have a target tow winch fitted. (I think Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)



And this is an interesting one, an Austin Whippet that was imported into New Zealand by Dexter Motors of Auckland. This must be its debut or something? The Whippet was New Zealand's first privately owned aeroplane.


Here's an article on Dexter's Austin Whippets from the Auckland Star, dated 26 May 1921:

IN THE AIR FOR FUN.

DOMINION'S FIRST PRIVATE 'PLANE.

INITIAL FLIGHT ON SATURDAY.

On Saturday afternoon an aeroplane flight of an interesting nature will take place between Auckland and Hamilton, inasmuch as it will be the first occasion in New Zealand of a machine taking the air purely as a private vehicle, to be used entirely for the entertainment and convenience of its owner:

The aeroplane in question is one of two Austin whippets which were imported by the Dexter Motors, Ltd., and was purchased by Mr. H. H. Shaw, of Hamilton, for his own use.

It is a small single-seater plane of the type used for scouting purposes during the war, and varies so greatly from the ordinary type of aircraft with huge wingspread which we in this country are accustomed to see in flight as to be something of a curiosity. The whole outfit, including the pilot, only scales 800lb, while the wings fold back so that the machine can be wheeled through an ordinary farm gate, towed behind a motor car, and be comfortably housed in a single motor garage.

The 50h.p. Anzani engine with which it is equipped develops a speed of from 85 to 90 miles an hour on an economical consumption of benzine and oil, and generally speaking it is claimed that the machine, though of the tricky family of whippets, is very easy to handle by a qualified airman.

The flight on Saturday afternoon will be made by Captain Seabrook, A.F.C., of the firm of Seabrook, Fowlds, and Company, who had extensive experience with this type of plane on the Western front. He proposes to take off about 1.30 p.m. either from the Domain cricket ground or from Gorrie's paddock, Epsom, and before setting off on his flight to Hamilton, which he expects to reach in about 50 minutes, will probably perform a number of aerial evolutions for which this class of machine is considered to be well suited.

[Dave Homewood]

A nice shot of some RNZAF Mustangs (probably Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)



A No. 6 Squadron group shot with one of their PBY-5a Catalinas (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)


Don's Spitfire XVIe that he ended up selling at auction, now in China


An often seen photo of Vickers Vildebeest NZ109 of No. 1 FTS at Wigram, before or just into WWII (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official)


And the Gloster Meteor NZ6001 visiting RNZAF Station Ohakea

[Brett]

RE: the Anson...I thought the Anson in the RNZAF Museum was NZ415, painted up as NZ406? It doesn't carry any nose art.
There was a discussion about Anson nose art in this thread:
rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/3322/rnzaf-wwii-modelling-article?page=2

[Dave Homewood]

You're probably right there Brett. I was going from memory, I should have checked.

[camtech]

Look forward to the rest of this collection appearing.
Spoke recently to an ex neighbor of Don's who reminded me of the Harvard in the carport.

[Dave Homewood]

I believe these are all Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official shots

RNZAF de Havilland

RNZAF Central Flying School Harvards


A beautiful photo of RNZAF Airspeed Oxford NZ1237


A great photo of an RNZAF P-40 being rearmed and refuelled, possibly at Ohakea


I found the markings of the ammo boxes of interest, I assume the red refers to paint for air to air target firing?

[saratoga]

3P might be gun#3 on port wing?.

[Peter Lewis]

Jan 3, 2016 14:25:02 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

And this is an interesting one, an Austin Whippet that was imported into New Zealand by Dexter Motors of Auckland. This must be its debut or something? The Whippet was New Zealand's first privately owned aeroplane.


Here's an article on Dexter's Austin Whippets from the Auckland Star, dated 26 May 1921:

IN THE AIR FOR FUN.

DOMINION'S FIRST PRIVATE 'PLANE.

INITIAL FLIGHT ON SATURDAY.

On Saturday afternoon an aeroplane flight of an interesting nature will take place between Auckland and Hamilton, inasmuch as it will be the first occasion in New Zealand of a machine taking the air purely as a private vehicle, to be used entirely for the entertainment and convenience of its owner:

The aeroplane in question is one of two Austin whippets which were imported by the Dexter Motors, Ltd., and was purchased by Mr. H. H. Shaw, of Hamilton, for his own use.

It is a small single-seater plane of the type used for scouting purposes during the war, and varies so greatly from the ordinary type of aircraft with huge wingspread which we in this country are accustomed to see in flight as to be something of a curiosity. The whole outfit, including the pilot, only scales 800lb, while the wings fold back so that the machine can be wheeled through an ordinary farm gate, towed behind a motor car, and be comfortably housed in a single motor garage.

The 50h.p. Anzani engine with which it is equipped develops a speed of from 85 to 90 miles an hour on an economical consumption of benzine and oil, and generally speaking it is claimed that the machine, though of the tricky family of whippets, is very easy to handle by a qualified airman.

The flight on Saturday afternoon will be made by Captain Seabrook, A.F.C., of the firm of Seabrook, Fowlds, and Company, who had extensive experience with this type of plane on the Western front. He proposes to take off about 1.30 p.m. either from the Domain cricket ground or from Gorrie's paddock, Epsom, and before setting off on his flight to Hamilton, which he expects to reach in about 50 minutes, will probably perform a number of aerial evolutions for which this class of machine is considered to be well suited.

Reuben Dexter was an American chap who came to NZ prewar and set up as the local agent for Cadillac cars. He had showrooms in Albert Street - the building was still there last time I looked.

As a member of the original prewar 'Auckland Aero Club' he met Leo and Vivian Walsh and eventually became a partner (and financial backer) of their flying school company 'Walsh Brothers & Dexter Ltd.'

He acquired the Austin car agency, and imported the two Whippets in 1921, as outlined above.
One of them - probably the one in the photo - was assembled and first flown in NZ by John Seabrook off the beach at Kohimarama 17th May 1921.
The newspaper statement about Seabrook's experience on the type was a bit misleading, as the Whippet was a post-war attempt by Austin and he had probably never even seen one prior to this event.

Seabrook's car firm, Seabrook Fowlds, became the Auckland Austin agents in the 1920s.

Anyway, the Austin Whippet was eventually delivered to H H Shaw in Hamilton (who was he? and what aviation experience did he have?) but Mac McGregor was also involved in flying the Whippet around this time. There was a rumour that Mac flew it under some of the Waikato River bridges in Hamilton, but this was ever only a rumour not fact.

The second Whippet may never have been assembled, there was a report that one Whippet was seen as a stage show prop some years later and presumably this was the second one.

One of the Whippets - most likely Shaw's - was acquired by Percy Coleman about 1930, but he said that he got it off an owner in Palmerston North, so there is another bit of untraced history in there.
Coleman's Whippet became legal around that time as ZK-ACR but he crashed it at Palmerston North.

The damaged machine was then sold to Toby Bennett of Kai-Iwi who repaired the damage and flew it again.
It was again damaged on landing in 1935, and the registration was cancelled on 1Aug35.
Last seen at Kai-Iwi around 1940.

All a bit of a mystery tour - if anyone can add to this rather sketchy info I'd be interested.

[Dave Homewood]

I recall talking to a local veteran years ago, and I don't recall exactly who it was, but he reckoned as a boy he watched Mad Mac fly under the Bridge Street Bridge, pull up into a loop and come back down and fly under again before carrying on. I had previously read about that event somewhere so took him at his word. I think there was some rowing regatta or similar on and Mac was showing off.

[shorty]

Only 3 Whippets were built in 1919. The first became G-EAGS, the second became G-EAPF and was flown for a number of years before it came onto the New Zealand Register in 1932 as ZK-ACR. It's owner then was a Mr W R Bennett of Wanganui.
The third and final Whippet was G-EAUZ, registered in 1920 to a A J Greenshields who took it to Argentina in October 1920. It was still flying there in 1928.

So far so good!
In Leo Whites book "Wingspread" he gives the impression that several Whippets came to NZ after WW1. George Bolt confirmed this and said that two had been imported. One of these was definitely ZK-ACR and the other was presumably G-EAGS (the prototype) as the third was taken to Argentina. As both of these aircraft were imported in 19 in 1920, the one which became ZK-ACR cannot have been registered on arrival, otherwise it would have fallen into the G-NZAA series.. ZK-ACR would probably have been a 1931 allocation.
Possibly what happened was this.

G-EAGS. Imported c. 1920 and crashed on take-off from the field at mission Bay, Auckland. It was then repaired and later took off from the beach. It was then flown to Hamilton and ithis is believed to have been the first Auckland-Hamilton flight. The Whippet was sold to H H Shaw, New Zealands first private owner, who later sold it to a theatrical company who required an aircraft on stage at that time. It toured New Zealand with the company, and at the end of the tour, was most likely taken overseas.
Final fate is unknown, neither is the name of the show.

G-EAPF. Imported c.1920 by R Dexter of Auckland, and test flown by Capt M C MacGregor (Mad Mac), who found it underpowered. It was sold to Mr Les Brake of Wanganui, and was flown by Percy Coleman at Palmerston North, in whose hands it crashed. G-EAPF was then repaired, and was placed on the register as ZK-ACR. It's owner at that time was W R Bennett of Wanganui . Later it was sold to a Miss "X" of Christchurch and, according to legend, is still in existance "somewhere".
My rumour mill tells me it is in Kai Iwi, south of Wanganui

[errolmartyn]

Jan 3, 2016 19:27:27 GMT 12 shorty said:

G-EAPF. Imported c.1920 by R Dexter of Auckland, and test flown by Capt M C MacGregor (Mad Mac), who found it underpowered. It was sold to Mr Les Brake of Wanganui, and was flown by Percy Coleman at Palmerston North, in whose hands it crashed. G-EAPF was then repaired, and was placed on the register as ZK-ACR. It's owner at that time was W R Bennett of Wanganui . Later it was sold to a Miss "X" of Christchurch and, according to legend, is still in existance "somewhere".
My rumour mill tells me it is in Kai Iwi, south of Wanganui

Les Brake never owned an Austin Whippet but he did make a flight or flights in the one owned by Percy Coleman after the latter had sold it to Bennett. It was not the same machine as G-EAPF, which was still active in England in 1929.

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

H.H. Shaw was, according to the Ashburton Guardian on 30th of May 1921, receiving instruction on flying at the New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama. Does anyone have a list of NZFS trainees that may reveal his full name?

[Dave Homewood]

From the Hawera & Normanby Star, 2 July 1921

AVIATION.

AUSTIN WHIPPET IN FLIGHT

(Reprinted from Waikato Times of June 6.)

What was probably one of the finest demonstrations ever witnessed in New Zealand was given by Captain C. McGregor, D.F.C. and Bar, of the Royal Air Force, over Hamilton last month. The machine used was the new Austin whippet 'plane recently landed to the order of the South Auckland agent, H. H. Shaw, and to all who were privileged to witness the flight it was a most thrilling-exhibition of what a modern machine can do in the hands of a master pilot.

Starting from one of the large fields of the Ruakura State Farm, Captain McGregor gave first a series of beautiful, aerial evolutions, including rolling, looping the loop, and spiral dives; but still more impressive was his absolutely fearless low altitude work — work requiring supreme confidence in both machine and engine, and in which a fractional error of judgment on the part of the pilot means inevitable disaster.

The Austin "Whippet is a small single-seater 'plane of the type used for scouting purposes during the war, and varies so greatly from the ordinary type of aircraft with huge wingspread which we in this country are accustomed to see in flight, as to be something of a curiosity. The .whole outfit, including the pilot, only scales 8001b, while the wings fold back so that the machine can be wheeled through an ordinary farm gate, towed behind a motor car, and be comfortably housed in a single motor garage. The 50 h.p. Anzani engine with which it is equipped develops- a speed of from 85 to 90 miles an.hour on an economical consumption of benzine and oil, and, generally speaking, it is claimed that the machine,~though of the trickey family of whippets, is very easy to handle by a qualified airman.

The machine will be exhibited in the side show section of the Hawera Winter Show all next week, a small charge being made to cover expenses in this connection.

[Dave Homewood]

It seems from this article Mr. H.H. Shaw may well have been a senior member of the New Zealand Dairy Co-operative staff

paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19210707.2.93&srpos=7&e=01-12-1920--12-1948--10--1-byDA---0%22H%2e+H%2e+Shaw%22+Hamilton--

[errolmartyn]

Jan 3, 2016 17:42:09 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

Jan 3, 2016 14:25:02 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

And this is an interesting one, an Austin Whippet that was imported into New Zealand by Dexter Motors of Auckland. This must be its debut or something? The Whippet was New Zealand's first privately owned aeroplane.


Here's an article on Dexter's Austin Whippets from the Auckland Star, dated 26 May 1921:

IN THE AIR FOR FUN.

DOMINION'S FIRST PRIVATE 'PLANE.

INITIAL FLIGHT ON SATURDAY.

On Saturday afternoon an aeroplane flight of an interesting nature will take place between Auckland and Hamilton, inasmuch as it will be the first occasion in New Zealand of a machine taking the air purely as a private vehicle, to be used entirely for the entertainment and convenience of its owner:

The aeroplane in question is one of two Austin whippets which were imported by the Dexter Motors, Ltd., and was purchased by Mr. H. H. Shaw, of Hamilton, for his own use.

It is a small single-seater plane of the type used for scouting purposes during the war, and varies so greatly from the ordinary type of aircraft with huge wingspread which we in this country are accustomed to see in flight as to be something of a curiosity. The whole outfit, including the pilot, only scales 800lb, while the wings fold back so that the machine can be wheeled through an ordinary farm gate, towed behind a motor car, and be comfortably housed in a single motor garage.

The 50h.p. Anzani engine with which it is equipped develops a speed of from 85 to 90 miles an hour on an economical consumption of benzine and oil, and generally speaking it is claimed that the machine, though of the tricky family of whippets, is very easy to handle by a qualified airman.

The flight on Saturday afternoon will be made by Captain Seabrook, A.F.C., of the firm of Seabrook, Fowlds, and Company, who had extensive experience with this type of plane on the Western front. He proposes to take off about 1.30 p.m. either from the Domain cricket ground or from Gorrie's paddock, Epsom, and before setting off on his flight to Hamilton, which he expects to reach in about 50 minutes, will probably perform a number of aerial evolutions for which this class of machine is considered to be well suited.

Reuben Dexter was an American chap who came to NZ prewar and set up as the local agent for Cadillac cars. He had showrooms in Albert Street - the building was still there last time I looked.

As a member of the original prewar 'Auckland Aero Club' he met Leo and Vivian Walsh and eventually became a partner (and financial backer) of their flying school company 'Walsh Brothers & Dexter Ltd.'

He acquired the Austin car agency, and imported the two Whippets in 1921, as outlined above.
One of them - probably the one in the photo - was assembled and first flown in NZ by John Seabrook off the beach at Kohimarama 17th May 1921.
The newspaper statement about Seabrook's experience on the type was a bit misleading, as the Whippet was a post-war attempt by Austin and he had probably never even seen one prior to this event.

Seabrook's car firm, Seabrook Fowlds, became the Auckland Austin agents in the 1920s.

Anyway, the Austin Whippet was eventually delivered to H H Shaw in Hamilton (who was he? and what aviation experience did he have?) but Mac McGregor was also involved in flying the Whippet around this time. There was a rumour that Mac flew it under some of the Waikato River bridges in Hamilton, but this was ever only a rumour not fact.

The second Whippet may never have been assembled, there was a report that one Whippet was seen as a stage show prop some years later and presumably this was the second one.

One of the Whippets - most likely Shaw's - was acquired by Percy Coleman about 1930, but he said that he got it off an owner in Palmerston North, so there is another bit of untraced history in there.
Coleman's Whippet became legal around that time as ZK-ACR but he crashed it at Palmerston North.

The damaged machine was then sold to Toby Bennett of Kai-Iwi who repaired the damage and flew it again.
It was again damaged on landing in 1935, and the registration was cancelled on 1Aug35.
Last seen at Kai-Iwi around 1940.

All a bit of a mystery tour - if anyone can add to this rather sketchy info I'd be interested.

The first aeroplane to be used solely as a private pleasure machine has made its appearance in the Dominion. The machine, an Austin Whippet, is one of two imported recently, this one being to the order of Mr H. H. Shaw, of Hamilton, who is receiving instruction in flying at the New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama. According to the Auckland Herald it was to be flown at the weekend from Auckland to Hamilton for delivery to its owner. The Whippet is a small single-seater plane, similar to the type used for scouting purposes during the war, and is a striking contrast to the large complicated machines in common use. It is simplicity itself, and for compactness compares favourably with a motor car. The wings have a spread of 21ft 6in, but when these are folded back the machine can be wheeled into a garage less than 10ft by 20ft. A 50-h.p. Anzani engine develops a speed of from 90 to 95 miles an hour, with a landing speed of only 35 miles an hour, which is an important factor to the pilot. It is credited with a climb of 5000 feet in eight minutes, and a speed of 80 miles an hour at an altitude of 10,000 feet. The weight of the machine empty is 5801b, and with a pilot, oil, and 6½ gallons of benzine, the outfit weighs about 8001b. The capacity of the benzine tank allows of two hours' flying or a range of 180 miles. The streamline steel struts are an innovation which entirely obviates the necessity of constant tuning and adjustment of the cross wires. (The Southland Times, 4 Jun 21)

H. H. Shaw was Harry Hudson Shaw (born New Zealand 17 Jun 1883 – died Australia 5 May 1962, cremated Brisbane, ashes buried at Waikumete Cemtery, Auckland), in 1919 a ‘motor agent’ residing in Hamilton.

In W. Hudson Shaw and Olaf Ruhen’s biography of Lawrence Hargrave published by Cassell Australia in 1977 there appear dedications to Sir Cedric Turner, CBE and

‘To H. H. Shaw, who in 1914 foresaw the potential of the aeroplane for defence, transport and private use: proposed in 1914 that the government establish a squadron of ‘Kamikaze’ aircraft for the defence of New Zealand; was one of the founders in 1920 of the New Zealand Aerial Transport Company and the Auckland Aero Club [sic]; and who imported from England in 1922 [sic] one of the first aeroplanes designed for private use.’

And we all thought Kamikaze aircraft were a Japanese invention!

I’ve not yet discovered what the relationship between H. H. and W. H. Shaw is.

[errolmartyn]

Jan 3, 2016 22:28:41 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

It seems from this article Mr. H.H. Shaw may well have been a senior member of the New Zealand Dairy Co-operative staff

paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19210707.2.93&srpos=7&e=01-12-1920--12-1948--10--1-byDA---0%22H%2e+H%2e+Shaw%22+Hamilton--

No, it just states that he was a 'commercial' man present at the send off for the NZ Dairy Co-op man.

Errol

[errolmartyn]

Jan 3, 2016 22:21:26 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

H.H. Shaw was, according to the Ashburton Guardian on 30th of May 1921, receiving instruction on flying at the New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama. Does anyone have a list of NZFS trainees that may reveal his full name?

It appears that he may not have graduated with the NZFS. He was never the holder of a Royal Aero Club aviator's certificate nor a New Zealand Pilot's 'A' Licence.

Errol

[Peter Lewis]

Jan 3, 2016 19:27:27 GMT 12 shorty said:

Only 3 Whippets were built in 1919.

Five were built.
Source:  Jackson, A J "British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 1 - page 89/90

UK CAA record card for Whippet G-EAPF showing it was still active in the late 20s - early 30s

[shorty]

My information was gathered from old AHSNZ journals