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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 21, 2018 22:07:22 GMT 12
Did anyone here serve with or know Antoni "Tony" Glowacki, the Polish Battle of Britain fighter ace (and ace-in-a-day)? He moved to New Zealand after the war and joined the RNZAF. He apparently served at Ohakea at the Fighter Operational Conversion Unit till 1960. He then joined CAA I believe.
I am just curious if anyone knew him? And what was he like?
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Post by delticman on Jul 21, 2018 22:26:29 GMT 12
Did anyone here serve with or know Antoni "Tony" Glowacki, the Polish Battle of Britain fighter ace (and ace-in-a-day)? He moved to New Zealand after the war and joined the RNZAF. He apparently served at Ohakea at the Fighter Operational Conversion Unit till 1960. He then joined CAA I believe. I am just curious if anyone knew him? And what was he like? Yes, Tony Glowacki was with CAA, used to fly around in one of the CAA Apache's. Everyone has a story about Tony Glowacki as he always turned up at the wrong time but everyone had great respect for him.
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Post by camtech on Jul 21, 2018 22:36:06 GMT 12
I believe his RNZAF logbook is at the Air Force Museum.
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Post by angelsonefive on Jul 21, 2018 23:00:30 GMT 12
I met and talked briefly with Mr Glowacki, 1970's as I recall. He was with the CAA at the time. A helpful and friendly man and highly regarded in our aviation community.
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Post by chinapilot on Jul 22, 2018 15:20:33 GMT 12
Tony was with the CAA for many years. During the ‘60s the Apache was just about finished and he used to use the Wellington AC aircraft ,usually one of the C205s CFF/CEZ, to get around the country. A great character with an outgoing manner that was quite unusual compared to most NZers who made an impression on everybody including a teenager refuelling and cleaning the aero club aircraft. I had a few adventures on some of his ‘inspections’ which would take in most of the airfields in the lower part of the North Island in a day. My ‘participation’ in these trips started after Tony had a bit of bother starting the 205 ( fuel injected engines were rare in those days ) and my ‘boss’ the CFI Bruce James told me to go and help him. Never mentioned his war service (Battle of Britain ace in a day) and used to come to the aero club social events.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 22, 2018 15:46:09 GMT 12
I had read some memories of him from his CAA days here on the forum, he sounds like a great chap. And while it is good to hear those stories, I wondered if people served with him in the RNZAF. I wonder how he liked the jets, etc.
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Post by starr on Jul 22, 2018 16:05:33 GMT 12
Had quite a bit to do with him many years ago when he was with CAA. His offsider was George Arkley.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 23, 2018 14:35:56 GMT 12
"Glycol" has kindly sent this via email:
"Dave,
My sight is not good enough to type anything into your forum. However, I can do it here manipulating the size of the letters. Feel free to use it if of interest.
Tony Glowacki arrived outside the 2 TAF hangar one day in the early 1950s, when I was just closing up a Mustang after a short engine run. He had his children with him and was in a Flt.Lt’s. uniform resplendent with many ribbons. He asked my name including Christian name and introduced me to his children. I believe he did that with the rest of the regulars that day.
TAF had a few regulars who maintained the aircraft, and in the weekends were joined my an extremely enthusiastic band of pilots and airman of various ranks.
If I remember correctly Tony became the gunnery instructor for 2 TAF and 75 Squadron. He frequently flew the Mustangs and Harvards and often did test flights when required.
Best regards
Glycol"
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Post by madmax on Jul 23, 2018 17:25:14 GMT 12
In the nineteen fifties when I hung around Rongotai aerodrome both Tony Glowacki and George Arkley flew the CAA Apaches ZK-BLO and BUA Tony was a very friendly chap and would always stop and chad to us lads and later after the opening of Wellington International I recall seeing him flying the Clubs 205s as mentioned by Chinapilot. As for George Arkley, well that's a different story which I shall not go into here!
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gtw
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by gtw on Jul 23, 2018 17:36:22 GMT 12
Tony was the best CAA inspector I have ever met, You got a lecture told to behave or the next time you would buy for the bar. He told us of a rolling circ in a Mustang, 17 slow rolls take off to landing, said it was easy to do.
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Post by madmax on Jul 23, 2018 18:46:03 GMT 12
24/08/1940 Antoni Glowacki shot down 3 BF-109s and 2 Ju88s to become the first one-day-ace in Battle of Britain.
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Post by johnm on Jul 24, 2018 9:52:41 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2018 10:04:57 GMT 12
Yes, it was me actually reading his Wikipedia page that prompted me to ask here if anyone personally knew him in the RNZAF.
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Post by camtech on Jul 24, 2018 10:39:37 GMT 12
From notes I made of his RNZAF logbook, he flew Harvards, Mustangs, Vampires and the occasional jaunt in an Auster, Dakota and Devon. He spent a lot of time helping to convert pilots from Harvard and Mustang onto Vampires. I assume he enjoyed the Mustang as there are numerous entries in the logbook for this aircraft.
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Post by jp on Jul 24, 2018 15:22:13 GMT 12
24/08/1940 Antoni Glowacki shot down 3 BF-109s and 2 Ju88s to become the first one-day-ace in Battle of Britain. Bet Brian Carbury by a week......
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 26, 2018 17:07:27 GMT 12
"Glycol" has sent through a further memory:
"Hi Dave
One or two people have suggested to me that Tony Glowacki was responsible for an incident at Ohakea where a Vampire scrapped a wingtip while beating up the control tower at Ohakea.
Here’s a reply from someone that was there at the time. 'I watched the 1952 Vampire wing episode. The pilot was an ex RAF pilot mate of Johnny Checketts and an ex demo pilot for the RAF. I’ll try to recall his name in due course. I remember Johnny Checkets enlisting him in the TAF immediately he landed (as I recall the story). I do recall the bloke looking at the wingtip and remarking ‘That’ll be a job for the tin bashers, won’t it?’ '
“Glycol”
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Post by thomarse on Jul 26, 2018 17:47:24 GMT 12
I heard a lovely story about Toni once from the late Harry Jenkins and of course we must never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Not quite sure where but definitely over water (seem to think over the Manukau Harbour) Toni had simulated engine failure in a Harvard by turning off the fuel. At the appropriate point, he turned the fuel back on and told his pupil up front to start pumping the manual fuel pump. With the water becoming closer and closer and no re-light, the pupil yelled out "What do we do now?" to which the very calm reply came from the back (heavy Polish accent) " ve chust keep pomping "
It must have worked...
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gtw
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by gtw on Jul 26, 2018 18:50:46 GMT 12
The pilot mate of Johnny Checketts told me that he did a roll after lift of but the vampire was a bit short on power. The aircraft was on show at the Wellington trade fair a few weeks later.
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Post by errolmartyn on Jul 26, 2018 19:44:39 GMT 12
"Glycol" has sent through a further memory: "Hi Dave One or two people have suggested to me that Tony Glowacki was responsible for an incident at Ohakea where a Vampire scrapped a wingtip while beating up the control tower at Ohakea. Here’s a reply from someone that was there at the time. 'I watched the 1952 Vampire wing episode. The pilot was an ex RAF pilot mate of Johnny Checketts and an ex demo pilot for the RAF. I’ll try to recall his name in due course. I remember Johnny Checkets enlisting him in the TAF immediately he landed (as I recall the story). I do recall the bloke looking at the wingtip and remarking ‘That’ll be a job for the tin bashers, won’t it?’ ' “Glycol” Vampire Mk 52 NZ5723, 1140 hrs 29 Feb 52, at Ohakea, piloted by Flt Lt Herbert William Bernard Patterson, RAF (ex WWII RNZAF). Errol
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Post by thomarse on Jul 26, 2018 20:02:17 GMT 12
Vampire Mk 52 NZ5723, 1140 hrs 29 Feb 52, at Ohakea, piloted by Flt Lt Herbert William Bernard Patterson, RAF (ex WWII RNZAF).
Mr Patterson later lost his life as passenger in the Cessna 172 ZK CGA near Levin in 1967
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