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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 4, 2021 11:19:22 GMT 12
If that is the medium green, dark green and brown scheme (much like the Strikemasters) it continued well into the 1990's when i was in the RNZAF.
I was in the RNZAF 1989 to 1993 and we never had any overall dark green. I remember three schemes. The one I described above, the "Euro 1" scheme where the brown was replaced with grey, and the Orange Roughy scheme.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 4, 2021 11:20:51 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 6, 2021 13:32:20 GMT 12
Some great photos have been added today. I have just been looking closely at this unusually low angle shot of Wigram from 27/10/1941 and not some interesting things: WgF1947 - LINKAerial oblique view of RNZAF Station Wigram. Looking west across the hangars and Instructional building (Control Tower). They include Hornby in the background. Is that some sort of crop being grown on Springs Road? It looks like rows and rows of something? There seems to be a garage on the end of the control tower, I never noticed that before. Was that a fire engine shed? 2 by This is a good view of the famous Green Shed that DavidD has talked about here before where the top secret radar quipment was installed into Hudsons and other types. This had me puzzled, opposite what was in my time No. 2TTS, I cannot decide if that is innocent bike shelters or car ports in front of a mounded bank, or is that actually some sort of underground bunker that goes into the bank? 4 by And in the distance on Main South Road, I assume that huge building is the Ravensdown fertiliser factory? And note there is a house in the middle of the sports fields with a long driveway to it. That driveway is still there with an avenue of trees now but I have never noticed the house before. I wonder what its significance was, and was it actually changing rooms for the sporting activities rather than a dwelling or workplace? There is also randomly placed little sheds of buildings there too, which is puzzling.
I love looking at old wartime Wigram shots.
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Post by tbf2504 on Sept 6, 2021 13:40:44 GMT 12
dave, Yes the opening in the end of the headquarters building was the original fire station. 2. the shelters behind the E&W School were for cars belonging to the officers. I used one myself in the mid 1970s. 3. the "House" in the middle of the sports field was the transmitter building for HF and later VHF transmitters. A 90' tower was erected immediately behind the building. Still there when Wigram closed in 1995, by then the driveway was framed by a row of trees on each side. 3. of interest in the first pic is the landing circle on the field which in peacetime had the word "Wigram" alongside it which may be the marks slightly to the left of the circle
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 6, 2021 18:23:59 GMT 12
Thanks Paul. Ahh just boring car ports, I thought I'd found a secret underground bunker. Now that you mention it I have a vague recollection of the aerial, but I don't remember the house. It must have been just behind the gym? WIGRAM is still marked out on the field, when you download the large file it's easy to see. I find it interesting that the grass seems to be quite segmented, and I wonder if that was part of the attempt to camouflage the airfield from the air. to make it look like paddocks.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 9, 2021 18:44:55 GMT 12
This one is definitely gold!! WgG397-69-85 - LINKExercise Wise Owl 39 at New Plymouth airport. Unknown Corporal raising a bra and underpants up the flag pole. Civil Aviation fire tender in the background.
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Post by Deane B on Sept 9, 2021 20:18:19 GMT 12
The Corporal is Graham Chard and the Officer is Padre Neal.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 9, 2021 21:40:07 GMT 12
Yes, I had that confirmed on Facebook's RNZAF Past & Present page. Thanks.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 22, 2021 16:29:03 GMT 12
This one is most interesting, it looks like a Hudson fuselage behind them being used as a ground training aid I guess. OhG235-44 - LINKGroup. No. 11 Air Gunners Course. RNZAF Station Ohakea.
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Post by davidd on Sept 22, 2021 22:50:05 GMT 12
Or it could be one of the infamous "dummy" Hudsons which caused so much trouble at RNZAF stations later in the war when they started falling to bits!
David D
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Post by errolmartyn on Sept 23, 2021 11:03:47 GMT 12
Or it could be one of the infamous "dummy" Hudsons which caused so much trouble at RNZAF stations later in the war when they started falling to bits! David D My thoughts, too, given what one can see of the fuselage between the two groups of airmen, it looks all too smooth a surface to be the real thing. Errol
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Post by camtech on Sept 23, 2021 16:00:05 GMT 12
I have to agree re dummy Hudson. Smooth finish, no panel lines.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 23, 2021 16:09:35 GMT 12
I know they had a dummy Hudson fuselage set up next to a pool of water and used it for dinghy drill. I have photos. I do not know where it was, but it actually looks very similar to this.
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Post by davidd on Sept 25, 2021 11:46:52 GMT 12
To give a bit more information on No. 11 Air Gunners' Course, this ran from 20/3/44 to 15/5/44 (8 weeks), but so far I only have the names of 26 of them, rather than the 32 shown in photograph; possible that 6 dropped out, but more likely that they are simply "undiscovered" as yet.
Interesting to see one Army officer (rank 2nd Lt) in middle of right-hand group. This is almost certainly the man tfd from Army to RNZAF on being appointed to an Air Force commission as a Pilot officer on 20/4/44. I suspect he is P/O Stanley James Dawson (NZ2209), who lost his life on air operations on 9th September 1944 (Ventura NZ4614, 3 Sqdn, crew of F/L R H W Stevens).
Names of the other 25 air gunners I have so far (all rank of A/Sgt on graduation from course, and their operational squadrons) are: N P Archibald (1 Sqdn), B S W Baker (5 Sqdn), R B Booth (9 Sqdn), J D Boucher (1 Sqdn), L L Bowdler (5 Sqdn), R J Bryant (2 Sqdn, drowned in ditching of PV-1 NZ4624 28/10/44), W H E Caldwell (1 Sqdn), W J M Conrad (6 Sqdn), A C J Frood (2, then 4 Sqdn), N R Gardiner (later sole survivor of crash of PV-1 NZ4634, 1 Sqdn, 20/12/44, in central Bougainville, crew of F/L D H Hobbs), H K Hall (3, then 9 Sqdn), B W J Haining (4 Sqdn), F L Harrison (3, then 9 Sqdn), H J Henwood (5 Sqdn), J E Jackson (1 Sqdn), E B Jarman (5 Sqdn), D F Leonardo (9 Sqdn), Barry Rosenberg (1 Sqdn, lost in flying accident, PV-1 NZ4561, 5/10/44), Jimmy Ruri (1 Sqdn), D G Shouler (1 Sqdn), L R Smith (1 Sqdn, lost in flying accident, PV-1 NZ4561 5/10/44), R V Walker (1 Sqdn), L A Wheal (5 Sqdn), D W Wilson (1 Sqdn), T E Wipiti (2 Sqdn).
Squadrons 1, 2, 3, 4, 9 are Ventura squadrons, 5 and 6 are Catalina squadrons.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 26, 2021 21:24:05 GMT 12
McFly brought this to my attention and we are both curios - Interesting photos of a ‘Long Service & Good Conduct’ medal parade in November 1957, which includes a highly decorated ‘Sgt Pilot’ (Air Force Medal, Distinguished Flying Medal etc?). I wonder who he was and perhaps your forum sleuths could find out – might have an interesting background..? Link and Link
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 27, 2021 20:39:27 GMT 12
This photo posted today shows some lovely Beesties, including one bombed up and with a tank underslung. AFMNZ Photo 2012-289.1 LINKThe caption reads: Image from the Maxwell Moore Skilton personal collection. Vildebeests on the tarmac with engine covers on at RNZAF Station Wigram. Handwritten on the reverse "Wigram | 1937 | Vickers Vilderbeest [sic]" I am not convinced that this is Wigram. What do you all think?
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Post by tbf2504 on Sept 28, 2021 8:11:45 GMT 12
I don't think it is Wigram. 1. The background hill shapes don't look right. 2. The tarmacs at Wigram circa 1937 were only in front of the hangars then in situ and so there would have been concrete right up to where the photographer took the shot. Interesting that the aircraft on the right has bomb racks and bombs fitted, and the long range tank.
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Post by davidd on Sept 28, 2021 11:44:53 GMT 12
I agree, does not look like Wigram! I knew Max Skilton slightly (long dead I think), and he served all around New Zealand, and Fiji, and perhaps further north. He also had a diary, which I took some notes from, including one note in April 1942 which stated that 4 Squadron were painting on their new "code letters" (YZ codes), wonder if the Museum received that diary? Those "Vildes" could just as easily be Vincents of course; I can see the two aircraft in foreground have the adjustable tailplane installed (some early Vincents had these too). Would not try and hazard a guess at actual location though, unless a very early photograph at the new Whenuapai station in 1940?
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 28, 2021 11:55:40 GMT 12
Yes it was the hills and the taxiway that alerted me to the fact it does not look like Wigram. Even into the 1940's the Wigram taxiway across the grass appears to be a track rather than concrete.
I also wondered about them being Vincents. That large 4 on the left hand example in the foreground is exactly the style as used on the Auckland Territorial Squadron/Auckland General Reconnaissance Squadron Vincents between 1938 and 1940.
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Post by TS on Sept 28, 2021 12:47:38 GMT 12
I agree, does not look like Wigram! I knew Max Skilton slightly (long dead I think), and he served all around New Zealand, and Fiji, and perhaps further north. He also had a diary, which I took some notes from, including one note in April 1942 which stated that 4 Squadron were painting on their new "code letters" (YZ codes), wonder if the Museum received that diary? Those "Vildes" could just as easily be Vincents of course; I can see the two aircraft in foreground have the adjustable tailplane installed (some early Vincents had these too). Would not try and hazard a guess at actual location though, unless a very early photograph at the new Whenuapai station in 1940? David D Looking at the photo of the "Sgt Pilot" receiving his medal. The hill in the back ground runs the same as the pic with the Vincent in, only difference is that some trees have grown more between photos. So I'd say that is WP. Also note that the aircraft behind the two in the fore ground also looks to have a drop tank fitted as well.
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