|
Post by Antonio on Mar 20, 2023 19:20:02 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2023 21:06:37 GMT 12
Yes I have spotted those Dummycanes in a few Nelson photos. Quite cool to see them.
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Mar 21, 2023 10:07:16 GMT 12
Harking back to several references a little earlier in this thread re Air Ministry (UK) dictating the placement of roundels on aircraft. Certainly the wartime RNZAF tended to adhere to Air ministry dictates, but at a certain point in WW2 (about mid-1942 I think) the RNZAF rather lost faith in their Lordships. The problem was that aircraft started arriving in NZ from the USA (cannot recall now if it was the Hudsons or Kittyhawks, but gut feeling was that it was latter), but to the astonishment of those erecting them, they had NO underwing roundels. Not unsurprisingly, Air HQ decided to seek advice from their Lordships, but after waiting for several months and hearing nothing, they did what any self-respecting senior officer should do and made a command decision - paint on appropriate roundels in usual positions - they could always change them back again if Air Ministry could provide eminently sensible reasons for doing so! I don't think the RNZAF thereafter bothered discussing such minor details as locations of identification markings until well into the postwar years. Note that the Catalina and Hudson underwing roundel application photos on this thread were taken in 1943. RNZAF also started introducing its own modifications to colours and style of roundels and fin flashes at about this time (early 1943).
|
|
|
Post by Antonio on Mar 21, 2023 15:05:26 GMT 12
Another interesting Hudson: MUS011041 Dated 20/7/43 Air to air view of No. 3 Squadron Hudson NZ2090, flying over the sea, from Guadalcanal.Close-up showing the extra fire-power. AFMoNZ quotes serial but to me I believe it to be NZ2050 Thoughts?
|
|
|
Post by Antonio on Mar 21, 2023 15:46:55 GMT 12
And another: MUS9501326 Dated: 28/2/423 Two RNZAF Hudsons and an American Airacobra in a hurricane revetment, Nandi. Hudson NZ2025 'H', at left.I assume 4 Sqn aircraft. Note the painted out remains of the yellow ring from the Type B.1 upper wing roundel. NZ2025 appears to have a Type A fuselage roundel (no yellow ring). No turret either.
|
|
|
Post by camtech on Mar 21, 2023 16:58:35 GMT 12
Another interesting Hudson: MUS011041 Dated 20/7/43 Air to air view of No. 3 Squadron Hudson NZ2090, flying over the sea, from Guadalcanal.Close-up showing the extra fire-power. AFMoNZ quotes serial but to me I believe it to be NZ2050 Thoughts? I tend to agree - would be interesting to check the original negative.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 21, 2023 19:03:06 GMT 12
It's definitely NZ2090. You can see the kill marking under the pilot's window from when he shot down the Pete floatplane, the RNZAF's first kill in the South Pacific.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 21, 2023 19:04:31 GMT 12
The Vickers K guns out the side windows were standard for the No. 3 (GR) Squadron Hudsons in the Forward Area to defend against beam attack.
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Mar 21, 2023 19:26:43 GMT 12
The shots of NZ2090 (quite correct Dave!) were US Navy photographs, just a few of many taken on this sortie I think, other shots were taken of two aircraft actually over Guadalcanal, taken from (I believe) a third NZ Hudson. I knew the photograph was taken about July 1943, but was not aware of the actual date, so thanks for that!
Photo of the two Huddies and Airacobra (P-39D, 70th Pursuit Sqdn I think) at Nadi were taken by the RNZAF (by No. 1 Aerodrome Construction Squadron, so far as I know) in early 1942. You can see that the RNZAF did not have many turrets for their Hudsons at this time, these would have been in transit from the UK. I think only defensive armament fitted were the nose guns, and one 0.303" Browning in "stinger" position under rear fuselage, probably also had bomb carriers. Within a few weeks they were returning these Hudsons to NZ to be fitted with turrets, etc., or they were replaced by other Hudsons already so fitted.
|
|
|
Post by Antonio on Mar 22, 2023 22:31:07 GMT 12
Named Grebe? MUS0801112 Hucks Starter at the front of a Gloster Grebe at Wigram Aerodrome.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2023 11:12:38 GMT 12
How interesting! I'll see if my Grebe fan friend knows anything more about it but he's out of internet range at the moment so the WONZ brains trust may beat him to it.
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Mar 24, 2023 14:43:53 GMT 12
I believe this aircraft received the name "ALPHA" for (unknown to me) reasons! Perhaps Bill Dini mentioned it in one of his talks at St Elmo Courts. Perhaps photographic proof might emerge one day in the not too distant future to confirm/eliminate this belief. Grebe NZ501 would make sense with such a name. And good to see the one-and-only Hucks starter doing what it was intended to do.
|
|
|
Post by Antonio on Mar 27, 2023 22:21:05 GMT 12
From MUS980265 3/4 rear view of USAAF B17e, 412434 at RNZAF Station Ohakea. No. 16 Squadron Kittyhawk in background.Interesting to note that the P-40 appears to have the ammo bay covers taped up: 16 Sqn P-40E
|
|
|
Post by Antonio on Mar 29, 2023 18:34:48 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Antonio on Apr 11, 2023 20:32:26 GMT 12
Thoughts on the roundel. Is it due to a photographic glitch or has it been poorly applied? PR1445 No. 16 Squadron pilot Flight Lieutenant JR Day standing on the wing of a P-40 Kittyhawk. Espiritu Santo. Aircraft '5' in view. Day was a Flight Commander with No. 16 Squadron.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 11, 2023 20:36:53 GMT 12
The decal broke in the saucer of warm water.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2023 17:09:06 GMT 12
The decal broke in the saucer of warm water. If I had a dollar for every time that's happened to me...
|
|
|
Post by camtech on Apr 13, 2023 21:16:26 GMT 12
The decal broke in the saucer of warm water. And doesn't even look central.
|
|
|
Post by davidd on Apr 14, 2023 17:00:09 GMT 12
Am guessing that the photograph of F/L Jack Day of 16 Squadron (above), which is an RNZAF Official, shows him gazing skyward whilst standing on one of the old P-40Es (Kittyhawk) based at Espiritu Santo, and equipped with the early "pipe" type exhausts. Note the sharply demarcated camouflage pattern on radiator cowling, presumably indicating some sort of recent repaint, also the dark-painted spinner. Have probably mentioned this before, but Jack Day gained some notoriety, possibly after this image was used to grace the cover of Leo White's slim little book "The Fighters", published in 1945. Or it could have appeared earlier (perhaps as early as mid-1943) as it was a freely available photograph, and some would consider it quite a PR job for the RNZAF. Whatever, he was often referred to as "Picture Day" thereafter.
|
|
|
Post by camtech on May 11, 2023 13:21:02 GMT 12
Anyone else missing the updates on the site? Almost going through withdrawal symptoms. Hurry back, o great keeper of the photographs.
|
|