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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 26, 2020 12:30:10 GMT 12
Does anyone happen to have a complete list of the pilots who flew with No. 3 (Canterbury) Squadron in the late 1940's and 1950's? I am trying to piece together the history of Harvard NZ1044 for its owner Bevan Dewes. NZ1044 served with the squadron although I am unsure what dates it joined and left the unit.
While I have found lots of logbook entries for when NZ1044 was flying in WWII at No. 2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit, I have absolutely no data on the aircraft's career postwar. All we know is it served with PTS or CFS at Wigram apparently, and also with No. 3 (Canterbury) Squadron. I'd like to find any pilot who flew NZ1044 or anyone who owns their logbooks now, to get copies of any pages showing NZ1044 being flown.
The only names I know of so far for pilots who flew in this squadron are as follows:
No. 3 (Canterbury) Squadron TAF S/Ldr James Richard Maling AFC , AE NZ2459 Squadron Commander S/Ldr Raymond Jack Nelson Archibald DFC, AE, mid. NZ416435 Squadron Commander Pilot Officer Joseph Michael McGloin NZ431085 Killed 1950 Harvard John Robert Loughnan Campbell NZ41872 Killed 1954 Vernon Charles Duckmanton NZ4211871 Killed 1952 Mustang Peter Travis Norman NZ432833
Can anyone here add names of the squadron pilots? And are any of them still around? Or can anyone help find logbooks or logbook entries for NZ1044 at any of the units it served on please?
Did any of our older RNZAF pilots here learn to fly in NZ1044 at Wigram or elsewhere before it retired in 1958?
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Post by AussieBob on Jun 26, 2020 13:52:17 GMT 12
Dave, You are probably already aware of ADF Serials info showing Sept 54 to Nov 55; www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzharvard.htm
NZ1044 88-13193 Mk IIA 41-33720 Previously EX747. From RAF/FAA lend-lease allocations. Shipped to New Zealand on "James Hogg" in June 1943 and assembled at Hobsonville. BOC 26 June 1943. With No.2 FOTU, Ohakea late 1944. First Mk IIa to be converted to Mk 2A* August 1954. With No.3 (TAF) Squadron 03 September 1954-18 November 1955. To storage at Wigram July 1962. Disposed of through GSB to NZNAC Technical Training School, Christchurch 08 October 1971. Stored in Christchurch with Air New Zealand Training School.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 26, 2020 14:04:54 GMT 12
Yes thanks.
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Post by davidd on Jun 26, 2020 23:18:40 GMT 12
Some of pilots off top of my head: J B (John) Brazier, F/L R F Rollo, and Clarry Berryman, plus F/O P H Scott. also P/O P G Vowles (458131, killed in Mustang crash 23/4/55). Also F/O Maguire, and F/L Mike Daniell, their aerobatic "ace". There were of course many more, will have to look in the old NZ magazines from 1948/49 which had quite detailed accounts of the early days of the four TAF squadrons, including complete lists of pilots and some ground staff too. Also need the post-war numbers of the fellows already listed, have to keep up with the times! David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 29, 2020 15:12:37 GMT 12
Thanks David.
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Post by camtech on Jun 29, 2020 17:13:14 GMT 12
A couple more I came across checking my files: Flt Lt H E Tully (the last CO?), Plt Off G I Smith, Fg Off C W Calder.
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Post by davidd on Jun 29, 2020 17:21:24 GMT 12
Dave H, Finally managed to drag out a banana box of my more elderly NZ aviation magazines and have come up with NZ Flying, Feb 1949, pages 4 and 5, which lists the original personnel of No. 3 (Canterbury) Squadron, TAF.
Commanding Officer: S/L J R Maling, AFC.
Flight Commanders: F/L S F Browne (was early pilot with 485 Sqdn in UK); F/L R S D Kearns, DSO, DFC, DFM; and F/L L M Noble (Navigation Leader).
Pilots (Officers): F/O R J N Archibald, DFC; F/O L R Corich; F/O P T Norman; F/O B A Murray, DFC; F/O M R Blank, DFC.
Pilots (NCOs): F/Sgt (Pilot II) J M McGloin, F/Sgt (Pilot II) E R Buttolph, and W/O (Pilot II?) NZ4211816/130097 Clement Bayne Dawson.
Navigators: F/O H Harvey, F/O W D Williamson, F/O W H Burnell, F/O R M L Hopping.
Ground staff are much less numerous (or not so dashing) and only a few get any mention. These included LAC's R A Palmer, L J Watts, L T (Les) Heath (he was an MTS&O in wartime RNZAF, and later was a Volunteer at RNZAF Museum, where I got to know him slightly), and Cpl L Rushworth.
First regular parade was held by Squadron at Wigram on January 27th 1949, and it was noted that by March 1949 all the 11 original pilots had gone solo, most not having flown for previous 3 years.
"Following personnel of the Regular Air Force attached to the squadron for instructional and administrative duties, were F/L J R (John) Claydon, W/O A P H Lee, and LAC G F Comerford.'
"The initial strength of the squadron will be about 100 made up of a nucleus of trained former service personnel. The ultimate strength will be 300, built up mainly of civilian volunteers and annual intakes from the ATC, by 1952 - 53." Sad to say, the strengths given above were never achieved, nor anything like that, and the Regular Air Force often had to provide personnel to keep the TAF squadron's going, until all were finally disestablished in about August of 1957.
Some of the men of the squadron are mentioned in some newsclippings I have of the first "Ashburton Camp" held by the squadron in November 1953. By this time S/L Archibald was the CO, and t is mentioned in passing that "about three quarters of the aircrew are war-time pilots, the others were partly-trained when the war ended, and completed their courses with the TAF. One had come through the Compulsory Training Scheme. Conversely, a large proportion of the ground crew has been drawn from the ranks of 18-year old trainees. All are exceptionally keen."
Another article about this camp included the "raid" launched by the Canterbury Aero Club from Harewood early one morning, with flour bombs bursting and rolls of lavatory paper flying about as the attack force of one Tiger Moth, two Magisters, and three Auster Aiglets did their worst. "To the war-experienced pilots of the squadron the raid was not anything new, but the large proportion of 18-year old trainees in the ground staff began to learn quickly. With very creditable dispatch, they collected their senses and set about their part of the business of making ready their aircraft." However, despite all this, the aero club raiders made good their escape at low altitude. The reported put it like this: "Flying much lower than the vengeance-seeking Mustang, which had taken off in pursuit, the six light aircraft cruised back to Harewood without incident."
From some articles on the early April 1954 Ashburton camp ($ Mustangs, 4 Harvards), the following pilots were noted as being in attendance: S/L Archibald, F/O Daniell, F/O McFadden, and it was also noted that F/O C M Loach was the squadron Equipment Officer, although he was probably a Regular.
At the third Ashburton camp (late October 1954, Labour Weekend) a total of nine Mustangs were present (5 Canterbury aircraft, other four from Otago), and attendees numbered 112 from both participant units. S/L Archibald was still in command of 3 Sqdn, and S/L B Collins commanded the men from Otago.
I may be able to provide a number of additional names later this week, if all goes well.
David D
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Post by camtech on Jun 29, 2020 17:54:08 GMT 12
Another original ground crew member was Sgt R A Palmer, a local motor mechanic.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 29, 2020 18:16:39 GMT 12
Fantastic, thanks David and Les!
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Post by davidd on Jun 29, 2020 19:55:37 GMT 12
R A Palmer was in my list, but at that stage (1949) he was an LAC.
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