RNZAF Aeroplanes on Norfolk Island Stamps

[planecrazy]

Had a bit of a clean up today and came across these in a draw, looks like they
got the marking pretty much spot on, wonder about the Avenger with a white
tail? I have Charles Darby's book, The First Decade and on page 69 the is a
coloured artwork picture of an Avenger with an all yellow tail but not just the
fin as on the stamp below. I wonder if the Avengers ever did get an all white
tail as per the late model P40s?

The amounts on the stamps really date them, a 3 cent stamp?!

[Dave Homewood]

The tails should be Non-Specular Intermediate Blue, like the tails on the Corsair and Dauntless. I think the artist, Maurice Conly, used a little bit of artists' licence, or it is meant to be reflecting the light maybe.

[davidd]

The stamp showing an RNZAF Dauntless is a bit misleading, as no RNZAF SBDs were flown through Norfolk Island, although it had been originally planned that a half-squadron (9 a/c, for No. 27 Sqdn) of RNZAF A-24s was to have been based there from late 1942 onwards. However this never took place, as the A-24s intended for NZ were very late in production, and in fact the allocation was finally cancelled by COMAIRSOPAC in January 1944. Nevertheless there is little doubt that a goodly number of USMC SBD-3s and -4s were ferried south through Norfolk over a short period in mid-1943 (allegedly ex operational from Guadalcanal), en route for NZ, and these did in fact end up with 25 Sqdn at Seagrove. This was in response to the delayed production of the A-24s for the RNZAF, which was countered by SOPAC ordering a number of obsolete SBD aircraft be ferried by the Marines to the RNZAF so they could at least start training on the type at Seagrove. Maurice Conly must have been misinformed by somebody that our SBD-5s were ferried north from NZ, which of course was not the case.
David D

[tbf2504]

David is correct. The series of stamps and First Day Covers were to raise funds for the new air force museum, and Maurice was commissioned at short notice to produce them. He would have been given the
information on what aircraft to place on them by the then RNZAF Historical Centre staff (prior to the museum being formed)

[davidd]

Thanks for the back up Paul, I guess you were on the job at Wigram in those far-off days, when people like yourself and George Jaunzemus, Lyn Buttle, "Min" Watson, etc, were running about, also groups like the "Moth Doctors", and "The Witches" (Weedons volunteers). Come to think of it, I was also occasionally on the job then, providing various bits and pieces of research for John Barry, including information on all the aero engines planned to be on display.
David D

[Dave Homewood]

Actually the Dauntless stamp does not show it at or over Norfolk Island, unlike all the others, so I guess he did realise that RNZAF SBD's did not visit the island.

I'm confused. Are you sure Paul that these were produced in conjunction with the RNZAF Museum? These were released by the Norfolk Island stamp bureau who have always been prolific stamp releasers. they have quite a worldwide following. Also Conly was, as you well know as you wrote the book on him, often designing stamps and coins. Did he donate his fee to the museum or something like that? Because these stamps were not used on the Museum's First Day Covers, they had NZ stamps on them.

[tbf2504]

Dave, yes you are correct he did do them for the Norfolk Island stamp bureau; however, in mitigation there was some tie up between what he did for them and the musuem, unfortunately with the passage of time
cannot recall the exact details. Maurice was of course designing lots of stamps for NZPOST and the current $1 and $2 dollar coins.