Specific Planes in Fleet Air Arm flown by Kiwi Pilots?

[seiran01]

Hi all,

I want to build a Hellcat in Royal Navy colours, and also a Swordfish down the line. More than anything, I'd like to do one to depict aircraft flown by kiwi pilots. I have no idea where I might find info on the aircraft serials, fuselage codes, and anything unique about the paint schemes (google hasn't been much help at all) and I'm hoping someone here may have some information or a tip for where to look. R.A. Richardson's 1840sqn Hellcat from the Tirpitz raid is definitely one of interest.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Mike

[Dave Homewood]

My late friend Nelson Tolerton was a Kiwi in the FAA, and he flew Hellcats in the Eastern Fleet, based in Ceylon but attacking targets in Burma as they acted as close support for the British 14th Army. I have a copy of his logbook and some photos if interested.

I have met a number of Kiwis who flew Swordfish. I could look out some interesting schemes if you'd like.

[seiran01]

Thanks Dave, the info and photos (if possible) would be very much appreciated. Dunno if you'd rather post here or email... if you want to email anything, please use [e-mail]
Cheers

[Dave Homewood]

I am flat out busy this morning but I'll try to look out details this afternoon.

[seiran01]

No rush, I don't have to have info this minute :-)

[Dave Homewood]

Nelson Tolerton flew the following Hellcats with No. 896 Naval Air Squadron:

Based at RNAS Wingfield from 10 Jan 1945 till 15 Feb 1945

JN709
JN732
JN734
JN739
JN757
JN767
JW732
JW737
JW739
JW747
JW757
JW761
JX678
JX680
JX693
JX695 (he seemed to fly this one the most often)
JX697
JX702
JX705
JX706

Then flying in "Exercise Slipkit" from HMS Malagas, from 17 Feb 1945 till 22 April 1945 (still based at RNAS Wingfield), flying:

JW737
JW747
JW754
JW758
JW762
JW767
JX671
JX672
JX678
JX693
JX694
JX706
JX714
JX715
JX716
JX724
JX725
JX728

Boarded HMS Ameer, passage to HMS Valluru, Tambaram, India. Flew these Hellcats from 12 May 1945 till 31 May 1945:

JX677
JX697
JX703
JX706
JX707
JX724  (he flew this one most often)

Then flying from HMS Attacker, from 1st of June 1945 till 28th of June 1945:

JX671
JX677
JX678
JX690
JX697
JX706
JX724 (he flew this one most often)
JX725
JX727

The squadron them moved to HMS Ameer as part of "Operation Collie" and from 2 July 1945 till 17 July 1945, and he flew:

JX688
JX694
JX715
JX724 (he flew this one most often)
JX727

The next move was to HMS Empress as part of "Operation Livery" from 24 July 1945 till 16 July 45, and he flew:

JX686
JX688
JX715
JX848

[Dave Homewood]

Here are the photos from Nelson's album. Sorry I did not have a scanner with me at the time and only had a crappy point and click camera back then, so they're not the best.

P1000922 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000923 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000924 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000925 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000926 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000927 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000928 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000929 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000930 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000931 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

I love the nose art on the rockets!
P1000934 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000937 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000938 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000940 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

P1000943 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

[30sqnatc]

Outstanding set of pictures

[Dave Homewood]

Yes they are really interesting. Those very late war roundels are very rarely seen.

[Dave Homewood]

Mike, is there any specific theatre of war you'd like to depict the Swordfish in?

I was fortunate to meet a few veterans who flew or flew in the Swordfish. They include:

Nelson Tolerton - Pilot - Flew Swordfish in the UK, from memory including when he was on a special development unit (I have his logbook copied)

Alexander Brunt - Pilot - Swordfish on 786 Sqn, 753 Sqn, 755 Sqn, 775 Sqn (Egypt), 834 Sqn back in UK (I have his logbook copied)

Murray Richardson - Observer - UK, Arctic convoy (I have his logbook copied)

Bill Ringer - Pilot - Swordfish at Wingfield, then with 789 Squadron at Malagas (I have his logbook copied)

Ralph Cocklin - Pilot - Swordfish in the Atlantic, off carriers and off a MAC Ship (I don't have his logbook but I might be able to get it, and I have photos and other details)

So there are options there for UK-based, Arctic convoy, Atlantic, Med, or South Africa.

[seiran01]

Great photos Dave! Thank you for taking the time to dig out and share those and the aircraft serials from his log. It doesn’t seem like there’s much consistency to the fuselage codes corresponding logically to the serials, but I do see that JX688 is B-8H and there’s a great side photo of that online. Looks like that’s the one I will do, and of course those faces on the rockets will be added.

I know very little about the Swordfish ops, although something out at sea seems more interesting than ground-based. Perhaps Ralph Cocklin?

[baz62]

May 13, 2021 16:57:47 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

P1000922 by Dave Homewood, on Flickr

The Hellcat in these photos(and in the next(one) seem to be a very light colour. I can see the canopy frame is painted a dark colour and it almost makes me think this Hellcat is in primer?? A quick Google of Hellcat FAA colour schemes just shows all the camouflage schemes the FAA Hellcats used. Unless it's the film stock of course although comparing the canopy frame to the fuselage it does seem a lot lighter.

[Dave Homewood]

I have wondered about it too, and wonder if it is white. These ones are at a Royal Navy base in South Africa, so perhaps they had some little known local colour schemes. As they seemed to convert to Hellcats there on a conversion training course maybe it was even yellow?

[hbpencil]

There are photos about of Sea Hurricanes on HMS Nairana in the Atlantic which have had their upper surfaces painted over in white (except for the anti-glare ahead of the cockpit), also CC aircraft with white sides and lower surfaces, so there is some precedent of the FAA using white schemes.
Some info on them here: web.archive.org/web/20030202224021/http:/www.navismagazine.com/demo/nicki/story_of_nicki.htm

[nuuumannn]

An amazing album full of fascinating images, thanks for sharing it, Dave. I suspect the Hellcat with the dark-framed canopy was white also, but no doubt someone has more information.

[ams888]

It could be a Martlett III (which were diverted from Greece). It seems these were grey in colour

Screenshot 2021-05-16 120212 by Andrew Sutton, on Flickr

[baz62]

No definitely Hellcats but I'm picking white or light grey.