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Post by angelsonefive on Jan 11, 2022 9:27:07 GMT 12
"LANCASTER BOMBER
LEAVING THIS MORNING The Lancaster bomber which has been engaged on goodwill tour of New Zealand is expected to leave Whenuapai
this morning after delay due to the slight mishap on Wednesday and continued bad weather. The machine was
slightly damaged when it skidded while
taking off on Wednesday morning but proved airworthy when test flown by
the captain, Flight-Lieutenant P. S. Isaacson, D.F.C., D.F.M., yesterday.
The departure this morning will depend on favourable weather."
I found this in the June 19th, 1943, edition of the NZ Herald.
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Post by McFly on Jan 11, 2022 10:02:20 GMT 12
Suggest it's probably this one captained by Flight-Lieutenant Isaacson.. 
"Promoted to acting flight lieutenant, he was chosen in May 1943 to captain Lancaster Q-for-Queenie on a landmark flight from England to Australia across the Pacific Ocean, and then from Melbourne to New Zealand and back, non-stop in both directions. He was awarded the Air Force Cross on 27 August 1943 for this mission, the citation noting that it was "the first occasion on which an aircraft has flown to Australia by this route and the direct flights between Melbourne and New Zealand are the first of their kind" - Link"The crew of RAAF Lancaster ED930 (A66-1) "Queenie VI" in front of their aircraft at RNZAF Station Whenuapai. - June 1943"(Air Force Museum Collection)
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Post by retiredav8r on Jan 11, 2022 10:34:23 GMT 12
Interesting news clip. Note "nonstop both ways" I hope so, there is nowhere to stop!!
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Post by ErrolC on Jan 11, 2022 11:34:51 GMT 12
Interesting news clip. Note "nonstop both ways" I hope so, there is nowhere to stop!! Previously via somewhere in NSW I assume. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 11, 2022 11:46:41 GMT 12
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Post by McFly on Jan 11, 2022 16:44:59 GMT 12
"Flight Lieutenant P. Isaacson speaking to Air Vice Marshal R. V. Goddard, during the visit of Royal Australian Air Force Avro Lancaster ED930 (A66-1) "Queenie VI" to New Zealand. Unknown location. Circa June 1943 - PR1070" "Montage of the Royal Australian Air Force Avro Lancaster ED930 (A66-1) "Queenie VI" and its crew. Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram. Circa June 1943. Crew: Flight Lieutenant P. S. Isaacson (Captain), Flight Lieutenant R. S. McF. Nielson (Navigator), Flight Lieutenant A. V. Ritchie (Bomb Aimer), Pilot Officer D. Delaney (Flight Engineer), Pilot Officer E. M. Copley (Wireless Operator), Flight Sergeant J. Grose (Air Gunner - mid upper turret), Flight Sergeant A. F. Page (Air Gunner - rear turret), Corporal C. Spencer (Fitter)." (Air Force Museum Collection)
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Post by retiredav8r on Jan 11, 2022 17:33:26 GMT 12
Interesting news clip. Note "nonstop both ways" I hope so, there is nowhere to stop!! Previously via somewhere in NSW I assume. Clip says between Melbourne and NZ, no reference to NSW anywhere |
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Post by ErrolC on Jan 11, 2022 19:11:23 GMT 12
Previously via somewhere in NSW I assume. Clip says between Melbourne and NZ, no reference to NSW anywhere If you were flying from Melbourne to NZ in the 1930's you probably refueled at Richmond or wherever, rather than some tiny place in eastern VIC. The Lanc didn't need to refuel. |
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Post by camtech on Jan 11, 2022 20:30:36 GMT 12
My late father always blamed this Lancaster for stopping from scoring a try in a rugby game at Hagley Park in Chch, after the referee stopped the game so they could watch the aircraft fly over!
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Post by shorty on Jan 11, 2022 21:26:51 GMT 12
there is a fairly well known photo of Hudson NZ2035 parked next to the Lancaster at Whenuapai, Its a shot from overhead so probably taken from on top of the hangar. Also shows a fence around both aircraft so must have been some sort of public viewing
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Post by McFly on Jan 12, 2022 7:17:41 GMT 12
there is a fairly well known photo of Hudson NZ2035 parked next to the Lancaster at Whenuapai, Its a shot from overhead so probably taken from on top of the hangar. Also shows a fence around both aircraft so must have been some sort of public viewing More photos of NZ2035, and from Darby's book a photo of it in it's working days parked beside the RAAF Lancaster A66-1 in June 1943  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 15, 2022 18:42:20 GMT 12
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Post by shorty on Jan 15, 2022 21:39:26 GMT 12
Note, no mid upper turret.
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Post by Antonio on Jan 15, 2022 23:13:09 GMT 12
XO coded P-40's short fin E models? Fin flashes appear to be the early 'A' type to  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 16, 2022 8:13:04 GMT 12
You will note among the photos I posted for Peter there are actually two different Lancasters there.
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Post by tbf2504 on Jan 16, 2022 8:38:08 GMT 12
I note that in most of the photos no guns are evident in the turrets. We must have been considered "friendly"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 16, 2022 8:40:20 GMT 12
XO coded P-40's short fin E models? Fin flashes appear to be the early 'A' type to Yes they will be Fairhall-based No. 3 Servicing Unit P-40E's, which will likely be being flown by No. 16 Squadron pilots, just before they departed to Mangere for deployment to the Pacific. |
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Post by markrogers on Jan 16, 2022 14:32:16 GMT 12
You will note among the photos I posted for Peter there are actually two different Lancasters there. Yes, I noticed that. One Lancaster has paddle blade props while the other has the earlier toothpick props. Spotted the difference and wondered about it. The paddled blades are definitely Hamilton Standard while the toothpick props could be De Havilland. |
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Post by Antonio on Jan 16, 2022 16:03:30 GMT 12
 PD328 was from the Empire Central Navigation School which later returned to NZ as ' Aries' Whereas 'Queenie' started life as ED930 later to become RAAF A66-1 |
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Post by davidd on Jan 17, 2022 16:02:32 GMT 12
Yes, those large and clear photographs of the Lancasters show very clearly why the earlier blades were called "tooth-picks". Incidentally the HS Hydromatic props fitted to many British-built aircraft (also Beaufighter, Stirling, Flamingo, but earlier or later versions of these aircraft often had quite different props fitted). Apparently De Havillands never actually manufactured Hydromatic props, but they did assemble some thousands of them from parts made in the USA, and were almost certainly fitted with British-made parts (the part fitted between prop shaft and the propeller proper designed to match the splines on the British-made engines rather than the original American SAE splines. Very sensible. Difficult to find out much detailed information on these hybrid props, although some others on this Board might have better sources than I have discovered.
Also note at least two of the Lancaster photographs taken at Wigram, the ones just below the image of a Kittyhawk and Lancaster flying over the Auckland post office - the unmistakable skyline behind makes that clear - I have lived below those hills since 1963. Most of other photos appear to be at Whenuapai, at least where any useful background is present.
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