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Post by davidd on Feb 11, 2022 10:12:50 GMT 12
The "side bars" on RNZAF P-40s were added in about November 1943, there being a (dated) photograph of 18 Squadron pilots sitting and standing in front of such a P-40 at Ondonga in the squadron's photo album, although cannot quote the exact date at the moment.
The white-painted tail surfaces were added to RNZAF P-40s from about 1st September 1943, something to do with the creation of NORSOLS (Northern Solomons sub-command), which marked the move forward into this new area, which was a projection of South Pacific Command into the adjacent South West Pacific Area (SWPA) but remained logistically linked to South Pacific Command for supply and logistical reasons, and administration. However, general operational control was now largely in the hands of the SWPA commanders (by mutual agreement), as the northern Solomons and particularly Rabaul, and New Ireland were increasingly coming under attack from the Allied forces from two directions, the SE (SOPAC) and the West (SWPA). More and closer co-ordination was becoming a much more important consideration as the two air forces were increasingly operating in the one air space centering on Rabaul, the major Japanese base and supply centre south of the equator.
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rodm
Flying Officer
Posts: 67
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Post by rodm on Feb 11, 2022 10:34:05 GMT 12
Thanks everyone for clarification on the period when the specific P-40 markings were used.
regarding the Japanese markings visible (bearing in mind the clip is such low resolution that some markings likely distinguishable on the original film cannot be read)...
Taxiing sequence:
9-159
9-166
9-169
9-154 or 9-164?
Take-off sequence:
9-108?
Taxiing after landing sequence:
9-112 or 9-712?
Another aspect of the P-40 sequence is that the aircraft is uncommonly close (compared to other aircraft seen) to the camera position as well as the ground, increasing exposure to small arms fire. It's a shame that it's likely impossible to know the location it was filmed from.
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Post by davidd on Feb 11, 2022 10:35:48 GMT 12
Dave, small point, but date of arrival of RNZAF P-40s at Ondonga (two squadrons, Nos. 15 and 18) was 24th October 1943, after having spent a few days at Munda awaiting completion of their new field. Nos. 2 and 4 SU's were delivered to Ondonga on the 23rd October, so were ready to commence operations as soon as the aircraft arrived. They were the first Allied air units to use the field. However very heavy rain for several days impaired efficiency, not helped by fact that the main RNZAF camp, "which was inclined to be swampy (but), was continuously a quagmire". See J M S Ross, pages 199 - 201.
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Post by Mustang51 on Feb 11, 2022 10:42:48 GMT 12
I guess that the lower u/c door removal was also due to muddy fields and the need to clear out the muck all the time
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rodm
Flying Officer
Posts: 67
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Post by rodm on Feb 11, 2022 11:10:33 GMT 12
If I understand my published sources right, the P40 footage must date from no earlier than 17 December 1943, since that was the first time single-engined Solomons-based fighters flew to Rabaul (Air-to-Air, Rudge, Page 208). The fighter sweep on that day was also an occasion when Kiwi P-40s did get down into the weeds somewhat over New Ireland...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2022 11:15:05 GMT 12
Thanks for the correction David, my looking up of the date of arrival at Ondonga was in haste but funilly enough it was the Ross book that I took the date from. I obviously misread it and was a week out.
Did they fly any Rabaul missions from Munda before they moved to Ondonga?
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Post by davidd on Feb 11, 2022 13:49:31 GMT 12
15 and 18 Squadrons flew their P-40s from Kukum strip (Guadalcanal) to Munda on 20/10/43, 17 a/c by 18 Sqdn, led by S/L J A Oldfield (with two more following in afternoon), and 18 a/c by 15 Sqdn, led by S/L M J Herrick, RAF. Seemed to be all the P-40s the two squadrons had at the time. The aircraft were ferried up in the morning, with 15 Squadron incidentally escorting Skytrains (C-47s) in case of any ambushes (unlikely). From later that same day, both squadrons were on operations, either local patrols, fighter sweeps, Dumbo escorts or escorting American bombers (TBFs or B-25s) on strikes to targets in Southern Bougainville. A US Navy PB4Y (Liberator) was escorted on one day, duty not stated, but possibly on photographic business. This type of activity continued until the short move to Ondonga on 24th of the month, believed shortly after lunch that day. It was noted by the 18 Sqdn diarist on the 23rd that "Squadron operations at this stage confirm intelligence reports that the Japanese Air Force has, comparatively speaking, absented itself from the South Bougainville area". C-47 escorts (often called SCAT escorts) were a very common task allocated to the squadrons during this period, although numbers of aircraft escorted are never stated. Until the aircraft were located at Ondonga, Rabaul as a destination for the P-40s, was out of reach, at least until they could use the new Torokina (Bougainville) strip.
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Post by McFly on Feb 11, 2022 15:20:05 GMT 12
Thanks everyone for clarification on the period when the specific P-40 markings were used. Regarding the Japanese markings visible (bearing in mind the clip is such low resolution that some markings likely distinguishable on the original film cannot be read)... Taxiing sequence: 9-159 9-166 9-169 9-154 or 9-164? Take-off sequence: 9-108? Taxiing after landing sequence: 9-112 or 9-712? Someone's done some nice artwork on a few of the Zero fighters from the film clip..   |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2022 15:26:30 GMT 12
There are no wing stripes, so it is almost certainly a P-40N-1, as they did not have the stripes (apart from one which may have had its wings swapped in the field). I'm super confused by everyone's "no wing stripes" take - even in Dave's still they can be clearly seen! Here's a couple I've taken:  P-40 00 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  P-40 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  P-40 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  P-40 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2022 15:31:37 GMT 12
Now I am super confused.
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Post by chinapilot on Feb 11, 2022 15:40:04 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2022 15:43:00 GMT 12
When I paused the video in a few places yesterday I could not see the diagonal stripes on the wings, only the roundel bars.
On seeing your screengrabs, Zac, I looked again, and found the same as yesterday. Then I watched again and there are indeed a few frames where it looks like there could be white stripes. I really don't know now. Is it a stripe, or is it a reflection?
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Post by McFly on Feb 11, 2022 16:52:51 GMT 12
When I paused the video in a few places yesterday I could not see the diagonal stripes on the wings, only the roundel bars. On seeing your screengrabs, Zac, I looked again, and found the same as yesterday. Then I watched again and there are indeed a few frames where it looks like there could be white stripes. I really don't know now. Is it a stripe, or is it a reflection? Reflections or stripes...   "Rabaul 1943–44 - Artist: Mark Postlethwaite" |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2022 17:06:06 GMT 12
On seeing your screengrabs, Zac, I looked again, and found the same as yesterday. Then I watched again and there are indeed a few frames where it looks like there could be white stripes. I really don't know now. Is it a stripe, or is it a reflection? I'm confident there are wing stripes based on your initial screengrab and my viewing of the film. By the way, what an amazing piece of film!! How wonderful it would be to see it cleaned up/restored. |
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Post by McFly on Feb 11, 2022 17:18:01 GMT 12
The translation of the commentary in English: It is called Jukai, who does not know Senkofuetsu, and is chanted as an unexplored heaven and earth. The battlefield here in New Guinea is literally a dense forest area. The struggles of the Imperial Japanese Army heroes are piled up against nature, opening up new areas. Who can think of such a difficult battle? The enemy is based in Port Moresby and is trying to rely on its abundant material power. Prior to categorically destroying this enemy's counterattack, the Imperial Warrior must first win the battle against the jungle. Bamboo plexus with large root stock. A wide variety of vines. Whether you pay or pay, it hinders your progress. Mountain leeches attack. Aedes mosquitoes invade. Moreover, it is a sultry heat peculiar to the jungle. Water is the most distressing area in these areas. Cutting out the bamboo that hinders the advance, the water supply team builds an instant water tower and carries it to the front line comrades. It is precious water. It is the medic's mission to deport the injured by traversing the pathless road. The more difficult it is to replenish, the more difficult the medic will have. The medics are also fighting fiercely with the terrible chemicals and materials. The scale of the battle is large, and the appearance of the battle is serious and complicated. We must also pay attention to every front, like the constant watch of the sentinels standing here. Rabaul, our base on New Britain. It doesn't shake like Iwao. The enemy landed on the islands of Kwajalein and Luot in the Marshall Islands on February 1. The enemy is also trying to do his best. Didn't they even seek a foothold on the two islands, which are nothing more than a coral atoll? With that landing, the enemy now believes that he has besieged Rabaul. The battlefield is serious. But you don't have to be upset at all. I am the eagle of the sea that crushes the enemy's ambitions in the air and shoots down one day, one day. A violent alarm rang. A large formation of the War Bomb Coalition, including the Consolidated B-24. Immediately dispatch to your favorite plane or fighter plane. The sea eagle takes off with dust and goes beyond the sky. The United States has hit my hospital ship several times and has no shame. Then move on to the evacuation movement. Taking advantage of the dense clouds from time to time, he escaped the attack of my fighter and invaded the enemy formation over Rabaul. Ground fire, spit fire all at once. Consolidated B-24 blows fire and shoots down. In addition, one aircraft, B-24, heads straight toward the abyss. Unable to withstand the attack of my fighter, which devours violently, the North American B25 escapes to the ground. The enemy makes the quantity say something and rushes. Even if it is a fluke, it sometimes causes damage to us. Enemy fighter, P-40. All the enemy planes ran away. What the people at the base are already waiting for is one aircraft, one aircraft, and the friendly eagle returning with the familiar roaring sound from the shadow of the mountain. A heart waiting for Arawashi. People still think today that it is a harsh, firm, bloody heart. The hero who came back does not say a word. However, the big bullet holes tell the story of the fierce battle. He often came back. Silent gratitude pervades every corner. Moreover, at that moment, preparations for the next dispatch A bit more detail on the IJN Hospital Ship being attacked..  "The hospital ship is Tenno Maru, ex-RNethN Op ten Noort. - This NEI steamer was converted to a hospital ship by the Dutch in early 1942; just in time to be captured by the IJN. What I've read online states that there was indeed an incident in which it was strafed by USN fighters. Also that the ship was used by the IJN to transport mines while marked as a hospital ship. Tenno Maru survived the war only to be scuttled off the home islands by the IJN, setting off a legal battle with the Netherlands over compensation which was not settled until the 1970s." |
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Post by chinapilot on Feb 11, 2022 17:33:49 GMT 12
The ‘scoreboard’ is interesting in that it has carrier aircraft claims including the SB2C.
There was a carrier raid 11 Nov 1943 - this was the combat debut of the SB2C - although it appears from various sources that none were shot down that day.
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Post by McFly on Feb 11, 2022 17:56:35 GMT 12
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rodm
Flying Officer
Posts: 67
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Post by rodm on Feb 11, 2022 20:23:39 GMT 12
17 December 1943 :-
F/L Mike Vanderpump and F/O John McFarlane overflew Rabaul, with at least F/L Vanderpump flying at 'zero feet' over Rabaul and to the south-east, as described in Air-to-Air, Rudge, pages - 212-213...
Rudge states F/L Vanderpump was flying P-40 '63', without identifying the aircraft serial.
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Post by McFly on Feb 11, 2022 20:44:40 GMT 12
17 December 1943 :- F/L Mike Vanderpump and F/O John McFarlane overflew Rabaul, with at least F/L Vanderpump flying at 'zero feet' over Rabaul and to the south-east, as described in Air-to-Air, Rudge, pages - 212-213... Rudge states F/L Vanderpump was flying P-40 '63', without identifying the aircraft serial. Well here's a picture of F/L Vanderpump with P-40 Kittyhawk '66'. One could assume P-40 '63' may be close by..? NB: Looks like a white tail and stripes on the wing..?  "Group of No. 16 Squadron pilots with Kittyhawk '66'. This group was involved in the first bomber assault on Rabaul, 19 December 1943.
L-R: Merv Jones, Dennis Page, Pat Tilyard, Keith Mulligan, Alan Mitchell, Turkey Burke, MT Vanderpump, Fred Donaldson, Ernie Laurie, Jack Williams, Ramsey Boyd, Colin McDonald, Keith Starnes." (PR3001)  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 11, 2022 23:58:32 GMT 12
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