RNZAF Norwood

[rossbrodie]

Over the weekend Dave Homewood and I got talking about the old Norwood Base as my Dad and I had recently stopped to take a look at the site from the roadside as we were driving through. 

There seems to be very little photographic record of Norwood, a search on the Airforce Museum Photograph Collection only brings up three photos. One aerial oblique view of the field, one of a Harvard on its nose and another of an Oxford on it's nose. The airfield was quite substantial considering it was only a satellite field to Wigram, in the photos below I can see what looks like nine Oxford or Harvard sized T-Hangars around
the perimeter of the airfield as well as three round hangars and many huts of various sizes. What really got us head scratching was how different the airfield layout was between the aerial photo from the Airforce Museum and the aerial photo on Retrolens. Eventually we worked out that the reason for this was because they moved the whole airfield to the next paddock over between 1942 when the Retrolens photo was taken and 1945 when the Museum's photo was taken. Seems like an odd thing to do, they must have had a good reason for it. I wonder if anyone here has anymore insight?

MUS0902343 by Ross Brodie, on Flickr


Norwood by Ross Brodie, on Flickr

DWNZ948b by Ross Brodie, on Flickr

MUS941001 by Ross Brodie, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, that was a most interesting discovery, well done Ross for working it out as it was really puzzling. The whole place moved over the fence, which is so odd. And the design of the runway layout changed completely.

Is there any mention of this in that Public Works Dept history book that some members here have access to?

It's puzzling that an entire station would be moved a bit. Was it a drainage issue? That seems unlikely as surely the water table would be the same in the next door paddock.

I had always been under the impression that Oxfords from Wigram flew into Norwood on a daily basis, operated for the day, and returned to Wigram. So the need for so many hangars and also accommodation huts you can see in the photos was really puzzling when we discussed it the other night. But I just remembered that No. 22 (Army Co-operation) Squadron was also based at Norwood. They had Vincents and later Harvards - so that will be who all the hangars were for I think.

[davidd]

Norwood ultimately comprised TWO airfields, side by side, and known as "old" and "new" fields respectively so far as I know. The HQ, Tech area and firefighting pool were sited between them. Do not really know reason for the second field, but possibly added to give two circuits for higher throughput of pilots on this type of training. However, it is quite clear from the Norwood history that both "fields" were used simultaneously after completion of second field.

The deployment of aircraft from Wigram to Norwood was quite clearly undertaken en mass for the period of training (which was undertaken by all pupil pilots during latter half of the Advanced Training Squadron phase). There was quite a bit of accommodation at Norwood, sufficient for the permanent ground staff (technical, admin, flying and instructional, medical, messing, ablutions, etc.), as well as a complete course of trainees and all their staff pilots (but no instructors, as all the trainees were qualified to fly solo, and were in fact permanently paired for most exercises flown from Norwood). The period spent at Norwood may have varied slightly, but seems to have been more-or-less 4 weeks, that is about the second part of the ATS phase. The graduation parades all took place at Wigram, just after the aircraft and pupils returned there from Norwood. Normal course by 1943 comprised total of some 48 trainees (Airmen Pilots u/t), sourced from Nos. 1, 2, 3 EFTS's equally (that is, approx. 16 from each). Attrition of pupils, both temporary and permanent, varied from course to course, including some fatalities (two killed at Norwood). However, for second half of 1942 (Course No. 29A onwards, commenced ITS 15/6/42) each course comprised some 56 pupils during much of 1942 and in fact well into 1943 (Course No. 34A still included 51 pupils).

To give an idea of the pupils passing through Wigram (and Norwood), I have hastily assembled some facts of the "all Airspeed Oxford" era, when Wigram was by far the busiest and most productive flying training station in the RNZAF, and it is recorded that perhaps 30 plus Oxfords of ATS were usually located at Norwood, undertaking the advanced exercises for multi-engined pilots, including night flying, cross countrys, formation flying, etc., although not armament exercises (undertaken at Birdlings Flat). Note that "ITS" indicates the Intermediate Training Squadron, and "ATS" indicates Advanced Training Squadron, the two "Squadrons" constituting No. 1 Service Flying Training School, which also had the Beam Approach Training School, and the Night-Flying Flight (both also equipped with Airspeed Oxfords) under its jurisdiction. The aircraft establishment of No. 1 SFTS during 1944 was about 110 Oxford aircraft.


Course 32A, (approx. 58 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 19/10/42, period at Norwood approx. 6/2/43 - 1/3/43 (although 12-only pupils briefly returned to Wigram to complete a BAT course 13 - 21/2/43).

Course 35A, (approx. 47 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 8/2/43, period @ Norwood approx. 3/5/43 - 3/6/43.

Course 38A, (approx. 48 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 1/5/43, period @ Norwood approx. 25/7/43 - 25/8/43.

Course 41A, (approx. 46 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 24/7/43, to ATS 27/9/43, period @ Norwood approx. 15/10/43 - 16/11/43.

Course 46A, (approx. 48 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 18/12/43, to ATS 21/2/44, period @ Norwood approx. 10/3/44 - 12/4/44.

Course 50A, (approx. 48 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 8/4/44, to ATS 12/6/44, period @ Norwood approx. 7 - 10/7/44 - 18/8/44.

Course 52A, (approx. 50 pupils), reported Wigram (ITS) 3/6/44, to ATS (date u/k), period @ Norwood approx. 20/9/44 - 1/11/44. This was final Wigram course carried out with Oxford aircraft during WW2, all subsequent flying carried out on Harvard aircraft, still at Wigram and Norwood, and with armament training carried out from Birdlings Flat.


Incidentally Wigram had three satellite fields, not just Norwood. Both the other two were developed in the period 1939/40 from memory, although one had in fact been in use since about 1930, when the Bristol Fighters were the main visitors, later joined by Vildebeests. This latter field was of course Birdlings Flat (known for family of an early farmer who lived nearby), also known by the Maori name of Kaitorete Spit (or simply "The Spit" or "The Lake") which had some interesting historical mythology to go with it. And Waimakariri field was right beside the river of that name, on the north bank, somewhat inland from Christchurch and not too far from the Spencer-Bowyer farm, although the last time I saw It (many years ago) that river was nibbling at its edges, but was still substantially complete, and matched up perfectly with the official sketch map I had of the area, right down to the pine trees, and the little irrigation ditches! Oxfords and Gordons used to operate from here, and perhaps also Harvards and Vildebeests, although just guessing, should show up in accident reports (if they had any).

[Dave Homewood]

Excellent information David.

Was operating with two circuits something the trainee bomber pilots would have expected to encounter in the UK? I know a lot of the bomber bases in Cambridgeshire abs Lincolnshire were very close together, not none were just over the fence as far as I'm aware.

Did the second airfield maybe allow the Oxfords to continue the training schedule uninterrupted while the Vincents and Harvards of No. 22 Squadron used the other runways?

[davidd]

That was 22 Squadron Dave, 21 was mostly at Palmerston North (Milson). Another RNZAF airfield which actually comprised TWO fields was Wigram. The "New Field" was never very much developed (it was the one on far side of Wigram towards the hills and up against the road opposite). However the gliding clubs (Wigram and Canterbury) both used the "New Field" quite extensively up till the time Wigram was closed, perhaps they still do, although pretty certain that they don't! Actually during WW2, there were many airfields built quite closely together, and some were simply runways right alongside each other and operating under a single air traffic control system if that made sense at the time. In some areas, such as "The Fens" in SE England there were large numbers of airfields crammed in wherever they could be fitted. You had to be carefully where you landed at night!

No. 22 (AC) Squadron arrived at Norwood at beginning of December 1942 if I recall correctly, and was there till disbanded on 10th May 1943, but they only had nine Vincents (actually 8 plus one Vildebeest, NZ107) and up to three light aircraft (Tiger, Moth Minor, Rearwin 9000). This squadron was sacrificed to keep No.21 Squadron at Palmerston North alive (it took over all of 22 Squadron's Harvards and probably some of their pilots and groundstaff!) The older Vickers aircraft were removed from 22 Squadron in late March and early April 1943, and were transferred to 1 and 2 OTUs at Ohakea, 2 FTS at Woodbourne, and the Vildebeest ended up with No. 1 A/A Co-op Flight at Mangere.

Cannot say whether the arrival of 22 Squadron at Norwood had anything to do with the "New Field", but will post you my "History" of Norwood, compiled by me from "usually reliable sources", but mostly found mixed up with Wigram's history, plus accident reports, etc.

[Dave Homewood]

Oh yes, sorry, I was getting my squadrons mixed up.

[rossbrodie]

Thanks David, very interesting information.