|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 24, 2009 19:37:56 GMT 12
Hi all,
My friend Trevor Pearce has asked me to help him find a photo of Hawker Hind NZ1540 which collided with P-40 NZ3040 over Foxton.
The Hind was a dual trainer but being operated by No. 22 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at the time. The P-40 Kittyhawk was with No. 2 Operational Training Unit.
Trevor is researching this incident for a friend of his grandson's who, as a child, witnessed the P-40 crash after the pilot baled out. The two men in the Hind also successfully baled out.
Trevor says he has located a photo of NZ3040 but he wants to find a photo of Hind NZ1540. Does anyone out there have one please? Either before or after the accident.
|
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Mar 24, 2009 21:03:38 GMT 12
The remains of this Hind were in the sand dunes a couple of hundred yards behind the house I was renting at Himitangi Beach in 1969 and I have a colour slide I took of the wreckage.
Don Subritzky came down that year and recovered as much of the wreckage as could be dug out.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 24, 2009 22:07:15 GMT 12
Thanks Shorty. I didn't realise this one was a "survivor" as such. What a pity you don't have that slide scanner yet.
|
|
|
|
Post by shamus on Mar 25, 2009 10:25:22 GMT 12
The accident you talk about happened on 23rd October 1942 and the Hind was piloted by L.H.F. Brown and passenger was Fl/Sgt Belcher. The P40 was piloted by Keith McDonald who I new and he died about 4 - 5 years ago. The report is available from the Archives and its number is 25/2/691 . Len Brown may be still alive. He was manager of the Automobile Assn in Wellington.
It was always my intention to get the two pilots to meet but Keith died before this was able to be accomplished. Keith was active in his later years and was rebuilding one of Dons (Subritzky's) Kestel engines when he died. I do not have a photo of NZ1540 and would also love to have one if one can be found.
|
|
|
|
Post by shamus on Mar 25, 2009 10:31:57 GMT 12
An addition to the previous posting. Sorry Shorty but the Hind from Himitangi was from the collision of NZ 1528 and NZ1508 and not from the P40 collision. Don and I visited the site of the Hind/P40 collision and it was over a farm near the main road. The remains are buried on the farm site.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 25, 2009 12:49:54 GMT 12
Thanks Shamus, I'll pass the info onto Trevor.
|
|
|
|
Post by shamus on Mar 25, 2009 15:33:27 GMT 12
Here is photo of a Hind Trainer which could possibly be NZ1540. It certainly has a 4 as the third letter in the serial. The photo is not very good as it was copied from out of the magazine 'Contact' June 1941 issue. If anyone has a copy of this issue they may be able to recognise the serial number and confirm or deny it.  |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 25, 2009 17:31:33 GMT 12
I have that issue of Contact but the photo in the magazine is no clearer. It's hard to tell. It's not a clear printing of the photo sadly.
|
|
axelford
Squadron Leader
I have visited 13 Plane wreck sites and counting, happy to help with info!
Posts: 121
|
Post by axelford on Jun 5, 2022 17:35:33 GMT 12
The remains of this Hind were in the sand dunes a couple of hundred yards behind the house I was renting at Himitangi Beach in 1969 and I have a colour slide I took of the wreckage. Don Subritzky came down that year and recovered as much of the wreckage as could be dug out. That sounds interesting, would it be okay to see the photo? Also from Shamus post I suppose that would be NZ1508? Also seeing as it is sort of nearby, do you know much about the fate of NZ988? It sounded like it was very close the river mouth so I've wondered how much was recovered of that. Searched up NZ3040 as I'm staying in Foxton soon and was curious what happened to the wreckage. This topic came up and as usual I wish I was born in a different era, where there was much more to find whilst out exploring  Was there any visible remains? Or was it all well and truly buried? |
|
