eleceng
Leading Aircraftman
My father, F/O R.M. Curtis was 2P to Popeye; they had many trips together
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Post by eleceng on Apr 11, 2014 9:22:34 GMT 12
Hi David. I am the youngest son of Popeye and the compiler of the logbook cd. Thank you for your kind comments and interest in Pop and the efforts I put into the huge task of compiling the log book into an ebook for the family. The reason I made the ebook is that my mother stated in her will that Pop's logbook should be given to the Wigram Museum and I was nominated to do just that. However, when I brought it home I got to thinking that once it was in the museum, none of the family would get to see it again. All of us (my family) are very proud of our dear old Pop and his exploits and I decided that it would great if I could somehow copy the logbook so each member could have it. Scanning the the book was quite a task in itself, and then I spent many hours searching the net looking for a way to present it ... downloading (1.2 kbps!) numerous photo album programs, trying them out and discarding them, until I found the ebook program that seemed to be just the "ducks nuts". From there the project grew and grew as I came up with the ideas of adding photos, stories, letters and etc. Took three years in the end!!! Being a pilot myself, I am very reluctant to let Pop's book go and after all these years I still have it on my bookshelf with my own logbooks sitting humbly beside it!! I guess I will have to do my duty one day!! Cheers Marty Lucas P.S. I have your email address from Wendy and will drop you a line. |
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eleceng
Leading Aircraftman
My father, F/O R.M. Curtis was 2P to Popeye; they had many trips together
Posts: 4
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Post by eleceng on Apr 11, 2014 23:59:49 GMT 12
My father, F/O R.M. Curtis flew many sorties from Feltwell as "Popeye's" co-pilot. My son, Robin, has my father's Log Books and it was interesting to see the entries in "Popeye's" logbooks that mirror those of my father. coincidently, I did my RAF Officer training at RAF Feltwell in 1964 when it was an OCTU.
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eleceng
Leading Aircraftman
My father, F/O R.M. Curtis was 2P to Popeye; they had many trips together
Posts: 4
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Post by eleceng on Apr 12, 2014 0:12:43 GMT 12
I commissioned my colleague, an accomplished artist, to paint a picture of 3 75(NZ)SQN Wellingtons flying over RAF Feltwell c1940, featuring V-VICTOR. I made prints of this, signed by the artist and my father, who was latterly Captain of V-Victor; there are some still available. I also wrote an article to accompany the print, and I see this has been reproduced by someone who painted "Cuthbert" on the nose of a scale model of a Wellington Mk1!
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Post by oggie2620 on May 11, 2014 6:20:30 GMT 12
If you are on Facebook it might be worth finding the 75 Sqn group and joining it so you can post it on there. Other Facebook pages/groups are the Aviation Art & the Wellington Pub (based at Feltwell and just recently opened) plus the New Zealand Bomber Command Assn one  if you cant find them pm me and we will find a way to find them for you... |
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 14, 2014 20:45:34 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 15, 2014 0:43:20 GMT 12
Amazing photos Don. Thanks so much for posting them!
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Post by suthg on Aug 15, 2014 7:14:07 GMT 12
Great research Don! Well done!
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 15, 2014 10:13:56 GMT 12
Our paths must have crossed !Shame we didnt have a beer together in the Chequers.Good photos Don , I checked out Spilsby but other than the odd Nissen hut and a bit of track , nothing much.
Woodhall Spa ( 617s home) was better and I got the rental car nearly to flying speed down the main runway , ducks and golfers being the main hazard.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 15, 2014 19:35:30 GMT 12
Yes we should have planned that better Peter! There are remnants of the Bomber Command airfields everywhere when you drive through the country side and know what to look for. Those Nissin huts have a distinctive shape and make great farm sheds! Dee took me to Spilsby and Woodhall Spa 2 years ago. Such history everywhere you turn in the UK. Some amazing museums there.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 15, 2014 20:47:01 GMT 12
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 15, 2014 21:10:33 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 15, 2014 23:29:03 GMT 12
Really great photos. I love the displays in the Nissen huts.
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Post by baz62 on Aug 16, 2014 5:18:10 GMT 12
Great photos Don. I was at this Museum waaay back in 2000, good to see they now have class aircraft like Austers now.  That Mosquito is really coming along and considering the condition it was in to begin with it is an amzing achievement. I think the plan is to get it to ground running condition and taxi status. |
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 17, 2014 18:20:04 GMT 12
Good stuff Don , thank goodness for digital. I got to talk to Tony Agar when I was there , just amazing.
For NZBCA records would you mind dropping me a list of the airfields you visited so we can ask for any "after " photos for the boys , and I will do the same. They just love to see whats still existing. Its worth a page or two in the next NZBCA News. Our President Ron Mayhill is off in two weeks time and has been granted a tour of Bentley Priory which is still ops center for the RAF. I hope he takes a camera !!!
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Post by noooby on Aug 18, 2014 4:11:44 GMT 12
Don, did the Mossie have radar aerials on the nose? From the exhausts it looks like it is an NFII but I can't be sure. Perhaps that was all they could find?? Love the Devon I'd still have one if I could afford it. Ebay in the US has one for sale in the USA. Comes with a spare fuselage too. Bidding was at 10k last time I looked. |
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maytaj
Leading Aircraftman
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Post by maytaj on Aug 20, 2014 19:35:48 GMT 12
I wonder, did the Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen actually suffer much real damage in the many air raids made on them? Or was it superficial? Were the Germans having to continually repair them while in dock due to the raids? And were the ships fully manned while that sat in dock all that time or were they basically laid up?
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 20, 2014 20:34:47 GMT 12
Don, did the Mossie have radar aerials on the nose? From the exhausts it looks like it is an NFII but I can't be sure. Perhaps that was all they could find?? Yes it is a night fighter variant with the radar antenna in the nose |
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 20, 2014 20:35:43 GMT 12
Good stuff Don , thank goodness for digital. I got to talk to Tony Agar when I was there , just amazing. For NZBCA records would you mind dropping me a list of the airfields you visited so we can ask for any "after " photos for the boys , and I will do the same. They just love to see whats still existing. Its worth a page or two in the next NZBCA News. Our President Ron Mayhill is off in two weeks time and has been granted a tour of Bentley Priory which is still ops center for the RAF. I hope he takes a camera !!! I only visited the airfield shown above this trip Peter. Went to to the Pettwood hotel, Spilsby, Conningsby, East Kirkby, Newmarket and Feltwell on a previous trip. That is great that Ron can still travel at his age. He will be treated like a VIP I'm sure. |
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Post by suthg on Aug 20, 2014 21:23:57 GMT 12
I am planning on going to Elvington too, love the old Victor and the Lightning (grunt!), the Hunters and the Nimrod, and the Mirage and the Buccaneers. Quite a good representation of the years, then there was the Devon and a Spittie etc... LOL A good place to walk around on a Sunday.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 20, 2014 21:47:42 GMT 12
This thread has drifted well away from the topic of No. 75 Squadron history now. Can we please put trip plans and other posts in another thread?
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if you cant find them pm me and we will find a way to find them for you...
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That Mosquito is really coming along and considering the condition it was in to begin with it is an amzing achievement. I think the plan is to get it to ground running condition and taxi status. 
