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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 20, 2021 15:37:05 GMT 12
The final take off from the Chathams, a full power effort can be seen on YouTube
The green paddock in the pictures above shows the earlier landing strip where Bristol Freighters landed.
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 18, 2021 9:38:01 GMT 12
Axelford , a strange thing about the Chathams is that you rarely see the locals ( except in the pub and most of those are ex pat fishermen) so even though there were 30 of us wandering round the Sunderland , nobody came out to talk , so I cant give you any news. One question unanswered was comment that during wartime there were coastwatchers stationed there and that Catalinas had landed in the lagoon . Does anybody have details?
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 17, 2021 20:14:39 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Aug 16, 2021 18:16:05 GMT 12
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 21, 2021 17:22:36 GMT 12
Trees , Lewis Marsons birthday is confirmed at 23.12.1919
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 18, 2021 8:38:35 GMT 12
Lewis William Marson NZ411224 Navigator this morning 18/6/21 in Blockhouse Bay . Lewis was born on 23.12.10.1919 and had only recently been "found". He trained in Canada , converted to Blenheims in UK and was posted to 52 squadron in Iraq. He later served on the trans Africa ferry route and Transport Command.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 7, 2021 12:23:33 GMT 12
They should be a classic series, or a great calendar.
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Post by pjw4118 on Jun 7, 2021 12:14:31 GMT 12
Good idea Dave , I would be in for that.
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Post by pjw4118 on May 27, 2021 14:32:19 GMT 12
Two belated notices for Bomber Boys
Douglas Taylor RAFVR 176185 on April 16 in Auckland Doug served as a m/ug with 57 squadron at East Kirkby from February 1945. Post war he was an agricutural officer in Sudan and Kenya before becoming a farmer in South Africa. He retired to NZ and became one of the Wednesday Bomber Boys at MoTAT. He loved golf , books and at Wednesday smokos could always come up with new jokes.
Eric Clifton Harris DFC NZ425788 in Cornwall UK on May 17 Eric was Cornish born emigrating to NZ with his family. He served as a pilot with 630 squadron ( also at East Kirby) and flew 36 operations. Post war he remained in the UK.
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 21, 2021 17:00:19 GMT 12
Great to see, I had thought aluminium skinning but this looks good. Will it be NZs largest wooden aircraft?
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 14, 2021 17:17:10 GMT 12
Williamson Douglas Bannerman RAFVR 44310 Flight Engineer on Saturday March 13 aged 96. Doug had been unwell and in hospital recently but had came back home last week . He was one of the three surviving RAF airmen who were sponsored privately to visit the RAF Bomber Command Memorial in 2012. Doug was a flight engineer with John Woods crew on 75 squadron in 1944/45. During the crews 32nd op , a raid on Merseberg on 4/5 April , their Lancaster was hit in the nose by flak and caught fire. Doug got back to the under gun position and bailed out. The pilot regained control and force landed at Marston leaving Doug as a POW . He was held for 5 nights in Police cells before release by advancing US troops. Doug had written two books about his "adventures" in war and peace. Currently the NZBCA has just 15 known WWII Bomber Command veterans left with us.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 3, 2021 14:59:03 GMT 12
Bernie Lewis from Nelson certainly did post war. He was a test pilot for Bristol Siddeley and flew Luftwaffe Fiat G91s on performance trials. I have a photo somewhere..
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 28, 2021 11:43:35 GMT 12
Dave , Keiths operational/ post war log book was lost . I reconstucted his ops with 109 squadron for him from the sqyuadron ORBs but details of his Mosquito ferry flight to NZ ( recorded as RAF pilot ) and the trip in the Lancastrian was lost . However ther eis a film clip of the arrival in the NZ film archives. I copied a couple of stills but have now lost the link .
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 28, 2021 11:38:38 GMT 12
A story about Keith appears in this months Aviation News
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 25, 2021 11:12:35 GMT 12
The P3, 757 and C 130 were polishing up their act over Whenuapai yesterday starting with a combined low level fly over , centred on the 757. The prop people climbed away left and right ( or port and starboard if you wish ) and each aircraft returned to do low and fast , then low and slow passes. All very tidy and much appreciated as I wont be at Masterton this year.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 23, 2021 15:32:39 GMT 12
I popped some shots taken at the studio onto the NZBCA facebook age , but the pics I took of the actors aboard the Lanc are still under embargo and I did sign some paperwork, so sorry. I saw the movie out of interest . Its no serious doco for sure and some bits were drawn out, but I got my $15 worth . Perhaps I am easily pleased but it sure was better than TV.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 22, 2021 11:38:44 GMT 12
Oh Ok , 5th from left looks like Keith Holyoak . Keith Boles , who flew as co pilot is 5th from right.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 22, 2021 8:46:28 GMT 12
The officer third from the left looks like Cohen. Taken on the welcome of Finance Minister Walter Nash back from the UK 1946
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Awatea
Feb 19, 2021 15:55:20 GMT 12
Post by pjw4118 on Feb 19, 2021 15:55:20 GMT 12
You dont know what you are missing Peter.
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Post by pjw4118 on Feb 19, 2021 11:14:46 GMT 12
Navigator Lewis Marson (NZ411224) collected a wad of papers during his time overseas. He was posted to Canada and travelled on the Awatea leaving Auckland on 29 April 1941. Errols For Your Tomorrow lists 42, 40, 104 AP and 62 W/OP/AG aboard. Almost exactly half (112) failed to return. Amongst the collection were these menus from the voyage. The boys seemed to be well fed. Lewis Marson is on the left of this group Fortunately his OTU in England was split and he was sent to the Middle East (Iraq) and West Africa (Ferry Command) The Awatea seemed to be a busy troopship and I was told her remains were still visable off the N.African coast
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