Errol MartynThe first movie to be shot from an aeroplane was on 24 April 1909, when a cameraman flew with Wilbur Wright in Italy. So this looks as though it is the film from that event.
It was not the first movie made from the air, however, that honour apparently going to the French Lebaudy brothers semi-rigid airship, the Republique. In June 1908 a movie was made of some of the early trial flights and a movie camera mounted in the car captured some memorable views of Paris from 2600 feet. Could there have been an even earlier movie made from one of Count Zeppelin’s airships, perhaps?
Errol
Errol MartynThe first movie to be shot from an aeroplane was on 24 April 1909, when a cameraman flew with Wilbur Wright in Italy. So this looks as though it is the film from that event.
It was not the first movie made from the air, however, that honour apparently going to the French Lebaudy brothers semi-rigid airship, the Republique. In June 1908 a movie was made of some of the early trial flights and a movie camera mounted in the car captured some memorable views of Paris from 2600 feet. Could there have been an even earlier movie made from one of Count Zeppelin’s airships, perhaps?
Errol
Errol MartynRon Foster died 1 Jan 2011.
See here for obit:
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/news-articles/33154-times-obit-ron-foster-dfc-cdg.html
Errol
Errol MartynFor a listing of 75 Sqn Wellington, Stirling and Lancaster serials and code letters see:
‘Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profile Number 20 – 75 (NZ) Squadron’ by Chris Ward, self pub 1996.
No ‘NZ’ serials of course because these New Zealand Squadron (not Flight as some sources have it) aircraft were no longer on strength when 75 as formed in April 1940.
Errol
Errol MartynPossibly this event?
From my ‘For Your Tomorrow – A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Fates: Vole Two 1943-1998)’:
Tue 21/Wed 22 Nov 1944
FIGHTER COMMAND
Glider towing and checking out new pilot and crew
190 Squadron, RAF (Great Dunmow, Essex – 38 Group)
Stirling IV LK276/Y – took off towing Horsa I PF753, which was released at 2108 and made a safe landing. A few minutes later the Stirling dropped its tow rope and at 2113 requested permission to land. For reasons unknown this was not granted, the pilots being instructed to standby. No further communication took place between then and 2120, when LK276 crashed alongside the old Roman road leading to the village of Great Dunmow. On coming down it hit willow trees, passed under power lines, slid along the ground some 125 yards and struck a bank close to the village, where it exploded on impact. Six of the crew perished in the crash, while the rear gunner died of injuries before he could be admitted to hospital. Both pilots and the rear gunner are buried at Brookwood, Woking, Surrey. The subsequent Court of Inquiry strangely concluded that the crash had not been caused by ‘damage to the aircraft in the air’, and took the view that the captain had probably been watching the airfield lights instead of his instruments. However, research into the event some 50 years later by Mrs M Kidgell, brother-in-law of Fg Off J I Kidgell, RAAF, the pilot being checked, revealed that contrary to the Court’s findings it was common knowledge amongst many on the base that LK276 had been shot down by an enemy intruder. After release of the Horsa an aircraft had been seen following the Stirling across the field, with cannon fire being distinctly heard by a number of people immediately prior to the crash. At the time the Squadron was still recovering from severe losses incurred during the disastrous Arnhem campaign of September. It is possible, therefore, that a shortage of competent personnel affected the quality of the inquiry.
Check Pilot: NZ42365 Fg Off William Walter D’Arcy BRAIN, RNZAF – Age 26. 553hrs (about 230 on Stirling) 18 ops.
Errol
Errol MartynMark,
The move to Sunshine was because there was no means of collecting admission money from the public at Altona.
My magazine article is primarily about the Australian tour, with just a summary of Hammond’s earlier and later careers, which are described in greater detail in my forthcoming history of early New Zealand aviation.
Errol
Errol MartynA number of corrections, if I may:
“these flights all occurred within a 4 week period, all from Altona Bay in Victoria, all in 1911 just on 100 years ago, and all by one pilot – J J Hammond.”
The double-passenger flight took place at Sunshine, not Altona Bay. The Bristol party had moved there from Altona Bay by 15 March. ‘These flights’ took place over a 34 day period, not 4 weeks.
“50HP Gnome engines for ₤50.”
I don’t have the Gnome price off hand but it was certainly nothing like ₤50!
“On 28 February at Altona Bay, Victoria, he undertook the first powered passenger flight in Australia, taking his mechanic Coles on a 7½ minute flight, and then took Mrs Hammond on a 12½ minute flight, the first woman passenger flight in Australia.”
These flights took place on 23, not 28, February.
Ethelwyn Hammond went up first then Coles, not the other way round.
“his assistants L.F. McDonald and Coles both as passengers”
McDonald and Coles were both mechanics but McDonald also held an aviator’s certificate and also flew the Boxkite in Australia.
“flew with the RFC in WW1 and was killed in a flying accident in 1918 in the USA.”
Hammond was killed on 22 Sep 1918 as a captain with the RAF on the strength of the British Air Mission in the USA.
For those interested in learning more about Hammond and the Bristol Boxkite tour of Australia my serialised account appears in [I]New Zealand Aviation News[I] commencing with the February issue.
Errol
Errol MartynFor a more accurate and complete listing of New Zealanders awarded the Clasp go to
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/files/documents/nz-battle-of-britain-list.pdf
Errol
Errol Martyn2 nights ago I stumbled on this site while doing research with my father on his brother. His brother, my uncle, is NZ42446 Plt Off Raymond George Cuthbert Payne.
We always had been told that Ray and his Navigator had crashed while doing night flying training as per the official record. This comes as quite a surprise, especially to Dad. I would appreciate any further information on this.
Cheers John
John,
I have since established that 1430 was actually the take off time, the aircraft crashing at 1446. The Court of Inquiry noted that this was the second Mosquito to disintegrate in mid-air within two days.
You have probably been misled by the term ‘Night flying test’. This was a short flight carried out preparatory to a nighttime operational sortie, it being better to discover any bugs in the system in daylight while over friendly territory than in the dark while inhospitable folk are shooting at you.
You may not be aware that you can also request a photocopy of the surviving papers on your uncle’s RNZAF service record. You may have to wait for a month or two for the response but the there is no charge for a single annual request. Go here for details:
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/archive-enquiries.htm
Errol
Errol MartynAli,
According to the Shorter Oxford Dictionary (1984 ed):
“Midshipman…In the navy, a rank intermediate between that of naval cadet and that of sub-Lieutenant…”
“Warrant Officer…An officer of the army or navy who holds office by warrant, as dist. from a commissioned officer…”
Errol
Errol MartynSteve P
I noticed that as well from the Accident Report – The CWGC has him down as Sub-Lieutenant (A)
I will confirm with Errol Martyn
Paul
Paul,
Stark was posted to the AFU on 8 Feb 43. His commission is dated 15 Feb 43 but doubtless was still being processed at the time of his fatal accident.
Errol
Errol MartynDave,
I can’t give you an absolute answer in respect of your grandfather’s records. It looks to me that his 1932-33 service was as part of the Territorial Force, in which case such records may well not have been retained or even been microfilmed before destruction. If he had been a member of the regular force I would rather expect the record to still survive, though quite probably in a ‘weeded’ form.
The best method of establishing if anything survives would be to simply to fill out a request form for a photocopy of the service record and send it off to NZ Defence Force and see what transpires. A single request per year is free.
Errol
Errol MartynRNZAF service records were held in Wellington city until the mid-1990s, when they were moved out to Trentham. Boer War service records were in the last year or two transferred from Trentham to Archives New Zealand in Wellington city, while those for WWI are in the process of also being so transferred. Visit the NZ Defence Force and New Zealand Archives websites for further details if required.
Errol Martyn
Errol MartynHutcheson was born at Wellington on 4 Aug 16. The family later moved north and he attended Hastings High School. At the time of entering camp at RNZAF Levin on 3 May 41 he was head shepherd on ‘Pourerere’ Station at Waipawa (some 30 miles from Hastings). His parents were Hugh Wilson Hutcheson & Mary Jane Cameron Hutcheson (nee Robertson), Hastings. An appeal through Hastings media (following a google search for newspaper and radio) might bring forth next of kin?
Errol Martyn
Errol Martyn“the greatest example of precision bombing during World War 2?”
No question, it was by the Americans…into a pickle barrel, no less, it was claimed!
Errol
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