Page 244 – Key Publishing

Dave Homewood

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November 15, 2004 at 7:00 am in reply to: Nieuport request #1427713

Dave Homewood
Participant

Just found it Chris, ‘Grid’ Caldwell flew the Neiuport 17 with 60 Sqn, RFC

http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/gbritain/rfc/60.html

I note that No. 60 Squadron also had another Kiwi Ace, Alan Scott MC.

Something I have often wondered, does anyone know if there is a family connection between Keith Caldwell (one of NZ’s greatest Aces from WWI) and Clive Caldwell (one of Australia’s greatest aces of WWII)?

November 15, 2004 at 2:53 am in reply to: The aircraft in the "Blue Max" #1427949

Dave Homewood
Participant

Wasn’t there a museum in the early 1990’s called The Blue Max Museum, which was devoted to aerial films and television? Perhaps they had some of the Blue Max planes, or know what happened to them.

I’ve never seen Blue Max or Aces High, but I have found memories of the BBC series “Wings” – how do they compare?

November 15, 2004 at 1:38 am in reply to: Where can I find details of a donated Spitfire? #1427995

Dave Homewood
Participant

The other thing is that Sir Howard Ellis’s money may have paid for one of 485 Sqn’s Spitfires, not Waikato. Bill did fly a number of their Spits, and it was likely reported/rumoured etc round town through letters or such that he flew the Cambridge-donated Spit, but it may not have been his regular mount.

I have him down as flying these MkVB’s

P8022 OU-F

AB870 OU-Z

AB784 OU-N

W3406 OU-H

W3645 OU-S ‘Waikato’

W3652 OU-V

AA732 OU-H/ OU-X ‘Western Samoa’

AB799 OU-B

AD114 OU-G ‘Auckland II/ Auckland V”

BM229 OU-A

One note is AA732 OU-H/ OU-X ‘Western Samoa’ was also a fairly regular mount, and I wonder if this was while ‘Waikato’ was in repair because the latter was very damaged at one point and was repaired over a period of time.

Does anyone know why AA732 OU-H/ OU-X ‘Western Samoa’ and a few other aircraft in the Squadron would have had their code letters changed at some point? Would it be purely administrative, perhaps transferring from A Flight to B Flight or such? Seems a little odd.

November 14, 2004 at 10:23 am in reply to: My Weekend Was GREAT!! #1429570

Dave Homewood
Participant

Excellent Locobuster, well done.

But 2005? Do you work with Moggy by any chance? 🙂

November 14, 2004 at 10:17 am in reply to: Where can I find details of a donated Spitfire? #1429573

Dave Homewood
Participant

Thanks Laurie, that’s odd because I got that serial from “Spitfire – The New Zealand Story’ by Gerald S. Morris, which is a very well researched tome. It has several combat reports in it written by Bill, and each one lists that serial. There are several photos of Bill in the Spitfire called Waikato. I don’t know if any show the serial though. I’ll have to look into this.

I do not think any of the Spits MkVB in 485 Sqn were donated by non-New Zealanders. I believe all the subscriptions came from Kiwis for the squadron, which is why they at home had such an attachment to the unit when it formed as opposed to other NZ Sqns in the RAF.

November 14, 2004 at 9:13 am in reply to: My Weekend Was GREAT!! #1429669

Dave Homewood
Participant

Hey guys, I really appreciate these comments, thank you very much.

Matt, I think a heck of a lot of the RNZAF Corsair pilots flew with the Aussie Boomerangs doing their Forward Air Control job. In fact I have been told that the NZ Corsair squadrons virtually had Boomerang units attached to them, they worked as unison units I believe.

One of the Corsair pilots who flew with them was Bryan Cox , who was our guest speaker yesterday. There are some photos of 5 Sqn Boomers in his book ‘Pacific Scrapbook’ taken while he was with No. 16 Sqn RNZAF. I will pm his email to you. Bryan will also no doubt know others who also flew with the Boomers because he’s also secretary of the NZ Fighter Pilots Association.

I also got in touch with another pilot in Cambridge only this week who also flew Corsairs, and he may also be able to help you. I have to interview him soon so I’ll see what he remembers.

As an aside about the ANZAC effort…. In Bryan’s time up in the Pacific the Corsairs were used mainly in the dive bomber role of course, but as he said yesterday, had the atomic bomb not been dropped, his Sqn was about to convert to Mustangs and be joined with the Aussie Mustang squadrons for the invasion of Japan. I’m sure they’d have seen a bit of fighter vs fighter action then. There’s an interesting ‘what if’ scenario for ANZAC co-operation. Of course 485 (NZ) Sqn worked alongside an Australian squadron (forgotten the number) in Europe and they flew many ops together in their Spitfires.

November 14, 2004 at 8:52 am in reply to: Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede – pictures #1429688

Dave Homewood
Participant

Neil, these photos are superb. Thanks so much for posting them, I have wondered for some time what the Runnymede Memorial looked like, because several airmen from my town are commemorated on it. Thank you for showing me what this amazing place is like.

Does anyone out there have photos of the Bourail Memorial, which does the same thing for missing airmen in the Pacific? Are there other such memorials to missing Commonwealth airmen in other theatres? Middle East? Africa? Asia?

November 14, 2004 at 7:50 am in reply to: My Weekend Was GREAT!! #1429709

Dave Homewood
Participant

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

I meant to mention that when I eventually get around to it, I’ll hopefully add some photos of the event and the plaque to the thread.

November 14, 2004 at 4:58 am in reply to: Spitting Fire @ Duxford – an IDEA! #1429723

Dave Homewood
Participant

I have been told and also read that the USAF regularly fires live ammo and even bombs at some of their bigger airshows. With their record of friendly-fire incidents, I personally would not want to be in the crowd. 😮

If, as suggested, this be done for a documentary rather than the public, it’s a waste of time. There must be oodles of footage already from training films, etc.

November 11, 2004 at 12:27 pm in reply to: Balbo's Italian Air Armada #1432479

Dave Homewood
Participant

The American expert who intended to build an S.55 was “Buzz” Kaplan, sadly killed in a Jenny crash two years ago.

Listen to the link – it is very recent and is a different chap altogether – Dr Carl Berman jnr., who’s a science professor at the University of Maryland.

Here’s his website
http://mysite.verizon.net/cberman/index.html

November 11, 2004 at 10:34 am in reply to: Balbo's Italian Air Armada #1432587

Dave Homewood
Participant

Also listen to the follow up episode, no. 4. An expert in the USA is planning to build a flying replica of the Savoia Machetti twin hulled flying boats and recreate that trip!

Whoa!! That’d be interesting to see.

November 11, 2004 at 8:43 am in reply to: Thank You To All Vets #1432739

Dave Homewood
Participant

Wear your poppy with pride.

I wore a poppy today when I went into town, filled with pride and emotion after I’d watched the amazing live coverage of the burial of a WWI unknown Kiwi soldier in Wellington (see my other thread). I noticed many people giving me an odd look for wearing a poppy – here in NZ poppies are not worn in November, but instead in April, for ANZAC Day, April 25th – which predates Armistice Day and is more important to New Zealanders. But I feel November 11th is also important. My great, great uncle was killed in Frnce in 1917, after earlier surviving months at Gallipoli and several wounds. My good friends’ grandfather joined up in 1914, went through the whole war and was killed the week of the Armistice. Dreadful.

My town, Cambridge, is one of the few places in NZ to have a full Remembrance Day ceremony, in fact it is now so big it is an Armistice Weekend Commemoration with both solemn ceremony and joyous remembrance (a WWII themed Victory Dance, re-enactors, military vehicle parade, warbirds, parachutists, a militaria market, etc).

This Saturday I am hosting a reunion for Cambridge men and women who served in the RNZAF and Allied Air Forces in WWII. It is an exciting event and many veterans are coming along. Apparently they have never had such an event before. I came up with the idea to launch my website project properly, as they have all contributed to the research. We expect at least 50-60 people, mostly veterans and their familes. We are also unveiling a plaque and dedicating a tree to the memory of all those who served in the Air Forces – not just those who died. So this is a very special time for me. I hope all goes well.

And for me this date, November 11th, is even more poignant now – this is the first anniversary of my Nana’s death too. 🙁

November 11, 2004 at 8:25 am in reply to: Battle of Britain Spitfire models #1432751

Dave Homewood
Participant

http://www.rojasbazan.com/Gallery/19-10×7.htm

November 11, 2004 at 6:31 am in reply to: Very Strange Incident at Halavo Bay, Guadalcanal #1432770

Dave Homewood
Participant

John, would that be Homer? See here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=131523

http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/features/homer.htm

As for the Plesiosaur, that was off the coast of NZ, but theorists now think it was actually a rotting whale carcus that had rotted into the shape of Nessie. Hmmm.

November 11, 2004 at 5:56 am in reply to: Very Strange Incident at Halavo Bay, Guadalcanal #1432781

Dave Homewood
Participant

Hi

I believe a report was written on this or a similar incident and it was thought to be a bull elephant seal or other large seal – as they can weigh up to two tons this could be a possability.

I think there was a reference to a report in New Zealand archieves at the time.

Regards
John P

John, have you any further details on this? Your lead seems worth chasing up. Yes, elephant seals can be very dangerous too when roused, and would crush people. Hmmmm…..
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