Page 86 – Key Publishing

Dave Homewood

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August 15, 2008 at 7:46 am in reply to: Spit Vs Dornier – 3.8.1942 Help- Andy? PeterA? #1165006

Dave Homewood
Participant

I got a chance to have a quick look in ‘Spitfire – The New Zealand Story’ by Gerard Morris today. Entries in the book conserning Black are as follows:

Page 135
Serial MK862
OU- TOC Date – 25/4/44
7/5/44 – F/Lt Lindsay S. (‘Lin’) Black whilst flying low cover for Operation Neptune encountered accurate flack. His starboard wing was severely damaged. To No. 421 Repair and Salvage Unit.

Page 138 has a squadron phto showing Lin Black

Page 139 has another squadron phto showing Lin Black

Page 195 (in section of all NZ Spitfire pilot air to air kills)
F/O L.S. Black 485 BM208/OU-S Do217

I didn’t see any other Blacks in the index. The Les Black in the back of my mind was probably in a different squadron. I think Lin is certainly your man.

August 15, 2008 at 12:27 am in reply to: French aircraft crash, 1935 #1165138

Dave Homewood
Participant

Hi Chumpy,

Thanks, I’m aware of the existence of that book but have not yet managed to track down a copy.

The small mercenary air force he tried to raise in Britain to join in the fight in the-then Abyssinia was curtailed when one of the pilots in his group went to the press and talked about the venture. I wonder if there are any online British newspapers that might be searchable for that article? Or others on Griffiths.

The three aeroplanes he was contracted to fly to Spain (apparently by Douglas Aircraft UK Ltd) were as I understand it all delivered, and when he arrived with the third aircraft, he realised the gravity of the Civil War and when offered a job with the Loyalist Air Force he joined up. He flew Nieuport 26’s in combat, escorting bombers, and claimed seven aircraft destroyed though the authorities only credited him with four (which he received 200 pounds each for as bounty). He was then attacked on an escort mission by five Italian Fiats and his wingman was killed, Eric receiving a bullet through the shoulder. He flew home to base and was hospitalised. He then went to a Spanish flying school as an instructor and eventually took three months leave to come hom to NZ to marry fay Robinson, his fiance’. He decided not to return to Spain and resigned, not a bad move, of the 20 men he started with in his squadron, only two survived by then.

August 14, 2008 at 10:27 pm in reply to: French aircraft crash, 1935 #1165252

Dave Homewood
Participant

I’m afraid I don’t have any more and do not know if it was a French or a British aeroplane. It is just mentioned in a few short biographies that after a crash of a private plane in France he became ground staff with imperial Airways (not sure if that was in france or Britain either). Griffiths was a flyer of fortune, an amazing career – his flying career took him to places like China, Antarctica, Britain, France, Spanish Civil War and Fiji where he was killed. He was a genuine ‘Boys Own Adventure’ character.

August 14, 2008 at 4:09 pm in reply to: Is there an Imperial Airways museum? #1165560

Dave Homewood
Participant

Thank you very much for the link and info.

August 14, 2008 at 9:50 am in reply to: Spit Vs Dornier – 3.8.1942 Help- Andy? PeterA? #1166239

Dave Homewood
Participant

As I mentioned, Les Black may be a confused memory – I’m just not sure. I’ll try to get to the library and check those books tomorrow that I recommended, unless someone here beats me to it.

August 13, 2008 at 4:34 pm in reply to: Spit Vs Dornier – 3.8.1942 Help- Andy? PeterA? #1167229

Dave Homewood
Participant

I would recommend you look in the book ‘Spitfire: The New Zealand Story” by Gerard S. Morris which records combat information of all kills by NZ’ers in Spitfires. I don’t have a copy but I believe Mark12 does.

There are two books on No. 485 (NZ) Squadron too that might be worth a look, one by Kevin Wells and the other by Paul Sortehaug and Malcolm Laird.

I have a feeling there may have been a Les Black in that squadron but not certain, and may be confusing the issue there.

Lidsey Black did two tours, one with 501 Sqn and then the second with 485. He was a Flight Commander on the latter. His brother, RLS Black, served in the RNVR. Lindsey was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey.

There are no L.S. Black’s in the NZ phone directory by the way.

August 8, 2008 at 1:45 pm in reply to: Olympix #1172253

Dave Homewood
Participant

Stuart – no.

Many aircraft earlier than that had adverts branded on them – here in NZ I can think of Cadbury’s Chocolate Moth and Creamoata (breakfast ceareals and porridge) had an old WWI plane painted up. The NZ Herald newspaper donated a DH60 to the Auckland Aero Club with their logo sponsorship on it too, and it was known as The Herald Moth.

August 7, 2008 at 12:52 pm in reply to: Why no 2 seater WW1 replica? #1173249

Dave Homewood
Participant

The Vintage Aviator here in New Zealand intends to build at least one more RE.8. They’ve built a static for the Omaka AHC but the website says they plan to make one airworthy too.

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/projects/re8-reproduction/vintage-aviator-re8

July 31, 2008 at 5:39 am in reply to: DH60 Moths in Millitary use #1181165

Dave Homewood
Participant

The New Zealand Permanent Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force both used DH60 Moths. They were also flown by territorial pilots of the New Zealand Air Force in the 1930’s.

Although they were in service before the war, the impressed Moths of the RNZAF in 1939-40 formed the backbone of ab initio training for No. 2 EFTS till sufficient Tiger Moths arrived.

More here
http://nz-serials.adf-serials.com/nz501.shtml

July 22, 2008 at 11:33 am in reply to: Old Recovery pics… #1190542

Dave Homewood
Participant

Thanks for posting the link to Shorty’s thread. I was about to do it myself and spotted your post.

Amazing photos eh, and great stories of the PNG recoveries, and the Lanacaster and Seafires and all the rst on that thread.

I know who but I believe he perfers to remain anonymous.

July 12, 2008 at 2:14 pm in reply to: Pink Lady is here #1201537

Dave Homewood
Participant

Super photo 92fis, and the weather looks nice too.

July 11, 2008 at 12:48 pm in reply to: Prototype Survivors #1203631

Dave Homewood
Participant

Not so historic except in New Zealand, but the prototype CT/4 Airtrainer ZK-DGY still flies regularly with new Zealand Warbirds at Ardmore.

How did the Mosquito come to survive?

Isn’t the protoype Harrier in the Science Musuem or somewhere like that?

July 6, 2008 at 10:30 pm in reply to: Special lightened high altitude African Spitfires #1209457

Dave Homewood
Participant

As an Aussie would say, “You little beauty!”

MA504 has to be the same aircraft that Bill flew on the 16th of April 1944 which he denoted in his logbook as 504. He took it on a height test to 47,000 feet.

Wonderful photo, thanks for digging that bit further.

July 5, 2008 at 1:19 pm in reply to: Special lightened high altitude African Spitfires #1211039

Dave Homewood
Participant

The aircraft did have guns, I think he was giving them a sporting chance. They removed the radio I believe.

July 5, 2008 at 9:53 am in reply to: Special lightened high altitude African Spitfires #1211270

Dave Homewood
Participant

Thanks. When Bill was at Idku he was no longer in 127 Squadron.

I have a photo or two from his collection of an early highback RAF Mustang at Idku so must be one of those you refer to.
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