The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: Nevill ClarkeF/Lt William Paul Nevill Clarke, AFC, (cvsa). (5 Nov 1921 – 22 Aug 2019) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 6th of February 2019 Released: 6th of August 2019 Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 27 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood and Bevan Dewes visited 97-year-old veteran RNZAF pilot Nevill Clarke at his retirement village home in Northcote. Nevill was one of the pilots of perhaps the least remembered part of the wartime air force, RAF Ferry Command. He was tasked with flying newly built aeroplanes that were rolling out of American factories across the Atlantic to Britain. In his time he ferried Lockheed Hudsons, Lockheed Venturas, Douglas C-47 Dakotas, Consolidated Liberators, Martin Baltimores, Martin Marauders, and probably others. He flew both the northern and southern routes. He also spend a number of months piloting the Consolidated RY-3 (the transport version of the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer) on the San Francisco to Sydney route. And he flew the Avro York for a period too on transport routes. After a short postwar secondment to BOAC, Nevill left the RNZAF, came home to New Zealand, and joined TEAL on the 7th of May 1947. He flew as co-pilot and later captain with the airline, encompassing such aircraft types on the Short Empire, the Short Sandringham, the Short Solent, the Douglas DC-6, the Lockheed Electra, the Douglas DC-8 and lastly the Douglas DC-10. Above: Nevill Clarke whilst in the RNZAF during WWII (Photo via his neice Deborah Clarke) Above: Nevill Clarke in his TEAL uniform (Photo via his neice Deborah Clarke) Above: Nevill Clarke celebrating a birthday (Photo via his neice Deborah Clarke) Above: Nevill Clarke, former RNZAF pilot who served with RAF Ferry Command, and flew with BOAC, TEAL and Air New Zealand, taken on the day of the interview (photo Dave Homewood) A painting on Nevill’s wall of the Consolidated RY-3 he flew regularly across the Pacific Above: Nevill with his painting (photo Dave Homewood) Note: The music is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: John Hansen Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 16th of June 2019 Released: 24th of July 2019 Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 35 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood sat down with aeronautical engineer and recreational pilot John Hansen, in his hangar at his private strip at Pokuru. John talks about his life in aviation, from watching the topdressers as a kid at Rangiora and playing in his uncle’s war surplus Avro Ansons, to becoming a loader-driver with Peter Rowley’s Aerial Sowing. He learned to fly at Harewood and was intending to go commercial and get into flying topdressers, but his path diverted into engineering. He worked with the then-new company New Zealand Aerospace Industries at Hamilton Airport, setting up tooling for production of the CT/4 Aitrainers, and then working on the assembly line of Airtrainers and Fletchers. He then worked for around a decade with Wishart helicopters, which was owned by Sir Tim Wallis, during the height of the deer recovery days. When that industry cooled down, John returned to Aerospace, now known as Pacific Aerospace Corporation Ltd. There he led the engineering team that created the turbine-engined CT-4C Airtrainer, and later worked on the upgraded piston version, the CT-4E. He also worked on the PT-6 engined Fletcher project,and the ANZAC Frigate project, before he went out on his own and is now an engineering consultant. John also spent time in France at the Alpha factory preparing the engineering side of the deal that would see the production move to Hamilton in New Zealand. Meanwhile he got into recreational flying and briefly owned a Bede BD-5 project. He replaced that with a Druine Turbulent that he flew all over the country for many years. And later he built his Hansen Deuce, which is based on the Bakeng Deuce but very highly modified by John. Above: John Hansen with his Hansen Deuce ZK-JFH Above: John telling stories about his beloved Turbulent ZK-CAX NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Bevan Dewes Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 8th of July 2019 Released: 10th of July 2019 Duration: 57 minutes 17 seconds The show is finally back after a long hiatus, and with our 200 Wings Over New Zealand Show. Host Dave Homewood is joined by one of his best friends, Bevan Dewes , who is a pilot who has appeared on the show several times. They look back at the series as it marks the milestone of 200 episodes, and look forward to things to come. And they talk about various flying and aviation adventures they have both been on this year, and various airshows they have attended. Bevan about to pilot the Harvard with Dave in the rear seat back in February 2019 (Photo copyright Bevan Dewes 2019) Above: The Grobs that flew with Bevan and Dave who were in the Chipmunk. The closest was flown by Tim Dews with his son Ben Dews as passenger, and the other was flown by Jonathon Turnbull, with Bevan’s brother Ryan Dewes as passenger. (Photo copyright Dave Homewood 2019) Above: Bevan flying a B.E.2c at Wings Over Wairarapa (Photo copyright Dave Homewood 2019) Bevan up front in the Chipmunk as he and Dave crossed to Omaka for Classic Fighters 2019 airshow (Photo copyright Dave Homewood 2019) Bevan in the Bristol Scout at Classic Fighters 2019 (Photo copyright Dave Homewood 2019) The Tiger Moth nice and close when Bevan and Dave took part in the flypast over Greytown (Photo copyright Dave Homewood 2019)

Guest: Bill Rolfe Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 29th of June 2013 Released: 19th of January 2019 Duration: 54 minutes 07 seconds To mark the return to flight of de Havilland Mosquito PZ474 (aka NZ2384, ZK-BCV and N9909F) on the 13th of January 2019, we have a special treat. Dave Homewood has pulled a fascinating and previously unreleased interview from the archive that he did with Bill Rolfe back in June 2013. Bill has a really interesting background, with his father and uncles being involved in aviation in New Zealand and Australia, and Bill himself grew up with it his whole life. His father Harry and uncle Bill had a flying circus in Australia. Harry had his own airline, and then became one of the senior engineers with Australian National Airways before WWII. During the war he was Director of Aircraft Production with a staff of 25,000 under him. In 1947 Harry moved back to his previous home of New Zealand and started Aircraft Supplies Ltd. That company bought up eight surplus de Havilland Mosquitoes from the RNZAF when they were sold off. At that time Bill himself was in the Royal New Zealand Air Force with No. 75 Squadron, working on Vampires. He took two weeks off work and got one of the Mosquitoes to a flyable state. It was registered as N9909F, and went to the USA. This is the very aircraft that flew again this past week! There is a lot more to Bill’s story, memories of the RNZAF and No. 75 Squadron; working with his father in what became Air Spares Ltd and the international agencies and deals he was involved with; owning aeroplanes and flying and displaying warbirds, including in the first ever New Zealand Yak 52 team with Sir Kenneth Hayr and Garth Hogan; dealing with South Africa during the embargo years, and more. Quick Links: • A Stuff article on Bill Rolfe Mosquito PZ474 on its first test flight with Steve Hinton and Warren Denholm aboard, 13th of January 2019, at Ardmore Airport, New Zealand, This is the same aircraft that was one of the eight surplus machines Harry Rolfe bought and Bill Rolfe managed to return to the air so it could fly off to the USA. Photo kindly supplied by Stuart Russell. © 2019

Guest: Wing Commander Chris Pote, RAF Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 7th of January 2019 Released: 11th of January 2019 Duration: 57 minutes 55 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Wing Commander Chris Pote, of the Royal Air Force, who recently in November and December 2018 made an epic flight in a Eurostar light sport aircraft all the way from Great Britain to New Zealand, with a team of co-pilots. Along the way they stopped at more than 20 former Royal Air Force bases in an effort to mark the RAF’s 100th Anniversary. The flight also has been raising money for three charities, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the Royal Air Force Association and the Save The Children Fund. Plus along the route at the various stops Chris and his crew have been presenting talks to young people to promote the STEM subjects, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.Chris talks about how the idea came together, selecting and modifying the aeroplane, his co-pilots, the route and the various challenges along the way. He also talks about his RAF flying as a Panavia Tornado combat pilot and a flying instructor on Short Tucanos. Quick Links: • Chris’s GB-NZ.com Website • Chris’s RAF 100 GB-NZ Expedition Facebook Page •  The RAF100 GBNZ Fundraiser •  Aeropro Eurofox Above: Abbey McGill and Chris Pote with Eurofox G-GBNZ at Ardmore Airport, New Zealand, after the flight around the world. Abbey was the last of Chris’s co-pilots, flying on the Australian and Tasman Sea legs. Photo Dave Homewood Above: The Eurofox arriving at Lord Howe Island in December 2018. Photo kindly supplied with permission by Peter Phillipps Note: The music at the end is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: Bevan Dewes and Matt Austin Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 20th of December 2018 Released: 23rd of December 2018 Duration:  2 hours 12 minutes 23 seconds This episode of the WONZ Show sees the return of the popular “The Forum” format where Dave talks with guests Bevan Dewes and Matt Austin in a panel style show. They discuss that latest aviation news around New Zealand and Australia, and look at upcoming events on the aviation calendar on both sides of the Tasman Sea. And they talk about their aviation highlights of 2018. Highlights of the discussion include Bevan going into detail about flying the Curtiss P-40N Warhawk fighter that he had the pleasure to experience this year; and Matt talking about his scariest moment as a pilot. Matt also talks about the Australian National Airline DC-3’s that ended up in New Zealand. And they both talk about their aviation heroes. There’s a lot more in there too. This was the first episode in The Forum format for over a year, after an enforced break when Skype changed so that recording such conversations were impossible. Now however the technical challenges have been overcome and this episode was a sort of test piece to make sure it works. It went OK, and we hope you enjoy the discussion. The WONZ Show will hopefully bring more The Forum panel discussions to listeners again in the future. (By the way, if you wait till the very end of this episode, for the first time ever in WONZ Show history, some out-takes are included) Quick Links: • The Wings Over New Zealand Forum• The RNZAF P-40 Serials Matched To Buzz Codes and Letters • The RNZAF P-40’s With White Noses• The Wings Over D-Day Tour Series Above: Bevan Dewes at Wanaka in April 2018 (Photo Dave Homewood) Above: Matt Austin (photo supplied by Matt) Note: The music in this episode is ‘The Warmth of Winter’ by Ross Bugden. Find his Youtube channel here

Guests: Graeme Gleeson and Dick Ingham Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 8th of December 2018 Released: 14th of December 2018 Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 43 seconds This episode has the other two speakers at the recent WONZ Christmas Party 2018, which was held at the Fly DC3 Hangar at Ardmore Airport. This follows on from WONZ Episode 195. This episode features two speakers. The first is Graeme Gleeson, who joined the Royal Air Force in 1956, via the RNZAF. Following two attempts at flying training (the first interrupted by a broken leg and then tuberculosis), he eventually made it onto a squadron flying Avro Vulcans. Graeme talks about flying the Vulcan at low level and about the exercises they did, and what sort of roles they undertook. He then changes tact completely to talk about a later incident in his life when he was the captain of an Air New Zealand Boeing 747 which was hijacked in Fiji. He and his crew managed to foil the hijacker. The second speaker is another ex-Cold War pilot, Dick Ingham, who tells a terrific story of flying English Electric Lightnings with the Royal Air Force and as a civilian. Following RAF service he joined BAC and continued to fly the Lightning, including with Roland Beamont, and Dick ended up flying the Lightning for the Saudi Air Force.  Quick Links: •  Fly DC3 New Zealand •  Fly DC3 New Zealand Facebook Page •  Avro Vulcan •  Air New Zealand Hijacking on Wikipedia •  Air New Zealand Hijacking on New Zealand History •  Air New Zealand Hijacking on Te Ara  •   English Electric Lightning Above: Graeme Gleeson, left, and Dick Ingham (Photo: Dave Homewood) Above: Graeme Gleeson (Photo: Stuart Russell) Above: Graeme Gleeson (Photo: Dave Homewood) Above: Dick Ingham (Photo: Stuart Russell) Above: Dick Ingham (Photo: Dave Homewood) Above and Below: The photos that Dick refers to. Note: The music at the end is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Allan Emett Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 8th of December 2018 Released: 10th of December 2018 Duration:  59 minutes 57 seconds This episode was recorded live in front of an audience in the Fly DC3 hangar at Ardmore Airport, Auckland, and is the first recording from the WONZ Christmas Party. The speaker is Allan Emett, who trained as a fighter pilot during WWII with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He flew two operational tours in the Pacific forward area, the first with No. 19 (Fighter) Squadron and the second with No. 26 (Fighter) Squadron.Allan had several photos and logbook pages projected on a big screen for this talk and he was assisted in remembering certain parts of the story by his son Brent.Due to the nature of the live venue and the sound system the recording is not exactly crystal clear, so headphones would be recommended when  listening. Quick Links: •  Fly DC3 New Zealand •  Fly DC3 New Zealand Facebook Page •  The Royal New Zealand Air Force Allan Emett (Photo Stuart Russell) Allan Emett (Photo Stuart Russell) Allan in full flying kit during his Elementary Flying Training School days at Harewood (Allan Emett Collection) Alan’s No. 3 EFTS course (Allan Emett Collection) Allan’s course at No. 2 SFTS, Woodbourne  (Allan Emett Collection) The Airspeed Oxford that Allan was onboard that crashed at Woodbourne (Allan Emett Collection) Allan’s ‘Wings’ photo  (Allan Emett Collection) Allan’s course at No. 2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit at Ohakea  (Allan Emett Collection) Allan’s logbook page with his first solo on the P-40  (Allan Emett Collection) A list of P-40’s that Allan flew at Ohakea  (Allan Emett Collection) Final P-40 flights page  (Allan Emett Collection) The last P-40 Allan flew was NZ3220 “Gloria Lyons” as seen in this photo  (Allan Emett Collection) Onto the Corsair at Ardmore (Allan Emett Collection) An extract from the No. 19 (F) Squadron Diary A pilot’s strip map of Emirau  (Allan Emett Collection) An RNZAF Corsair landing in wet conditions at Emirau  (Allan Emett Collection) Accommodation at Emirau was in canvas tents  (Allan Emett Collection) Allan, left, outside his tent  (Allan Emett Collection) Another extract from the No. 19 Squadron Diary Beside a Corsair  (Allan Emett Collection) Corsair  (Allan Emett Collection) An RNZAF strip map showing Emirau on the top left and New Ireland on the right with the Kavieng area where so many patrols were made. The Kavieng area is blown up in the right hand map. Coming home with No. 19 Squadron and joining No. 26 Squadron  (Allan Emett Collection) No. 26 Squadron’s emblem  (Allan Emett Collection) No. 26 Squadron RNZAF  (Allan Emett Collection) One of the natives at Bougainville who would appear in the camp and disappear again like ghosts  (Allan Emett Collection) Bougainville where No. 26 Squadron was based at Torokina, on the northern  end of Empress Augusta Bay  Corsairs at Torokina. Allan flew all of these aeroplanes at one time or another  (Allan Emett Collection) A briefing for three Corsair squadrons Another view of the briefing Bougainville operations (Allan Emett Collection) Bougainville operations (Allan Emett Collection) A Corsair that caught fire just after landing  (Allan Emett Collection) Bougainville operations (Allan Emett Collection)  No. 26 (Fighter) Squadron back at Ardmore Allan Emett during the talk, with his granddaughter Catherine and son Brent behind him (Photo Dave Homewood) Allan with a Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk under restoration at Pioneer Aero Restorations Ltd(Photo Dave Homewood) Note: The music at the end is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: John Denton Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 23rd of September 2018 Released: 23rd of November 2018 Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes 43 seconds In this episode John Denton talks about his aviation experiences, from the days when he flew in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and later with Air New Zealand, and with New Zealand Warbirds Association. John trained in the RNZAF on North American Harvards and de Havilland Devons, and then went on to serve with No. 14 Squadron (Harvards and Devons), No. 41 Squadron (Bristol Freighters), No. 40 Squadron (Douglas DC6’s and Handley Page Hastings), and No. 42 Squadron (Douglas C-47 Dakotas, Devons, etc). He also became an instructor and spent a period with Pilot Training Squadron teaching new pilots to fly Harvards and Devons. Next he converted to the Vampire jets and served with No. 75 Squadron at Ohakea. He was selected to go to Vietnam in 1970 where he converted to the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, serving at the US Army’s Củ Chi Base Camp, and later at the US Marine Corp’s Chu Lai Air Base. Following his six month tour of duty in Vietnam, John returned to Ohakea, where he converted to the new McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawks, and was soon posted back to No 14 Squadron where he was instructing pilots on the Skyhawk. In 1973 John left the Air Force and joined Air New Zealand, where he started flying the Douglas DC8. He graduated to the McDonnell Douglas DC10, and the Boeing 747-200. He became one of the first Air New Zealand pilots to convert to the Boeing 747-400, undertaking a course in Amsterdam and then training the crews for the new type. John was also one of the original pilots with New Zealand Warbirds Association. He was in the original syndicate for NZ1098 ZK-ENJ, and was part of the Roaring Forties display team. He also became one of the pilots of the first de Havilland Venom, ZK-VNM, and he was checked out in the original T-28 Trojan. Listeners may recall John spoke at a live WONZ event in 2017 about flying the Venom, which you can also hear here: Episode 170 John Denton during the interview (Photo Dave Homewood) Quick Links: • The Royal New Zealand Air Force • Air New Zealand • New Zealand Warbirds Association • New Zealand Warbirds Association on Facebook Note: The music at the end is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Speakers: Bruce Cooke (SAANZ Waikato and Bay of Plenty Chapter Secretary) Paula Moore (Flight Operations Team Leader, Recreational Aviation, NZ CAA) Doug Hamilton (Flight Operations Inspector, Recreational Aviation, NZ CAA) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 3rd of November 2018 Released: 6th of November 2018 Duration: 38 minutes 38 second In this episode we hear a live recording of a talk given by Paula Moore and Doug Hamilton to the Sport Aviation Association of New Zealand members and others gathered during the Black Sands 2018 Fly-In at Raglan Airport, on the Waikato’s west coast. Topics covered are aviation safety, various rule changes, and a particular focus on the upcoming requirement for an ADS-B transponder in aircraft. Paula and Doug were introduced by SAA Waikato and Bay of Plenty Chapter Secretary Bruce Cooke. There is also a question and answer session afterwards. Hopefully many recreational pilots across New Zealand will find this talk of interest and may pick up some key information. Thanks to the CAA representatives who allowed the talk to be recorded, and especially Paula Moore who also kindly offered the PowerPoint pages to go with the audio, as seen below. Above: Bruce Cooke making the introductions Bruce Cooke, left, and Paula Moore, right Doug Hamilton addressing the crowd Doug Hamilton of CAA listening to a concern of SAA member Paul Parsons Quick Links: • The Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand • Civil Aviation Authority The following are the PowerPoint pages that Paula used during the talk:    

Guest: Denis Pothan Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 22nd of October 2018 Released: 23rd of October 2018 Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 second In this episode Dave sat in the sunshine chatting with former RNZAF Safety and Surface Worker Denis Pothan, who called into Cambridge on his way home after attending the Safety and Surface Trade Reunion at Ohakea. Denis worked initially as an Aircraft Finisher (the RNZAF name for a spray painter), and he worked on an array of aeroplane types from Sunderlands, Vampires and an Avenger, to the Devons, Bristol Freighters, Canberras and even the Zero. He served at Hobsonville, Ohakea, Woodbourne, Lauthala Bay and Tengah during his career, and he has some fascinating and funny stories from a twelve year career in the Air Force. Denis went on to work at AESL in Hamilton when they were building Airtourers, and then he had a panel beating and spray painting business in Cambridge in the early 1970’s, before moving to Whangarei and carrying on with the same trade. He retired and sold his business two years ago. He is also an artist and enjoys painting New Zealand aviation subjects, some of which you can see if you follow the link below. Denis’s wife Judy is in the background prompting a few memories. Quick Links: • Denis’s Art Page on Kamo Panel and Paint • The RNZAF’s page on the Safety and Surface Trade Denis Pothan with some of his aviation paintings, next to his camper in the Leamington camping ground, Cambridge. (Photo: Dave Homewood)

Guest: Captain Geoff White Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of October 2017 Released: 17th of October 2018 Duration: 1 hour 23 seconds In this episode we hear from Geoff White, who was a childhood friend of the legendary pilot Ray Hanna, serving together in the Air Training Corps during the 1940’s. Upon leaving school Geoff joined the RNZAF and trained as a pilot. He spent a lot of his career as a transport pilot with No. 41 Squadron on Douglas Dakotas and Bristol Freighters, one of the latter he flew out from England when it was first handed over by the factory. He also trained as an instructor, and this included a few flights in the North American P-51D Mustang. On leaving the RNZAF Geoff took up a position flying for Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (T.E.A.L.) and started there flying the Short Solent flying boats. He progressed through the company (which became Air New Zealand in 1965) onto the Douglas DC-6’s, then the Lockheed Electras, and then onto jets flying the Douglas DC-8 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Geoff captained the last successful Antarctic flight that Air New Zealand flew, and talks about this too. Today Geoff lives in retirement in Albury, NSW, Australia. Dave spoke with Geoff via Skype a year ago to record this episode.   Geoff in the cockpit. No. 19 Squadron Air Training Corps undergoing flying training at Mangere Aerodrome, 17th of January 1948. Left to right: Sgt P J B Henderson, Cpl Geoff N. White (1st cadet to solo), Cpl Ray G Hanna, and Bob Prentice (Chief Instructor Auckland Aero Club) (Whites Aviation Neg 11757)

The Jean Batten Lecture 2018 – The History of National Airways Corporation of New Zealand Speakers: Des Underwood (Royal Aeronautical Society Bay of Plenty Branch Chairman) The Reverend Richard Waugh (Main speaker) Graham Lister (Royal Aeronautical Society Bay of Plenty Branch Committee Member) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 14th of September 2018 Released: 15th of September 2018 Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 18 seconds In this episode we present the third annual Jean Batten Lecture, hosted by the Royal Aeronautical Society Bay of Plenty Branch, at the Classic Flyers Museum in Tauranga. Introduced by the Branch Chairman Des Underwood, the main speaker Richard Waugh presents the history of the National Airways Corporation of New Zealand, from its beginning in the postwar 1940’s through till its merger with Air New Zealand in 1978. Richard goes through the history step by step four years at a time. Richard Waugh is a very well known and respected author of many books on airline history in New Zealand, and he has been instrumental in the establishment of numerous memorials to victims of airliner crashes throughout the country. He has also been active in the hunt for missing aeroplanes, and he appeared in previously on WONZ Show Episode 86 “Missing Aeroplanes in New Zealand” with fellow researchers Chris Rudge and Gavin Grimmer. This episode concludes with the Graham Lister of the RAeS Branch showing his appreciation on behalf of everyone for the excellent talk by Richard. Quick Links: • The RAeS Bay of Plenty Branch • Richard Waugh’s “New Zealand Airline Research” website • A Previous WONZ Show (Episode 86) in which Richard Waugh has featured • Classic Flyers Museum, Tauranga There is also an unedited video version of this lecture, below: Part One Part Two Part Three Note: The music at the end of the audio version of this show is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud Some shots of the NAC display at Classic Flyers Museum as referred to in the lecture:

Guest: Edward Francis “Ted” Edwards, NZZ412303, RAF 59653 11th of Sept 1917 – 20th of Jan 2014 Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 17th of July 2012 Released: 7th of September 2018 Duration: 59 minutes 49 seconds This episode is a 2012 interview with the late WWII and postwar pilot Ted Edwards. Dave Homewood met and interviewed him in the Whangarei RSA, so there is the occasional bit of background noise from the kitchen, the lift and the gale that was blowing outside, but hopefully it does not detract from the fascinating discussion. Ted volunteered for the RNZAF in October 1940 and went into camp in April 1941. After initial training on the de Havilland Tiger Moth at No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School, Whenuapai, he set off for Canada to complete multi-engined training at Saskatoon in Canada. He then proceeded to England, and after short stays at Bournemouth and Grantham, he proceeded to a Bomber Command Operational Training Unit at RAF Upwood in Cambridgeshire, and he began flying Bristol Blenheims there. He was then posted to No. 614 Squadron RAF in North Africa, and he ferried a Bristol Bisley out there to join his unit. Later he joined No. 18 Squadron RAF, flying the Douglas Bostons, bombing Sicily and Italy on night intrusion raids. Eventually he was based at Foggia in Italy fighting the retreating Germans. Having flown 72 operations, Ted returned to England after that tour, where he became an instructor at an No. 13 Operational Training Unit at Finmere, on training new crews on North American B-25 Mitchells. Then he opted to return to New Zealand for his second tour to fly in the Pacific war zone, and joined No. 41 Squadron flying Lockheed Hudsons and Douglas Dakotas all around the islands on transport duties. When the war ended he continued with the squadron fora while, but then secured a commission with the Royal Air Force, joining No. 511 Squadron in RAF Transport Command flying the Avro York. He flew dozens of operations during the Berlin Airlift. Ted Edwards during WWII Above: One of the Douglas Bostons that Ted flew over Italy with No. 18 Squadron RAF Below is a selection of interesting pages from Ted’s Flying Logbooks.

Guest: NASA Research Pilots Dave Fedors and Paul Newton Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of June 2018 Released: 10th of August 2018 Duration: 58 minutes 17 seconds This episode features NASA Research Pilots Dave Fedors and Paul Newton speaking at the recent WONZ Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch. They had just completed a tour in Christchurch flying the NASA SOFIA Boeing 747, which is a flying observatory. Dave and Paul explain the SOFIA mission, what the scientists onboard are doing and what they are looking at and look for; and also all about the unique 747 aircraft itself, what it’s like to fly, its background, etc. They also talk about other flying they do with NASA, and their own backgrounds. Dave Fedors (NASA Image) Paul Newton (NASA Image) This high-dynamic range (HDR) photo of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) was captured just before sunset at the Christchurch International Airport in Christchurch, New Zealand while aircraft crews were preparing for a nighttime observation flight. (NASA Image) Night shot of SOFIA, with terminals and control tower of Christchurch International Airport in the background. (NASA Image) Paul Newton, left,and Dave Fedors, right, during the presentation (Dave Homewood photo)   Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • NASA’s SOFIA Page • Dave Fedor’s Profile • Paul Newton’s Profile • WONZ Show Episode 104 with NASA’s Nick Veronico Video Version This is a handheld video version, sorry it is a bit shaky, it was the end of a long day! A huge thanks to Dave and Paul for attending the event, and to Nick Veronico of NASA for arranging them to speak. Note: The tune at the end of “Fly – Night Bird”, by the late Roy Buchanan. It seemed appropriate.

Guest: Michelle Sim Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of June 2018 Released: 3rd of August 2018 Duration: 37 minutes 49 seconds This episode features Michelle Sim, the sixth speaker at the recent WONZ Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch. Michelle is the Communications Manager at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, and she previously was an Archivist within that museum. She’s also a dedicated avgeek. One of the topics that really interested her when she was working in the Archives was the story of the RNZAF’s No. 1 Aerodrome Construction Squadron, which she presents here. This unit was assembled from construction workers of the New Zealand Public Works Department, and they were sent to Malaya to build airfields for the Royal Air Force. Their task was however interrupted by the entry into WWII of Japan who set about attacking Malaya and Singapore, forcing the squadron to fight for their lives in their attempt to get home to New Zealand. Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • Michelle’s Email Contact is [email protected]   “Bombs And Bulldozers” Presentation by Michelle Sim. All images courtesy of the Air Force museum of New Zealand. Michelle Sim with a RSAF F-15 at the RNZAF Air Tattoo at Ohakea, Feb 2017 Michelle (bottom right) at the Air Training Corps National Aviation (Power Flying) Course, 1999. Michelle at work in the Museum’s archives, 2010. Papers from the Eric Smart collection, held in the archives of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand Inside the No. 1 Aerodrome Construction Squadron (1 ACS) airmen’s barracks at Tebrau camp, Dec 1941 Caterpillar tractor driver at work, towing a carry-all (levelling machine), Tebrau airfield Caterpillar tractors towing carry-alls (levelling machines) across the main runway at Tebrau, December 1941 Men and machinery of 1 ACS at Bukit Lunchu quarry, January 1942 The first large snake capture at Bekok – 12′ 6″ (3.8 metres) python, December 1941 Bulldozer clearing palm oil trees, Bekok Men of 1 ACS sporting newly-shaved heads, December 1941 1 ACS crossing the Causeway to Singapore, 27 January 1942. Note the “DEAD SLOW” sign, on account of the British Royal Engineers laying demolition charges on the Causeway Demolition party from 1 ACS laying charges in the airfield at Tebrau A land mine being detonated in the Bekok air strip Men from 1 ACS with a slit trench at their evacuation camp on Singapore. The caption on the photo notes these trenches were put to good use during the siege Men of 1 ACS winching a carry-all onto S.S. Talythbius at the Singapore docks, Feb 1942 Members of 1 ACS preparing to evacuate on S.S. Darvel, Singapore, Feb 1942 S.S. Darvel in Banka Strait, just prior to its attack by Japanese bombers Disembarking from S.S. Darvel at Batavia A cold but very welcome homecoming – the surviving members of 1 ACS arriving at Lyttleton Harbour on 24 March 1942. Note: The music at the end of the audio version of this show is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Russell Brodie and Errol Martyn Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of June 2018 Released: 27th of July 2018 Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 16 seconds This episode features the fourth and fifth speakers at the recent WONZ Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch. Russell Brodie of Rangitata Island, South Canterbury, was an impromptu speaker, giving a short talk about the amazing discovery only a few days before this event of the remains of ex-RNZAF Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, NZ3240, on a farm in South Canterbury. This is an amazing discovery of an unknown surviving RNZAF fighter from WWII. He also talked a little about his Tiger Moth, NZ1443 (ZK-BRL) which the following day 93 year old Bryan Cox was going to go flying in. Here are the photos that Russell refers to in his talk. Photos via Russell Brodie. Russell Brodie, right, giving his talk, with Bryan Cox on the left (Dave Homewood photo) And next, very well known and respected Air Force historian Errol Martyn gives an interesting talk about two young New Zealanders, Hugh Blackwell and Ross Brodie who learned to fly in New Zealand and joined the Royal Flying Corps during World War One. Errol tells their stories using their personal diaries. This gives a really interesting insight into both the Canterbury Aviation Company at Sockburn (now Wigram), and the New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama. And it’s a really fascinating personal insight into two pilots who went on to join the Royal Flying Corps. Errol Martyn during his presentation (Dave Homewood photo) Hugh “Blackie” Blackwell. (via Errol Martyn) Ross Brodie (via Errol Martyn) Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • Henry Hugh Blackwell on the Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph Database • Ross Brodie on the Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph Database • A Previous WONZ Show (Episode 131) with the current Ross Brodie talking about his aviation family and his own flying Note: The music at the end of the audio version of this show is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud  

Guest: Barry Lennox Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of June 2018 Released: 20th of July 2018 Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 21 seconds This is the third speaker at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch. Barry Lennox worked part-time in the “wireless” and the then-new TV industries before joining the RNZAF as an Air Radio mechanic and worked his way up the ranks to become the Avionics advisor to Air Staff. He then left the RNZAF and worked for a while in the top secret world of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) He was one of the senior engineers involved in the construction of the Waihopai Station in Marlborough during this time But his story for this talk focuses on the next phase of his career, because he moved to the USA and worked for the famous Kaman Aerospace. Barry was tasked with working on the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite helicopters. In this fascinating presentation Barry details the history of the company and the origins of the unusual designs that Kaman have produced, before he switches to his own personal experiences with the Seasprites. The Seasprites have previously served with No. 3 Squadron RNZAF and currently serve with No. 6 Squadron RNZAF, based at RNZAF Station Whenuapai and deploying to several of the RoyalNew Zealand Navy’s vessels. Quick Links: • Kaman Aerosystems • Kaman on Wikipedia K-125 K-190 K-225 K-1125 Kaman HH-43 Huskie/HOK/HUK Kaman SH-2 Seasprite Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite Kaman K-1200 K-Max Kaman KSA-100 SAVER • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand Note: The music at the end of the audio version of this show is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Flight Lieutenant Philip Stewart QSM, mid NZ404962, born 18th of October 1917 at Wanganui, aged 100 at the time of this talk Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of June 2018 Released: 13th of July 2018 Duration: 42 minutes 37 seconds This is the second speaker at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch. Philip Stewart was born in Wanganui in 1917, and he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 1st of December 1940. Following his pilot training he travelled to Britain and was attached to the Royal Air Force, where he served with No. 91 Squadron RAF, No. 129 Squadron RAF, No. 616 Squadron RAF and No. 1 Squadron RAF. Most of his flying in Britain was in Supermarine Spitfires, although he had a brief foray into flying the North American Mustang too, which he did not like particularly. Philip gives a very interesting and lively talk about his experiences during those days. Philip Stewart QSM, mid, during his address to the WONZ Forum Meet Philip Stewart during WWII Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand Note: The music at the end of the audio version of this show is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Bryan Cox Welcome From: Wing Commander Brett Marshall Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of June 2018 Released: 6th of July 2018 Duration: 53 minutes 20 seconds This is the first of the recordings from the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram in Christchurch, on the 30th of June 2018. Introduced by Dave Homewood, with a brief welcome from Wing Commander Brett Marshall from the museum, we then hear from special guest Bryan Cox. Bryan is a legend in New Zealand aviation circles. He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1943, training in New Zealand on Tiger Moths, Harvards and Kittyhawks before converting to the Corsair fighter bomber. He then served with No. 16 (Fighter) Squadron in the Pacific War, and postwar he joined No. 14 (Occupational) Squadron in Japan. After leaving the RNZAF he went through various jobs before he returned to aviation in the 1950’s as an air traffic controller at Ardmore. This led him back to flying, and before long he was working as an instructor. He flew over 21,000 hours in light aircraft till retiring from the flying school in the 1990’s. He returned to flying on a recreational licence in January 2018, regaining the licence on his 93rd birthday. In this talk Bryan tells of his experiences during WWII from his days in the Air Training Corps through to his tours on the Corsair. Quick Links: • Kittyhawks And Corsairs (Bryan Cox’s Website) • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand Bryan aged 18 in 1943, during his training on Tiger Moths at RNZAF Station Harewood (Bryan Cox Collection) Bryan aged 93 in July 2018 when he was reunited with Tiger Moth NZ1443 at Rangitata Island (Photo: Dave Homewood) Here is a video version (the very beginning was missed from the video. Apologies the quality is not perfect) Note: The music at the end of the audio version of this show is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: William John “Bill” Edhouse, NZ426311, Air Gunner, Royal New Zealand Air Force 16th of June 1922 – 28th of March 2017 Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 23rd of January 2010 Released: 16th of June 2018 Duration: 1 hour 51 minutes 35 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood interviewed the late Bill Edhouse, who was an RNZAF Air Gunner during WWII. He served initially as a gunner in Hawker Hinds, on No. 6 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Milson (Palmerston North), then briefly with No. 21 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Ohakea, and finally No. 20 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at Onerahi, Whangarei. He was then posted to No. 30 Squadron at Gisborne for a short time flying in their Vickers Vincents and Harvard, before undergoing some turret training with No. 2 Gunnery School’s Lockheed Hudsons, also at Gisborne. Next he joined No. 1 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron at Whenuapai in August 1943 . With that unit in October 1943 he proceeded to the Pacific and flew a tour in Tom Mounsey’s crew on the front line from Henderson Field at Guadalcanal and also the forward strip at Munda. He returned to New Zealand in February 1944 and was posted to No. 9 Squadron where he crewed up with another crew, led by Bert Caisley. With them he returned to Henderson Field in June 1944 for his second tour. They soon moved up to Piva in Bougainville and flew operations through till late August 1944. Following that second tour he returned to New Zealand where he joined No. 8 Squadron flying home duties at Whenuapai, before he then rejoined No. 6 Squadron, who were now flying Consolidated Catalina. His crew was led by S/Ldr Butcher. He returned to the Pacific with No. 6 Squadron in November 1944 and flew patrols in the Catalinas through till May 1945. From June till November 1945 he worked in the Whenuapai Control Tower before being released from the RNZAF. Bill died in March 2017, aged 94. Bill Edhouse, right, with Dave Homewood, on the day of the interview A Hawker Hind in flight (Bill Edhouse’s Collection) Above: Bill (centre) in the Pacific receiving a ration of grapefruit juice (Bill Edhouse’s Collection) Men of No.1 (BR) Squadron meeting the Governor General of New Zealand, Marshal of the RAF Sir Cyril Newell, at Munda or Guadalcanal. Bill is centre, behind Sir Cyril. (Bill Edhouse’s Collection) Bill next to a No. 1 (BR) Squadron Ventura (Bill Edhouse’s Collection) The music in this episode is ‘I’m Getting Sentimental Over You’ by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra Thanks to Steve and Shelley Edhouse for their assistance in making this episode.

Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of October 2016 Released: 9th of June 2018 Duration: 52 minutes 40 seconds This episode features a talk given by Matt Hayes about his and his brother Dan’s hunt for the missing Chance Vought F4U-1 Corsair NZ5517. The fighter-bomber vanished somewhere into the thick forested hill country of the West Coast of the South Island, on the 11th of November 1944 whilst on a flight between Westport and RNZAF Station Harewood in Christchurch. The aircraft and it’s pilot, Pilot Officer Brian “Tiny” Barstow, have been missing ever since, despite extensive searches over the years. Matt talks about the drive that he and his brother have had to try to locate the lost aircraft, which has become a sort of holy grail for them. Inspired by the research of Chris Rudge and Gavin Grimmer and fired up by the stories, rumours and mysteries surrounding this lost wreck, they have made many flights over the region and many treks into the deep bush country. This is a fascinating talk, given by Matt at the last Wigram WONZ Forum Meet. For photos used by Matt in the talk see Gavin Grimmer’s page here: • Find Lost Aircraft – NZ5517 Above: An RNZAF Corsair, the type being searched for

Guest: Michael “Mick” Murray, RNZAF Canberra Navigator Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 5th of March 2016 Released: 1st of June 2018 Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes 2 seconds This episode features a talk given by Mick Murray at a WONZ Forum Meet in 2016 at the Subritzky family’s hangars. Mick was a Navigator on No. 14 Squadron RNZAF’s English Electric Canberra, both in New Zealand and Singapore. Sadly we do not have Mick’s photos for this page but the audio is actually very rich with stories and history without the need for visuals. Photos above by Dave Homewood, and below by Zac Yates  

Guest: Oswald John “Jack” Davis (RAF 1337768, Wireless Operator-Air Gunner,WWII, born 18 May 1921 at Castleton, Wales), plus Jack’s son Barry Davis, and Jack’s neighbour WWII RNZAF Wireless Mechanic Colin Brown. Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 16th of of July 2012 Released: 27th of April 2018 Duration: 32 minutes 08 seconds This episode is a conversation in the Whangarei RSA with Jack Davis, a Welshman living in Whangarei who joined the Royal Air Force and became a Wireless Operator-Air Gunner. He was posted onto No. 429 Squadron RCAF who were equipped with Handley Page Halifax bombers. He was shot down and became a POW in Stalag IV-B at Muhlberg. He managed to escape but was recaptured. We also hear from Colin Brown, who was Jack’s neighbour and had come to the sit in on the conversation. Colin was a Wireless Mechanic in the RNZAF during WWII, and he worked with the Hawker Hinds of No. 20 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Grumman Avengers of No. 31 Squadron, and the fighters of the Fighter Gunnery School at Gisborne, as well as working on Catalinas. The photos and articles below are all from Jack Davis’s collection, and were kindly sent by Barry Davis

Guest Speakers: Wings Commander Brett Marshall (Executive Officer at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand) Arthur Gatland (former Royal Air Force Hunter, Hawk and Harrier pilot, glider pilot, author and more Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 4th of March 2018 Released: 15th of April 2018 Duration: 2 hour 2 minutes 13 seconds The Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum held another successful and entertaining Forum Meet on the 4th of March 2018. The venue was the excellent Classic Flyers NZ Museum, at Tauranga Airport. In this episode, Part Three of the Forum Meet recordings, we hear from Wing Commander Brett Marshall of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand talking about the museum’s history, its current projects and its plans for the future. Sadly during this recording there were a number of technical issues with the microphone where the sound cut out and recording was not possible. However Brett carried on and the issues was eventually rectified by a technician. But this recording is slightly abridged from the original speech. Then lastly we heard from Arthur Gatland, who was a Kiwi in the Royal Air Force back in the 1970’s and 80’s, flying fast jets like the Hawker Hunter, BAe Hawk and the Hawker Harrier. He’s also a well known glider pilot, an airline pilot, and an author. Above: Wing Commander Brett Marshall (Photos: Phil Treweek) Above: Arthur Gatland (Photos: Phil Treweek) Quick Links: • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Website • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Facebook Page • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand on Facebook • Arthur Gatland’s Facebook Page

Guest Speakers: • Mike Feisst • Bryan Cox • Matt McLaughlin • Group Captain John Mathewson (retired) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 4th of March 2018 Released: 13th of March 2018 Duration: 1 hour 32 minutes 28 seconds The Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum held another successful and entertaining Forum Meet on the 4th of March 2018. The venue was the excellent Classic Flyers NZ Museum, at Tauranga Airport. In this episode, Part Two of the recordings from the event, we have a very quick word from Mike Feisst,and then the legendary pilot Bryan Cox, talking about regaining his licence at age 93 and his aerobatic flying over a long career. The video below was part of his presentation. Bryan Cox during his talk, holding up the papers he used in his test. (Photo Phil Treweek) Next up was Matt McLaughlin who is a former PNG bush pilot and current airline pilot. He read two thrilling extracts from his award winning book ‘Flying The Knife Edge’, the first covering his first ever landing on a bush strip in Papua New Guinea; and the second was his fist landing at the former Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong. Matt McLaughlin reading extracts from his book ‘Flying The Knife Edge’ (Photo Phil Treweek) Lastly for this episode we hear from former RNZAF Skyhawk pilot and No. 2 Squadron Commander, Group Captain John “J.C.” Mathewson, talking about flying the RNZAF Skyhawks, their various systems and the tactics employed in using it as a weapon, both before and after the Project Kahu upgrade. Plus a lot more detail from the life of a Skyhawk pilot. Note, the very last few minutes of this John stepped away from the microphone so it is more difficult to hear him, but persevere, as what he’s talking about is great. Gp Capt John Mathewson (rtd.) talking about flying the RNZAF Skyhawk The film that John played: Quick Links: • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Website • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Facebook Page • Flying The Knife Edge at The Book Depository • Bryan Cox’s website

Guest Speakers: Andrew Gormlie (CEO, Classic Flyer NZ Museum) Des Underwood (former RNZAF Engineering Officer) Roger Dalziel (former RNZAF Grumman Avenger target tug pilot) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 4th of March 2018 Released: 6th of March 2018 Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes 20 seconds The Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum held another successful and entertaining Forum Meet on the 4th of March 2018. The venue was the excellent Classic Flyers NZ Museum, at Tauranga Airport. In this episode, Part One of the Forum Meet recordings, we hear from Andrew Gormlie about the museum’s current and future happenings, with some very exciting revelations and plans for the coming year. We then hear from Des Underwood, today an aviation historian but in earlier life he was an NCO and then an Engineering Officer with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Des talks about several projects he was involved with, including the ferrying of the Hawker Siddeley Andover fleet from Britain to New Zealand when they were purchased for RNZAF service; the recovery of a wrecked RNZAF Bell UH-1H Iroquois from a precarious crash site on the edge of a several thousand foot drop into a chasm; his becoming an Engineering Officer; and his role in the rebuild of wings and refit of avionics in the RNZAF’s McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk fleet under project Kahu. Lastly in this episode we hear from Roger Dalziel, who was an RNZAF pilot in the 1950’s, and he talks about his role as a pilot of the No. 42 Squadron Grumman Avenger target tugs. Roger tells what the Avenger was like to fly and his memories of those days towing targets of Army and Navy guns to fire at, plus some air to air gunnery by Sunderland crews. Andrew Gormlie (Photo: Phil Treweek) Des Underwood (Photo: Phil Treweek) Roger Dalziel (Photo: Phil Treweek) Here is the Youtube clip screened by Des Underwood Quick Links: • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Website • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Facebook Page

Guest: Harold Raymond Kelsey (NZ4213900, Pilot Officer, Royal New Zealand Air Force) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 19th of January 2018 Released: 27th of February 2018 Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes 46 seconds This episode is a conversation with Harold Kelsey, who was an RNZAF Navigator during WWII. He served operationally on Grumman TBF-1c Avengers at Bougainville with No 30 Squadron and No. 31 Squadron. He then joined a Lockheed Ventura crew with No. 2 (BR) Squadron at RNZAF Station Gisborne, followed by a posting to No. 8 (BR) Squadron at RNZAF Station Whenuapai. At the same station he moved onto No. 9 (BR) Squadron, and after a period he moved up to Nausori in Fiji with that unit. And his final posting was to Los Negros with No. 4 (BR) Squadron. Above: Harold Kelsey in January 2018 (photo Dave Homewood) Harold has a special upstairs room with all his books, models and other memorabilia from a long, well lived life. Here he proudly points to a 1/48th scale model of his Grumman Avenger, built for him by Wally Hicks. Harold sits in his special upstairs room looking out of the large window, and ponders the past The amazing view that Harold is looking at out that window. He suffers from glaucoma these days but he assured me he an still just make out the view. A shot taken through a glass frame of Harold, right, receiving his Navigator’s brevet in Canada The Auckland Weekly News spread that Harold mentioned. He is in the photo in the centre row with his crew mates P/O Frank Holmes and F/Sgt Arch Alexander. This scan is via the Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19440628-19-2 An RNZAF Avenger at Espiritu Santo in 1944 (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official, via Wikipedia) A photo of No. 8 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron with a Lockheed Ventura behind. Harold and his crew are marked in the front row Some photos of a model of Harold’s Lockheed Ventura, built by Wally Hicks The music at the end is ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ by Benny Goodman And His Orchestra

Guest: Owen Rundle Hicks (NZ427777, Corporal, Royal New Zealand Air Force) 24 November 1921 – 7 July 2017 Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 13th of May 2014 Released: 2nd of February 2018 Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 11 seconds Owen spent time in the Territorial Army in the early war years whilst working as an electrician in his day job. He was mobilised into the Regular Army in December 1941 when Japan entered the war, as a driver in he Army Service Corps. However he was not happy with Army life so applied to switch to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Air Electrician trade. He was accepted into the RNZAF in 1942. Within short time he was posted to No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron at Masterton, and following a three month course at Wigram he was posted back to No. 14 Squadron, now at Whenuapai. The squadron was preparing to take their Curtiss P-40K and P-40M Warhawks up to the Pacific. Owen went up to Tontouta with the squadron and spent six weeks there repairing damaged P-40’s that had endured mishaps on the ill fated ferry flights. He then rejoined the squadron at Espiritu Santo before being posted up to Guadalcanal with No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron who were short of Air Electricians. When No. 15 Squadron’s tour was over and they left for home they were replaced at Guadalcanal by No. 14 Squadron, so Owen was again part of that unit as he stayed on at No. 1 Fighter Strip, Guadalcanal. Soon the RNZAF changed the way the groundcrews were organised and he was detached from the squadron and became part of the newly formed Servicing Unit. He served with the S.U. till an accident put him in hospital, and once he’d recovered he was then posted to an emergency strip at Segi Point (aka Seghe), on the southern tip of New Georgia. He eventually returned to Guadalcanal, now based at Henderson Field, the bomber strip, with No. 10 Servicing Unit, who were maintaining Lockheed Venturas. Eventually returning to Santo he was found to have malaria, and was posed home, spending the rest of the war stationed at RNZAF Station Ardmore, save for a jungle course at RNZAF Swanson. Owen Hicks during the interview at his home at Ranfurly Veterans Home, Auckland (Photo Dave Homewood) Owen’s Photo Collection Owen during his days in the Army, 1941-42 Own with his mother and father Owen and his class mates at the Electrical & Wireless School at RNZAF Station Wigram. He is top right Owen on Final Leave before he left for the Pacific The camp at Fighter Strip No. 1, Guadalcanal, that Owen lived in while working with No’s 15 and 14 Squadrons and No. 1 Servicing Unit. A strip map showing the Solomon Islands The daily water ration A damaged Japanese aircraft RNZAF Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighters escorted by an RNZAF Lockheed Hudson bomber The Operations Hut at Fighter Strip No. 1, Guadalcanal with RNZAF P-40’s The Mobile Workshop where electrical repairs were done, and Geoff Fisken DFC of No. 14 Squadron The Ground Crew No. 10 Servicing Unit (Venturas) at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal   Above and below, a damaged Ventura The jungle terrain in 1944 Disembarkation leave, on his return to New Zealand The 1944-45 RNZAF Station Ardmore Hockey Team, Owen is standing second from left Owen’s last photo taken in uniform Owen’s Certificate of Discharge Owen’s medals Special thanks to Owen’s son Wally Hicks for his assistance in making this episode.

Guests: Hugh Graham Findlater, NZ416969, RNZAF Pilot, WWII Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 19th of January 2018 Released: 26th of January 2018 Duration: 51 minutes 7 seconds Hugh Findlater joined the RNZAF in 1941, and spent a period as an ACH (AMD), or Aircraft Hand (Aircraft Maintenance Duties), at RNZAF Station Taieri while he awaited his flying training course. He was selected for an ab initio course at No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School on de Havilland Tiger Moths in July 1942, and on completing that successfully he embarked for Canada. In Canada Hugh trained initially at No. 3 Service Flying Training School at Calgary, flying the Cessna Cranes, and then he elected to go onto medium bombers so was sent next to No. 34 Operational Training Unit at Pennfield Ridge in Nova Scotia. There he was training on Lockheed Venturas, and this is where he also formed a crew. Onto England next and Hugh was posted to No. 13 Operational Training Unit at Finmere, near Bicester, where he converted to the North American B-25 Mitchell. And following his training he was posted to operations with No. 180 Squadron RAF, based at Dunsfold in Surrey. This squadron, flying B-25 Mitchells, was bombing German targets in occupied France including railway marshalling yards and V1 flying bomb sites leading up to, during and after the D-Day invasion of France. They were bombing by day and by night. Following six months operational flying with No. 180 Squadron, Hugh was due to go on rest, and he asked to go to a transport unit. He was posted to No. 83 Group Communications Squadron, which was flying smaller transport and communications aircraft all around the front line areas. These included Austers, Avro Ansons, Percival Proctors, and even some captured German Fieseler Storch and Messerschmitt Bf108 types. Taking VIP’s and generals around all the forward areas of the front lines, landing in paddocks and anywhere he could, Hugh got an amazing first hand view of the Allied advance across the continent. He remained with this unit till the war’s end. When the war ended, rather than wait for a ship home to New Zealand, Hugh volunteered to go onto another RAF Transport Command squadron, this time flying the Avro York with No. 242 Squadron. He continued flying with this unit till September 1946, then did a short stint at No. 1510 Beam Approach Beacon System Flight on Ansons and Oxfords through the October, and then gained his commercial licence, before returning to New Zealand. Following his demob from the RNZAF, Hugh managed to get a position as a pilot with National Airways Corporation, New Zealand’s internal airline, in June 1947 and flew with them till retirement at age 55. During that period he flew as a co-pilot on Lockheed Electras, Lockheed Lodestars, and Douglas DC-3’s, then gained command on the de Havilland DH89 Dominies, de Havilland Herons, Douglas Dakotas, Fokker Friendships, Vickers Viscounts and finally the Boeing 737’s. When his compulsory retirement age of 55 years old came around Hugh was not yet ready to stop flying, so he next moved to the Guinness Peat airline Air Tara. He was now flying Boeing 737’s around Nigeria and other parts of Africa. Hugh Findlater on the 19th of January 2018 (Photo: Dave Homewood) Below photos: Photos of No. 180 Squadron RAF North American B-25 Mitchells from Hugh’s collection Hugh’s captured Fieseler Storch Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Portal and Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst in Hugh’s Storch Note: The Don Taylor we talked about was indeed Cambridge’s Don Taylor. More on him here

Guests: Steve Scott (Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School Chief Flying Instructor) John Hamilton (Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School Director) Rod Milne (Flying Instructor) Andrew “Simsy” Sims (Flying Instructor) Jeshneel Singh (Flying Instructor) David Jupp (Executive Officer) Janelle Rouse (Flying Instructor) Tessa Mowbray (Flying Instructor) Jack Boyd (Student, fourth year) Jakob Merson (Student, second year) Rachel Mackie (Student, first year) Ella Williams (Student, second year) Dylan Johnson (Student, first year) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 21st of January 2018 Released: 21st of January 2018 Duration: 1 hour 29 minutes 30 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood visits the annual two-week long Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School, at Waharoa Aerodrome, near Matatmata. He talks with some of the school’s organisers, flying instructors and students. The flying school has been running for 52 years, and is named in memory of Leo and Vivian Walsh, the brothers and pioneering aviators who founded the New Zealand Flying School at Kohimarama, Auckland. Every January “The Walsh”, as it is affectionately known, appears like a pop up village at Waharoa aerodrome, and instructors come from all over New Zealand and the world to spend a fortnight volunteering to teach kids aged between 16 and 20 how to fly. The students also come from across the country, from all walks of life, and experience an amazing adventure that in many cases becomes the first stepping stone to a career in aviation – or at least a lifelong hobby. Quick Links: • The Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School on the Scouts New Zealand Page • The Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School on Facebook   Left: AVM John Hamilton, the Flying School’s Director, and right, Steve Scott, the Chief Flying Instructor Rod Milne, longtime flying instructor Andrew ‘Simsy’ Sims, flying instructor David Jupp, Executive Officer Jeshneel Singh, flying instructor Janelle Rouse and Tessa Mowbray, flying instructors Students Jakob Merson, Rachel Mackie, Ella Williams, Dylan Johnson and Jack Boyd Below: Scenes around the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School camp and flightline All photos and recorded interviews Copyright Dave Homewood 2018 Theme Music is ‘That Feeling’ by HookSounds Thanks to Bruce Cooke and Neroli Henwood for their valued assistance in the making of this episode.

Guests: Peter Waller Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 7th of April 2017 Released: 7th of January 2018 Duration: 48 minutes 31 seconds Peter Waller was an officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He learned to fly in the mid-1960’s on the North American Harvard, before progressing to the Vampire jet fighters of No. 75 Squadron RNZAF. He filled the role of Flight Commander on the Vampire squadron before moving on to the English Electric Canberra, and then eventually the Skyhawk as it entered service. In 1972 Pete was chosen to serve a tour of duty in Vietnam in the role of Forward Air Controller. He was attached to a USAF unit and flew the unusual push-pull twin boom Cessna O-2 in combat. He would mark targets for the Phantoms and other aircraft to strike with bombs or rockets. Pete gives a fascinating insight into the life of a Kiwi strike pilot and FAC pilot during the 1960’s and 1970’s. The music heard in the opening is Pop Nugget by Dave Depper. Video Version: Photos: All photos come from Pete Waller’s collection Pete Waller with a de Havilland Vampire of No. 75 Squadron RNZAF  

Guest: Geoff Cooper, and John Denton Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 3rd of December 2017 Released: 15th of December 2017 Duration: 1 hour 48 seconds In the second and final recording from the recent WONZ Christmas Party we hear initially a short piece from Captain Geoff Cooper of Fly DC3 New Zealand giving his pre-flight briefing to passengers and also his welcome to the WONZ Forum members who have gathered in the Fly DC3 hangar for the event. We then hear from John Denton, a former jet fighter pilot with the RNZAF in the 1950’s through till the 1970’s. And John was one of the first big stars of the New Zealand Warbirds airshows, as he displayed the original de Havilland Venom ZK-VNM on the circuit for several years. One of the great displays of the 1980’s and 1990’s was John in the Venom performing a tail chase behind Warbirds President Trevor Bland in the North American Mustang, ZK-TAF. John talks about this and more, and he goes through step by step what happened the day he crashed the Venom through the fence at the end of the Ardmore runway and ended up in a turnip paddock across the road. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience in a hangar on an active airfield, so there is some aircraft noise and the audio quality is reflected by the circumstances. Quick Links: • New Zealand Warbirds Association • New Zealand Warbirds Association on Facebook • Fly DC3 New Zealand (our venue hosts) • Fly DC3 New Zealand on Facebook Videos from Youtube featuring John in the Venom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk_TNwqeMSc

Guest: Paul McSweeny Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 3rd of December 2017 Released: 7th of December 2017 Duration: 36 minutes 22 seconds Paul McSweeny of Pioneer Aero Ltd was one of the guest speakers at the WONZ Christmas Party, held in the Fly DC3 New Zealand hangar at Ardmore Airport, Auckland, New Zealand. Paul talks about his background in the RNZAF and how he began working at and then co-owning Pioneer Aero. He also talks about the latest projects, past restorations and the future projects that are coming up on their rebuild schedule for the near future such as the de Havilland Hornet. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience in a hangar on an active airfield, so there is some aircraft noise and the audio quality is reflected by the circumstances. Quick Links: • Pioneer Aero Ltd. • Pioneer Aero Ltd. on Facebook • The Military Aviation Museum (owner of the P-39) • Fly DC3 New Zealand (our venue hosts) • Fly DC3 New Zealand on Facebook  

Guest: Kenneth Charles Lee, Squadron Leader NZ39924 and 75419, Royal New Zealand Air Force (25 September 1919 to 18th of January 2013) Interviewers: Dave Homewood and Richard Carstens Recorded: 19th of January 2010 Released: 24th of November 2017 Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 34 seconds Ken Lee was studying engineering before WWII, and as he had a great interest in aviation he signed up in 1938 for the Civil Reserve scheme, in which the Government paid for him to learn to fly at Auckland Aero Club. By the time WWII began in September 1939 he was a qualified pilot, and on the 26th of October 1939 he was mobilised into the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Ken started his Air Force career with a refresher course at No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, RNZAF Station Bell Block, in de Havilland Moths and Tiger Moths. He then progressed to flying Vickers Vincents at No. 2 Flying Training School, RNZAF Station Woodbourne, on the first course through the Empire Air Training Scheme. When most of course mates went off to Britain to fly operations, Ken was retained to become a flying instructor. Following nearly three years instructing on Tiger Moths, Oxfords and Harvards at RNZAF Stations Taieri, Whenuapai and Woodbourne, Ken finally got his chance for overseas service in 1942. He travelled to England, and sent time flying Miles Master trainers before converting to the Supermarine Spitfire at an Operational Training Unit. Next he was posted to the famous No. 485 (NZ) Squadron RAF, and began flying operations over occupied Europe as a Spitfire pilot. Following a long tour of operations Ken ended up as a test pilot for de Havillands in their propeller unit. This interview was recorded at Ken’s home in January 2010. On the day we’d recorded several other interviews and this was the last before I had to return home to Cambridge. We sadly ran out of tape and so did not quite cover all of Ken’s wartime experiences, however this recording gives some great detail and very interesting memories. Below: Ken Lee at RNZAF Base Auckland in March 2010 recreating the photo below it taken at RAF Biggin Hill in 1943. (RNZAF Image AK10-0177-003-2, via Marty Fitchett) Surviving members at the time of No. 485 (NZ) Squadron in 2012 at RNZAF Base Auckland. Left to right are the late Harvey Sweetman, Jim Robinson, the late Ken Lee, the late Doug Brown, and Owen Hardy. (RNZAF photo, via Marty Fitchett) Above: ‘Blue’ Flight of No. 485 (NZ) Squadron RAF at Selsey Bill, just days before D-Day. Ken Lee is far right in the group. (Image RNZAF, via Marty Fichett) An Imperial War Museum image of Ken Lee in front of his Spitfire (via Richard Carstens) Ken and his Spitfire (via Marty Fichett)) Ken on the right, No. 485 (NZ) Squadron (via Richard Carstens) No. 1 War Course, RNZAF Station Woodbourne, 1939-40 (Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo, via Richard Carstens) Thanks to Richard Carstens and Marty Fitchett for their assistance with this episode.

Guest: Charles Ernest Sharp, 157688, Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force, WWII (21 May 1920 to 11th of October 2011) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 17th of July 2012 Released: 27th of October 2017 Duration: 54 minutes 25 seconds Charles Sharp joined the Royal Air Force in October 1939, though his training did not begin till late 1940. After learning to fly on de Havilland Tiger Moths and Airspeed Oxfords, he was at an Operational Training Unit flying Beaufighters when he was shot down by a night fighter over Yorkshire. This forced him to spend a considerable time in hospitable, but when he returned to flying he was eventually sent on a different path, to fly Photo Reconnaissance Unit aircraft. Joining No. 140 Squadron RAF, Charles flew Supermarine Spitfire PRIV’s and PRXI’s to begin with, then he converted onto the Photo Reconnaissance version of the de Havilland Mosquito. He flew the Mosquito II, IX and XVI on this squadron. He flew all over Europe photographing targets and areas of interest. Following 60 operations with no. 140 Squadron Charles was rested, during which – among other postings – he joined No. 1 Ferry Unit at RAF Pershore, and was engaged in ferrying Beaufighters and Mosquitoes to the Middle East and Far East. He then returned to No. 140 Squadron, now at Eindhoven, and continued photo operations in Europe and England till the end of the war. He left the RAF in March 1946. Charles passed away in October 2015 in Whangarei where he’d lived for many years. Above: A screencap pf Charles Sharp from the interview A No. 140 Squadron RAF Mosquito as flown by Charles Sharp. An interesting artwork from Charles’s logbook The following are aerial photos taken by Charles over Europe, click to enlarge: Notes: This interview was recorded in the Whangarei Returned And Services Association clubrooms, hence a little bit of occasional background noise from their kitchen’s dumb waiter lift. The music at the end if ‘Someone To Watch over Me’, sung by Margaret Whiting (1944)

Guest: William Albert “Bill” Hilder, a.k.a. ‘Sandy’, 150046, Acting Sergeant, Royal Air Force (27 January 1923 to 14th of September 2011) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 3rd of December 2009 Released: 20th of October 2017 Duration: 33 minutes 59 seconds Bill Hilder joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and trained as an Armourer. Following his training he was posted to a Bristol Blenheim squadron at Hook in Hampshire. Then he was posted to Iceland to join No. 120 Squadron RAF, arming the Coastal Command Lockheed Hudsons and Consolidated Liberators that were patrolling the North Atlantic. In 1943 Bill was posted to No. 617 Squadron working with the Tallboy 12,000lb bombs. He was involved in the attacks on the Tirpitz. Then he was posted onto the special duties list and taken to Teignmouth in Devon to work on a top secret project with Barnes Wallis. Bill also gives a small insight into life as an armourer on a bomber squadron in WWII.  

Guest: Don Subritzky Host: Dave Homewood Introduced by: James Kightly Recorded: 29th of November 2015 Released: 13th of October 2017 Duration: 48 minutes 54 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood talks with well known and much respected collector-restorer of old aeroplanes, Don Subritzky. The episode is introduced by aviation journalist James Kightly, as it was at his request that this recording was first made, back in November 2015, to assist with an article James was working on about Don’s amazing Airspeed Oxford. The Airspeed Oxford Mk. I, serial number NZ1332, is one of the most amazing WWII aircraft in existence. It was the subject of an amazing “aeroplane found in a shed” story, but unlike most old aeroplanes found in sheds or barns this one was not just sitting there gather dust and cobwebs. It had been systematically broken down into components and stacked – like fire wood – in an old man’s shed in Wanganui. Some of the parts were in use elsewhere around his house. So when discovered by Don, he ended up buying what he thought was a load of old aeroplane parts. It was only later after taking all the bits home to Dairy Flat on the Hibiscus Coast that he began to realise that it was not just parts, it was basically the entire aircraft, in original wartime condition, perfectly preserved, and in kitset form. Don details the story of the discovery, recovery and the restoration of this amazing twin engined trainer aircraft. The Airspeed Oxford was the backbone of the Empire Air Training Scheme’s multi-engined training system. They were used in New Zealand as pilot trainers, gunnery trainers, multi-engined conversion platforms for the General Reconnaissance squadrons, and hacks in all sorts of roles. They served in Service Flying Training Schools, Operational Training Units, at the Central Flying School of the RNZAF, on operational bomber reconnaissance squadrons, with No. 42 (Transport) Squadron, and with specialised units like the Calibration Flight and the Beam Approach Training Flight. Also Don talks a little about the equally amazing and even rarer Blackburn Baffin project he has, and is also restoring. This amazing biplane was really the front line of defence in New Zealand from 1938 to 1941, alongside the Vickers Vincent (the only survivor of which is also in the Subritzky family collection) and the Vildebeest. Warbird collector-restorer Don Subritzky, with that twinkle in his eye and a wry smile as he recounts another story (Photo: Dave Homewood)   Photos from the Don Subritzky Collection How RNZAF Airspeed Oxfords looked during WWII The Flat Pack Oxford NZ1332 Photos of the Oxford tucked into Don’s hangar in 2015 by Dave Homewood And some shots from 2015 of the Blackburn Baffin also discussed, take by Dave Homewood Note: The music is “Life Begins at Oxford Circus” by Jack Hylton and his Orchestra (1935)

Guest: Squadron Leader Sean Perrett Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 24th of August 2017 Released: 6th of October 2017 Duration: 37 minutes 54 seconds In this episode Dave sits down with Squadron Leader Sean Perrett during a visit to the Central Flying School of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, at RNZAF Base Ohakea. Sean is an instructor with CFS, and a member of the RNZAF Black Falcons aerobatic display team. He formerly served in the Red Checkers team in the Airtrainers, and another part of his current role is performing flying displays and flypasts in the RNZAF Historic Flight’s North American Aviation Harvard NZ1015. He is also an ex-Royal Air Force Hawker Harrier pilot, and BAe Hawk instructor, and he flew for three seasons as a member of the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display team. Sean is also well known on the New Zealand airshow circuit for his wonderful performances in Brendon Deere’s Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX PV270 and Grumman Avenger ZK-TBE, John Luff’s de Havilland Venom ZK-VNM, and Bill Reid’s Avro Anson Mk. I. Quick Links: • The Royal New Zealand Air Force • Central Flying School Of The Royal New Zealand Air Force • The Black Falcons on Facebook • The Royal Air Force Red Arrows • Brendon Deere’s Biggin Hill Hangar Website Above: Sean Perrett in the Spitfire, a nice close up by Gavin Conroy of Classic Aircraft Photography Above: S/Ldr Sean Perrett in the CFS hangar with one of the RNZAF’s Beech Texan II’s (Dave Homewood Photo)    

Guest: Dee Bond, Mike Slack and Brett Nicholls Field Report Guest: Brendon Deere Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 25th of September 2017 Released: 26th of September 2017 Duration: 2 hours 41 minutes 5 seconds In this episode three more aviators join Dave Homewood on The Forum panel to discuss news and views, and tell some great aviation stories. The panel in this episode are Dee Bond, Brett Nicholls and Mike Slack. Dee is a Captain and co-owner in the Catalina ZK-PBY syndicate. She’s also an air racer, an adventurer, a precision flying expert, an aerobatics pilot and an airfield owner, among other things. Brett is a warbird pilot. Formerly the owner of two BAC167 Strikemasters, he also owns Harvard NZ1065 outright, and he is a syndicate member in Harvard NZ1052. He is on the committee for New Zealand Warbirds Association Inc. and is a big advocate for flying warbirds. Mike is an Air Traffic Controller, working in New Zealand’s busiest control tower at Auckland International Airport. He is also a keen aerobatics pilot and competitor, and he’s a member of the Giles 202 ZK-NUT syndicate. News Discussed: • Graeme Frew’s Yakovlev Yak 3M “Full Noise” at Reno, Nevada • Full Noise on the WONZ Forum • Polikarpov I-16 For Warbirds Over Wanaka • Gavin Johnston RIP • Bring Our Birds Home Wanaka Announcement • Pioneer Aero’s de Havilland Hornet Project • Mosquito Pathfinder Trust • Auckland Fuel Crisis • Sanson Man Moaning About Jet Noise From Ohakea • Eurofighter Typhoon Crash Additional to the discussion it seems this was not the first fatal Typhoon crash, here’s another from two weeks ago! • Saudi Typhoon Crash • Mustangs Touch At Duxford Airshow • Vintage Air Rally 2018   Upcoming Events • WONZ Missing Wingman Trust Dinner, Cambridge 8th of Oct 2017 • Tiger Moth Club Spring Fly-In, Taumaranui – 13-15 Oct 2017 • Taupo Gliding Club 50th Anniversary – 21-23 Oct 2017 • GAPS First Light Wings And Wheels, Gisborne – 4th of Nov 2017 • Black Sands Fly-In, Raglan – 4-5 Nov 2017 • Warbirds Open Day, Ardmore – 12th of Nov 2017 • South Island Akro Fest, Omaka – 22-24 Nov 2017 • WONZ Christmas Party, Ardmore – 2nd of Dec 2017   Guest Spot Discussion Links • Air Race Classic Kiwi Express • Air Race Classic Website • Air Race Classic Facebook Page • 23rd FAI World Precision Flying Championships 2017 • Mercer Airport Website • Mercer Airport on Facebook • Mercer Airport on Wikipedia • Airways New Zealand • New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority RPAS, UAV, UAS, Drones & Model Aircraft Rules • Airshare NZ Drone Rules • New Zealand Warbirds Association Website • New Zealand Warbirds Association Facebook Page • NASA.gov • BBC Space Programmes (I meant Apollo 13, not Apollo 11, by the way) • The Women Who Flew For Hitler by Clare Mulley • The Women Who Flew For Hitler author Clare Mulley with Dan Snow • Hidden Figures • Rocketlab on Facebook • NASA Balloons at Wanaka • NASA SOFIA • Xtended Podcast Episode 73 – Fairey Barracuda • Dunkirk (2017) on Facebook • Photos of the Spitfire on the Beach on FlyPast Forum • Brendon Deere’s Spitfire PV270 ad Biggin Hill Hangar RNZAF Facebook Page • Jurgis Kairys flying his routine • New Zealand Aerobatics Club Website • New Zealand Aerobatics Club Facebook page   Above: Dee Bond (photo Dee Bond) Above: Mike Slack in the Auckland International Airport control tower (Photo Mike Slack) Above: Brett Nicholls closest to the camera in his Strikemaster jet with Dave Brown (Photo Brett Nicholls) Above: Dee Bond, left, and co-pilot McKenzie Krutsinger, after winning the 41st Air Race Classic i June 2017 (Photo Dee Bond) Above: Mike Slack pulling G’s in the Giles 202 aerobatic aeroplane (Photo Mike Slack) Brett Nicholls, right, discusses a flying manoeuvre with Gavin Conroy at Masterton (Photo Dave Homewood) NOTE: Apologies for the occasional strange noises that were coming over Skype during parts of this recording. We could not find the source and it was random. It’s rather annoying but the noises are short lived, so please persevere. Theme Music For This Episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Christine Ody Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 12th of June 2017 Released: 21st of September 2017 Duration: 1 hours 16 minutes 16 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood talks with airline captain Christine Ody, of Auckland. Christine grew up on a farm in Northland, New Zealand. She developed a desire to fly from a young age after having a ride in a helicopter that was working on the family farm. After leaving school she was working in television when she began flying lessons at Ardmore Flying School. She gained a commercial licence and then a job with the school as a flying instructor. But Christine’s real goal was realised when she was accepted as a pilot with Air Nelson, flying as co-pilot on the SAAB 340. She eventually progressed onto the Boeing 737 on the main trunk Air New Zealand routes. And when the Boeings were phased out of service Christine moved on to the Airbus A320 fleet. She is now a captain on this airliner, and flies into a range of New Zealand, Australian and Pacific destinations. As well as flying, Christine has a duel role in the airline as a Deputy Fleet Manager, involved in organising the tasking of crews and aircraft in the A320 fleet. Christine tells some great stories and shares her memories of flying training, instructing, and flying in the airline. She is also a big proponent of getting more young people into flying, particularly females. She talks about the lifestyle that an airline pilot lives, and the things prospective pilots can expect when they are entering the industry. Quick Links: • Ardmore Flying School • Air New Zealand • Air New Zealand Careers • New Zealand Association of Women in Aviation • New Zealand Association of Women in Aviation Facebook Page Above: Christine, centre, with helicopter pilot Max Donnelly and his loader Christine while learning to fly at Ardmore Flying School Christine, third from right, during an annual Air Training Corps camp at RNZAF Base Woodbourne Christine in an Air Nelson SAAB 340 cockpit Christine and crew with an Air New Zealand Boeing 737 Air New Zealand Boeing 737’s and staff Christine flying a Boeing 737 An array of retro Air New Zealand staff unifoms The charter flight for the Outrageous Fortune fans Sheryl Lookalike competition. Leopard skins and big hair for Christine, and the captain with fake mullet and fake tats! The charter flight for the Outrageous Fortune fans Sheryl competition Another dress up day. Captain David Morgan on the left. Christine with Air New Zealand Chief Pilot, Captain David Morgan Thanks to Neroli Henwood for her assistance in organising this interview, and to Brigitte Ransom of Air New Zealand External Communications for her guidance Music heard in this episode is Magic Ghost by Danosongs

Guest: Matt McLaughlin Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 2nd of September 2017 Released: 15th of September 2017 Duration: 1 hours 6 minutes 16 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood talks via Skype with Matt McLaughlin, a Kiwi pilot who lives in Hong Kong. Matt grew up in Gisborne and he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force straight from school. He began training as a pilot, but was hospitalised with illness, and when he returned to training on a subsequent Wings course it all went wrong and he was removed from training. He then continued flying training with a civilian flying school back home in Gisborne, and gained his commercial pilot’s licence with the plan to join an airline. However when he completed training he took a very different route, moving to Papua New Guinea, and learning the ways of the bush pilot. Matt tells some great stories about flying in and out of mountainous jungle strips, life in PNG, and the other pilots he knew there. It was extremely dangerous flying, and the stakes were high. Sadly many of the pilots Matt knew were killed in accidents. He went on to fly with Cathay Pacific, which he is still flying with after 22 years. And Matt has recently written his memoirs looking back on those days in Papua New Guinea, in the award winning book “Flying The Knife Edge”, which he also discusses. Quick Links: • Flying The Knife Edge at the Book Depository • Flying The Knife Edge on Amazon • Flying The Knife Edge on Fishpond • Flying The Knife Edge at Whitcoulls • Sunday Post Magazine article on Matt and his book Top, the front and back cover of the first edition of Flying The Knife Edge Above right: Matt Mclaughlin in New York having just accepted his Independent Publisher Book Award,and left the cover of the reprint with added silver medal (Photos Matt McLaughlin) The classic Pilatus Porter scene from Air America, which inspired Matt The trailer for Air America – a must see film for aviation fans Note: Music at the end if “Run Through The Jungle” by Creedance Clearwater Revival, a nod to the classic film Air America, in whose soundtrack this superb song is heard

Guest: David Duxbury Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 3rd of August 2017 Released: 9th of September 2017 Duration: 1 hours 37 minutes 8 seconds In Part Two of this Curtiss P-40 special, following on directly from Episode 159, aviation historian David Duxbury once again joins Dave Homewood to conclude this Duxbury Files story. Together they continue to look at the history of the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and Warhawk fighter series in Royal New Zealand Air Force service, with such topics as more interesting incidents, books, collisions in the air and on the ground, weapons they dropped, fighter and bombing tactics, individual aircraft names, and much more. David and Dave also answer more questions that came in from listeners. And they look at surviving examples of the P-40, plus much more. As usual with any conversation with David Duxbury, this is packed with gems of info and snippets that most people will never have heard before, so it is well worth a listen for any fan of the Kittyhawk or Warhawk. • Air To Air – by Chris Rudge • Too Young To Die – by Bryan Cox • Kittyhawks And Coconuts – by Keith Mulligan • The Blue Arena – by Bob Spurdle • Tiger Moths And Butterflies – by Peter Norman • Wings Over The Pacific – by Alex Horn • RNZAF: The First Decade – by Charles Darby • RNZAF: A Short History – by Geoffrey Bentley • Portrait of an Air Force – – by Geoffrey Bentley and Maurice Conly   Quick Links: • The RNZAF Curtiss P-40’s on adf.serials • The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk on Wikipedia • The Royal New Zealand Air Force by S/Ldr J.M.S. Ross • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • The Museum of Transport and Technology • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Above: A No. 16 (Fighter) Squadron P-40E NZ3044 flight down the Marlborough coast (Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo, via John Saunders) P-40E NZ3027 FE-V in a ditch at Ohakea after a taxiing accident on the 10th of January 1944. The pilot was Allan ‘Skip’ Watson, and this photo comes from his logbook. Above: Allan “Skip” Watson with his personal P-40N aircraft NZ3237 “ESMA LEE”, which was E from No. 4 Servicing Unit. Skip named his Warhawk after a girl he fancied back home in Auckland. From the collection of the late Allan Watson. P-40M’s operated by No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron at Kukum Field, Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands in 1943 (photo via Kerry Carlyle) RNZAF Curtiss P-40’s of No. 2 Servicing Unit lined up while USAAF Lockheed P-38 Lightnings fly over (from the collection of the late Graeme Cosgrove) A great shot of an RNZAF P-40 in operational area stripes and the white tail. (Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo, via John Saunders) Apologies for the slightly off sound quality in parts. This episode has proven a bit of a challenge to edit.

Sub-Series: The Duxbury Files Guest: David Duxbury Host: Dave Homewood Archive Voices: Geoff Fisken, Noel Hanna, Joe McVicar and Owen Hicks Recorded: 3rd of August 2017 Released: 1st of September 2017 Duration: 2 hours 18 seconds Aviation historian David Duxbury once again joins Dave Homewood on the WONZ Show for another in The Duxbury Files series. Together they look at the history of the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and Warhawk fighter series which served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force as its front line fighter from April 1942 till June 1944, and then as an important second line fighter till the end of WWII and the last of the type finally retired from RNZAF service in 1946. The RNZAF operated 297 P-40’s in total, equipping No’s 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 (Fighter) Squadrons, plus No. 2 and No. 4 Operational Training Units, and with smaller numbers serving with the Central Flying School of the RNZAF, the Fighter Gunnery School, the Electrical & Wireless School, and the Corsair Conversion Unit. The RNZAF operated P-40E’s, P-40K’s, P-40M’s and P-40N’s, plus for a short time one Packard Merlin engined P-40L that was mistakenly sent to New Zealand. The RNZAF Fighter Wing saw air to air combat in the Solomon Islands, particularly in the defence of Guadalcanal. They also escorted RNZAF, USAAF, US Navy and USMC heavy, medium and dive bombers to targets as far away as Rabaul. The RNZAF Fighter Wing P-40 pilots acquired a fantastic reputation for providing the best escort for the bombers, always staying in close to protect them and seemingly not losing any of the bombers to enemy aircraft. The Fighter Wing pilots shot down 100 Japanese aircraft in aerial combat in the Pacific, with a loss rate of only a fifth of that amount of their own fighters to enemy action. In this episode David and Dave delve deep into the history of the Kittyhawk in RNZAF service, looking at as many aspects of the type as possible, and unearthing some information not widely known to fans of the RNZAF P-40’s. They also answer questions that were sent in by WONZ Show listeners. This is Part One, there is definitely more to come following this episode so stay tuned once you’ve listened to this one. Recommended Further Reading Some recommended books about the P-40 squadrons or by pilots who flew in them • Air To Air – by Chris Rudge • Too Young To Die – by Bryan Cox • Kittyhawks And Coconuts – by Keith Mulligan • The Blue Arena – by Bob Spurdle • Tiger Moths And Butterflies – by Peter Norman • Wings Over The Pacific – by Alex Horn • RNZAF: The First Decade – by Charles Darby • RNZAF: A Short History – by Geoffrey Bentley • Portrait of an Air Force – – by Geoffrey Bentley and Maurice Conly   Quick Links: • The RNZAF Curtiss P-40’s on adf.serials • The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk on Wikipedia • The Royal New Zealand Air Force by S/Ldr J.M.S. Ross • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • The Museum of Transport and Technology • Classic Flyers NZ Museum P-40E’s of No. 14 Squadron RNZAF in 1942. Closest to the camera is NZ3008 HQ-B “Umslopogaas”, with NZ3035 HQ-Q in the centre,and NZ3007 HQ-A “Magnolia Mufflewort” furthest from the camera. The photo was taken by Leo White and is Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official. This particular print comes from the collection of the late Graeme Ronayne. A lovely portrait of No. 14 Squadron P-40E NZ3008 “Umslopogaas”. The photo was taken by Leo White and is Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official. This particular print comes from the collection of the late Bill Edhouse A look at the top of No. 14 Squadron’s P-40E NZ3035. The photo was taken by Leo White and is Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official. This particular print comes from the collection of the late Dave Howlett Flying officer Peter Gifford of No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron RNZAF in his Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk NZ3007. The photo was taken by Leo White and is Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official. No. 14 Squadron RNZAF P-40E’s lined up in front of the squadron’s Harvards at RNZAF Station Whenuapai in February 1943. The photo is Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official. A No. 15 Squadron RNZAF P-40E NZ3040 over the sea off the coast of New Zealand. This is an Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo A P-40E at Woodbourne in 1942. From the collection of the late Noel Hanna P-40E’s and Harvards lined up at No. 2 Operational Training Unit, at RNZAF Station Ohakea. From the collection of the late Noel Hanna Curtiss P-40N Warhawks and Lockheed Hudsons during a stopover at RNZAF StationWaipapakauri during a ferry flight. The Supermarine Walrus NZ154 seen left was probably performing Air Sea Rescue duties just in case. The photo is Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official. This particular print comes from the collection of Brendon Deere. Six Curtiss P-40K Kittyhawks escorted by an RNZA

Guest: Arthur Gatland Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 21st of August 2017 Released: 26th of August 2017 Duration: 44 minutes 37 seconds Arthur Gatland is a pilot. His father Frank Gatland DFM mid was also a pilot. Frank joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1941 and following his flying training he became a Short Stirling captain with No. 214 Squadron, RAF Bomber Command . Following several operations with the squadron, including a very low level attack he made on Genoa, Italy, in October 1942 that earned him the Distinguished Flying Medal, his luck ran out. He and his crew were shot down/collided with a fighter over France on the night of 28/29 November 1942. Frank survived the parachute jump and he set off on foot in an attempt to evade capture. After covering many miles he was eventually taken prisoner and placed into Stalag VIIIB POW camp. He was not there long before he was planning an escape, the first of many to come. Including the initial evasion, Frank would be officially credited with five escapes by war’s end. He was a genuine thorn in the side to the Germans, continually planning and scheming ways to get away and try to get back to Britain and safety. He loved every minute of it! In later years Frank wrote his memoirs of his wartime experiences, both as a bomber pilot and as an evader, escaper and a POW. Now, ten years after Frank’s death, his son Arthur has published those memoirs as a book, entitled “Escape – The Best Sport Ever!” In this episode of the WONZ Show Arthur talks about his father and about the book which is now available. And he also talks about his own flying career. He too served in the Air Force, flying Hawker Harriers and Hunters with the Royal Air Force in the 1970’s. Later returning home he joined Air New Zealand and flew Fokker Friendships, Boeing 737’s, Boeing 767’s, Boeing 777’s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and today he runs the 777 and 787 simulator. Arthur is also a very accomplished glider pilot and is often seen displaying in a glider at airshows around New Zealand. Quick Links: • Arthur Gatland’s Direct Email – [email protected] • Escape: The Best Sport Ever on Facebook • Escape: The Best Sport Ever Book Launch Event Page Above: Arthur Gatland with copies of his father Frank Gatland’s book ‘Escape: The Best Sport Ever” Above: The cover of the book, with Frank Gatland DFM’s photo Note: The theme music at the beginning of this episode is from the television series Hogan’s Heroes, and the music at the end is the theme from the feature film The Great Escape

Guest: Graeme Frew Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 14th of August 2017 Released: 15th of August 2017 Duration: 36 minutes 1 second History is being made right now as the first ever New Zealand race team is on its way to the Reno Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada. Graeme Frew will be flying his Yakovlev Yak 3M fighter in the WWII class of the world famous air races. Competing as race number 35, with the race name Full Noise, Graeme’s Yak, ZK-VVS, will be supported by the Kiwi team consisting of Jay McIntyre, Daniel Frew, Frank Parker, Liz Needham and many others. In this episode Graeme talks with Dave Homewood about his flying and Air Force background, the history of his Yak 3M, and his great big adventure that is unfolding right now as he prepares for the upcoming Reno races. The racing will be held between the 13th and 17th of September 2017. GO FULL NOISE!!!! Quick Links: • Fighter Flights Facebook Page • FullNoise35 on Instagram • Fighter Flights Website • JEM Aviation • JEM Aviation on Facebook • Reno Championship Air Races 2017 Website • Reno Air Race Association Facebook Page Above: Graeme Frew in his Yak 3M “Full Noise” Photos all courtesy of Fighter Flights Music in this episode is Magic Ghost from Danosongs

Guests: Russell Brodie and Ross Brodie Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 10th of August 2017 Released: 11th of August 2017 Duration: 1 hour minutes seconds Russell Brodie and his son Ross Brodie join Dave via Skype from their home at Rangitata Island Aerodrome, near Geraldine in the South Island of New Zealand. The Brodies are a well known flying family, and they have a very significant event approaching to mark 100 years that the family has been involved in aviation, over four generations. The weekend of Friday 8th to Sunday 10th of September 2017 will see them host a very special Fly In at Rangitata Island marking that century of aviation. This social event welcomes pilots and enthusiasts from across the country, with no landing fees, the Lions Club doing the catering, free tenting on site, and lots of time for kicking back with a coffee and a sausage with other like-minded aviators, in a beautiful and idyllic spot. In this episode Russell and Ross talk about their family’s history in aviation, starting with the first Ross Brodie who learned to fly at Sockburn in 1917 with the Canterbury Aviation Company. His son Struan and Struan’s wife Ann both learned to fly in the 1950’s. Their son is Russell and his son, the fourth generation of pilots, is Ross. Russell and Ross also discuss the eclectic collection of historic microlights and aeroplanes they have at Rangitata Island – possibly the largest collection of such types in the world – and they discuss their plans to open up the airfield as a “Shuttleworth of the South” including provision for hangar homes coming soon. Above: The first of the Brodie pilots, Ross Brodie in a Caudron trainer at Sockburn in 1917; and Ross and his Canterbury Aviation Company course mates in 1917. Ross is second from left in the dark suit Russell, left, and Ross in the cockpit, at Rangitata Island. Photo: John Fallon The Brodie Family Tiger Moth in South Canterbury skies. Photo Ross Brodie The Event Details: Rangitata Island Aerodrome, near Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand 8th, 9th and 10th of September 2017 No landing fees Free camping For more details contact Ross Brodie or Russell Brodie Phone: 03 693 8675 Mobile: 027 276 0914 Email: [email protected] Website: www.realflying.co.nz/ Quick Links: • Rangitata Island Aerodrome Website • Rangitata Island Aerodrome Facebook Page • The Brodie Family 100 Years in Aviation Fly-In Facebook Event Page • Rangitata Island Aerodrome on Google Maps • WONZ Show Episode 131 with Ross Brodie The video version of the above Episode 131  

Panel Guests: Andrew Gormlie, Don Simms and Peter Rowley Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 6th of August 2017 Released: 7th of August 2017 Duration: 1 hour 54 minutes 02 seconds This is the second of our semi-regular “The Forum” show, featuring a panel of aviation minded folks discussing the latest news and views, projects and events, and all things aviation from across New Zealand and the world. The panellists this episode are Andrew Gormlie (private pilot, enthusiast and CEO of Classic Flyers NZ Museum in Tauranga); Don Simms (Skyhawk expert, ex-RNZAF Avionics Technician and Guide at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand); and Peter Rowley (private pilot, huge aviation enthusiast, webmaster of the popular Plane Crazy People Facebook page, and much loved comedy actor). Don Simms Andrew Gormlie Peter Rowley   Quick Links to some of the topics discussed: Sites Connected With The Guests • Plane Crazy People – Peter’s Facebook Group • Classic Flyers NZ Museum Website • Classic Flyers NZ Museum on Facebook • Classic Flyers NZ Museum on the WONZ Show • Don Simm’s Skyhawk Book • The Classic Flyers Avenger NZ2539 Thread on the WONZ Forum • The New Zealand Air Show Association • New Zealand Gyrocopter Association • New Zealand Cadet Forces • The Gisborne Aviation Preservation Society • GAPS on the WONZ Forum • The Ferrymead Aeronautical Society • Ferrymead on the WONZ Forum   The News Items • Fisherman Knocked Out By Deadstick Homebuild Aircraft on Matata Beach • Deadly Beach Emergency Landing in Portugal • The Embraer KC-390 Visits New Zealand • Waiheke Island Airfield For Sale • Death of Jim Pearce • The PAC750XL in North Korea • Flights Between New Zealand and Angola, and Myanmar Coming • The Airventure 2017 Airshow at Oshkosh • The Brodie Family 100 Years In Aviation Fly-In • Alexandra Wings And Wheels • The Battle of Guadalcanal on Wikipedia • Singaporean F-16’s To Visit Ohakea, New Zealand • NASA SOFIA Boeing 747 In Christchurch Again   The Great Escapes • Escape: The Best Sport Ever – by Frank Gatland • Dunkirk • Fighters And Bombers by Gavin Conroy • Precious Metal by Gavin Conroy • Vulcan 607 • Highest Duty by Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger • Sully • Duty by Bob Greene Get Some In – 1970’s Air Force Comedy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QA2nOMPNRs The Most Daring Raid – Operation Black Buck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBJ99bIhAVk   Related WONZ Shows **************************** Don Simms Episodes Episode 2 Episode 134 Andrew Gormlie Episodes Episode 96 Episode 130 Peter Rowley’s Episode Episode 58 NASA SOFIA Episode 104 Theme Music For This Episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Stan Walker (F/O Stanley James Walker, RNZAF, NZ4214446, Pilot) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 17th of June 2017 Released: 28th of July 2017 Duration: 2 hour 15 minutes 42 seconds Back on the 1st of April 2017, 95 year old Stan Walker was one of the speakers at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet in the New Zealand Warbirds Hangar at Ardmore Airport. His talk was very popular as his memory was extremely sharp and his stories were great. But it was obvious that there was much more he could tell, so Dave Homewood visited him in June to do a more relaxed one to one interview. Stan was at university training to become a teacher when he was called up for the New Zealand Territorial Army, but days after he entered camp the Japanese started the war in the Pacific, and he found himself suddenly a member of the Regular Army. He did not relish this prospect as he’d been planning to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force, so he went AWOL to get his father to sign the paperwork that would allow him to switch to the RNZAF. He trained as a pilot in New Zealand and Canada, and was selected for RAF Coastal Command. He was eventually posted to No. 490 (NZ) Squadron based at Jui, Sierra Leone, in West Africa. He converted to the Sunderland as a second pilot, before eventually going solo and becoming a captain. Stan talks at length about his Air Force days, and the squadron, as well as his life in pre-WWII university and postwar as a teacher. Quick Links: • No. 490 (NZ) Squadron on Wikipedia • No. 490 (NZ) Squadron in the Official History – Episodes And Studies Vol. 2 Notes: My sincere thanks to Stan and his son Gary Walker for assisting with this interview. The music in this episode is from the Coastal Command suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, recorded in 1942 Stan Walker’s Photos These photos come courtesy of Stan’s album, via his son Gary Walker Stan Walker today Stan Walker during WWII Aerodrome Defence Unit at RNZAF Station Waipapakauri Stan and friends relaxing outside their huts at RNZAF Station Waipapakauri RNZAF Station Waipapakauri’s hut accommodation for the ADU members Stan, left, during his Elementary Flying Training School course at RNZAF Station Ashburton Stan’s course at RCAF Station Brandon, Manitoba, in Canada Back Row: Philips, Salmon, McKenzie, ?, MacRae, Lyall, Logan, Norman, Parker, Rush, Jensen, Heath, MacVicar, Lavin, Tinsley (RAF), Stevens (RAF), Yeoman. Centre Row: Thrall (RAF), Johnson, ?, Waugh (RAF), Davies, Cowell, Marshall-Muir, Latimer, Sturgiss, Hathaway, Hoult, Kether?, Smith (RAF), Harland, Shepherd, MacLellan Front Row: Henderson, Garner, Adam, Lyons, Millar, Wood, McMillan, Pope, Gibbs, Padre’, Padre’ (CofE), Baggott, Walker, Morris, Lilly, Ellison, Forsyth An Airspeed Oxford as flown by Stan in Britain during his refresher training Stan in the Captain’s seat of an Airspeed Oxford No. 490 (NZ) Squadron at Jui, Sierra Leone, West Africa Stan’s Sunderland crew (Stan is not in the photo): Standing, left to right: F/Sgt Maloney, F/Sgt Edwards, Sgt Kemp, Sgt Sinclair, Sgt Allsopp Seated, left to right: Sgt Patterson, F/O Delete, F/Lt ‘Pat’ Paterson, F/Sgt Johnny Greer, F/O Woodward The main hangar and workshops on the waterfront at RAF Jui Moored No. 490 (NZ) Squadron Short Sunderland Mk. III’s with the Jui hangar visible in the background The view from the Sunderland of one of the Jui tender boats Stan in the foreground with Sunderland “V” at Abidjan, French Ivory Coast during ‘Victory Tour’ that ran from the 17th to 27th of May 1945. Stan’s Short Sunderland Mk. III “X” Barrack Block E at RAF Jui The end of Sunderland “X” as she sinks into the Atlantic Ocean   Stan Walker Video At The Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet – 1st of April 2017 Kindly filmed by Stuart Russell  

Guest: Phillip Leech (Flight Lieutenant Phillip Winfield Leech, RAF, Navigator-Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 15th of July 2017 Released: 20th of July 2017 Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 43 seconds Phillip Leech was an English-born member of the Royal Air Force, but he served as a Navigator on the Coastal Command Bristol Beaufighter torpedo bombers with No. 489 (NZ) Squadron. His pilot was Peter Branton, who was also RAF. Phillip joined the RAF in late 1941 hoping to be a pilot, but the RAF had other ideas and after initial training in London and at Babbacombe, he embarked for Canada where he studied Navigation at Hamilton, Ontario. This was followed by a course in general reconnaissance at Prince Edward Island, before he returned to Britain where he did a course at Squires Gate, Blackpool, in beam navigation. Then he completed a wireless operator’s course at RAF Cranwell. Posted to the Operational Training Unit at Crosby-on-Eden near Carlyle, Phillip was only there for a day or so before being posted to No. 489 (NZ) Squadron, at RAF Leuchars in Scotland. He was teamed up with Pete Brunton and would have to learn to adjust to the Bristol Beaufighter and operations as he went. Phillip talks all about life on the squadron, specific operations, and what it was like to fly operationally in the Beaufighter, making torpedo attacks on the German convoys off the coast of Norway, the shipping route up the Dutch coast, and various ports. Phillip served with the squadron also at RAF Langham and RAF Dallachy in Scotland. When he finished his tour with No. 489 (NZ) Squadron Phillip was posted to an Air Sea Rescue squadron flying as navigator in Supermarine Sea Otters. Quick Links: • Nine Minute Film of No. 489 (NZ) Squadron Beaufighters – Imperial War Museum • The No. 489 (NZ) Squadron Association Website • The No. 489 (NZ) Squadron Association Facebook page Notes: My sincere thanks to Phillip’s son David Leech for assisting in setting up the Skype interview. The music in this episode is from the Coastal Command suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, recorded in 1942 Phillip Leech today (photo courtesy of David Leech). All that remains of the wartime airfield today at RAF Dallachy in Scotland is the old control tower (photo courtesy of David Leech). The Dallachy Strike Wing Memorial at former RAF Dallachy (photo courtesy of David Leech) The Dallachy Strike Wing Memorial at former RAF Dallachy (photo courtesy of David Leech) Phillip’s No. 489 (NZ) Squadron badge (photo courtesy of David Leech) Phillip’s No. 489 (NZ) Squadron badge, his wartime hat and a wartime photo of him and his pilot and two others (photo courtesy of David Leech)   A closer look at that wartime photo. Phillip is second from the right. (photo courtesy of David Leech) No. 489 (NZ) Squadron Photos Kindly Supplied by Don Wilkie No. 489 (NZ) Squadron Beaufighter Artworks by Don Wilkie If you’d like to learn more about Don’s art, click here