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Curtiss P-40 Warhawk photo gallery

  

RNZAF 14th Squadron

Curtiss P-40E RNZAF 14Sqn HQ   B NZ3008 1942 01

Photo 01: Kittyhawk IAs NZ3008 HQ-B UMSLOPPOGAS, NZ3035 HQ-Q and NZ???? HQ-A PARKYAKARKUS of No 14 Sqn formate on the squadron's Harvard trainer for a photo shoot in 1942. The squadron adjutant acted as photographer on the understanding that the 'Kittys' came up one at a time and kept their distance. He noted that, led by CO Sqn Ldr 'Boy' Brooker (seven kills), 'the boys literally rubbed wings until I gave them a call on the A/T and appealed to the pilot to take his wingtip out of my lens!' (RNZAF)

Curtiss P-40E RNZAF 14Sqn HQ   Q NZ3035 1942

Photo 01: Kittyhawk IAs NZ3008 HQ-B UMSLOPPOGAS, NZ3035 HQ-Q and NZ???? HQ-A PARKYAKARKUS of No 14 Sqn formate on the squadron's Harvard trainer for a photo shoot in 1942. The squadron adjutant acted as photographer on the understanding that the 'Kittys' came up one at a time and kept their distance. He noted that, led by CO Sqn Ldr 'Boy' Brooker (seven kills), 'the boys literally rubbed wings until I gave them a call on the A/T and appealed to the pilot to take his wingtip out of my lens!' (RNZAF)

USAAF 42-10323 Curtiss P-40M RNZAF 14Sqn   NZ3060 9

Profile 00: Curtiss P-40M Kittyhawk III NZ3072 'Wairarapa Wild Cat' of No 14 Sqn RNZAF, flown by Flt/Off Geoff Fisken, Henderson Field Guadalcanal, July 1943. The Commonwealth'S leading pilot In the war against Japan, Fisken had Joined the newly formed No 14 Sqn alter escaping from Malaya. In mid-1943 No 14 moved up to Guadalcanal, where he flew this aircraft to claim two Zeros on 12 June. As both he and his groundcrew came from Wairarapa. it was sUitably decorated and named, and eventually carried Fisken's impressive scoreboard, which included the only bomber (a 'Betty') shot down by the RNZAF in the Pacific.

P40-M Kittyhawk RNZAF 14Sqn   NZ3072 Pilot Geoff Fisken Black 19 Kukum Field, Guadalcanal 1943.

RNZAF as NZ3072 Code:19 Name:'Wairarapa Wild Cat' operated out of Kukum Field, Guadalcanal 1943. Was involved in a midair collision with NZ3112 over Papakura Jun 5, 1944 but was able to land safely. Pilot:F/O G. B. Fisken had eleven flags painted on the nose of NZ3072/19 represent the six Japanese aircraft he claimed in Malaya, the two A6M ‘Zekes' shot down on 12 June 1943, and the three aircraft he claimed on 4 July, when he was flying another P-40 (NZ3060/9). Because of its nose art, and the aircraft's association with Fisken, NZ3072 was arguably the most well known P-40 flown by the RNZAF. USAAF serial number 43-5505 and Curtiss construction number c/n: CU-27193. F/O G. B. Fisken was New Zealand's and indeed the Commonwealth's highest scoring ace against the Japanese. But this machine was flown by many pilots of 14 squadron and some scored kills with it. Also this airframe had a long lifespan losing its wildcat nose art after a landing accident it served with No. 18 squadron and then as an advanced trainer in New Zealand. SOC and sold to J. Larsen Mar 2, 1948.

USAAF 43-5505 P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF   NZ3072 19 Wairarapa Wild Cat 01

Profile 00:
1943005505 P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF - NZ3072 19 Wairarapa Wild Cat 01

Flying Officer Geoff Fisken with NZ3072 at Guadalcanal, in 1943. Note: The RNZAF pilots used mostly American flying gear, but with the British 'Mae West' life jacket.

USAAF 43-5505 P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF   NZ3072 19 Wairarapa Wild Cat 02

NZ3072 closest to camera - Note position of ID bands.

USAAF 43-5505 P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF   NZ3072 19 Wairarapa Wild Cat 03

NZ3072 taxies out at Kukum Field, Guadalcanal, June/July 1943.  The black cat can just be seen behind the '19'. Also note the amount of dust being stirred up!

USAAF 43-5505 P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF   NZ3072 19 Wairarapa Wild Cat 04

A line up of 14 Squadron P-40's taxiing out at the start of a mission. The leading aircraft is NZ3060 '9' while that at the far right is NZ3072 '19', the 'Wairarapa Wildcat'

43-5505 P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF   NZ3072 19 Wairarapa Wild Cat 05

NZ3072 taxies out at Kukum Field, Guadalcanal, June/July 1943.  The black cat can just be seen behind the '19'. Also note the amount of dust being stirred up!

Pilots RNZAF 14Sqn   NZ3072 Pilot Geoff Fisken 01-02

Geoff Fisken photographed alongside the cowl of NZ3072. The cats' outline was apparently added with chalk to enhance it for the photo. 11 victory flags appeared on the cowl, port side only. The cat and number '19' appeared on both sides.

Pilots RNZAF 14Sqn   NZ3072 Pilot Geoff Fisken 03

14 Fighter Squadron personnel, Guadalcanal, June/July 1943. Geoff Fisken circled. Note mixture of RAF and U.S. uniforms.
RNZAF - Nose Art Wairarapa Wild Cat 01

Warbird P-40M Kittyhawk RNZAF 14Sqn   NZ3072 Wairarapa Wild Cat 01-03

USAAF 42-10323 P-40K Kittyhawk RNZAF 14Sqn NZ3060 9

An enlargement taken from the photo below shows NZ3060 in close up. Colours are Dark Earth/Dark Green and Pale Blue. Blue/White/Blue RNZAF roundels on wings, modified type 'A' on fuselage.  Note rough masking on white ID bands. This aircraft has not been well publicised, but Geoff Fisken scored three of his Pacific victories while flying NZ3060 on the 4th of July, 1943. Camo scheme appears to be mirror type, which was not normally applied by the Curtiss factory! P-40K-15, NZ3060 was assembled and test flown at Hobsonville in January 1943, and survived its tours of duty to be scrapped in New Zealand after the war.

http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/khawk.html
http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/pages/ofmcp404.html
http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/pages/p40ohk1.html
http://www.classicfighters.co.nz/ac/p40/index.shtml
http://rnzaf.hobbyvista.com/gf.html

RNZAF P-40 Kittyhawk Torokina April 1944 01

Aircrew RNZAF 14Sqn pilots with a Dodge weapons carrier grouped together after a patrol at Guadalcanal 01-02

Photo: No. 14 Squadron pilots with a Dodge weapons carrier, grouped together after a patrol. Guadalcanal. See PR1161a for a key for names. 1. J. "Bags" Baragwanath (Adjutant), 2. Noel Hanna, 3. Ron C. C. Nairn, 4. Rex Weber, 5. Doug. Robertson, 6. Paul Green, 7. Allan Sievers, 8. Jack Meharry, 9. "Sandy" Eaton, 10. Harry Wigley, 11. G. B. Fisken, 12. Frank Ferrier, 13. Don Clow (supplied names), 14. "Snow" Renolds, 15. Brian Stringer (Administration), 16. Mort. Bullen, 17. Arthur "Zoot" Stanley, 18. Warwick Blundell (Intelligence Officer), 19. John Polson.
See PR1161 for original negative without numbers. 1. J. "Bags" Baragwanath (Adjutant), 2. Noel Hanna, 3. Ron C. C. Nairn, 4. Rex Weber, 5. Doug. Robertson, 6. Paul Green, 7. Allan Sievers, 8. Jack Meharry, 9. "Sandy" Eaton, 10. Harry Wigley, 11. G. B. Fisken, 12. Frank Ferrier, 13. Don Clow (supplied names), 14. "Snow" Renolds, 15. Brian Stringer (Administration), 16. Mort. Bullen, 17. Arthur "Zoot" Stanley, 18. Warwick Blundell (Intelligence Officer), 19. John Polson.

Source: https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/Collection/PR1161.jpg.info#?c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5003-Search-the-Collection%2F

Further Information.

NZ3072 arrived by ship at Auckland, and was assembled and test flown at Hobsonville in March 1943. It suffered minor damage at New Caledonia on the ferry flight north, and was repaired by the local U.S.Army Air Service Command Corps unit. Before handing back the aircraft to the New Zealanders, they had painted their unit emblem of a black tomcat on the cowlings.

Geoff Fisken had been allocated this aircraft as at this time, the squadrons and pilots 'owned' their individual aircraft. It had been decided to leave the markings on, and as many in the Squadron came from the Wairarapa area in the lower North Island of New Zealand, it was dubbed  the 'Wairarapa Wildcat'. Fisken's six victory flags scored in the defence of Malaya were added to the port cowl, to which were added a further five he scored with 14 Squadron during their first tour.

After 14 Squadron, NZ3072 flew operationally with several others, surviving an encounter with a water tanker when landing at Segi (on the eastern end of New Georgia Island) as recounted below:'31st August, we returned to Segi. Maurice was in good spirits, having completely recovered from the dusting the Japs had given him over Kahili on the 26th. We came into land and headed for our revetment expecting to find the taxi ways clear of any thing other than aircraft, but no system is perfect. Swinging into the parking area Maurice collided with a water tanker that wasn't supposed to be there. The tanker was damaged, so was the plane, it suffered a bent propeller and dented nose cowlings and Maurice received a cut to his nose and one eye. It so happened that the aircraft Morrie was driving was the 'Wairarapa Wild Cat', a P-40 adopted by F/O G B Fisken, the highest scoring RNZAF pilot in the Pacific with 11 Japanese planes to his credit. Eleven flags were painted on the side of his aeroplane and, in front of those, on the nose cowl, was depicted an angry cat, back arched, tail erect with the words 'Wairarapa Wild Cat' written across the top. Morrie was a little upset by this incident, not so much for the plane, his sympathy was for the cat which was pretty badly hurt. He flew back to Guadalcanal in a C-47 for treatment and a replacement P-40.'
(Maurice was Sergeant Maurice E Willis of 16 Squadron).

An extract from 'Kittyhawks and Coconuts' by Keith Mulligan, who flew three tours with 16 Squadron.
 
NZ3072 survived its tours of duty, and ended up back in NZ in early 1944 where it was used for training at Ardmore near Auckland, and at Ohakea . It also managed to survive a mid air collision, and the attentions of trainee pilots: 'The aircraft was involved in a formation change while flying at 700 feet. During the change, NZ3112 (Sgt Tirikatane) overshot passing underneath NZ3072. The tail unit struck the starboard aileron and underside of the starboard wing of NZ3072. NZ3112 dived sharply out of control and hit the ground. The aircraft was destroyed and Sgt. Tirikatane killed. NZ3072 remained under control and the pilot, Sgt H.W. Walker, returned to base and made a successful landing. This aircraft required major repairs'.

An extract from the official report after a collision at 4(OTU), Ardmore, Auckland on 6th June, 1944.

'Many of the Kittyhawks/Kittyhawks on our flightline at Ohakea had seen active service in the Solomon's and Rabaul, New Britain - One of the most illustrious was NZ 3072 which had been flown by F/0 G.B. Fisken, but its name 'Wairarapa Wildcat' and Japanese flags had been painted over when we flew it. However, some P- 40s still displayed their victory flags, and one had two Japanese and one New Zealand flag painted on it - the latter probably from a collision!

Ohakea was an extremely busy station with two Fighter and one Bomber OTU's operating simultaneously, and on visiting the Control Tower I was told that there were approximately 1,100 takeoffs and landings per day! I flew NZ3072 on three successive, days doing aerobatics and formation flying.' NZ3072 was unfortunately scrapped along with most of our lend/lease aircraft in 1947/48.

 

 Guadalcanal Province, Solomon Islands Map

 

    Bibliography: +

  • Baugher, Joe. 'Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Tomahawk, Kittyhawk.' American Military Aircraft.
  • Planes and Pilots: Curtiss P40 Vol 3 From 1939 to 1945. ISBN: 2913903479 Author: Anis Elbied Publisher: Histoire & Collections Paperback Pages: 84
  • Osprey - P-40 Warhawk Aces of the CBI (Aircraft of the Aces 35) ISBN: 184176079X Author: Carl Molesworth Publisher: Osprey Paperback Pages: 96.
  • Osprey - P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific (Aircraft of the Aces 55) ISBN: 1841765368 Author: Carl Molesworth   Publisher: Osprey Paperback Pages: 96.
  • RAAF Camouflage & Markings 1939-45 Vol 1 ISBN: 0858800365 Author: Geoffrey Pentland Publisher: Kookaburra Hard Cover Pages: 144
  • RAAF Camouflage & Markings 1939-45 Vol 2 ISBN: 0858800373 Author: Geoffrey Pentland Publisher: Kookaburra Hard Cover Pages: 144
  • Jane's - Fighting Aircraft of World War II ISBN: 1851701990 Author: Bill Gunston Publisher: Janes Hard Cover Pages: 320

    Magazines: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109
  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#cite_ref-100
  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history
  • Flickr.com - https://www.flickr.com/photos/farinihouseoflove/2209839419/in/photostream

 

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