The Aussie Mossie SEPTEMBER 2002

THE MOSQUITO AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

NUMBER 34 The Aussie Mossie SEPTEMBER 2002

Airworthy Mosquitos on the way?

One of the world's most ambitious warbird res- The scale of the task is utterly daunting and many knowledgeable people doubted that the toration programmes took a major step forward effort and determination of one individual would recently when the first pair of newly built de be sufficient to see this task through. Glyn has Havilland Mosquito fuselage shell halves com- certainly proved what can be done with the suc- pleted in over half a century were successfully cessful uplifting of these two new fuselage shell removed from their complex moulds and halves from his moulds. brought together.

This significant milestone in latter day Mosquito This fuselage will now be trimmed, joined and history took place in a purpose built facility in have some internal installation work carried out on it before being shipped to Canada where it Auckland New Zealand on Saturday 9 Febru- will be used in a Mosquito restoration being car- ary and represented the culmination of over a ried out by the Mosquito Bomber Group of the decade of effort for Glyn Powell of Mosquito Canadian Historical Aircraft Association at Wind- Aircraft Restorations Ltd. sor, Ontario to commemorate the Canadians Glyn's incredible achievement began with ma- who produced the Mosquito and flew them on jor research requiring his visiting almost every operations. surviving Mosquito, gathering manufacturing drawings from sources around the planet, and Look out for further details on this impressive project in the next edition of Classic Wings then getting his head around recreating the Downunder. original moulds in a way that makes them con-

vertible for use in the construction of the full Photo by Graeme Eason. range of Mosquito fuselages from fighters to Article from the Mosquito Aircrew Association mag- bombers (see Classic Wings Downunder Vol 3, azine, Edition No. 32, written by their No 2). New Zealand member John Beeching. PAGE 2 NUMBER 34 The President’s Log—by Alan Middleton

Prior to the Annual General Meeting of the M.A.A.A. in August, Roy Urand, our President for the last two years requested to stand aside due to family and other commitments - like rebuilding an MG and renovating a home and as eve- ryone knows, nobody wants to take on the job, including me. However, some- one has to do it and I was told that I was that guy , so here I am as your new President.

On your behalf I thank Roy for the encouragement he gave to all of us , particularly in the establishment of a good working relationship between our Mem- bers volunteering for work on A52-600 and the Staff of RAAF Museum Point Cook.

My interest in the Mosquito restoration was due to my time in the RAAF as Navigator-Wireless Operator (Nav-W) with 94 Squadron which was being formed at Castlereagh, NSW as a low level attack squadron. I was aware of the tremendous part the Mosquito played in the European theatre and was delighted to have been assigned to be part of the Mossie scene.

My Pilot with 94 was Flt Lt. Bryan (Blondie) Bayly who had completed a tour of operations with a low level reconnaissance squadron in Baltimores in the Middle East and in my opinion , was the best Pilot in the Squadron.

Fortunately hostilities ceased just a few days prior to 94 leaving for the Pacific Islands so we returned all our brand new aircraft and went home.

Blondie joined Ansett Airways and then MacRobertson Miller in West Australia and unfortunately was Captain of a Viscount which crashed due to metal fatigue with no survivors.

I became a Chartered Accountant in Melbourne and retired from Practice in 1998 which explains why I have no technical skills as are needed in the restoration of A52-600 as displayed by most of our Members and particularly by the Friends of the Museum and other Volunteers at Point Cook.

I know that the enthusiasm of all our Members working on A52-600 will continue to be of great value to the project and I hope any small contribution I can make will be of some value also.

Patron Air Vice-Marshal J.C. (Sam) Jordan AO (RAAF-Retired)

President: Alan Middleton 61 (0) 3 9523 9774 [email protected] Vice President: Graeme Coates 61 (0) 3 9428 2324 [email protected] Secretary/Treasurer/Editor Bob Stevens 61 (0) 3 9800 4364 [email protected] Oral History Project Coordinator Reg Spooner 61 (0) 3 9466 8158

The MAAA Mailing Address: 32 Clarke Crescent WANTIRNA SOUTH Victoria, Australia 3152

Articles in this Bulletin have been faithfully reproduced and credit has been given to the reference source where known. If any details are misrepresented or incorrect, please contact the Editor who will makes amends in following publications. THE AUSSIE M OSSIE PAGE 3 From the Navigator’s Seat—by Brett Redway

This is the first article by the A52-600 Restoration Project Manager, LAC Brett Redway. He will be contributing progress reports in every Bulletin to keep you all up to date on what is happening down there in the Restoration Hangar.

The Navigator’s Seat - down into its final resting place; ry. In the words of the great, words from the pointy end. I mean, “position”, and subse- “That’s one small step……”. quently the fuselage has been Well troops it has been a very moved back about four feet. All in all, I would say that the productive couple of months, Quite a few of you would have project is starting to come along with quite a bit of visual pro- noticed that the rear hoop has quite nicely, with positive feed- gress happening as well, (yes been removed, and the poor back being received from all di- the moss is slowly being re- old girl is slowly being engulfed rections. moved, and the ball is starting in a jungle of steel framing as to roll). we prepare to jig it into working Until next we meet. position. The catalogue, volunteer and Brett Redway aka (B2) plans databases are up and To add to all this excitement, running, and our upgraded people’s hands are starting to computer has finally arrived. get dirty as various small items are beginning to be cleaned The jig base has been bedded and restored to their former glo-

Brian Fillery’s information corner

A 1944 Mosquito Experience. From Fighter Command 1939-45 by David Oliver. Page 69. Published 2000 by Harper Collins Publishers, London.

There was an operation on 1 September, a No 307 (Polish) Sqn night-intruder mission to the Luftwaffe's night-training establishment near Stettin on the Baltic Coast. After a fruitless search during which my navigator was taken ill, we were north of Kiel when we ran slap over a German flak ship, which he would normally have picked up on the AI screen and which I could easily have avoided. I felt the Mosquito NF XII being repeatedly hit amid the searchlight beams and coloured tracers. All hell had broken loose, but the Mosquito kept flying, although in a somewhat wobbly fashion.

It was in the run-in to Coltishall, the forward base near the Norfolk coast, that the damage became mani- fest. As I lowered the flaps on the approach, the aircraft banked over to the left and nearly turned over on its back. A quick retraction of the flaps saved us and I landed successfully without them at a very high speed.

After taxiing in and switching off, all was quiet except for some gentle hissing and gurgling in the pipes. The sick navigator was given immediate attention, then one of the ground crew, shining a torch under- neath the wing, shouted out, "Jesus bloody Christ! Come and look at this, Sir."

The mess was unbelievable. A big shell had gone through the port wing, missing the main fuel tank by inches. The flap on that side had only a few ribs left. We finished counting the bullet holes in the aircraft at 300. But neither my navigator nor I had even a scratch - a clear case of "more luck than brains".

The aeroplane was a write-off, and another was sent to take us back to our base at Church Fenton. But I doubt whether anything but a Mosquito could have stood up to that kind of punishment and still got us back. That's why I love the Mosquito.

Karol Ranoszek - Polish Fighter Command night fighter pilot. PAGE 4 NUMBER 34 HIGH FLIGHT -- John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr. #412 Squadron, RCAF And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; (1922-1941), was a 19-year-old Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth American/British fighter pilot Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things who flew with the Royal Cana- dian Air Force in World War You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung II. High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, He went to Britain, flew in a I've chased the shouting wind along and flung Spitfire Squadron, and was killed at age 19 on December My eager craft through footless halls of air. 11, 1941, during a training flight from the airfield near Up, up the long delirious burning blue Scopwick, Lincolnshire. The poem was written on the I've topped the windswept height with easy grace back of a letter to his par- Where never lark, nor even eagle flew. ents, which stated, "I am en- And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod closing a verse I wrote the The high, untrespassed sanctity of space, other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. soon after I landed."

Memorial to Mosquito pilots

Our Patron—AVM Sam Jordan, forwarded this article which is an extract from the Ayr “Advocate” 27/03/2002.

Sam explained that one of the pilots Doug Batzloff was his best man at his wedding only a couple of months before the crash. Also another Mosquito on its way to New Zealand the same day crashed at Mornington Island due to the atrocious conditions.

Men involved in the search for two pilots miss- winds were ripping through the area, visibility ing in the mountain range near Giru, Queens- was very poor. Search parties battled the land in 1947 were taken back in time during a treacherous conditions looking for the crash memorial service to remember the events sur- site. It was not until five days later a search rounding the plane crash. plane discovered damaged trees about 50 feet from the peak of Saddle Mountain. A group of people, including descendants of search party members, gathered at Brolga Park Three Cromarty men found the plane and the for the unveiling of a plaque erected to remem- two pilots the next morning. Jim Burry, a member the two pilots killed in the crash. The three ber of another search party, who was 17 at the men who found the bodies are acknowledged time, recalled he saw the aircraft go over Giru on the plaque. on the day it went missing, "there was very low cloud". Flight Lieutenant Frank Langford of Sydney and Flight Lieutenant Douglas Batzloff of Toowoom- Shire Councillor Marlene Parison said in the ba were killed when their RAAF Mosquito re- last 10-15 years, bushwalkers have trekked in connaissance aircraft struck the side of Saddle to find the crash site and remains of the plane, Mountain on March 25,1947. "it is very over-grown, hard going and plenty of stinging nettles up there!" At the time of the crash, cyclonic rains and

It only takes two things to fly: airspeed and money. THE AUSSIE M OSSIE PAGE 5

High Drama

from member Max Ordinall, an excerpt from Aeroplane Monthly – August 1993.

Summary: On the morning of February 5, 1952, FLIGHT LIEUTENANT E. C. POWLES AFC RAF (Retd) decided to attempt a meteorological climb to 50,000ft from his Hong Kong base. He achieved it along with an unplanned rapid descent in which he experienced the then little known effects of transonic compressibility. Although he had not set out to estab- lish any records, it later emerged that in a single sortie he may have flown higher and faster in a Spitfire than any other pilot, and may have flown faster in a piston-engined aircraft than anyone who survived to recount the details

for out side air temperature, up to 150kt I had occasionally As the officer commanding a was 50,000ft true. experienced between 36,000 detachment of 81 Sqn photo- and 42,000ft. I estimated these reconnaissance Spitfire XIXs The weather on the morning of winds came from between 2500 stationed at RAF Kai Tak air- February 5, 1952 was crisp and and 2650 true, over the Hong field in Hong Kong from Janu- brilliant without a cloud in the Kong area. The meteorological ary 1951 to February 1953, I sky. It was one of those few people were rather sceptical of had as one of my supplemen- absolutely perfect flying days. these high-speed wind reports tary duties when time and air- and I wanted to prove my point. craft availability permitted, the As we were up-to-date on all of carrying out of meteorological our photographic commitments, I authorised myself to carry out height climbs above 30,000ft to I decided this would be an ideal this duty in my favourite Spitfire report the outside air tempera- day to carry out a meteorologi- PR.XIX PS852, which was ture every 5,000ft, together with cal height climb to 50,000ft, to equipped with two fanned F.52 the height and air temperature check for turbulence in clear air 36in vertical cameras. I enjoyed when turbulence flying more than was encountered in anything else, clear air. This infor- particularly flying mation was appar- Spitfires. When I ently needed to strapped myself help prepare the in the cockpit, I necessary meteor- felt as one with ological data for the the aircraft - we proposed Comet jet were a team. I airliner service be- was the control tween England and and the machine Japan. was the function. As I prepared to By the end of Janu- start the engine I ary 1952 I had said to the air- completed 36 of craft, “Well, my these meteorologi- friend, we've got cal climbs to vari- a very good day ous heights, nine of for flying. We're which were to 48,500ft indicat- and at the same time to try to going to enjoy it”. ed - which according to my Dal- document, again, with photog- I closed the canopy and ton calculator after applying raphy, the high wind speeds of instrument error and correction (Continued on page 6)

The similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies. If ATC screws up, the pilot dies. PAGE 6 NUMBER 34

High Drama—contd

(Continued from page 5) flying the Spitfire was a balanc- at the same time pulled the switched on my oxygen being act. It was necessary con- throttle back to about the one- fore take-off. Once airborne I stantly to make slight adjust- third position and moved the climbed at 160kt with 9lb/in2 ments to maintain equilibrium. lf pitch lever to 2,200 r.p.m., in boost at 2,600 r.p.m., over I moved the control column order to prevent the propeller the colony of Hong Kong in a back a little too quickly, the ver- overspeeding the engine in the wide left-hand circuit to tical speed indicator (VSI) initial- ensuing dive. (I did not close 30,000ft, where I noted the ly showed a descent; converse- the throttle completely because outside air temperature ly, if I moved it forward too on two occasions when I did (OAT) to be -30.20C. Continu- quickly the VSI initially showed close it and rapidly descended ing the climb, at 35,000ft the a climb. from above 30,000ft, the carbu- 0 OAT was -43.0 C. When I A giant map rettors froze in the closed posi- reached 40,000ft, where the tion. Then, when I was flying OAT was -53.80C, I was dis- The sky above appeared black straight and level and gradually appointed that I had not ex- and the visibility was so good I moved the throttle forward - perienced any turbulence or could see from the Chinese is- while I was looking outside the drift caused by high winds. land of Hainan, to the south- cockpit - the throttle was fully The visibility was unusually west, all along the coast of Chi- open before the carburettors good and there was nota na to the island of Formosa, to unstuck: full power came on cloud to be seen. the east-north-east. Along the with a bang and the torque Pearl River the city and airfield flipped the aircraft on to its By the time I reached of Canton appeared to be just back!) 45,000ft, where the OAT was under my starboard wing. The -63.40C, I had reduced my view was breathtaking. It was While I was checking to see if indicated airspeed to 140kt like a giant map and I could see the pressurisation seal around and increased the r.p.m. to the curvature of the Earth. the canopy had burst, the air- 2,650. When my altimeter craft started to shake and when indicated 48,500ft, (50,000ft I knew I was flying on the very I again looked at my flying in- true) the OAT was -70.40C edge of the performance enve- struments, I was shocked to see and my indicated airspeed lope for the Spitfire and I felt the needle on the airspeed indi- was 120kt. The controls of exhilarated yet quite tense as I cator just passing the 280kt the Spitfire were quite sensi- scanned my instruments for any mark. (The Pilot's Notes state tive in the thin air at this alti- sign of deviation from the norm. that 260kt should not be ex- tude and most of the time I With the appropriate corrections ceeded above 40,000ft!) was flying by my instruments. applied, my Dalton calculator indicated my true height was I immediately pulled back on the As everything was functioning 51,550ft. control column, but the more I normally and as I had the pulled, the steeper the aircraft time, I decided to see if I I was just about to look outside dived. It was now shaking so could get the aircraft to the cockpit again when the violently that l could not read 50,000ft, indicated. I in- pressurisation red light flashed the instruments. The Spitfire creased the r.p.m. to 2,700 on, indicating that the pressure was in a vertical dive and I was and raised the nose of the in the cockpit was very low and standing on the rudder bars. aircraft reducing the IAS to less than an unpressurised The control column was immov- 115kt. To keep climbing I cockpit at 40,000ft. Believing able and I was afraid if I pulled eventually had to reduce the the pressurisation had failed, I any harder something would speed to 110kt; by the time realised I had to descend to break. Besides the vibration, the my altimeter indicated below 43,000ft quickly, before aircraft started to yaw from side 50,000ft the IAS was 108kt the low pressure allowed the to side. It felt as though a giant and the boost less than zero. nitrogen in my blood to expand hand was shaking it. I thought, The controls of the aircraft and bring on the very painful "If I can't pull it out of this dive, were now extremely sensi- “bends”. I instinctively pushed maybe I can trim it out”. the control column forward and tive. The nose was high and (Continued on page 7)

It's better to break ground and head into the wind than to break wind and head into the ground. THE AUSSIE M OSSIE PAGE 7

High Drama—contd

dive". The Spitfire was behaving formed on the inside of the can- (Continued from page 6) like a runaway horse with the bit opy preventing me seeing out- As my hand touched the ele- between its teeth and as I side the cockpit. The artificial vator trim control, I saw a pushed harder on the immova- horizon was toppled and the mist had formed over the ble control column I shouted, directional gyro was spinning. I wings and thought, "That's “Come on, LET GO! LET GO! caged and uncaged the direc- strange, whatever would DA.NIN IT, LET GO! “ tional gyro. Then, in conjunction cause condensation out with the turn-and-slip indicator, there?". It then occurred to Eventually, after the longest few vertical speed indicator and air- me that if I used the elevator seconds of my life, the vibration speed indicator, I levelled the trim tabs to do what I could and yawing stopped, the mist aircraft at 4,600ft. I had lost not do with the control col- over 48,000ft in less than a minute!

The carburettors were frozen but I did have 4lb/in2 boost, so I increased the r.p.m to 2,600 and started climbing to 7,000ft. (I knew there to be 5,000ft peaks in the area and I could not as- certain my position). At the umn, the elevators may be was clearing from the wings and same time I aligned the direc- torn off just as the flaps would the nose started to lift. I was still tional gyro with the compass be torn off if extended at too pushing on the unyielding con- and turned on to 1200 magnetic, high a speed. ' trol column and when I felt the to take me over the sea and resistance lessen the nose away from Communist China. I It was then that I remem- dropped again so I quickly re- switched off the pressurisation bered reading about a Spitfire versed the pressure and started and called Hong Kong Ap- test pilot who had experi- to pull out of the dive. I placed proach Control, informing them enced a similar problem. He my feet in the top stirrups of the of my predicament and that I reasoned he was close to the rudder bar and I pulled hard on could not open my canopy be- speed of sound and the cen- tre of pressure on the wings the control column until I started cause it was frozen closed. I had moved so far back that to black out. I then eased the also requested a QDM pressure. I could not afford to (magnetic bearing to reach he was experiencing reversal lose control at this point. Hong Kong Peak with zero of control. He survived by wind), I opened the small vent pushing the control column When I scanned the instru- on the starboard side of the forward. I put both hands on ments, the indicated airspeed cockpit and about 5min later I the control column and was just over 500kt and drop- was, with some difficulty, able to pushed, at the same time ping rapidly. The altimeter indi- open the canopy. The conden- thinking, “If I can't pull it out, cated 3,300ft. As the airframe sation soon disappeared. maybe I can bunt it out of the was still very cold, condensation (Continued on page 8) The difference between flight attendants and jet engines is that the engine usually quits whining when it gets to the gate. PAGE 8 NUMBER 34

High Drama—contd

limits of the system, but for the the lower altitudes reduced the (Continued from page 7) speed of the aircraft and the I was at 7,000ft over the sea, possible stress factors imposed excellent aerodynamic design about 15 miles south of Hong on both the engine and air- of the Spitfire enabled the ma- Kong Island, and all the con- frame during the rapid descent and recovery from the dive. The chine to recover naturally from trols were now operating nor- engineering officer agreed the the dive. My pushing on the mally. As I flew back to Kai Tak aircraft should have a complete control column conceivably de- Airfield, I said to the aircraft, inspection. layed recovery. We live and “Well, old girl, you got a bit out learn! of hand during that dive, but Lying in bed that night, I re- At that time I could not account for the build-up of the mist on the wings. When I first saw it, it started about one third back from the leading edge of the wings, curving up towards the trailing edge. It became denser within a few seconds until it cov- ered most of the wings and I could not see the ailerons. It quickly cleared when the vibration stopped. It obviously was not condensation from the exhausts or wingtip vortices! Sequel viewed the sequence of events During the next two then I'm sure we exceeded your during that frightening descent. weeks I carried out 12 photo- design specs. You did well; you I concluded I had not really graphic reconnaissance and brought us through it. I hope pushed or pulled the control meteorological flights in Spitfire you are not stressed too much". column too hard because I was XIX PS854 to between 30,000 afraid of breaking something in and 36,000ft. On February As white as a sheet the elevator control sys tem. 26,1952, I intended to carry out a meteorological climb to It was not until after I landed The elevator trim was most like- 45,000ft in the same aircraft. that I realised I was soaking ly set at "neutral' and the high However, at about 38,000ft I wet. After I climbed out of the air pressures over and under cockpit, I found my flying suit the tailplane neutralised the suddenly felt ill. My body ached was wet through to my “Mae movement of the control col- and I perspired. I flew straight and level for a few minutes and West”. My gloves, tropical cloth umn. Had I tried to pull out of feeling a little better, continued helmet and even my socks the dive using the elevator trim, the climb. At 42,000ft the prob- were wet. I really sweated out these high pressures would lem returned and as I did not that descent! I was told I was probably have torn the eleva- feel any better when I flew as white as the proverbial tors off. The yawing was possi- straight and level, I thought I sheet. bly caused by the rudder trim I had applied to counter the had a touch of the flu and de- That afternoon I wrote an un- torque of the propeller at 2,700 cided to abort the sortie. As serviceability report on Spitfire r.p.m., making the rudder vi- soon as I started to descend I PR.XIX PS852 not for a pres- brate. felt much better and a sense of surisation problem, because I euphoria swept over me. When realised I had exceeded the The greater density of the air at (Continued on page 11)

New Air Traffic Control motto: "we're not happy, till you're not happy" THE AUSSIE M OSSIE PAGE 9

A Man Born to Fly

An article about Dick Hunt, 1920-2001 published in the Weekend Edition of the Sydney Morning Herald on December 29-30, 2001.

Dick Hunt, who died in Brussels course Empire Air Training the business world and instead at the age of 80, loved life and Scheme. In 1940 he left for became a pilot with Australian packed his own full of fun and training in Canada, then went to National Airways (later Ansett). adventure - much of it in the air. England and flew with an RAF He left after only a year, be- Havoc nightfighter squadron. cause "it was too boring". As a pilot in the RAAF during World War II, he was part of a As the war in the Pacific wors- Luckily for Hunt, the De Beaufighter squadron in New ened, Australia needed more Kantzow brothers were forming Guinea, engaged in low-level experienced pilots back home Cathay Pacific Airlines in Hong strafing attacks on Japanese so Dick was posted to a vastly Kong and he joined them as positions. After one attack he different war, in New Guinea, chief pilot and operations man- returned to base with 28 holes where he won his DFC. When ager. Life for a Cathay pilot at in his aircraft and most of the the Pacific war ended, Hunt that time was far from a picnic. controls shot away. Two hours was CO of 94 Squadron, a twin Only a few days after the chris- later he was airborne again in -engined Mosquito squadron tening of one of their early another plane. He was awarded which was reforming at Castle- planes, the Miss Macao was a DFC for that and the citation reagh airstrip, near Richmond shot down by Chinese pirates. reads, in part: "He showed out- aerodrome. On VP Day three standing enthusiasm to attack Mosquitoes flew under the Har- For five years Hunt flew all over the enemy". bour Bridge in an entirely unau- Burma and the Far East, fre- thorised quently Dick was born Vernon Harold for- carrying Hunt in Melbourne in 1920. He mation. cargoes was taken to England when he its exu- of gold was six by his father, Harold berant into Ma- Hunt, the founder of the Radio daring cao and, Rentals company, and his had all as Mao mother, Bobbie, a well-known Hunt's Zedong Sydney actress. When his par- hall- ad- ents divorced, he returned to marks, vanced, Australia with his mother and but he wealthy was sent to board at The King's always Chinese School, Parramatta, at the age denied fleeing of 12. As a new boy, he was any part Shang- given a rough time, not only in it: hai -both because of his Pommy accent "They very but because of all things, he must lucera- could speak French. have tive, he been recalled. On leaving King's he spent a from short time with an accountancy some On one firm and a lot of time at Palm other occa- Beach, where he was a mem- fellow's sion, he ber of the surf club boat crew. squad- flew Em- ron." peror On the outbreak of war, he vol- Bao Dai, the last ruler of An- unteered for the RAAF and was Hunt loved flying, so after the nam (the central part of what is called up as a member of No3 war he decided not to return to (Continued on page 10)

A copilot is a knot head until he spots opposite direction traffic at 12 o'clock, after which he's a goof-off for not seeing it sooner. PAGE 10 NUMBER 34

Help Required

Two requests for information from member Brian Fillery:

(1) He received a request from a chap in Virginia U.S., but was unable to answer it, so he is seeking your help. The question was:

“Where was the Mosquito deployed and with what air units outside of Europe and Australia during WWII? Received note that Mosquitoes were deployed with Chinese in CBI. During WWII Chinese served with 14AF and flew P-40's and B-25's in Composite Wing of US and Chinese aircrews.”

(2) If anyone has photographs of Mosquitos hidden away, especially unpublished but identifiable aircraft, could they get in touch with me please. I would like to scan them for my archives. All photographs will be returned.

If you can help with either request, please contact Brian via email— [email protected] or 32 Byrne Street, Windsor, Queensland 4030. Phone (07) 3357 7333

More help required along the same line as Brian, but this time from Stuart Howe. A section of his letter follows:

The revised edition of my last book, "The de Havilland Mosquito: An Illustrated History" sold out several months ago and I'm now gearing up to produce a Volume Two! For this I am needing to source over 350 fresh or little seen photos of our favourite aircraft. I am looking for photos of Mossies in any guise or form - in RAF and RAAF service, other overseas air forces, those on the Australian civil register, being serviced, pranged or der- elict. Can anyone assist me in pics of Australian production, please? In my last book I was only able to include one example of Aussie production and I'd very much like to include a lot more this time. Any lent material I will copy and safely return.

Stuart’s address is: 25a Marlborough Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 8UH, England

A Man Born to Fly- contd

(Continued from page 9) flight to Australia. On the way Although this job allowed him to now Vietnam) to a secret meet- he fell in love with Kenya and fly all over Europe, he persuad- ing aboard a French warship, returned there to join the Police ed Piper to let him fly one of its and on another flight landed on Wing in the fight against the single-engined planes solo an airstrip in Burma carrying a Mau Mau. across the Pacific Ocean from planeload of Burmese troops, California to Australia to be- only to be taken prisoner by the When the campaign had fin- come its sales director here. Karen guerillas who had just ished, he decided to stay on. After only two years, he was captured the strip. He was re- He married and bought a coffee posted back to Africa, where he leased only after an assurance plantation. When Kenya be- spent five happy years flying that he would never carry Bur- came independent in 1961, around the country. mese troops or arms again. however, he left for England Hunt retired after five years with with his wife, Jane, and took up In 1970, Piper was taken over Cathay Pacific and flew back to a position with Piper Aircraft as and Hunt accepted the position England where he joined Keith joint managing director of Euro- of general manager of Bell Heli- Hampshire, his former RAAF pean sales. copter International, based in squadron commander, on a (Continued on page 12)

Without ammunition the RAAF would be just another expensive flying club. THE AUSSIE M OSSIE PAGE 11

High Drama—contd

(Continued from page 8) later, towards the end of my standard for aircrew was 6/6 in I landed I felt fine. I had the air- tour of duty in the Far East, it both eyes. I had been rejected craft checked for possible became increasingly difficult for by many medical boards be- fumes in the cockpit or oxygen me to carry out my duties because of my poor eyesight until, contamination. No problem was cause of this perplexing illness. during an eye test in Nairobi, found. Kenya, I discovered how to cir- On January 20, 1953, I flew cumvent the system. Once I The next day, again flying Spitfire PS852 on a local recon- was medically certified A1-3B PS854, the same conditions naissance sortie for the last (Aircrew Category), I was soon affected me at 37,000 and time; at just 2,000ft, with the on my way, to flight training in 40,000ft. The third day I had canopy open, I felt ill and per- Southern Rhodesia. the same problem at 36,000ft. spired profusely. On February 29, 1952, the sta- Towards the end of February tion medical officer examined I did not know that I had a psy- 1953, my Far East tour of duty me. He found nothing physical- chological problem, but I did completed, my family and I flew ly wrong. During the afternoon I realise that I was unable to car- back to England in a BOAC air tested Spitfire PS852 but did ry out my duties to my satisfac- airliner. By April 25, 1953, the not fly above 20,000ft. Over the tion and it was time for me to Air Ministry agreed to allow me following months, this strange quit flying. to retire from the Royal Air flu-like illness continued to af- Force on medical grounds, as fect me at decreasing altitudes, However, at least I had unfit for further flying duties ow- only in Spitfires. achieved my objective of flying ing to poor eyesight. in the Royal Air Force although I had the medical officer check I had never actually been physi- me out again but he said I was cally fit for flying duties. While still in good shape. I told no- the vision in my left eye was one, not even my wife, of this 6/5, the vision in my right eye continuing affliction. I had a job was 6/15 and the minimum to do and I was determined to do it. At the time I knew nothing about psychol- ogy and I do not think the medical officer did, either.' Published by The de Havilland Air- The last time I craft of Canada flew to Ltd., Toronto, 1944 40,000ft was March 31, 1952. After that I only climbed up to 30,000ft when it was necessary for me to fly special jobs, but it took me much long- er than the usual 10min to reach that alti- tude. “No, maybe we won’t need it, but it makes a nice mascot” Some months

If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to... Vale New Members

It is with regret that the Association must relay the The Association is pleased to announce that the fol- passing of another of our members. lowing people have joined as members since the last Bulletin was published: LP (Laurie) Bond GL (Gayle) Clarke of MENTONE, Victoria 80 Brady Road Passed away on 13th April 2002 DANDENONG NORTH, Victoria

Our sympathies to his wife Margaret and family. DA (David) Devenish 42 Britten Street GLEN IRIS, Victoria A Man Born to Fly—contd JP (Peter) Horsley 24 Hillcrest Road (Continued from page 10) WARRANWOOD, Victoria Brussels, where he was responsible for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He was so successful that Bell KW (Ken) Johnson wanted him to join its head office in the United States, 80 Brady Road but life in America did not appeal to him and in 1976 DANDENONG NORTH, Victoria he decided to give up flying and live in the French countryside. HJT (Hamish) MacLeod 78 St Georges Road, True to his nature, however, he soon wanted more NORTHCOTE, Victoria action in his life and looked around for something else to do. It was then, in 1980, that he heard of a former JM (John) Mills Dutch oceangoing barge lying neglected in Scotland. 6 The Promontory Dick had it luxuriously refitted and sailed it, with Jane, HELENSVALE, Queensland across the English Channel and up the River Seine to Paris, where they eventually had a permanent berth MV (Maureen) Patz beside the Place de la Concorde. From here they 4-145 Edgewater Drive formed a company called Canal Safaris, taking their STONEY CREEK friends and paying guests along the French water- Ontario, Canada ways. The Zeeland Luister was a familiar sight on the canals and rivers of France and a frequent visitor to T (Tom) Perrott Epernay, in Champagne, the home of Moet & Chan- RAAF Association don where the Hunts and their visitors were always BANKSTOWN, New South Wales welcome at the chateau. CR (Chris) Pollock In 1991 Hunt's health was deteriorating so they sold KATANNING, Western Australia their beloved barge and went to live in a romantic, converted old silk mill, set among mulberry trees, near M (Murray) Smith Uzes in the south of France. As Dick's health grew 45 Lord Rodney Drive worse, the Hunts moved back to their apartment in PATTERSON LAKES, Victoria Brussels. where he died on August 10, 2001. JEC (John) Tait He is survived by Jane and their son, Phillip, who lives 1/33 Court Street in Vancouver, Canada. He wrote to Dick just before WEST WYALONG, New South Wales his death: "I must say, my life is better for having known and journeyed with you for this brief stretch. I MT (Michael) Tait will always know you as an adventurer, a bard, a phi- 113 Lower Dandenong Road losopher, a being with a quest to reach the mountain- MENTONE, Victoria top, the next crest of a wave and a passion to be where life is lived." Welcome to all, we hope you all have a long, enjoya- ble association and take an active interest in the restoration of A52-600.

I give that landing a 9... on the Richter scale.