Iron Range Airbase

[setter]

Hi Walrus

I wrote a small article for Flypast this Month (Feb) which has a photo of the NZ swaped P40F (Merlin engine) swaped by Graham Hoskins for the Corsair was Sn 41-14205 and it is being restored as an Alison engined P40E NZ3024 - A pity but they didn't have P40Fs ...

So I would love to know more about the P40 you are talking about 42-10536 as I can't find much of a record of it and I would like to know where it wound up in NZ.

Any thoughts??

Kindest regards
John P

[DaveM2]

Unidentified P-40N recovered from Iron Range in 1976 by Ian Whitney, sold to Ron Lee and last known with Hosking where it was stored till at least 1992. No further info on hand

Dave

[DaveM2]

OK, back in the office today...so info to hand

Aircraft is 42-105306 and did come to N.Z. where it was partly restored, but is now with Chis Prevost in the U.S.

For those wise soules who get Classic Wings, you can find pictures here...
Issue 5 - Shows it 'as found'
Issue 9 - Begining rebuild
Issue 13 - middle stage of rebuild

Dave

[setter]

Hi Dave

I do of course have every edition of Classic Wings so I can now thumb through these to have a look - this was one of those silent ones that slipped through the screen at the time.

By the way in the latest edition in the Wangarratta article a P39 is mentioned with a guy called Bertolluci or something like that in Sydney- any details on what this is all about?

Any more details also about the Dauntless in Sydney ?

Do you have any info on the alleged Bearcat import into Queensland - PM me if you like or email at parkerj@launch.net.au

[paulmcmillan]

I am a bit confused?

According to Warbirds Directory

P-40N C/N 29068 42-105306
Ex Pacific Aviation Ltd, Auckland NZ and now with Christopher Prevost

There is an unknown P-40N listed (ex Iron Range)
P-40N Ian A. Whitney, Romsey VIC 76, then Ron Lee and Graham Hosking

Are these one and the same?? Or 2 separate P-40s??

Thanks

Paul

[DaveM2]

Paul

Same AFAIK

Dave

[paulmcmillan]

Dave

Thanks - maybe 1 warbird mystery cleared up .. Now for the other 999...

Paul

[DaveM2]

Hi Dave

I do of course have every edition of Classic Wings so I can now thumb through these to have a look - this was one of those silent ones that slipped through the screen at the time.

By the way in the latest edition in the Wangarratta article a P39 is mentioned with a guy called Bertolluci or something like that in Sydney- any details on what this is all about?

Any more details also about the Dauntless in Sydney ?

Do you have any info on the alleged Bearcat import into Queensland - PM me if you like or email at parkerj@launch.net.au

John

The Bearcat is a rumour, and likely to remain that way from what I gather
However on a more positive front the Bertolluci P-39 is happening , I have seen a pic of the fuselage. The wings are out of the Pacific and are quite straight, the tail surfaces are from Nth. Qld. Reports will follow in Classic Wings when appropriate.
Sydney SBD is a possible , but a long way off from being confirmed

Dave

[Walrus 7]

Well, I see you blokes got this one sorted without me. Amazing what a simple typo in a mag can do! My source confirms all of the above adding only a note to say that the restoration is nearing completion.

Anyone know what markings it is expected to carry?

Walrus

[setter]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the reply - great info as always - so the SBD is just sitting at Bankstown (per the photo) but not yet happening? A pity I was hoping it was going ahead.

I am pretty sure the Bearcat is coming but I will chip away and find out if it does arrive - the TBMs that were mentioned by the same contact happened so I amd just hoping they are right about the Bearcat.

Thanks about the P39. I guess there must still be a fair bit of P39 stuff in North Qld - from the mass crash landings - rough but then most of it is now days.

Thanks as ever

kindest regards
John P

[DaveM2]

Well, I see you blokes got this one sorted without me. Amazing what a simple typo in a mag can do! My source confirms all of the above adding only a note to say that the restoration is nearing completion.

Anyone know what markings it is expected to carry?

Walrus

Walrus

Which machine are you talking about ?

John

Doh ! I think we are talking about different aircraft here, the Sydney project I am talking about hasn't even arrived yet.

Dave

[Walrus 7]

Dave,

Sorry, I was talking about the P-40.

Walrus

[george]

This P-40 that was abandoned at Iron Range and has been recovered - was it in a boneyard of aircraft, and was it at the main base or one of those emergency strips in the jungle? The reason I ask is that it seems odd that just one aircraft would be left for all those years.

[Digger]

From a previous response to this subject;

" I revisited this area again in the 1990's doing some field searches for a supposed P-40 that had a rough landing at one of the emergency strips, but by this time alot of the features had been overgrown and as setter said, new fencing and gates prevented some areas being visited. "

I have gone over some of my notes and the best I can say is that I concentrated my search in an area to the west of the main strip which by chance was called west base. I did locate some smaller bits and pieces but nothing that I could say belonged to any particular type of aircraft. I did locate a very large generator which at that time I figured came off a large aircraft. I found it amoung some run down building frames. I got the impression this area may have been a maintenance area or something. It was in remarkable condition and is still sitting in my workshop today. Its very heavy! ( or I'm very weak?). In addition to this I located large amounts of spent ammunition cases, boxes and old shelves. These had been dumped or pushed into a pit or small dry creek that ran in a NW to SE direction.

My reason for travelling to this location was because I was given some pretty convincing information about this P-40 that was believed to be still there at that time. I would agree that if one was left then there is a good chance others were too. Access was a problem on my last visit but I feel a more organised search and assessment of the area would identify dumps and wreckage of aircraft. I do have some images that were sent to me of the remains of a B26 tail section that supposedly came from this area. I can not confirm this, it came to me third hand.

Hope this helps.

Digger

[george]

Thanks, Digger. I knew you were looking for a particular P-40 at the emergency strip due to your previous post, but I didn't know if that was the one that had been recovered. I was thinking the one you were looking for and the one recovered ended up being different models. What a thrill that must have been to explore all those ruins and find those parts. Of particular interest would be the B-26 tail section. Is it supposed to still be at Iron Range, or removed from there? I really appreciate all the info you have contributed on this. I agree, it still seems odd to leave just one aircraft at a major base like Iron Range.