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-   -   Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=47166)

PMoz99 20th January 2017 15:46

Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Hi all.
CieldeGloire has Turnbull flying A29-12 on 22/3/42 with 1 kill on that date. ADF-Serials lists the a/c and (I think) says it was coded 'T' by 75Sq on 16/3/42. The entry is as follows -

Allotted 75 Sqn RAAF ex 1AD 08/03/42. Received E at 75Sqn ex 1AD 16/03/42. Coded "T". 28/03/42 Bullet holes main plane and fuselage tanks during combat with zeros as flown by P/O Piper. Repairable in Unit. 24/03/42 Rec Moresby 21/03/42. 07/04/42 C at 75Sqn. 0935 hrs 17/04/42 a/c crashed on take-off at 7 Mile drome. Pilot; F/O P Scandratt blacked out on take-off and was injured, with concussion and back injuries. Considerable damage. 17/04/42 a/c written off with salvage of engine parts, instruments and guns. 30/04/42 Write off. 14/10/42 Conversion complete at 3AD. Min#6 File# 9/1/1123 30/04/42.

Now, it also says - 07/04/42 C at 75Sq - does this mean the a/c was coded 'C' on 7/4?

The reason I ask is that on 10/4 Turnbull scored 2 more kills. Which a/c was he flying on that day? If it was A29-12, was it coded 'T' or 'C'? Can anyone help with this?

Later with 76Sq he apparently flew A29-39. Profiles in Osprey's Kittyhawk Aces book show it coded as 'E', but ADF-Serials says it was coded 'IE'. I have seen a pic of Truscott's Kittyhawk with 'ID' code, and A29-96 was a 76Sq a/c coded 'IU', so 'IE' would seem more likely to me. Can anyone confirm the correct code?

Thanks
Peter

BruceMk11 21st January 2017 10:54

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
A29-12 was was still coded 'T' as of the 11/4/42. It was flown on an escort to Lae that day.

I think it's doubtful that Turnbull was credited with three victories at Moresby. Evidence is lacking in the original sources available.

PMoz99 21st January 2017 14:33

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Thanks Bruce. I wish I could decipher some of this stuff better.
The only kill info I have is from Aces High (and the CieldeGloire website, which uses their info), and this says he claimed 3 Zeros per the dates I gave above. But I have the old Spearman edition of Aces High, and don't know if the later Grub St version was the same or edited. I assume the CdeG website would have been adjusted if required.
Does anyone know which a/c he flew on 10/4?
Cheers

Versuch 22nd January 2017 02:50

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
1 Attachment(s)
Turnbull does not appear to have flown the 10/4/42 Mission, see attached.

A29-12...T is correct.

Regards Mike

Copy via Australian National Archive

Col Bruggy 24th January 2017 05:41

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Mike,

The Combat Report you have attached, relates to the mission flown on 11 April, 1942, not 10 April, 1942. (see No.75 Sqn RAAF ORB, pp.22 & 25 of 921).

Col.

Versuch 24th January 2017 08:04

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Col you are right!
I will try again..10/4/42 its all over the shop..

The ORB states...9 aircraft took off to intercept 7 enemy bombers escorted by Zeros , and to act as an anti-ground strafing patrol ,this resulted in 2 enemy bombers and 1 Zero shot down.

When you go to the 75 Sqn narrative reports, the Sqn formation is described as 3 pairs
in Vic with one swinger! That makes 7 aircraft not 9.
There are only 6 combat fighter reports involving Butler, Piper,Atherton,Turner,Ellerton and Crawford, the seventh pilot has not filed a report...if it was Turnbull he has not claimed .
Butler does not state which a/c he flew , so the A29-12 riddle continues .

Regards Mike

PMoz99 24th January 2017 14:47

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Very interesting. Thanks Guys.
So, the question then becomes - when did Turnbull get his last 2 kills? Shores in the Spearman edition of Aces High simply states he shot down a Zero on 19/3 and got 2 more before the squadron withdrew to the mainland. (I only just became aware the Grub St edition of Aces High has much better detail - have ordered one)

Col Bruggy 24th January 2017 16:47

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Peter,

Have you seen these primary documents? There are some errors, but overall it is the best we have.

1/RAAF Squadron narrative reports - Squadrons 75 and 76.

http://naa12.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetri...spx?B=12265527 (For 10 April 1942*, see: pp.68-81 of 846).

* A summary of the claims:

Sgt M S Butler - ? - no claim
F/O J Piper - A29-23 'B' - 2 bombers damaged
P/O G C Atherton - A29-21 'K' - 1 bomber destroyed
P/O A D Tucker - A29-47 'R'1 bomber damaged
F/O M D Ellerton - A29-41 'M' - 1 bomber probably destroyed
F/Sgt R W Crawford - A29-26 'F' - 1 bomber damaged


2/No.75 Squadron scoreboard.

http://naa12.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetri...spx?B=30045889

I'll leave the rest up to you.

Col.

BruceMk11 25th January 2017 02:32

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Peter,

Are you bothering to refer to the ORB and narrative/combat reports? 75 Sqn was still in Qld on the 19/3!

PMoz99 25th January 2017 09:40

Re: Peter Turnbull's Kittyhawks
 
Sorry BruceMk11, oops, according to the info I have that should have been 22/3 in my earlier post.
Thanks Col for the links to the reports and scoreboard.
Now I'm not sure of anything. I'm still very new to all this record searching, and trying to get a crash course in how to find things. Where are the ORBs to be found?
I've been wading through the reports and it seems there's not much there to back up the claims at all. Obviously I still need to do a lot of digging. Some help on where to go to dig would be appreciated.
Cheers
Peter


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