[Dave Homewood]

Alex,

The only RNZAF Vincents posted outside of NZ were in Fiji. Those aircraft never saw any action.

Matthew Wright's book 'Pacific War - New Zealand and Japan 1941-1945' claimed that Vincents were sent from Fiji to Guadalcanal but this is completely wrong. I took the issue up with him and he conceded he made an error. It was Hudsons, not Vincents.

Believe me, I have been researching this heavily since 2005, I know many veterans who flew in them and have searched many archives and talked with experts. Vincents never saw any action in NZ hands.

The Vincent did not have the range to fly from Fiji to Tonga by the way. Or Fiji to NZ. They did not have the armour or the firepower or the equipment to successfully have been operated against the enemy. The crews who were forced to fly them even at home in NZ knew they would be suicide against any fighter or ack ack battery. Just as the Vildebeests were in Singapore (some of which were indeed flown by kiwis).

So the US report you saw was probably referring to Fiji. No. 4 (GR) Squadron flew them there till replaced by Hudsons and the remaining five machines went to No. 5 Squadron.