RNZAF Dakota NZ3501 ...

[Mark Allen M]

Dakota NZ3501, from the Transport Training and Conversion Flight, with approximately 14 feet of starboard wing missing, after colliding with No. 4 Squadron Ventura NZ4518 near Whenuapai.
The Ventura crashed killing the pilot, while the pilot of this aircraft, Flight Lieutenant DL Bade managed to land safely at RNZAF Station Whenuapai 21/03/1945.
Source: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

[ErrolC]

Ventura pilot was Flight-Lieutenant William Farnsworth RNZAF, R.I.P.
The C-47 damage being referred to as light in the below is ... something. Although bolting on a new wing is relatively straightforward?
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/65757

[Mark Allen M]

Ventura pilot was Flight-Lieutenant William Farnsworth RNZAF, R.I.P.
The C-47 damage being referred to as light in the below is ... something. Although bolting on a new wing is relatively straightforward?
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/65757

Thx for bringing Flt. Lt. Farnsworth to the forefront. He deserves recognition. R.I.P.

[Dave Homewood]

Farnsworth ensured the rest of his crew got out, but had no time to do so himself.

This story is quite well known in RNZAF history circles, courage and skill shown by Laurie Bade, and also courage and ultimate sacrifice by F/Lt Farnsworth. See Wings Over The Pacific by Alex Horn for a decent account of what happened.

Laurie Bade was also interviewed in this video too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0TfNpeDASo&t=13s

[Mark Allen M]

It’s a pleasure and well worth the effort to bring attention to Commonwealth heroes just as much as Americans on this forum. So many stories of heroism that go unmentioned.

Cannot ever forget these great heroes from all the countries who participated in WWII. Most of us (even many seasoned military historians) only have scratched the surface of what happened during the war years.