Warbird Information Exchange

Errrr in a thread about ANZAC day showing photos of the RNZAF and the RAAF you wonder if an American is in the photo?

Mark, thank you very much for your posting.

The picture group is impressive.

What is not known widely is the close relationship between the USA and Australia. The first US combat troops in WW1 had their baptism of fire on the Western Front under the Australian Army - first time US forces were commanded by a foreign power! WW2 saw Australia and the US in a fight to the death against the Japanese in the Battle of the Coral Sea and many others. Then Korea, Vietnam and all the Middle East wars since 1990 todate. As I write a RAAF P-8A Poseidon has been deployed to a US Naval base in Japan to support surveillance and enforcement of North Korean embargo and 'at sea transfers'.

Anzac Day is very special to both commemorate and celebrate life...

If in poor form to ask....apologies.

Always my pleasure. Honored to do something to remember heroes

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Yes we got good support from US forces especially if our spares hadn't got to our units we could go begging. One story I heard was one US unit was tired of us coming over to ask for spares for our Ventures so they gave us a complete aircraft less engines and props. After the war a high ranking officer came to visit after our aircraft had departed and he got a bit upset when he saw this Ventura sitting there when he thought they were all back in NZ! A quick explanation smoothed the gold braid lol.

An impressive set of photos, thanks for recognition of the day.

I have read that at the end of the war the RAAF had grown to be the fourth largest air force in the world.
Yet in February and early March 1942 Australia effectively had no operational single seat fighters in or north of Australia. 21 squadron operated Buffaloes in Malaya until the squadron was wiped out in Jan/early February prior to the fall of Singapore.
Australia failed to buy fighters in 1940 and 41. In February 42 there were many fighter planes passing through Australia by land and sea en route to the Dutch East Indies but these were US and not Australian planes.
It wasn't until 4 March 42 that an order was issued to the USAAF to release 25 P-40Es to the RAAF to form what became 75 Squadron. After collecting the 25 together, re camouflaging and re marking these now RAAF planes arrived in Port Moresby on 21 March 42 and shot down a Japanese reconnaisance plane the same day.
Australia was far from prepared for combat in the north and while we eventually produced some plane types, the US provided the majority of the logistic support that allowed this growth of our air power.

(thanks to Gorden R Birkett as information on P-40s comes from his article Magpies First Strike )

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Chris Mellor

Not enough has been done to remember these heroes. Never enough being done for any of the veterans from any of the countries involved in that d*mn war. No disrespect to those who do make efforts, but with each year that passes the flame and memories start to dim more and more. The later generations are not being educated nor being motivated enough to learn about this very critical and important time in history. We cannot forget these heroes and we all have to keep pushing the importance of properly and honorably remembering them all.

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”