P-40M, NZ3119 Pilot Logs and Accident Reports
Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:02 pm
Recently, I've been doing a bit of research into the history of our museum's P-40M, NZ3119. Thanks to both the Air Force Museum of New Zealand and Archives New Zealand I have a number of things to share.
First, after initially discovering a photograph of NZ3119 in a WIX thread about about Ron Hildreth (the man standing on the wing), the Air Force Museum of New Zealand was able to point me to a better quality version on their online photograph collection:
(Source: Air Force Museum of New Zealand)
Next, the museum was able to confirm the identities of the owners of a number of photocopies of logbook pages that the museum had as well as provide summaries of a few more that we didn't. As a result, I was able to "reconstruct" a small portion of NZ3119's hypothetical aircraft log. The entries are reproduced below:
We also paid to have the accident reports for our P-40M, NZ3119, digitized by Archives New Zealand. They have a great policy that, when a record is scanned at the request of a researcher, it is also uploaded and made available for free on their "Archway" online portal. As a result, I can now just link to the accident reports' location:
Although it's not from this recent round of research, for the sake of completeness, I will point out that the record card for the SS Port Alma, the ship that transported NZ3119 to New Zealand, was posted in a different WIX thread:
Finally, if anyone has an account over on the Wings Over New Zealand forum, could they post a link to this thread over there. I don't have an account there myself and I feel like they'd be interested in this information.
First, after initially discovering a photograph of NZ3119 in a WIX thread about about Ron Hildreth (the man standing on the wing), the Air Force Museum of New Zealand was able to point me to a better quality version on their online photograph collection:
(Source: Air Force Museum of New Zealand)
Next, the museum was able to confirm the identities of the owners of a number of photocopies of logbook pages that the museum had as well as provide summaries of a few more that we didn't. As a result, I was able to "reconstruct" a small portion of NZ3119's hypothetical aircraft log. The entries are reproduced below:
We also paid to have the accident reports for our P-40M, NZ3119, digitized by Archives New Zealand. They have a great policy that, when a record is scanned at the request of a researcher, it is also uploaded and made available for free on their "Archway" online portal. As a result, I can now just link to the accident reports' location:
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Accident Reports - Warhawk - NZ 3119 - Ohakea - Engine failed - 18 January (R21075486)
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Accident Reports - Kittyhawk - NZ 3119 - Woodbourne - Undercarriage partially up - 6 August (R21075246)
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Accident Reports - Kittyhawk - NZ 3119 - Ohakea - Taxy accident - 23 November (R21075391)
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Accident Reports - Warhawk - NZ 3119 - Ohakea - Engine failure - 1 December (R21075397)
Although it's not from this recent round of research, for the sake of completeness, I will point out that the record card for the SS Port Alma, the ship that transported NZ3119 to New Zealand, was posted in a different WIX thread:
Finally, if anyone has an account over on the Wings Over New Zealand forum, could they post a link to this thread over there. I don't have an account there myself and I feel like they'd be interested in this information.
Re: P-40M, NZ3119 Pilot Logs and Accident Reports
Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:48 pm
Noha307 wrote:Recently, I've been doing a bit of research into the history of our museum's P-40M, NZ3119. Thanks to both the Air Force Museum of New Zealand and Archives New Zealand I have a number of things to share.
...
Finally, if anyone has an account over on the Wings Over New Zealand forum, could they post a link to this thread over there. I don't have an account there myself and I feel like they'd be interested in this information.
Thanks for the info! Will do.
Edit: Link added to WONZ thread
https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/2224 ... ild?page=3
Re: P-40M, NZ3119 Pilot Logs and Accident Reports
Fri Mar 19, 2021 4:01 am
What a treasure trove Noah, thanks for sharing! I first saw the photo of Ron Hildreth and NZ3119 some years ago and thought it was pretty cool to have a wartime image of her. It would be amazing to see more.
As a Kiwi whose favourite type is the P-40 it's wonderful to have access to the accident reports. Thanks to you and the Tri-State team for that!
I hope to see her fly in person one day.
As a Kiwi whose favourite type is the P-40 it's wonderful to have access to the accident reports. Thanks to you and the Tri-State team for that!
I hope to see her fly in person one day.
Re: P-40M, NZ3119 Pilot Logs and Accident Reports
Fri Mar 19, 2021 8:37 pm
ErrolC wrote:Thanks for the info! Will do.
Edit: Link added to WONZ thread
https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/2224 ... ild?page=3
Thanks! I appreciate you adding the link too!