Vickers Wellington R1162, AA-Y, 75 (NZ) Squadron. New Zealand Bomber Command Assn. archive / Ron Mayhill.
Many thanks to Chris as always for passing on a couple more pictures from his ‘NZBCA archive treasure trove’! This time, its 2 images from an original collection of Ron Mayhill.
Two more photos from the New Zealand Bomber Command Assn. archive, possibly taken the same day. The photos would have been taken at Feltwell, and probably in January or February 1941.
Both show ground crew working on the aircraft, with engine cowlings removed and sitting on the ground. After a snowstorm, the whole Squadron might be called out on shovels to help clear runways.
The picture at the top of the post shows R1162, which was one of the older, less-powerful 1C models, arriving on Squadron probably November or December 1940. She flew 24 op’s (Wayne Mellor) with the Lockwood, Pownall, Mathieson, Fletcher, Fotheringham and Curry crews, the last flown on 17/18 May. She was transferred to No. 27 O.T.U., Lichfield, on 16 August 1941. She failed to return from the third One Thousand Bomber raid on Bremen, June 25/26, 1942, one of 23 OTU aircraft and crews lost that night.
Vickers Wellingtons of 75 (NZ) Squadron undergoing servicing in the snow. New Zealand Bomber Command Assn. archive / Ron Mayhill.
This second image clearly shows Wellingtons AA-C (left) and AA-V (right) in the foreground, with 2 other, unidentifiable Wellingtons in the snowy murk of the background. There is also what appears to be a fifth Wellington’s tail, just poking out from the tailplane of AA-C.
Once again, thanks to Peter Wheeler and the New Zealand Bomber Command Assn. archives.
75(nz)squadron 