WWII Pacific 1943-44 Private Collection of Pics - RAAF Intelligence Officer

[BLU109]

Hi, I am researching RAAF intelligence and Intelligence Officers from WWII. I would like to contact you reference Joe Hogan and his relative, is this possible?

[wrxflame]

H.M.S. Patroller

Talk about a busy flight deck, must have been transporting them as surely no way to launch a/c configured like this.

Edit 1 f4_0002 by Andrew, on Flickr

Edit to place slightly larger version.

[wrxflame]

Originally Posted by BLU109

Hi, I am researching RAAF intelligence and Intelligence Officers from WWII. I would like to contact you reference Joe Hogan and his relative, is this possible?

Joe has passed on but PM and I'll see what I can arrange.

[onetrack]

wrxflame - Thanks for another great WW2 pic. HMS Patroller was an escort carrier, and used as an aircraft ferry as well. The aircraft on the deck were possibly being dumped at sea at the end of WW2 - but it appears more likely that these are new aircraft being ferried, due to the lack of damage to airframes, and an appearance that protective coverings are in place over the aircraft.

Below is an interesting "write-up" of a sister escort carrier to HMS Patroller, HMS Reaper.
It appears that some of these early escort carriers were hastily modified merchant freighters - whereas later escort carriers were more extensively redesigned as carriers, despite all of them being based on freighter hulls, anyway.
There were a total of 19 of these escort carriers built.

Escort Carrier HMS REAPER

[India Four Two]

Interesting collection of aircraft on HMS Patroller.

RN Corsairs and Douglas(?) aircraft with folding wings, but USAAF P-40s?

[sycamore]

I42, TBM Avengers

[Stanwell]

I don't see any P-40s on there, I-42 (but then, my eyesight..etc).
It seems that the deck cargo is a mix of Grumman, Douglas and Vought naval aircraft.
Note that the ones furthest aft are Grumman Hellcats.
.

[M-62A3]

P40 on HMS Patroller

I agree, P-40F or later - with lengthened rear fuselage

[Stanwell]

Ah, you are right, M62.
My apologies I-42 .. like I said, about my eyesight..

[onetrack]

I counted 46 aircraft on the flight deck - plus, if the 24 the carrier can carry below are there, and included, that's a total of 70 new aircraft. Talk about a "high value" target!

[Dan Winterland]

These are fantastic. Keep them coming!

[India Four Two]

I agree, P-40F or later - with lengthened rear fuselage

Something new everyday! I didn't know that any P-40s had been fitted with Merlins.

[wrxflame]

Another interesting intelligence report image with notes.

Freightor Attack New Hanover 17 feb 44 by Andrew, on Flickr

[Wander00]

Well I never - just noticed the date on that photo - the day I was born

[wrxflame]

Originally Posted by Wander00

Well I never - just noticed the date on that photo - the day I was born

You were born in very difficult times indeed.

[wrxflame]

Bomb Types

Here are a couple of images from the collection that show different types of bomb's used in the conflict. One an Japanese air-to-air aerial burst, the other appears to be an allies aerial burst about 20 meters off the ground, but I can't be sure as the photo is not super clear. It does show how devastating for any one underneath such a blast.

edit 20160919155459161_0015 by Andrew, on Flickr

edit 2 folder 5_0017 by Andrew, on Flickr

[cooperplace]

many thanks for these pics; my uncle flew Beaufighters in New Guinea in 1944-45. He told me that was sh!t-scared for 2 years. He was only 18 when he went there. These great photos give me some idea of what he was doing. I'd love to see more. Unfortunately he passed away about 15 years ago so I can't ask him about it.

[India Four Two]

Great pictures, wrxflame, keep them coming.

I looked up Cape Boram on GE. How times have changed!

[tpng conehead]

The following link is an excellent documentary on the Beaufighter.
Some good clips of New Guinea operations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUvAUw37D8

[john_tullamarine]

... what a magic doco ... many thanks.