Continuing the low flying thread, my grandfather has vivid memories of a flight in a catalina that was yet to have its insignia painted on. Taking advantage of this situation the pilot decided to buzz his home town somewhere in western NSW. There were spotters everywhere during the war who reported aircraft sightings and movements but due to not having his markings he thought he could get away with a low pass down the main street. My grandfather was sitting in one of the rear blister turrets and can still remember looking eye-level with shop facades and seeing the complete shock on peoples faces! And yes - the pilot managed to get away with it!
And then there was the guy who tried to loop a Walrus.... Almost killed himself but lived to tell the tale.
Fav pastime for some of the restless cadets at Temora was to knock off the tops of the local farmer's hay bales. One farmer got pretty tired of this game and stuck a good old 2x4 into the top of his bale... Fortunately the pilot who scored the hit that ripped a wheel off his Tiger Moth was known to be clever with words. My grandfather was an airframe fitter and turner and got rather cross with him when he returned a damaged airplane. Pilot wasn't too worried, "Don't worry Allen - I'll find a good story to cover you - you won't get in trouble". Sure enough the pilot got hauled into the office and emerged unscathed and somehow talked his way out!
Finally, a chappy called 'buster shields' (the 'buster' part was an earned nickname!) almost finished my grandfather off for good when he conducted a low level leg from Williamtown to the catalina base at Rathmines on Lake Macquarie. The object of the exercise had been to 'bomb' the Williamtown boys in retaliation for a similar rubbish bombing that they had given Rathmines as part of the good humoured victory celebrations. On return, Buster misjudged his low level turn around Coal point and a big gum tree on the point made a very loud shuddering contact with the right wing of the catalina and within fractions of seconds full power was added while rolling wings level before a heavy impact on the water of the lake.
Have to write these down before Grandad's tales go with him to the grave - he has so many good stories!
