(ask Wayne Brown, if he still lives, or buy a copy of [PCS] !)
Hello Danny,
You have my attention. I know I'm due for my bi-annual aircrew medical, but I honestly think I'll get through again ok.
I'll try to answer a few of your questions and put your mind at rest that A27-99 (EZ999) actually is sitting in the hangar at Narellan.
Firstly, what I
meant to write in Peter Smith's book
Vengeance is that all the external markings
other than the serial currently worn by the aircraft are ficticious. That includes the colours, the nose art and the unit codes. The photos I've seen of the VV during it's time at the Tech College show it was overall silver (possibly devoid of paint).
As for physical evidence, if memory serves me correct (I haven't seen the aircraft in nearly 30 years), there is an inscription written in pencil inside either the bomb-bay or a wheel-well stating; "last Northrop built ship" or words to that effect. Harold Thomas pointed it out to me and stated that he believed it had been written by someone at Hawthorne during manufacture. As we now, EZ999 was the last Vengeance built by Northrop.
Regarding the .50 cal gun; The aircraft was totally devoid of armament when used by the Tech College so Harold fitted what he could find to make it look like a warbird and not a college training aid (which in effect is what the aircraft was when he took ownership of it). By the way, he was an instructor at the Tech College at that time.
As for the mix of Vengeance IV parts that made their way onto the aircraft; The aircraft was missing some hardware when he received it, particularly from the rear fuselage and empenage. He drove across Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia (back in the 60's and early 70's that meant travelling over hundreds of miles of corrigated dirt roads). Kalgoorlie was the wartime site of No.4 Aircraft Depot and became the last resting place for many of 25 Squadron's Mk II and Mk IV aircraft. Harold loaded his booty onto his trailer and drove the 1500 miles home...only to find the replacement tail fairing he had found had become dislodged and was lost overboard along the way. I believe this trip accounts for the number of Mk IV items fitted to the aircraft.
Anyway...there you have it. A27-99 is alive and well. As an aside, my day job these days revolves around the Hawk 127, which is the second type to carry the RAAF aircraft ident code of A27.
All the best, SF.