Trevor Pierce RNZAF, training as a pilot in a P-40 Kittyhawk relates the following yarn.
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Some of our training was camera gun shooting and on one occasion I was detailed to attack another aircraft who would then attack me and when the exercise was finished we would head back to the base and when the films were developed they would be shown on the projector [remember I had to get some lamps for it ] and an assessment would be made as to how good your shooting was.
This particular exercise was carried out over Rangitoto and as I was returning to the base I spotted a PBY [Catalina] ambling along towards either Mechanics Bay or else Hobsonville and so as the day was CAVU [ceiling and visibility unlimited]I decided to have some fun. So turning on my back I “attacked”this intruder, making sure that either the sky or sea was in the frame and not a sign of land around. Now back at the field the films were developed and brought over to the flight rooms to be shown on the special lamp. This was overseen by our gunnery expert, our own F/L De Willimoff.
Now 'Willie” had a lisp, quite pronounced, and so as he was going through each frame of the film he would explain just how and if we had hit the target and would also point out mistakes. Things were going well on my film assessment until he came to the Catalina upside down.
“What's this?" he spluttered.
“What's what Sir?” I replied
“This ,this, this PBY upside-down," was all he could say.
“As I knew no-one would believe me if I told you that I had seen one flying upside-down so I took a film of it," I replied
Still spluttering a bit, he informed me that he would see me later and promptly took the film out of the machine. Well after class was over he took me aside and said
“You bloody fool, did you think you could put something over on me!”
“Not me Sir. I wouldn't pull a stunt like that.”
“Well, just quietly, it was well done but don't pull a stunt like that again.”
Very interesting full story at
Trevor Pearce
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