Great story Hugh. I knew a bit about Hangar 7 & the Zero experiments, but didn't know it still survived and can be visited. I'll find out if it's wheelchair friendly & visit there soon. Astute US air commanders, like Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers, had warned their flyers early in the Pacific War, "never dogfight a Zero. Bounce them, ie dive upon them from above & behind, fire, then dive away before they can respond." These tactics were successful - provided you had a height advantage first.
I agree Ken. There's only 5 millionn-plus people in Queensland -- so our history is of no interest because malmost all of our stories, plays , musicals and ideas come from somewhere else.
But that's like saying "The Emperor has no clothes"!
My research into the events portrayed in this story has identified the following differences. The first flight was June 20th, not steel but aluminium was used in the aircraft structure , caption on a picture identifies the aircraft as the “Zero” it is a KI-61 Hien, rebuilt A6M3 first had USAAF Star painted on it (see pic in story of A6M3 outside of Hangar 7), this was then changed to the Japanese “Meatball”, then back to the “Star” then to the Star and Bar (S&B) then to the S&B with blue surround. The Allison engine did not power all USAAF fighter aircraft in the SWPA. The P-47 was powered by a radial engine. A Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp.
What a fantastic story Hugh, an absolute joy to read. Can’t beat a story about your home town playing a pivotal role in turning the tides of WW2 in the Pacific.
Visited Hangar 7 & the Heritage Park there the other day. Most interesting & very enjoyable. Sadly Hangar 7 isn't open to the public just now, so had to be content with an outside view. Now that Hangar 7 is BCC owned, they should open it for periodic inspection tours. I'd go! The whole Park is a credit to all concerned.
Another ripper read Hugh - blending this fascinating but little known episode of World War II history with the story of the fighter plane museum at Eagle Farm and its creation by a visionary Brisbane entrepreneur.
Thanks Hugh! A riveting aviation story of Brisbane in WW2. Great to read about the magnificent work done by Bob Tucker. I will certainly be visiting his museum on my next visit to Brisbane.
Hugh your stories brought back WW2 memories of the big Jap sub near Port Phillip sent a plane to have a look, went over Laverton, Footscray towards Maribyrnong Munitions Factory. My wife Shirley’s father had dug a slit trench in the vacant lot next door and when the siren went they all had to get over the fence, Shirley had to go and get an elderly Scottish neighbour. I was at Bendigo far north, taking turns on the lookout tower in the Park but never saw any planes, Dad was in a “Command Post” under the Law Courts, also in the volunteer Defence Corps, unfortunately known as the VD corps
Jap subs sunk a lot of ships around Aust particularly east coast used to b a map in the Canberra war memorial. The biggest shock was the Jap Midget subs, one man, that got into Sydney Harbour, missed the navy ships and sank a training vessel, then caught and sent around Australia to raise money for the war effort, I saw it in Bendigo, it finished up outside the Canberra War memorial
All exciting to a boy at High School!!! Cheers Keith Murley
I know, complain, complain. (Comes from attending Junction Park State School. I think I got more 'cuts' than any other two students combined.)
The photo with the Balmoral tram. I do believe that the aircraft is a Chance Vought F4U Corsair. The Wikipedia entry has a photo of a Corsair with folded wings about a third of the way down the page. The antenna mast on the cowling is somewhat distinctive.
The other photo of aircraft being moved. From the shape of the nose, would seem to be P-47 Thunderbolts. I have found no mention of any 47's ever being in Australia. The RAF used them in Burma, and that's as close as I can find them.
After the war I was reading the English "Flight" and "Aeroplane" magazines, along with "Reach For The Sky" and "Dam Busters" by Brickhill, and anything else I could get my hands on - the "Biggles" series, yup. And my first airplane ride. I was too small to strap in, so dad went along and held me in his lap. A DH Moth Minor. The pilot - the Squadron Leader of 23 City of Brisbane squadron. He and dad were friends. He died unfortunately, a P-51 Mustang hitting the power lines right at the boundary of Archerfield. Only then were the power lines relocated about a half mile east of the field. Memories.....
One of my major memories from that period. About every fourth Sunday we had RAAF and US Army uniforms in the house for a Sunday chicken lunch. We had about fifty chooks at the bottom of the yard. Dad worked for the US Army, among other things analyzing captured enemy radio equipment. (Ham operator: VK4ZT) After lunch - a pick-up game of cricket in the back yard.
With our somewhat similar backgrounds from the 1940's and 50's, your stories stimulate my memories. Things I hadn't thought about in probably 70 years. Heck, I look at what I just wrote and recall - that chicken lunch was cooked on a wood burning stove. So many things that have changed over the years. Keep up the good work.....
Have to visit the Eagle Farm Museum now. My mum worked at Edwards Dunlop Stationer's in Edward Street Brisbane in the city, and she literally bumped into MacArthur in Edward Street. She was rushing to get a quick sandwich just as MacArthur and his armed bodyguard strode out of his HQ. They collided and Mum said the armed soldier with MacArthur got a big fright and pointed his gun at her, just for a second. We went to the MacArthur Museum in that building. And that room pictured in the story is still there, preserved exactly as it was during the war when MacArthur sat there. If we're going to have the Olympics here in Brisbane, we'd better start preserving some more of our history and treasuring it. Especially where our story intersects with overseas countries.
I agree with Grahm MacDonald The Balmoral Tram photo ids definately a US Corsair fighter
The Other photo of aircraft being towed down a roadthe first is a P47 thunderbolt for sure the others seem to bde the same but cannot see enough detail to be sure
But as usual a eye opening Article I even used General Kenny;s Dot anecdote one time at TAFE it is a great Put down
Great story Hugh. I knew a bit about Hangar 7 & the Zero experiments, but didn't know it still survived and can be visited. I'll find out if it's wheelchair friendly & visit there soon. Astute US air commanders, like Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers, had warned their flyers early in the Pacific War, "never dogfight a Zero. Bounce them, ie dive upon them from above & behind, fire, then dive away before they can respond." These tactics were successful - provided you had a height advantage first.
Tucker's Museum has a lift Chris so give it a go!
That was a great idea with the Zero -- bounce them... and scarper.
Hugh
Chris, I looked up the Museum and it says it has a lift.
What a fantastic story! We really have no idea of our own very interesting local history. A cracker of a story!
I agree Ken. There's only 5 millionn-plus people in Queensland -- so our history is of no interest because malmost all of our stories, plays , musicals and ideas come from somewhere else.
But that's like saying "The Emperor has no clothes"!
My research into the events portrayed in this story has identified the following differences. The first flight was June 20th, not steel but aluminium was used in the aircraft structure , caption on a picture identifies the aircraft as the “Zero” it is a KI-61 Hien, rebuilt A6M3 first had USAAF Star painted on it (see pic in story of A6M3 outside of Hangar 7), this was then changed to the Japanese “Meatball”, then back to the “Star” then to the Star and Bar (S&B) then to the S&B with blue surround. The Allison engine did not power all USAAF fighter aircraft in the SWPA. The P-47 was powered by a radial engine. A Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp.
Oops, typo 20th July not 20th of June. Predictive text strikes again.
1 x Zero = A whole lot!
What a fantastic story Hugh, an absolute joy to read. Can’t beat a story about your home town playing a pivotal role in turning the tides of WW2 in the Pacific.
Thanks for telling the tale :)
I like your Maths Max -- I zero equals ... "a whole lot".
And thank you Max for joining in the telling!
Hugh
Visited Hangar 7 & the Heritage Park there the other day. Most interesting & very enjoyable. Sadly Hangar 7 isn't open to the public just now, so had to be content with an outside view. Now that Hangar 7 is BCC owned, they should open it for periodic inspection tours. I'd go! The whole Park is a credit to all concerned.
Another ripper read Hugh - blending this fascinating but little known episode of World War II history with the story of the fighter plane museum at Eagle Farm and its creation by a visionary Brisbane entrepreneur.
YesCraig Bob Tucker is a visionary Brisbane entrepreneur .. and thus he did soomething greeat for his city.
Thanks Hugh! A riveting aviation story of Brisbane in WW2. Great to read about the magnificent work done by Bob Tucker. I will certainly be visiting his museum on my next visit to Brisbane.
Bob Tucker has done a fantastic job remembering something about us.
Too much of our remembering is about other places
Hugh
You'll love the Museum Peter.
Hugh your stories brought back WW2 memories of the big Jap sub near Port Phillip sent a plane to have a look, went over Laverton, Footscray towards Maribyrnong Munitions Factory. My wife Shirley’s father had dug a slit trench in the vacant lot next door and when the siren went they all had to get over the fence, Shirley had to go and get an elderly Scottish neighbour. I was at Bendigo far north, taking turns on the lookout tower in the Park but never saw any planes, Dad was in a “Command Post” under the Law Courts, also in the volunteer Defence Corps, unfortunately known as the VD corps
Jap subs sunk a lot of ships around Aust particularly east coast used to b a map in the Canberra war memorial. The biggest shock was the Jap Midget subs, one man, that got into Sydney Harbour, missed the navy ships and sank a training vessel, then caught and sent around Australia to raise money for the war effort, I saw it in Bendigo, it finished up outside the Canberra War memorial
All exciting to a boy at High School!!! Cheers Keith Murley
Another great story Hugh !
I know, complain, complain. (Comes from attending Junction Park State School. I think I got more 'cuts' than any other two students combined.)
The photo with the Balmoral tram. I do believe that the aircraft is a Chance Vought F4U Corsair. The Wikipedia entry has a photo of a Corsair with folded wings about a third of the way down the page. The antenna mast on the cowling is somewhat distinctive.
The other photo of aircraft being moved. From the shape of the nose, would seem to be P-47 Thunderbolts. I have found no mention of any 47's ever being in Australia. The RAF used them in Burma, and that's as close as I can find them.
After the war I was reading the English "Flight" and "Aeroplane" magazines, along with "Reach For The Sky" and "Dam Busters" by Brickhill, and anything else I could get my hands on - the "Biggles" series, yup. And my first airplane ride. I was too small to strap in, so dad went along and held me in his lap. A DH Moth Minor. The pilot - the Squadron Leader of 23 City of Brisbane squadron. He and dad were friends. He died unfortunately, a P-51 Mustang hitting the power lines right at the boundary of Archerfield. Only then were the power lines relocated about a half mile east of the field. Memories.....
Thank you.
Thanks Graham, your information was a big help. That was my mistake with the pic captions. Now corrected.
Your father's efforts ensured you became a WWII air expert.
Thanks you,
Hugh
One of my major memories from that period. About every fourth Sunday we had RAAF and US Army uniforms in the house for a Sunday chicken lunch. We had about fifty chooks at the bottom of the yard. Dad worked for the US Army, among other things analyzing captured enemy radio equipment. (Ham operator: VK4ZT) After lunch - a pick-up game of cricket in the back yard.
With our somewhat similar backgrounds from the 1940's and 50's, your stories stimulate my memories. Things I hadn't thought about in probably 70 years. Heck, I look at what I just wrote and recall - that chicken lunch was cooked on a wood burning stove. So many things that have changed over the years. Keep up the good work.....
Have to visit the Eagle Farm Museum now. My mum worked at Edwards Dunlop Stationer's in Edward Street Brisbane in the city, and she literally bumped into MacArthur in Edward Street. She was rushing to get a quick sandwich just as MacArthur and his armed bodyguard strode out of his HQ. They collided and Mum said the armed soldier with MacArthur got a big fright and pointed his gun at her, just for a second. We went to the MacArthur Museum in that building. And that room pictured in the story is still there, preserved exactly as it was during the war when MacArthur sat there. If we're going to have the Olympics here in Brisbane, we'd better start preserving some more of our history and treasuring it. Especially where our story intersects with overseas countries.
I read once where General MacArthur and wife and son used to go for cups of tea to the old Shingle Inn just down the road in Edward Street.
That's probably where he was rushing for when he bumped into your Mum.
Hugh
Hi Hugh
I agree with Grahm MacDonald The Balmoral Tram photo ids definately a US Corsair fighter
The Other photo of aircraft being towed down a roadthe first is a P47 thunderbolt for sure the others seem to bde the same but cannot see enough detail to be sure
But as usual a eye opening Article I even used General Kenny;s Dot anecdote one time at TAFE it is a great Put down
Johnny Duncan
Expanded information Johnny on the planes, thanks for that.
It's wonderful that everyone's joining in to recapture an amazing time in Brisbane's history.
Hugh
Johnny I reckon we're all going to be using that tactic from now on
Frank,
That's true about Japanese cars in the 1970s ... nothing ever went wrong with them.
My childhood memories of the 1940s and '50s are filled with men standing around under raised car bonnets trying to get their car going.
As you say, Australian pilots in their Australian-manufactured Wirraways had no hope against the Zero.
Hugh
Thanks Peter -- and you are a REAL expert on Brisbane in WWI -- with your book "The Battle of Brisbane" with Bob Macklin.
Hughie
Peter how did you come to meet Kenney's girlfriend? And why? What DID she reveal? Did he use his dot-on-a-blank-sheet-of-paper tactic on her?