Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
3/4 front view of RAAF Lancaster ED930 (A66-1) "Queenie VI" at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten on the reverse "The Lancaster."
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
Line up of No. 14 Squadron Kittyhawks at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten on the reverse "The line up of Kittyhawks or Warhawks - from memory the difference was the engine - I think that these were the Kittyhawks who went to Noumea via Waipapakauri & Norfolk Island - 14 Squadron I think - they had 2 Hudsons to guide them. Nugget Cohen the Whenuapai C.O. decided, contrary to the Flight Plan, that they should stay at Waipap. overnight and then fly Waipap - Norfolk and Norfolk - Tontouta. this was too long because of the weather at Tontouta which closes in early in the day - they arrived at 5pm - no light - bad rain & dropped into the sea."
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
Briefing being held in the Operations Room at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten on the reverse "The Operations Room Whenuapai - Gubby Allen (in the foreground) briefing. I think that this was a TBF Squadron. The chap sitting behind Gubby is the C.O. of the Squadron - I can't think of his name - His father was an oil company manager, I've remembered Hartshorn [this suggests No. 30 Squadron], alongside of him standing up is Wing Commander Turner.
I remember that because the father was an Oil Company Manager Geoff Roberts made me take him in a tour of inspection of the Station in a Jeep."
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
Officers in the Operations Room at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten in the image area "The Operations Room at Whenuapai." Also details about those standing; L-R: "Bob Antill who is now a cop." "Terence Terry - Radio Man." "Name not remembered but who wrote [unreadable] letters to his mum." "Bill Hume - Yank of SCAT." "RCN [Reginald Norris]"
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
Members of visiting Lancaster and Station personnel looking at maps at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten in image area "The visit of the first Lancaster Pathfinder [sic actually an RAAF aircraft] to NZ at Whenuapai"[refers to L-R] "Bob Nielson" [NB the arrow points to 2nd left but suspect it refers to 1st left]."Can't remember the name of this chap but [unreadable]" "Moir - Whenuapai Met. Officer" "Peter Isaacson - Captain" "Jack Gordon - Whenuapai Ops Officer" "you guess' [Reginald Norris]
Handwritten on the reverse "I recall that, as photographic Officer I got Mac Gliddon, my Sergeant, to make a shot of studio photo of the whole crew of the aeroplane & the story was that each member should autograph it. All signatures were obtained except one - this chap could not be found so I signed for him. The photo is in Officers Mess, Whenuapai somewhere."
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
Group. Photographic Section personnel at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten in image area "My Photographic Staff when I was Photographic Officer at Whenuapai - Blimey photographic Officer! I have trouble even with an instamatic!"
Some notes about individuals, place in group in square brackets [back left] "Fred Dickinson - Client" [back middle] "Shepherd - he used to creep under his house, when on leave, to try to catch his wife's fornicating. He accomplished his mission." [Back right] "Noel Atkinson - Client" [middle row centre] "Ryan" [middle row right] "This chap at shooting practice shot the instructor in the eye & killed him" [front left] "Helen Randle" [front 2nd] "Mac Gliddon - Client" [front middle] "John Barraud of the painters family" [front right] "Jean Crowhurst"
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
Informal group of Officers at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten on the reverse "This was taken on the roof of HQ Whenuapai - known as "Bullshit Castle"- I was a new boy. Leo Dromgoole was the Operations Room Controller, Moir - known [to] all as Cloudy Joe - was the Met. Officer, Snow Patterson was the Station Adjutant - and after 1945 went [unreadable]. Geoff Roberts to Air N.Z. as Administrative office, RCN [Reginald Norris] went back to law practice, Flash Gordon was, what was then known as duff pilot, and then went back to his garage at Wellsford, Ian O'Connell went to S.A.F.E. who flew over Cook Strait & he dived into the sea & died."
Handwritten in image area [L-R] "Leo Dromgoole Ops Officer now ferry company, Moir - Cloudy Joe - Met. Officer, Snow Patterson - Adjutant, RCN [Reginald Norris], Flash Gordon, Ian O'Connell."
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
High view of RAAF Lancaster ED930 (A66-1) "Queenie VI" and a Kittyhawk at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten on the reverse "This is the Lancaster at Whenuapai with a Warhawk alongside for size."
Fits with 2021-123.9.
Image from the Reginald Cains Norris personal collection.
High view of RAAF Lancaster ED930 (A66-1) "Queenie VI" at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Handwritten on the reverse "The Lancaster at Whenuapai."
Fits with 2021-123.8
Open Day at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Ground to air view of three No. 41 Squadron Dakotas in formation dropping dummies over the airfield.
From front: NZ3547, NZ3544, NZ3546.
Open Day at RNZAF Station Whenuapai.
Three No. 41 Squadron Dakotas preparing for a formation take off before their flying display.
L-R: NZ3544, NZ3546, NZ3547.
