Profile 00: P-40E Kinyhawk IA NZ3040 of No 15 Sqn RNZAF flown by Flt Lt Johnnie Gibson, Whenuapai, New Zealand, October 1942. Flt Lt Johnnie Gibson had 11.5 kills in Hurricanes to hiS name when he was seconded to the RNZAF, joining No 15 Sqn soon after it formed. Among others, he flew this aircraft, which wore a standard RAF colour scheme, including unit letters, although these were later dropped. In December 1943 he became CO of his old unit, and over Rabaul on 23 January 1944 he claimed his last victory, a Zero.

Profile 00: P-40N- Kittyhawk IV NZ3126 of No 17 Sqn/No 4 Servicing Unit RNZAF, flown by Sqn ldr Guy Newton, Ondonga, New Georgia. January 1944. The most successful RNZAF pilot in the Solomons was Guy Newton, who had Joined No 17 Sqn as a flight commander, but in June 1943 became its CO. He led it to the Solomons, and on this first tour he claimed a Zero kill. late in the year No 17 returned and, flying this aircraft over Rabaul on Christmas Eve, he downed two more Zeros and was also credited with a probable. Newton became an ace in early January 1944 when, in another strike, he destroyed two more Zeros.

Hello, and Greetings from Blenheim, New Zealand.

In the course of looking at online images of RNZAF aircraft, I came across the image on your website of an RNZAF Kittyhawk taking off from Torokina Airstrip, Bougainville, in April 1944. I must advise that your photo is printed the wrong way around; the Kittyhawk should be taking off towards the LEFT HAND SIDE of the picture. I have attached the correct image for your information, along with a similar view showing the airfield under construction (December 1943), and a copy of a wartime location map.

This photo was taken from Garnet Tower (the Airfield Control tower), which was on the south side of the runway; the view looks north-west, with Empress Augusta Bay beyond the end of the runway. Beyond the trees on the far side of the field, a little left of centre, lie the Bononi Mission and Paruata. The islands in Empress Augusta Bay are just out of the photo. On the attached Airfield Map, Garnet Tower is below and a little to the right of the X marked in the runway measurements. As you can see from the map, the eastern end of the runway is inland – no sea would be visible at the right-hand end of a photograph taken from Garnet tower.

I hope this information will be of use to you; this image appears all too often the wrong way around on webistes all over the internet so I'm sure you will want to display this image correctly on yours.

Kind regards,
Robert.
Robert E. Montgomery,
77 Dillon Street,
Blenheim, 7201

P-40N Kittyhawk Mk.IV 'Esma Lee' 19th Sqn RNZAF Serial NZ3287 Guadalcanal 1944. Assembled by No. 1 Aircraft Depot, Hobsonville and BOC at Hobsonville on 09 May 1944. Coded E. Sold to J. Larsen from Rukuhia on 02 March 1948.

Maps Reference