Recent content by Wawny

Hi All, This morning (2nd Nov 2022) I visited a crash site just North of Townsville, QLD where this liberator flew into a mountain 28th March 1944 in very poor conditions. The actual crash site was not found apparently for some 16 days later. Accompanied by Sqn Ldr Andrew Chadwick, now in...

Thank you for that document. I missed the notification that would have come with this, so my apologies for the late response. I've read some of it and will thoroughly digest it shortly. I have included, for your interest, a personal note to whom I am not sure, with my deciphering. I must correct...

I only just found your reply! Many thanks for it. I'll have a good read of it. I'm not sure how dad got that copy being 'Most secret'. He was testing the Cotton g-suit during these trials hence the bent tail. Normally that amount of g's would have caused a blackout. He did centrifuge tests as...

My dad!!! He loved the Spitfire but it was not a good tropical fighter. He liked the Kittyhawk but it was like flying a truck compared to a sports car. Given the conditions at Milne Bay, it was pretty good and tough. It was a much roomier cockpit than the Spitty. After Milne Bay, he returned to...

That is a copy of my dad's report. The bit in the middle is dads hand written note that I transcribed coz his handwriting is generally not the most readable!! I did a number like this because there is some interesting stuff in these. Cheers

Flt Lt Wawn was my dad. He flew Spitfires in Britain 452 Sqn RAAF, and P40's at Milne Bay, PNG in 76 Sqn RAAF. He also flew trials flying the Kittyhawk against a reassembled Hap/Zero at Eagle Farm 1943, (now Brisbane airport ). During the Spitfire trial, he put a 15° bend in the tail during the...

My dad was the Spitfire pilot against the Hap and he bent the tail of the Spitfire 15 degrees (Dad's annotation) doing some pretty evasive 'high G' manoeuvering. He also flew a Kittyhawk against a Spitfire at Mildura during tests - parameters attached. In both cases the Volkes Filter diminished...

My father! Died 1990. Interesting to note on one the 'Most Secret; doc that they found he bent the tail of the Spitfire 9 Degrees during manoeuvres

He also flew Kittyhawks in 76 Sq RAAF in Milne Bay during the Battle for Australia 1942

Hi Interesting reading here. Bardie Wawn was my father (died 1990). He was credited with ~4 3/4 so just under 'Ace' by definition. He had many probables noted. FYI, he was involved in trials at Eagle Farm, Brisbane against a Japanese 'Hap' Zero Mk 2 fighter. Quite an intense trial by all...

Check this link - Supermarine Spitfire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The top article is by my Dad who flew the Spitfire in the Australian test against a Zero. The tail of the Spitfire was bent 9 degrees in the manouvering. Both machines are pretty awesome in their own right. I still like...