Lockheed Hudson MkIII

[Marshall_Stack]

HudsonMKIII,

Welcome to the site. I look forward to hearing about your grandfather's exploits.

As a side note (question), I heard that New Zealand was considering disbanding its military. Is that true?

 

[Vincenzo]

From "American Combat Planes", a Lockheed PV0-1, which I believe is similar to the Hudson Mark IV with 1200 hp engines, performance is as follows:

Top speed 262 mph at 15.3k ft., 237 mph at SL
empty wt 12, 680 lbs,
gross wt 18,800 lbs
max wt 20,200 lbs
range 1750 miles with four 325 lb dept charges, 1800 miles max.

missprinted was PBO-1

 

[davparlr]

missprinted was PBO-1

Sorry about that. PBO-1 is correct.

 

[diddyriddick]

Welcome aboard, Lockheed!

 

[A4K]

PLEASE LET THAT NOT BE TRUE!!!!!

It's sad enough they scrapped our Strike wing and have closed most of the bases, but altogether disbandment of the Armed Forces is going WAY too far !

 

[Hudson MkIII]

Thank you all for your replies.

Here is a short history of my grandfather's service. Forgive me but I won't use his name.

He was one of ten men on the first intake of pilots for New Zealand Permanent Air Force in 1927. All but one of those men passed the course. Was in the NZPAF for 2 years, was then No.3 BR Squadron (Territorial) from 1930-1938.
Unit renamed Christchurch Territorial Squadron RNZAF March 1938-Sept 1939.
Unit mobilized in Sept 1939, became 3 GR Squadron RNZAF.
Service flying and training till July 1942, was then deployed overseas as part of Unit 43.
Transfered to 9 GR Squadron Dec 1942-April 1943 at Esprito Santo.
No 3 GR Squadron Guadalcanal April-June 1943, then back to 9 again till Aug 1943.
Then back home and service flying till then end of the war.
He was old for an operational pilot, 31yrs old when the war started, might explain why he wasn't deployed overseas again, I don't know.
While overseas serving he found the crew of a of a downed B24 while flying Search and Rescue, also found survivors of a torpedoed cargo ship while flying SR. (when I say "he" I mean his crew, we don't know who out of the crew spotted them but he was 1st pilot.) Most of his time spent on A/S and recce patrols. Nothing glamorous but makes me immensely proud. Ended his service as a Flt/Lt.

Types flown
Avro 504k
Bristol Fighter
Hawker Tomtit
DH.60
Blackburn Baffin
Vickers Vincent
DH.82
Airspeed Oxford
Lockheed Hudson

 

[A4K]

Interesting read mate, thanks for posting! Quite an impressive collection of aircraft he flew too...