Inspiration - Wyatt Earp Antarctic Expedition 1948

[zenrat]

I wasn't sure where to put this but it fits in with the theme of the GB and I figured at least one person here would be interested given the expeditions destination.

Australia Post have issued a set of stamps to commented the expedition in which the HMAS Wyatt Earp sailed from Melbourne to Antarctica.
They attracted my attention because one of them features the expedition's Vought Kingfisher.

[NARSES2]

That's one of the options in the AZ "Commonwealth" boxing of the Kingfisher mate.

[zenrat]

I'm amazed they could fit it onto such a small boat.

[Weaver]

Oh that is interesting, thanks Fred. It actually says in that write-up that the Kingfisher was indeed too big to handle easily on the ship.

Imagine if it was Wyatt Earp's Antarctic Expedition i.e. the man himself, not the ship named after him. Now that'd be a steampunk story to conjure with! Earp made a pretty penny running a saloon in Nome, Alaska during it's gold rush around the turn of the century, so it's at least plausible to suggest that he became interested in arctic ventures and partnered up in an expedition to get ahead of the curve and discover gold or some other riches in Antarctica... 

Looking at the markings chart for the AZ Kingfisher kit, can you spot the mistake? 

[loupgarou]

Interesting. I didn't know of that expedition. I find curious the ship's name. I suppose the australian navy didn't have so many ships to have exhausted all the "local"  choices for a name.

[Weaver]

Interesting. I didn't know of that expedition. I find curious the ship's name. I suppose the australian navy didn't have so many ships to have exhausted all the "local"  choices for a name.

The original expeditions were private ones so Ellesworth could name the ship anything he liked. When the RAN decided to use the ship for Antarctic expeditions again, after using it for other things for a while, they changed it's name back to 'Wyatt Earp' as a nod to the original.

Also, it's different when it's somebody else's dubious-but-glamourized 'character' rather than your own. Presumably, there should be a corresponding USN Antarctic exploration ship called the Ned Kelly...

[Knightflyer]

Interesting. I didn't know of that expedition. I find curious the ship's name. I suppose the australian navy didn't have so many ships to have exhausted all the "local"  choices for a name.

Yes, and having quickly looked on Wiki, the ship even has a mountain named after it! (which is something you wouldn't realise at first....that the Mountain is named after the ship, not the sheriff!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Wyatt_Earp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Wyatt_Earp

[zenrat]

...Looking at the markings chart for the AZ Kingfisher kit, can you spot the mistake?  ..

The AZ scheme doesn't include the tricolore on the vertical tail.  Don't assume the stamp is correct though.

I like to think that in Whiffworld the HMAS Wyatt Earp was the first of the Australian Navy's Sheriff class small seaplane tender.

[PR19_Kit]

But why was the Kingfisher an RAAF aircraft and not a RAN one?

[Weaver]

...Looking at the markings chart for the AZ Kingfisher kit, can you spot the mistake?  ..

The AZ scheme doesn't include the tricolore on the vertical tail.  Don't assume the stamp is correct though.

I like to think that in Whiffworld the HMAS Wyatt Earp was the first of the Australian Navy's Sheriff class small seaplane tender.

Good spot, but there's a more basic one than that...

[Knightflyer]

...Looking at the markings chart for the AZ Kingfisher kit, can you spot the mistake?  ..

The AZ scheme doesn't include the tricolore on the vertical tail.  Don't assume the stamp is correct though.

I like to think that in Whiffworld the HMAS Wyatt Earp was the first of the Australian Navy's Sheriff class small seaplane tender.

Good spot, but there's a more basic one than that...

Okay, and this is without checking ....when did the Red Kangaroo replace the central red circle?

[Weaver]

You're all being far too clever and are really, really going to kick yourselves...


Re the tail flash, the stamp is correct and the AZ artwork IS wrong BTW. See this pic:



From here: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/gallery/Kingfisher/P021596

I think AZ got their scheme from some dodgy Wings Pallette artwork which seems to be the only other source of a flashless yellow Kingfisher.

[scooter]

Imagine if it was Wyatt Earp's Antarctic Expedition i.e. the man himself, not the ship named after him. Now that'd be a steampunk story to conjure with! Earp made a pretty penny running a saloon in Nome, Alaska during it's gold rush around the turn of the century, so it's at least plausible to suggest that he became interested in arctic ventures and partnered up in an expedition to get ahead of the curve and discover gold or some other riches in Antarctica... 

That's what I thought too when I saw the thread title. 

[Old Wombat]

But why was the Kingfisher an RAAF aircraft and not a RAN one?

Because the RAN FAA did not exist until 3 July 1947 & its focus was on manning the squadrons for the newly purchased aircraft carriers (Majestic & Terrible, a.k.a. Melbourne & Sydney), so had no interest in taking over extant aircraft from the RAAF (except, possibly, for training purposes).

[PR19_Kit]

But why was the Kingfisher an RAAF aircraft and not a RAN one?

Because the RAN FAA did not exist until 3 July 1947 & its focus was on manning the squadrons for the newly purchased aircraft carriers (Majestic & Terrible, a.k.a. Melbourne & Sydney), so had no interest in taking over extant aircraft from the RAAF (except, possibly, for training purposes).

OK, thanks for that.