David
enlisted with the RNZAF in Dunedin 4th.May 1941.
Transferred to Weraroa, Levin.
Began flight training at Taieri on DH82 A's.
No.16
Pilots' course EFTS
Taieri 1941 on DH 82 A's.
Overseas
to No.2 FTS Ottawa, Canada, training on Harvards.
Posted
to the UK and thence to Egypt,
joining the airforce's 'Lost Legion'. (another
unusual story for later)
Posted back to the UK -
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire,
training on Miles Masters 1s & 2s.
On
to No.58 Spitfire Operational Training Unit
(OTU),
Grangemouth, Scotland, training on Spitfires 1s
& 2s. 1943.
He then went on to
join 486 Squadron,
flying Typhoons 1B's and Hurricane 1's & 2's
Grangemouth,
Scotland 1943
Prior to discharge in July
1945, he was with Special Training Command, flying
Ansins.
David retired to Taradale, Hawkes Bay, NZ, and became
President of the local Airforce Association.
"Mainlanders"
of 486 in front of Hawker Typhoon at RAF Tangmere
1943.
Sqdn Ldr Desmond Scott in the middle, with David
Fail kneeling in front.
Inside
486 dispersal hut at RAF Tangmere.
David at right-rear.
The squadrons's Maori motto Hiwa
Hau Maka - 'Beware of the
Wild Winds'.
Sqdn Ldr Des Scott
drawing a raffle.
Sdrn Ldr Des Scott
with some 486 pilots
inside the dispersal hut.
B-Flight
pilots outside dispersal hut, RAF Tangmere, 1943. David on extreme left.
NCO
pilots with C.O. Sqdrn Ldr D.J.Scott. Tangmere
1943.
486
was first formed as a night fighter squadron on
7th. March 1942, equipped with Hurricanes 1's
& 2's.
They then flew mainly as fighter bombers, along
with Hawker Typhoons.
Re-equipped in 1944 with Hawker Tempests, they
played a special role in destroying Flying Bombs,
(V1),
which were targeting the South of England and
Greater London.
The New
Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum have an excellent
website,
covering the NZ fighter squadrons, operational through
WW2.
Also, four excellent publications:
"Typhoon Pilot" "One More Hour" both
by Sqdrn Ldr Des Scott - Commanding Officer of 486 April '43
- Sept. '43.
"Tempest Pilot" by Sqdrn Ldr C.J.Sheddan - Commanding Officer
of 486 May '45 - Oct.'45.
and "The Wild Winds" by Paul Sortehaug.
