Cooper's Flying Circus

The outfit was so-named after its first commanding officer, Squadron Leader Glen Cooper.
This photo shows eight members of the 'Circus', including the boss himself, with their
outfit's improvised 'signpost' at Hollandia... the tail of a wrecked Ki-43 'Oscar'.

Back row: P/O J.V. Reed, F/Lt J.H. Ollivier, S/Ldr G.A. Cooper, F/O K.E. Goldring, P/O P. Parkinson
Front row: P/O D. Hillier, F/O A.P. Bryse, and painting the fuselage is F/Sgt F. Folmer.


Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs, State Library of Victoria - Larger Image

The Circus On Patrol


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

Morotai Mutineer

Before taking command of 80 Sqn., Squadron Leader John L. Waddy had flown Tomahawks and
Kittyhawks in North Africa with 250 and 260 Squadrons RAF and with 4 Squadron SAAF. He then
flew Spitfires with 92 Squadron RAF until late 1942 when he was sent back to Australia, where
he took command of the Spitfire squadron of 2 OTU in early 1943. After some staff training, he
took command of 80 Squadron at Noemfoor, Dutch East Indies in September 1944.

In April of 1945, Waddy and several other senior pilots of 1 TAF (Australian First Tactical Air Force)
attempted to resign their commissions in protest of what they viewed as a waste of 1 TAF assets; RAAF
forces had been relegated to mostly ground attack operations, and these missions apparently accomp-
lished relatively little in comparison to the losses incurred. This action by Waddy and his peers
became known as the 'Morotai Mutiny'... all involved were subsequently cleared of any wrong-doing,
as it was believed that their motives were sincere and their position justified.

This photo shows Waddy with his P-40N 'VE', named for his wife, Vera. The scoreboard reflects
his fifteen and one-half victories, scored during his time in North Africa.


Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs, State Library of Victoria - Larger Image

Cleopatra III

This P-40N was the personal mount of Wing Commander Geoff Atherton,
who was at the time commanding officer of 78 Wing RAAF.


Project 914 Archives

The Circus at Kamiri

The AWM caption for this photo reads:

Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea. Bombs for distribution over Japanese occupied
territory in the South-West Pacific being brought up on the low trailers to load onto the bomb racks
of aircraft of No. 80 (Kittyhawk) Squadron RAAF at a forward operational base on Kamiri Airstrip.


Australian War Memorial - Larger Image

Thumper

Flight Lieutenant John Noel Ollivier next to his P-40N, named 'Thumper'
after the rabbit from Walt Disney's animated film 'Bambi'.


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image


Another view of 'Thumper' with LAC Eric Kenny while she was
getting a bit of TLC with 14 RSU on Morotai in 1945.


Original image from: ADF Serials Gallery - Larger Image

A For Apple

P-40N BU-A receiving a bit of TLC on Morotai.


W.E.Pidgeon collection via Peter Pidgeon - Larger Image

Back to 'RAAF'