Officier-vlieger J. Blok

[Hanno Spoelstra]

I started a facebook group to gather more information about the Dutch pilots serving with the British Fleet Air Arm during World War Two:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Flee...lyingDutchmen/

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Today, 72 years ago, my great-uncle Lt. Johannes Blok took off for a training flight in his Grumman Hellcat Mk.I of 1847 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm.

While changing formation, Sgt. Simon De Ridder hit the tail of Johannes' Hellcat with his propeller. This mid-air collision caused both Hellcats to crash in a field near Tullybrisland, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, killing both pilots instantly.

They were initially buried at St Canice's Church, close to their home base RNAS Eglinton. After WW2 they were laid to rest in The Netherlands: Johannes in a family grave in Amsterdam, and Simon at the Field of Honour Loenen.

RIP Johannes and Simon.

image.jpeg image.jpeg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Watching a 1941 documentary, "De Marine Vliegt" (The Navy Flies), I was stunned to recognise my late great-uncle Johannes Blok! He is the pilot whose first solo flight in a Ryan ST-M is featured prominently.

Trained as a merchant officer, he joined the Navy in 1941. Johannes Blok made his first flight on 16 September 1941, flew his first solo flight on 12 October and finished his primary flying training on 21 November of that year with 104h.36' flying time under his belt.

See https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9018392&type=1 for some more screenshots.

Johannes Blok first solo 1.jpg Johannes Blok first solo 8.jpg Johannes Blok first solo 12.jpg Johannes Blok first solo 14.jpg Johannes Blok first solo 18.jpg

[marco]

Great find Hanno!

Marco

[Mike K]

Wizard find Hanno

I wonder how many of the pilots survived the war ..... probably very few

[marco]

About 200 Dutch pilots succesfully went through the pilot training at Jackson Army Air Base. About 150 of them returned to Australia to fight the Japanese and the other 50 pilots joined the Royal Navy.
From these 50, more than half didn't survive.

Pilot training in itself was dangerous also.
This is the memorial at Jackson Army Air Base for the Dutch pilots who didn't survive training .

Marco

[marco]

Around 1943, a little booklet was printed at Jackson Army Air Base.
I scanned it, hopefully it is of interest.

Marco

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by marco

About 200 Dutch pilots succesfully went through the pilot training at Jackson Army Air Base. About 150 of them returned to Australia to fight the Japanese and the other 50 pilots joined the Royal Navy.
From these 50, more than half didn't survive.

Pilot training in itself was dangerous also.
This is the memorial at Jackson Army Air Base for the Dutch pilots who didn't survive training

Marco,

Thanks for this background info! The booklet is very interesting.

Here is some info about the Lockheed 12 L2-36:

Lockheed L2-36.jpg

PJ-AKC Lockheed 12A 1304
L2-36 (Royal Netherlands Military Flying School, Jackson, USA)
17.10.1943 arrival Hato, Curaçao on delivery.
00.02.1944 rgd to KLM West-Indisch Bedrijf. The aircraft was in camouflage c/s, markings in white. Aircraft was owned by Dutch Governement, flew by crew from the former RNMFS.
00.07.1944-00.08.1944 used for a series of flight with miss Lee Ya-Ching, "China's First Lady of the Air" and her company for the Chinese Relief Fund.
03.07.1944 Special charterflight: Port-au-Prince (Haiti)- La Guaira (Venezuela) with Dr. Elie Lescot (the president of Haiti) and his company. On his way back Lescot stayed two days at Curaçao as guest of the Governor. He flew back to Haiti with PJ-AKB.
15.09.1944 a charter from Curaçao to Nassau (Bahama Islands) was made, pilot Captain Hakkenberg. During 1944 only 74 flying hours were made.
00.00.1945 cld (not active at Curacao anymore after 00.04.1945).
to AX236 (No 1316 Dutch Communication Flight), T-1 (Dutch Air Force), SE-BXP, OY-ADB, 00.09.1965 b/u.

"On 6 June 1941 the ML-KNIL ordered 10 L.12s with serials L2-27/36. This was later followed by an additional 10 aircraft with serials L2-37/46. Several of these aircraft had been delivered to the NEI before the war broke out. These were L2-27, L2-28 and L2-29.
Of the remaining aircraft, several went to Australia, whereas L2-36/46 were delivered to the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School which had been established in Jackson, MS to provide training to Dutch crews. In 1943 the school was closed and the aircraft were dispersed. L2-36 went to the KLM in the West Indies as PJ-AKC. L2-38, L2-45 and L2-46 had registrations PJ-AKD, PJ-AKE and PJ-AKF reserved for them but these were not taken up. Instead they went to Great Britain to join the 1316 Dutch Communication Flight of the RAF.
Eventually these four aircraft found their way to the Netherlands where they served with the LSK as resp. T-1, T-2, T-3 and T-4. Of these T-2 was eventually displayed in Denmark as L2-38 before going to the Soesterberg Museum in The Netherlands as L2-100 where it is being restored."

Lockheed12A_L2-38.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Wizard find Hanno

Still can't get my head around this 1-in-a-million-chance find

[marco]

Well earned Hanno, I guess you spent quite some time to find information about Johannes Blok...