1/72nd scale decal sheet. RNZAF Curtiss P-40Ms, NZ3072 “Wairarapa Wildcat” & NZ3078 Sqn Ldr Michael Herrick DFC*

P-40M-5 NZ3072 “Wairarapa Wildcat” 1943

P-40N 42-105202, Lt. Robert M DeHaven, 7th FS, 49th FG, New Guinea, January 1944

P-40N A29-607, Sqn Ldr John Waddy, August 1944

NZ3078, Sqn Ldr M. J. Herrick DFC and bar
Squadron Leader Michael J Herrick served in the RAF as a night fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain where he was credited with four victories, plus one damaged. In October 1941, Herrick was seconded to the RNZAF initially as an instructor in New Zealand. He was posted to No.15 Squadron flying P-40 Kittyhawks, first in Tonga then Espiritu Santo in February 1943. In April, the squadron moved to Guadalcanal. Herrick’s first combat with the Japanese took place on 6 May when he and his wingman shared in the destruction of a float-plane. This was the first enemy aircraft shot down in the Pacific by fighters of the RNZAF.
Herrick shot down an A6M Zero on 7 June when 12 No.15 Squadron P-40s, along with 88 other allied fighters, fought around 50 Japanese fighters.
Herrick was with No.15 Squadron on it’s second tour in the Pacific Theatre in September 1943, again flying escort missions and covering convoys.
By November 1943 Herrick was commanding No.15 Squadron flying missions to protect the beachhead on Bougainville but on one of these missions, he was wounded in the foot and consequently returned home to New Zealand.
By January 1944 Squadron Leader Herrick was back in Europe flying Mosquito night fighters with No.305 (Polish) Squadron. He was shot down and killed on 16 June 1944.