|
|
Post by stu on Jun 13, 2009 12:37:56 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by agalbraith on Jun 13, 2009 23:29:53 GMT 12
Stu....you da man! Thank you very much. She looks superb.
Hoping to drop by on Tuesday morning if I get time, to see Andy and Paul. Those Avspecs guys are true craftsmen!
|
|
|
|
Post by baz62 on Jun 14, 2009 8:53:03 GMT 12
Yes the workmanship is brilliant isn't it. Its an art pure and simple.
|
|
|
|
Post by wccivil on Jun 16, 2009 10:16:40 GMT 12
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't stop looking at the updates!!!!!!!!!!!!! These guys are the definition of craftsmen! WOW! Thanks
|
|
|
|
Post by agalbraith on Jun 17, 2009 21:57:35 GMT 12
Been away on business and popped in on Tuesday. The Mossie is looking stunning as usual! The Rapide looks fantastic on her feet, they are a class act those guys. Once the Rapide is finished off then it will be all hands on deck to finish the Mosquito.
|
|
|
|
Post by TriangleP on Jun 18, 2009 6:51:53 GMT 12
Stu, Gary Austin on WIX posted that the engines were being done by Mike Nixon. Any idea who is working on the coolant systems? See link warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=30526Also, there's an Ebay item of either Mosquito or Beaufighter main wheel set for sale in your neck of the woods, Item Number 200350564192. Any way to confirm if its either? They're a bit shaggy. |
|
|
|
Post by agalbraith on Jun 18, 2009 14:36:43 GMT 12
Looks like Mossie ones to me, with the outer hub parts removed
|
|
|
|
Post by ozfuryfan on Jun 18, 2009 16:16:53 GMT 12
Hi all,are Avspecs still working on the P-40 or has that stopped for other work,cheers ,Pete
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2009 17:20:10 GMT 12
The Tomahawk, you mean?
|
|
|
|
Post by agalbraith on Jun 18, 2009 18:57:26 GMT 12
Hi Pete, yes the work is progressing very nicely on her. When I saw her on Monday the fuse was on the wings and the oil coolers etc were fitted and the ducting panels being fabricated. She looks beautiful and quite different to the run of the mill P-40.
|
|
|
|
Post by TriangleP on Aug 26, 2009 13:55:27 GMT 12
Been away on business and popped in on Tuesday. The Mossie is looking stunning as usual! The Rapide looks fantastic on her feet, they are a class act those guys. Once the Rapide is finished off then it will be all hands on deck to finish the Mosquito. Any news from the Mossie front? Is there any reportable progress on her, or has worked been wholly transferred to the Rapide until its finished? Whats the Rapide looking like? Thanks! |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2009 14:47:19 GMT 12
The Mosquito currently has one person only working on it for most of the time, so as a result the pace has slowed down markedly whilst the other team members concentrate on getting the Rapide flying by the end of the year.
Co-incidentally I am currently uploading some photos of my visit there last week and a new thread should be up this afternoon sometime.
|
|
|
|
Post by baz62 on Aug 26, 2009 15:31:14 GMT 12
Just been reading the latest Aeroplane Monthly where there is an article about the B35 Mosquito in Canada VR796/CF-HML being restored to fly and its move to Vancouver Island and Victoria Air Maintenance at Vancouver Airport. I was gobsmacked when the author stated and I quote: "......what will be the only airworthy original Mosquito in the world (that gallant New Zealand effort on FB26 KA114, when completed, will be largely a replica). Replica my arse! The fuselage is new build, the wing is largely original and a lot of the metal parts are being reused. I'd like to see this guy march up to a Mustang or Spitfire owner and say because its all new metal around a data plate your aircraft is a replica!  |
|
|
|
Post by TriangleP on Aug 26, 2009 18:03:06 GMT 12
Thanks very much Dave! Great shots as usual! Well, baz62, certainly KA114 will be as real a Mosquito as any made 60 years ago. Its amazing that VR796 is here with us at all, considering that deHavilland designed the Mosquito only to last for wartime. It may not be flyable for another 60. There will always be debate about what constitutes an original restoration, and I think you're right about a lot of Mustangs. If over 75% original factory made is your criteria, I guess KA114 wouldn't fit the bill. But if using original factory design and materials constitutes original, then she's a clear winner. For me she's a winner for restoring a lost history, a lost memory, for restoring lost heroes. A big thanks from me to the owner and builders!
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2009 18:41:25 GMT 12
Considering that almost all the metal parts in the Mosquito restoration at Ardmore are not only original but largely from the original airframe - and you have to see it in person to realise just how much metal is in a Mosquito - and also considering it is being restored with de Havilland authority overseeing it, why would anyone consider it a replica?
Aeroplane Monthly should be forced to print a retraction for that statement in my opinion. It belittles the incredible work to restore an original aircraft back to the air. Do they consider most of the Tiger Moths, Fox Moths, and other aircraft recently restored as replicas too?? Shame on them.
Glad you liked the photos. I didn't actually take too many on this trip as I spent too much time talking.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2009 20:54:08 GMT 12
Regardless, I'm very keen to see KA114 fly in person. I've only seen a couple of Mossies in the wood, and its high time we had one flying again in the Southern Hemisphere...no matter how temporarily (in my opinion).
If its a replica, is insurance cheaper? *ducks behind his Fletcher fin*
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2009 21:01:06 GMT 12
"If its a replica, is insurance cheaper?"
I doubt certification would be, it would be classed as a new type. As Mosquitoes have previously been on the register both here and the USA, you'd want to class it as real, surely?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2009 21:04:52 GMT 12
Interesting question - IIRC the Catalina Club/Company had some paperwork problems registering their Canso in the mid-90s even though TEAL operated two of them several decades earlier, so perhaps there are other factors? Where's CAA when you need them?
Don't get me wrong, I think the Powell aircraft (NZ2308 and KA114) should be classed as restorations rather than new-build/reproduction/facsimile/replica. It all gets very, very confusing. By the rationale that the Aeroplane writer seems to favour, then surely Doug Brooker's "Spitfire" is a "replica"? I'm sure there are a dozen warbirds which would consist of less original material than KA114 but are still "authentic".
|
|
|
|
Post by Bruce on Aug 26, 2009 22:05:19 GMT 12
I saw the "Aeroplane" article and the replica comment too and was astounded - the issue before they had a feature on some Waco Biplanes, one of which was referred to as the original prototype for that model - and in the text they mention that it was destroyed by fire in a fatal accident and "rebuilt" around the makers plate, but it was a significantly historic aircraft. I guess not all contributors to such magazines share the same viewpoint, but there isnt a lot of consistency. Pity there is such a delay getting the mags in NZ - I hope someone has made the effort to write in!
|
|
|
|
Post by lumpy on Aug 26, 2009 22:05:22 GMT 12
Interesting discussion . I think the fact is ,for anything thats going to be airworthy , 60 or 70 year old aluminium ( and certainly wood ) has to go ! The question then becomes , if your going to replace it anyway , why do you even need the corroded ( rotted ) bit anyway ? You could debate that forever .
Even on pv270 , most all of the bits you can see as she flies past are new ( skins - but the old bits still do exist )
Imagine if Peter Jackson wanted to restore the Caproni thats in the AHC ? Its almost %100 original , but to restore it to fly would leave almost nothing .
No easy answer really , but I personally have no problem with anything thats restored to " as originally built "
|
|
