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Post by aeromedia on Sept 7, 2011 18:15:52 GMT 12
I thought sharing this story might be of interest to some on the forum. So in an on-going series of instalments, here goes. In the beginning (of this story anyway), dozens of early model Harvards were loaded into NZR rail wagons which were just a bit too short, had their rear cockpit frames unceremoniously cut so they'd fit, and sent north,from Lyttleton to Bennetts of Te Kuiti.  They grazed in a paddock awaiting their mission to provide parts for new aircraft. And they sat, and they sat . . . . . . as shown in these images pilferred from another thread on this forum. (Thanks to the image owners, please feel free to speak up and be credited).  Spool forward heaps of years to Auckland 1990. I decided I really wanted to start to do something positive about my long-held dream to own "something Harvard." So I got on the phone to renowned warbird collector and recovery exponent, Charles Bunny D Arby. We had a very lengthy and for me, compelling conversation about Harvards and the cockpit sections he had recovered quite some years earlier from Te Kuiti. But alas, by this time they had all gone in various directions and there was nothing to be salvaged from the exercise. I was disappointed naturally and reluctant to hang up on my dream. After quizzing a little harder, a revelation. Charles mentioned that another colleague who had assisted with the recoveries had taken one for himself and it might be a lead worth following. He was able to supply a name (which I'm ashamed to say I never properly recorded), I found the man concerned to live not too far from me on the North Shore, so I phoned him. Yes indeed he had salvaged a frame from Bennetts, yes he still had it, it was lying alongside his garage. BUT the property had just been sold, he was about to move. If you want the frame you'd bettter come and get it quick. And this is what i got!!!!!!!!!  I was over the moon! This to me was a big deal back then, and even now still is. You couldn't wipe the grin off my face. My rusty, cut, early model NAA Harvard Mk II frame actually contained a treasure trove of trinkets and parts. Scores of small fittings, clamps, tubing, electrical boxes, bell cranks, pulleys and castings were in situ including the pressed instrument panel surround, plus all four panel support castings and I even scored a rusty engine mount to match my rusty frame. When I got it home in short order on my trailer, I set it up in the carport and studied it, admired it, walked around it, dreamed about it and set to making contacts and sourcing manuals and information. My enquiries led me to a man named Lyndon Knowles. Lyndon was in the RNZAF and had purchased the substantial remains of NZ 1051 which he was restoring and he became a fountain of parts and knowledge. to be continued . . . . |
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 7, 2011 18:40:10 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2011 18:57:19 GMT 12
Great stuff, I am going to enjoy this thread!
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Post by skyhawkdon on Sept 7, 2011 19:49:28 GMT 12
Me too!
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 7, 2011 19:59:49 GMT 12
Once I had my positive lead on the frame, I phoned Charles back to bring him up to speed and thank him profusely for what had turned out to be a brilliant lead. On further reflection he stated he was almost certain that the frame I had was from NZ 948. Although there was nothing to verify this on the frame anywhere, I decided that was what the Harvard would become, "Project 948" Until later, when that changed, but we will deal with that a little further down the track. I located the port side panel of 1038 which a gent had stored in a small shed out at Ardmore. I got some other bits and Lyndon also got some stuff he needed from the same source so it was a worthwhile haul. I took it home along with a top panel that goes between the windshield "duck bill" and cowls and hung the side panel and the top panel on my frame, with a classy looking red plastic bucket to assist the process. I had found a couple of canopy frames by this stage also, so I couldn't resist hanging it all on the frame in my carport, and walking around it, admiring, it and dreaming some more. This was starting to become a serious addiction. I wondered how far I could take it? Keep dreaming, keep schemeing, keep the contacts up, keep the momentum. Who knows.  I set about the process of stripping the frame and tagging everything that came off of it. I can tell you without a word of exageration, that after all those years outdoors, nothing came off without a fight. I would honestly spend an entire afternoon working to remove one small part. This went on and on for months until ultimately I was left with a very nude frame. I took it to a media blaster who apparently did work for Greg Ryan at Aero technology, so I thought thats good enough for me, and I went out a few days later to collect my frame which now looked like this.  I got it back to my place and immediately got a good coat of etch primer on it. It then looked like this.  Following that I sprayed several coats of top colour silver on it. The little guy pictured is my youngest son Dan who at age 14 restored our Link Trainer which was on display at the Fighter Pilots Museum at Wanaka till it closed. He's 22 almost now. Other son Jason who posts on here, also got the bug obviously and he's taken up the reins of sourcing useful bits too. Some time later in the story we will be able to share what he has turned up just very recently. Its great that both the boys share the warbird passion.  |
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Post by fyl on Sept 7, 2011 20:38:17 GMT 12
Wonderful stuff...great story and pics..will follow with much interest!!
I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, and the folks at the time probably didn't have any other options, but it pains me to see how brutally our aviation history has been dealt with...
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 7, 2011 21:26:58 GMT 12
Lyndon had a much better head start !!!!! Here is his project NZ1051 as acquired sitting out at Woodbourne. 1051 is of course now flying and looking gorgeous, with Judy Pay at Tyabb, in Australia. But not before it had received lots of masterful attention from Lyndon himself. 1038 alongside, whose port side panel found its way to me.   I used to dream of having a start as good as these, but what I had was certainly better than nothing. So, lets press on. What I really needed was a rear fuselage. I heard there was one on the Harding farm down country. So I headed off on a warbird parts recovery mission with my trusty Corolla and trailer. Look what I found. Isn't it beautiful?  There wasn't a single part of this old rear fuse that wasnt kay nackered. Absolutely nothing. But did that put me off? Hell no ! On the trailer it went and back up the road to Auckland attracting plenty of attention along the way. When it came time to move south, such was the magnitude of the move, that I had to get ruthless and abandoned this, and a spare engine mount on the property in Kia Ora Road. I often wonder if either of these are still there, twenty years later. |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 7, 2011 21:43:24 GMT 12
Interesting stuff, looking forward to more installments!
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 7, 2011 21:49:11 GMT 12
Mean't to include earlier, while I was having my frame blasted, look what I found behind that shed. This was more of Gregs stuff that he used for parts recovery. I think a young fella eventually wrestled this frame from him. I know that there were at least a couple of frames like this and they went back out to Ardmore after this I think.  And speaking of the hallowed Ardmore, I stumbled upon this centre section lying out in the grass there. I tracked it to Greg, asked him whether he would part with it with my best pleading eyes, a small amount of cash changed hands and it was mine. I only really realised recently, that it was a Mk IIb centre section, from NZ 1100, the Takapau playground Harvard. So now I was assembling a variety of bits from all sorts of different models. A true "bitsa."   |
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Post by ZacYates on Sept 8, 2011 8:21:10 GMT 12
This is addictive reading! Bring on the next installment :-D
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Post by baz62 on Sept 8, 2011 13:56:55 GMT 12
I thought sharing this story might be of interest to some on the forum. No kidding Pete! A thread we will all be drooling over, well those who like real aeroplanes (like Harvards and Austers!) ;D She certainly looks different today from the rusty relic you had initially! |
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Post by dazz on Sept 8, 2011 17:40:21 GMT 12
A genuine 'aeroplane in a barn' story! Every young fella's dream! I'm looking forward to following this thread
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Post by baz62 on Sept 8, 2011 19:16:40 GMT 12
A genuine 'aeroplane in a barn' story! Every young fella's dream! I'm looking forward to following this thread Oi! My Auster was in a barn too sonny jim! ;D You know its a pity they didn't think to just unbolt the rear fuselage it must have been about as easy as cutting? Maybe they didn't have a spanner but just a power saw? ;D |
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 8, 2011 19:56:30 GMT 12
Pleased you guys are "getting it." I sometimes regretted not sticking my neck out when I was younger and having a go myself when the RNZAF Harvard's were tendered. As Mrs Mac points out though, as a young family with limited means, I'd have probably been tempted to flick it on at some stage to help get into a house etc. At least this way, the hard way, there's a story to tell, every parts find is a celebration, and the kids wont let me ever get rid of it, so this is just fine. I have always loved Harvards. They got under my skin somewhere along the way. They just look and sound perfect to me. Although a trainer, they're certainly hairy-chested enough to proudly carry the mantle "warbird". When I was working in Auckland back in 1990 - 91 and part of 92, I went out to Ardmore to an airshow very early 1990 and saw Charles Darbys NZ 1099 which was just nearing completion of its beautiful restoration. Here's a pic or two I snaffled at the time.   Gulf Aeronautics did the job and as has been noted elsewhere, Charles is a perfectionist and loves accuracy so this machine was kitted out with all sorts of nice period equipment. It looked crisp, and alluring and magnificent. It was standing by this machine, that very day, that made me determined to start my own Harvard ownership journey. Even if it was to be a static in my case, who cares. Think of the money I'd save on fuel !!!!!!! And if I really got the urge to get airborne in a T6, I could always arrange to fly in someone elses. There was a young-ish bloke working around the hangar where all this work took place and I still rate him as one of the nicest guys in the business. Very approachable and keen to talk with anyone who showed a genuine interest. I later approached him about a pair of old T6 Wings I had no trouble spotting, leaning against the Gulf Aeronautics hangar. Wal Denholm was very helpful in enabling me to purchase them. Twenty one years on I've never forgotten the time and help he gave me. I still run into him on odd occassions, usually years apart, and he always gives me the time of day. Warren, you not only restore the aircraft we love to the highest possible standard on the planet, but you are a great bloke! Thanks.   Mrs Mac always tells our friends (the both of them ;D) that our photo albums are full of planes and not the kids. Please be my witness that the story is really only beginning and there are kids featuring prolifically. Don't know what she's on about. Seriously though, it helps when your other half is not the "anti-plane feminazi". I've been pretty lucky. She's very tolerant. And she's carried one end of a lot of very heavy stuff over the years. What a woman ! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 8, 2011 20:14:51 GMT 12
Peter I was at that very same airshow in 1990. I can even tell you the date, the 4th of March 1990. I was there with my Dad. It was a stunning airshow, with great memories of the Sea Fury, Mustang, Venom and the Southern Cross Fokker Triplane replica. I was seeing all these for the first time.
I also stood next to Charles' Harvard just marvelling at how lovely it looked and the amazing workmanship. It looked better then new. That aircraft became my favourite Harvard of all, I wish it had not gone overseas.
And I agree totally about Warren, a wonderful guy.
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 8, 2011 20:24:27 GMT 12
It's a small world Dave !  Allow me this small diversion for a moment. I hadn't even noticed in the pic above, the Southern Cross replica til I scanned it for this thread. When I worked in Auckland for a radio station, we took listeners/winners up for lunch in the Bay Of Islands in the old Grumman Goose ZK DFC, still in its Cold Water Surf TV commercial colours. I did about seven hours in it all up, and I well remember stunning days, beautiful waters, and sweeping low over the most spectacular scenery you could imagine to land on water, taxi onto the beach and enjoy a wonderful lunch. I remember the pilot working the yoke back and forth to get the thing unstuck on takeoff. I also used to wonder if "this will be the day I die" every time I got into it. It had old hesian looking stuff on the roof and walls, and the paint was flaking off the elevators. Anyhow, one day coming back toward Auckland, I looked out and we were formated on the Southern Cross replica. We followed it into the Whenuapai circuit until the tower told us to clear off! What a buzz. What an experience. What memories! |
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Post by aeromedia on Sept 8, 2011 20:33:50 GMT 12
Geez I'm wandering, promise to get back on subject real soon, but not before a quick shot of the Goose.  Sat out at Ardmore for some time before being sold to the Northern Hemisphere??? I think it is no more? Someone will throw light on that. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 8, 2011 21:38:17 GMT 12
Yes I remember ZK-DFC at the airshow, great stories there. I'd love to have that sort of opportunity, flying in a classic warbird next to the Southern Cross - wow! Here is a photo of the same Harvard that Dad took when we were at the airshow.  And here's another shot Dad took of ZK-DFC at Ardmore, running its engines.  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Sept 8, 2011 21:40:09 GMT 12
Goose ZK-DFC last NZ flight 26Aug91. S.Abd USA as N3116T September 1991.
After a couple of owners ended up with Intercon Development Inc., Boca Raton, FL
Crashed when hit a reef upon landing off Grand Cacos Island, West Coast Caicos Islands 15Dec92.
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Post by shorty on Sept 8, 2011 22:46:12 GMT 12
It was a stunning airshow, with great memories of the Sea Fury, Mustang, Venom and the Southern Cross Fokker Triplane replica. . What sort of Fokker was the Southern Cross Dave? |
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