|
Post by Richard Wesley on Apr 5, 2019 13:57:57 GMT 12
I went to MOTAT yesterday and new layout is great. The Lanc is back in its old position facing you as you walk in with the Kittyhawk up front and the others in lines down each side. The Solent looks like new and it is amazing how much space there still is in the new hangar. Well done to all who worked on the Solent as until you see it in real life you cannot appreciate the standard of workmanship. I would guess the last time it looked this good was it left the Shorts factory. Thanks for the update, would love to see some photos of the new layout. I will be back up to Auckland in October to check out the new look. Can't wait to see the Solent looking like new again.
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 5, 2019 14:27:22 GMT 12
Post by andrewpit on Apr 5, 2019 14:27:22 GMT 12
I have some photos but am not set up to load them I can email them to someone to post if you want
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 5, 2019 14:57:32 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 5, 2019 14:57:32 GMT 12
Email me at dave_daasnz@hotmail.com and I'll post them Andrew.
|
|
|
Post by andrewpit on Apr 5, 2019 15:00:37 GMT 12
Email me at dave_daasnz@hotmail.com and I'll post them Andrew. Hi Dave Just sent them. The file is quite big so hopefully hotmail won't reject it
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 5, 2019 15:09:49 GMT 12
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 5, 2019 15:17:50 GMT 12
Post by Richard Wesley on Apr 5, 2019 15:17:50 GMT 12
Thanks so much for the photos of the new layout. That's a lot of aircraft up in the air!
Good that people can really get around all sides of the big three now. The rear turret of the Lancaster was a little hidden away in its previous location.
Not sure the DC3 will have room to fit back inside for a while?
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 5, 2019 15:27:48 GMT 12
Post by andrewpit on Apr 5, 2019 15:27:48 GMT 12
My only criticism would be that a couple of the hanging aircraft over the Solents nose are a bit low
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 5, 2019 15:42:22 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 5, 2019 15:42:22 GMT 12
From what I was told quite some while back the DC-3 will remain in the Belfast hangar. But I do not now if that is still the plan.
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 5, 2019 17:22:49 GMT 12
Post by baz62 on Apr 5, 2019 17:22:49 GMT 12
Just looking at the underside of the Harvard here. Is that red object some kind of anti-collision light? Never seen that on the Mk IIa and III Harvards which had the three ident lights about there. Yes the hall is looking great and I suppose it's good to move things around now and again so you get a different view or a change of aircraft even. The Solent looks great.
|
|
|
Post by johnnyfalcon on Apr 5, 2019 19:42:54 GMT 12
The big boats look terrific - well done all who tirelessly and selflessly lavished attention on them
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 6, 2019 21:38:10 GMT 12
Since the Solent is now as good as new, if not better, this article I just happened upon while searching for something else seems appropriate to publish here. It's from the Gisborne Herald, dated 19th of October 1949:
SOLENT FLYING-BOAT ITINERARY ON DOMINION TOUR
The first of the Tasman Empire Airways’ new Solent flying-boats, R.M.A. Ararangi, now engaged in a series of demonstration flights, is to make a comprehensive tour of New Zealand on October 31. In the course of this tour the machine will leave Auckland at 7.30 a.m.. and will pass over most of the towns and cities of the Dominion.
From Auckland the Ararangi will fiy down the West Coast of the North Island and make a direct flight from Wanganui to Nelson, thence proceeding to Westport and Greymouth and then crossing the South Island diagonally to Invercargill. From that point the aircraft will turn north and fly by way of Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru and Christchurch up the east coast of the South Island, and later visit briefly towns on the east coast of the North Island.
The Ararangi is due over Gisborne at 4.45 p.m.. and is to spend five minutes circling over the town and district before proceeding on to Whakatane and Tauranga. The event will recall to many Gisborne residents the visit of a Lancaster bomber which toured New Zealand during the late months of the war and which made an impressive low-level flight over the town.
|
|
|
Post by Luis 'ᚭᛋᛒᛁᛅᚱᚾ' Rozas on Apr 7, 2019 15:17:30 GMT 12
I've just come back from MoTaT. I'm still editing photos, but here's something I've just edited. I'll post more as I edit more. Photo 1
Photo 2 Photo 3 Added two more photos of the Solent IV. I might add an Avenger shot next, and a Jetranger.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 7, 2019 16:49:30 GMT 12
That is some nice fine detail Luis. What a smashing job they've made of the finish.
|
|
|
Post by Luis 'ᚭᛋᛒᛁᛅᚱᚾ' Rozas on Apr 7, 2019 18:14:31 GMT 12
That is some nice fine detail Luis. What a smashing job they've made of the finish. I quite agree, one could be forgiven for thinking ZK-AMO was brand new.
|
|
|
Post by emron on Apr 7, 2019 20:58:15 GMT 12
I got my first look at the renewed Aviation Display during a walk around today. It was with a sense of relief to see at last the “Big Three” together safely under one roof; Lancaster, Sunderland and Solent. I cast my mind back to 1971 when I first helped to take care of them outdoors, the two flying boats in the open paddock at Meola Rd and the only building on site was the little Radar Hut that served as our toolshed; the Lancaster at Western Springs, parked up against the Gt North Rd boundary fence just across the road from the Golf course. I shared the dream with many to see them all under cover one day. Among the most passionate were Graeme Cossgrove, Barrie East, Tom Craill and John Barton, I wondered what they would have thought if they had lived to see this day. MOTAT first proposed a building to house the 3 planes in 1982 and sufficient funds were pledged for earthworks to commence and piles driven on a site roughly where the Aviation workshop is presently located. But in 1984 the Museum struck financial hard times and the project was cancelled. With strong backing from the Auckland City Council a recovery plan was quickly implemented and within a couple of years MOTAT was ready to accept a revised building proposal for the Westmere end of the site. Phase 1 Building of the Aviation Centre was completed in Dec 1987 with major support and contributions from affiliated organisations including Bomber Command Assn and Fleet Air Arm Assn. The Lancaster was first in, out of the weather. With additional fundraising help from the Friends of the Solent the Stage 2 building soon followed and by early 1990 the Solent was also inside. The Aviation Display Hall was finished in 2011 but it’s taken nearly 8 years to repair the ravages of time on the two flying boats. My first impression too was that the glider and the Magister are nearer than they could be to Solent, a little bit like a couple of startled sparrows taking evasive action from a grand swan suddenly in their midst, but if that’s the only cost for a long held and shared dream to be achieved then I can bear it.
|
|
|
MOTAT
Apr 7, 2019 22:54:59 GMT 12
Post by campbellbox on Apr 7, 2019 22:54:59 GMT 12
Magnificent work Emron. Thanks so much for your efforts and your updates on here. Side note: what a great turn of phrase this is - like a couple of startled sparrows taking evasive action from a grand swan suddenly in their midst.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 8, 2019 1:08:02 GMT 12
I completely concur, hanks Ron for all your efforts and for all your excellent updates. It's been great to follow the progress, and to gauge what was happening from afar. I love these threads where the museums offer regular updates and people all around the world are following. I now it's a lot of effort you've put in to do this, and it's definitely appreciated.
So, what's next? The DC-3?
|
|
|
Post by emron on Apr 11, 2019 20:26:55 GMT 12
I looked back a few pages to 12 months ago when we turned our full attention to the Solent project. We had to set aside work in progress on the rebuild of the DC3 flaps and the Sunderland turrets. Work has resumed on the DC3, the flaps are being test fit before painting. Now that both flying boats are things to admire from the outside, there’s much still to be done on the inside. I’m expecting that an early restart on the lower deck flooring of the Solent will be a priority job when I hear what the official program is. There’s still a set of turrets waiting in line to be finished too.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 15, 2019 9:19:29 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by planewriting on Apr 15, 2019 9:49:40 GMT 12
I shared the dream with many to see them all under cover one day. Among the most passionate were Graeme Cossgrove, Barrie East, Tom Craill and John Barton, I wondered what they would have thought if they had lived to see this day. I too had the thought on reading "what would they have thought..." in Emron's post. I was thinking of Joe Shephard and my father Brian Layne both who were involved with Motat - particularly Joe. I stood with them watching ZK-AMO being pulled up from the road to the future museum. Joe was the Solent's last pilot but on joining the RNZAF they trained together at New Plymouth and each flew a Sunderland from Scotland out to New Zealand as part of the 1944 Sunderland (four aircraft) delivery flight. Joe worked so hard to have the aviation hall built. Along with these men there are so many men (and women) who have been involved with the restoration in some way of the big boats. Like us today, they would be very impressed to see the dream finally come to fruition.
|
|