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Post by hardyakka on Apr 1, 2012 18:45:01 GMT 12
I was very pleased to see the Catalina stand at Ohakea, complete with Dee Wakeling in flight suit. Ummmm... That would be Dee Bond these days...
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Post by Bruce on Apr 1, 2012 19:04:58 GMT 12
Looking at the pics of the wing box with leading edge and trailing edge off, it looks like there is a BIG repair required here. I'm not sure whether memorabilia sales will be enough... Hopefully a sponsor able to put up a decent lump of funding can be found. Still, every little bit helps!
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Apr 1, 2012 20:46:58 GMT 12
I asked one of the chaps at the Catalina stand yesterday what sort of money they are looking at and he said at this stage about 150 grand but that figure is not definite until the job is done. That's when I handed him $100 dollars and told him I hoped quite a few other people also contribute towards it. He was very grateful. As I already posted, I will probably give them a larger donation once I get Warbirds over Wanaka and a couple of other things I've got coming up out of the way. I have had a lot of enjoyment seeing the Catalina flying at numerous airshows and I have flown in her seven times — the first time was not long after she arrived in NZ and while the Cat was still wearing the Peter Stuyvesant colours. So I'm happy to help out in a small way. If plenty of other people who likewise enjoy having the Catalina around each make a small contribution, we can have the Cat back in the air again in no time at all.
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 2, 2012 3:31:09 GMT 12
That's right Dave, we left Wanganui at 8.30 and walked onto the base at 12.
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 2, 2012 3:50:02 GMT 12
Ummmm... That would be Dee Bond these days... Post corrected.
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Post by fwx on Apr 2, 2012 8:20:55 GMT 12
Dee mentioned 4000 hrs to me. I am now the proud owner of a Catalina NZ cap!
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Post by Chris F on Apr 2, 2012 12:48:55 GMT 12
Good to see support for the Catalina...this is one warbird we want to keep flying for many more years...I am sure with the right contacts are firm sponser can be secured.
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 2, 2012 17:55:29 GMT 12
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Post by harrysone on Apr 2, 2012 18:16:15 GMT 12
This the press release that many of you have been asking for...
The Catalina Club is determined to return the aircraft to airworthy condition.
The repairs to the aircraft are not difficult to undertake however the labour required is expected to be significant due to the size of the sections of wing parts.
Currently the organisation is investigating the most feasible way of restoring the aircraft which includes possibly obtaining parts from a donor Catalina. Meantime the organisation is investigating if there are suitable candidates around the world to offer spare wing components.
The cost of repairs are beyond the organisation’s means so will be launching a fundraising campaign to return ZK-PBY to airworthiness. ZK-PBY is a rare and historic aircraft the Catalina Club of New Zealand have operated this aircraft successfully for the last 17 years and without commercial sponsorship for the last 10 years. The aircraft has had no association with Mainfreight for a number of years now and it has only been through the hard work of the dedicated members of the non profit organisation that has kept the aircraft displayed at most aviation events around the country. Regrettably the support to house some of the Heavier Warbirds in a Hangar has not materialised and this has led to increased maintenance requirements of the Catalina as a result.
New Zealand is extremely fortunate to be home to such a significant aircraft that made a huge contribution to WWII. The New Zealand Catalina has been the only active Warbird painted to represent the efforts of the RNZAF in the pacific for a number of years.
ZK-PBY is the only PBY-5A that is based in the Southern Hemisphere and is of only a handful of Catalinas operational worldwide.
Your support to return New Zealand’s Catalina is essential. More details of how you can help will be posted shortly. [/b]
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 2, 2012 18:21:20 GMT 12
Where was this posted, harrysone? I can see no mention of it on their website.
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Post by harrysone on Apr 2, 2012 18:24:55 GMT 12
I am a committee member, of the Catalina Group, this response came directly from our manager.
I might also add that we also hope to have the means to facilitate donations to help restore the aircraft on our web page in the near future.
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Post by Damon on Apr 2, 2012 18:33:40 GMT 12
Can someone provide a detail of what actually needs to be done and the nature of the repairs nessesry to see the aircraft back airworthy and flying?Judging by whats being removed off the aircraft so far the work does look to be significant.
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Post by ZacYates on Apr 2, 2012 18:46:23 GMT 12
Thanks, it is great to hear from someone involved. I will be glad to contribute, and if you'd like semi-skilled labour to work for free then please let me know.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Apr 2, 2012 18:49:46 GMT 12
Bummer, I hope the funds can be found to restore PBY to an airworthy condition in due course.
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Post by harrysone on Apr 2, 2012 18:57:04 GMT 12
Why do you ask? Are you offering us some assistance Damon To be brief, the trailing edge sections of the stbd wing and centre section (1/3 of the chord of the wing sections) were scheduled for removal and refabricing (fabric is ceconite and has been there for over 20 years) and this inefitably requires the reconstruction of much of the lightweight aluminium extrusion in this section. In addition it has been acknowledged by the group that the lower wing skins of the stbd wing required replacement. The stbd wing has been removed to facilitate this work. It should be pointed out that the structural integrity of the wing spars and major stuctural members has not been in any way shape or form compromised by corrosion. Repairs that are to be undertaken are associated with skin repairs and the replacement of associated sundry members and this requires extensive re-riveting and many, many 100s of man-hours to complete the work. The cost of the man-hours is more than the group can afford to wholly fund
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Post by Damon on Apr 2, 2012 19:24:41 GMT 12
Does the repair required need parts /major sections that need to be sourced from overseas such as lower wing skins or can they be manufactured here?.Are they stress panels or outer skin sheet aluminium?
As for assistance I suspect that the distance is too great to offer some.However I wish the Catalina Group of New Zealand all the best in getting ZK-PBY back in the air.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Apr 2, 2012 21:40:04 GMT 12
Have you considered approaching RNZAF Ohakea for assistance. It is just down the road and the guys in the Skin Bay would be more than keen to help I'm sure if you can get the wing sections to them. Would be a nice RNZAF 75th Anniverary project.
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Post by harrysone on Apr 2, 2012 22:12:47 GMT 12
Hi Don
We would like to approach the Air Force or Air New Zealand maintenance for that matter, and we are sure that there are interested people within both organisations or even past employees that would be more than keen to do the work for us.
However one of our major issues is to find the right person, either within government or the airline at the upper levels who we can talk with or negotiate with to gain access to this expertise, it may be a difficult process to work through. If anybody here can help us out with establishing some of these contacts their help would be most appreciated.
BTW I believe that the skins can be manufactured here, however the same may not be true of the thin aluminium extrusions used to construct the trailing edge sections, these extrusions have been obtained in the past from sources in Canada.
Harry
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Post by skyhawkdon on Apr 3, 2012 7:44:29 GMT 12
Harry, contact Group Captain Russell Sowden in Wellington. He is an ex Ohakea Engineering Officer and current RNZAF Museum liasion officer. At Ohakea Warrant Officer Robbo Robertson may be a good place to start.
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Post by harrysone on Apr 3, 2012 8:24:24 GMT 12
Thanks for the leads Don, I have talked to our Manager and we will try and follow things up. Byt the way I have already drawn up a logo for our campaign to try and get 'PBY airworthy once more...you may be seeing some more of this...
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