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Post by harrysone on May 10, 2014 13:13:35 GMT 12
Can anyone help regarding ZK-PBY:
We seek the charitable services of a skilled aircraft fabric fitter. If you know of any person skilled in this work and available for a couple of weeks in NPL, please send me his/her details. (06) 7575339 or 0274 465 080 or peter@vause.co.nz. We need to do this work in NPL as the trailing edge sections are too flimsy in their disconnected state to transport safely for any distance
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Post by Bruce on May 10, 2014 16:23:15 GMT 12
Its the sort of thing I would love to be able to help with, but I don't have enough leave available at the moment
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Post by harrysone on May 12, 2014 12:51:05 GMT 12
Ahhh! yes..the dreaded leave balance situation, alas I know it well!
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Post by Andy Wright on May 12, 2014 13:06:47 GMT 12
The only quality fabric man - only fabric man - I know is Lyn Forster but he's in Melbourne and I haven't spoken to him for some time. He is retired, I believe, or working part-time (like I said, it's been a while). Should be able to get in touch with him via Tyabb Aero Club or Old Aeroplane Company if necessary.
No help at all, sorry.
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Post by McFly on May 12, 2014 14:01:03 GMT 12
It might be worth contacting Pete Gardner in Whenuapai to see if he's available for this request? Pete is an ex Air Force Warrant Officer (S&S Trade) and now retired who has done (and continues to do) a lot of 'bag' work on all sorts of fabric aircraft (including parachutes and hot air balloons). Pete can be contacted on (09) 416-8445.
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Post by Bruce on May 12, 2014 15:30:05 GMT 12
What Fabric system is being used? different people may be more familiar with certain systems - for example I prefer the polyfibre system, although I have also done cotton and dope.
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Post by harrysone on May 16, 2014 9:49:48 GMT 12
Update on ZK-PBY for all from current NZ Warbirds Flyer Catalina Update. Many people have noticed the absence of the Catalina in its parking space by the clubrooms at Ardmore and enquired as to its whereabouts and airworthiness. The Catalina was taken down to New Plymouth nearly two years ago for assessment and paint stripping mainly on the huge wings. The Club now the “New Zealand Catalina Preservation Society Inc” set about fund raising and Planning the refurbishment project. One outer wing panel was removed and this has allowed the Aircraft to be manoeuvred into Brett Emeny’s large hangar. With Peter Vause as Project Manager and Brett and a skilled team work is progressing very well with roll out planned towards the end of this year. The Club last week got the thumbs-up from CAA after a routine inspection of the work completed so far which is a credit to the team putting in so much effort. The aircraft will come out repainted and will then go to Auckland for re-weigh and then to Hamilton for Propeller Calendar inspection before seeing it in our sky’s again! Below is a photo of the Catalina in Brett’s hangar all scaffolded up for working on.
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Post by TS on May 16, 2014 10:09:02 GMT 12
Great Stuff!! Thank you for the update. Just one question you say a repaint is that going to be a different colour scheme of the whole aircraft? Or stay the same and repaint just the areas that have been repaired? Either way keep up the great work.
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Post by harrysone on May 16, 2014 10:43:10 GMT 12
we are discussing that as a group just now It would be nice for a change (even for accuracy), however white wings don't fade heating effects with other colours meaning that the fabric will last that much longer Any suggestions perhaps?
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Post by ErrolC on May 16, 2014 11:07:40 GMT 12
I think that there is little representation of RNZAF ww2 Pacific schemes in current aircraft, and would like the Cat to continue as one.
Are there errors/compromises in the current scheme?
Sent via Proboards Android App
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Post by harrysone on May 16, 2014 14:52:16 GMT 12
the current scheme was a compromise arrived at in 1998 to reflect the Russian Theme of Warbirds over Wanaka '98.
The scheme currently carried on the fuselage is more akin to the 3-colour US Navy Pacific based Catalina's in the mid to late war period, however the wing's upper sides were left white, they should have been the darker blue for accuracy however for longevity both for the paint & fabric surfaces (outdoors storage) it was considered better to keep this white. It has also been pointed out by Airways etc that the white wings make the aircraft more visible in the circuit as the blues & blue grays tend to merge in with hazy backgrounds (good camouflage!)
6 squadron aircraft were painted in WW2 more along the lines of intermediate blue-grey on the upper fuselage wings & tail & pale grey underneath.
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Post by nuuumannn on May 16, 2014 15:50:03 GMT 12
Good luck with this work, Harrysone, I wish you guys all the very best and look forward to seeing the Cat back in the air again. Here's a pic I took at Wanaka a number of years ago. Worked better in black and white, like you said, the broody cloud scape washed the colour out of the aircraft.
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Post by TS on May 16, 2014 18:53:25 GMT 12
the current scheme was a compromise arrived at in 1998 to reflect the Russian Theme of Warbirds over Wanaka '98. The scheme currently carried on the fuselage is more akin to the 3-colour US Navy Pacific based Catalina's in the mid to late war period, however the wing's upper sides were left white, they should have been the darker blue for accuracy however for longevity both for the paint & fabric surfaces (outdoors storage) it was considered better to keep this white. It has also been pointed out by Airways etc that the white wings make the aircraft more visible in the circuit as the blues & blue grays tend to merge in with hazy backgrounds (good camouflage!) 6 squadron aircraft were painted in WW2 more along the lines of intermediate blue-grey on the upper fuselage wings & tail & pale grey underneath. Ok I think you have answered the question yourself. PAINT IT WHITE ALL OVER. If this helps with longevity and saves on COST, I know what I would do.... After all it's for the good of the aircraft really as she is always outside ( which can't be good on a machine 60+ years old)
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2014 19:46:55 GMT 12
Can they paint a nose turret onto it?
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Post by komata on May 16, 2014 20:28:47 GMT 12
Apropos the colour scheme and 'white': Has any thought been given to the 'Post war' schemes that RNZAF 'Cats' carried? These are rarely portrayed and, if 'light' colours are required, could perhaps be a legitimate option.
Just a thought.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2014 22:21:09 GMT 12
A postwar one would be pretty dull compared with a wartime scheme in my opinion.
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Post by TS on May 16, 2014 22:35:25 GMT 12
Why paint a nose turret on it, lets go all the way and put a "real" ( dummy) one on? Somewhere is a picture of a "white" cat... Still comes down to ... "if you own it paint, paint it what colour you like"....
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Post by harrysone on May 17, 2014 8:16:39 GMT 12
We have a real turret, its currently sitting on the organisations's loaned & cosmetically restored 'hulk' in the Tauranga aviation museum. The key reason why this hasn't been installed is that ZK-PBY is actually now a Consolidated Model 28A-CF which is the civilian (airliner) conversion of the PBY/Canso carried out in the 50s/60s. Adding the turret may actually void us carrying passengers, I believe the Dutch catalina PH-PBY faces the same dilema
We are looking at the post war scheme...its not getting a whole lot of favour, in fact its visibility is probably even worse than a wartime scheme
We are considering hangar options too at this stage, there has been a realisation that once the aircraft is airworthy it cannot be allowed to deteriorate outdoors like it has.
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Post by typerated on May 17, 2014 9:03:52 GMT 12
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Post by TS on May 17, 2014 10:08:39 GMT 12
We have a real turret, its currently sitting on the organisations's loaned & cosmetically restored 'hulk' in the Tauranga aviation museum. The key reason why this hasn't been installed is that ZK-PBY is actually now a Consolidated Model 28A-CF which is the civilian (airliner) conversion of the PBY/Canso carried out in the 50s/60s. Adding the turret may actually void us carrying passengers, I believe the Dutch catalina PH-PBY faces the same dilema We are looking at the post war scheme...its not getting a whole lot of favour, in fact its visibility is probably even worse than a wartime scheme We are considering hangar options too at this stage, there has been a realisation that once the aircraft is airworthy it cannot be allowed to deteriorate outdoors like it has. Fair call on the Turret and the possible void of pax, wouldn't want that to happen as I really enjoyed my flight in her. But here's the thing ( other makes and mods aside here for a minute)can a "dummy" Turret be added in such away that there is no way of gaining access to it?? ie sitting on top. Then that way it has no open area forward of the cockpit. Just a thought it's your guys plane... Oh and I also think it doesn't have to be an RNZAF colour either just look at the Corsair and P40...
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