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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 3, 2012 21:36:29 GMT 12
Cops... well yes seen heaps incuding about 4 in just a few minutes earlier today.
Not a problem with the load, just Baz and his breath test. ( At Wairoa)..
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Post by baz62 on Dec 3, 2012 21:47:24 GMT 12
Anthony, johnny wants to know whats your J5G doing on our thread he reckons you should go and start your own ha ha. ;D I explained that you had very helpfully removed your Auster to make room for my "new" one. yes poor BRA is very very munted and a testament to the strength of the Auster frame that the pilot survived with a few bruises.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 3, 2012 22:45:54 GMT 12
Great suff guys, this is a really entertaining thread, But what's the story wuth the Piper Tomahawk fuselage?
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Dec 4, 2012 5:36:29 GMT 12
Baz and The Baron are safely on their way to the ferry to begin the last leg of the journey South. Thanks for the adventure boys. See you when I get home.
...Tomahawk? What Tomahawk?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2012 6:49:47 GMT 12
The hunk of aircraft on top of the trailer with the rego ZK-EYG in the Pahiatua photo. Is that Kevin's bit of junk?
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Post by Andy Wright on Dec 4, 2012 9:43:15 GMT 12
Almost spat my tea out when I saw the pic of the Mondeo fully loaded. You blokes are true enthusiasts. Thanks for the entertaining and somewhat inspiring read.
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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 4, 2012 18:44:12 GMT 12
Ok, we whistled a thousand Km up the line, bought a trailer on the rebound trying to come up with contingency plans, hitch-hiking about the Wairapa looking for something I can buy within hours, dossed in some really strange places, did our best to give progress reports.... (with very limited internet access) and conducted a little wheeling and dealing on the trot as well. Was it worth it ? Well time will tell. You will note the trailer is not the best but it probably did the job also. (http://www.eaa.org/news/2010/2010-11-24_mosquito.asp) Thanks to EAA news. A couple of blokes seemed to think they deserved a beer. Two aircraft are probably a great deal closer to returning to the skies as a result also. All in all a very interesting trip and despite some early hurdles it all seemed to fall into place and from Saturday afternoon onwards most thing went to plan. The return trip was for the most part uneventful and had Team BRA safely back in ChCh before dinner tonight. I am sure we can trickle some more pics into the thead but it was great teaming up with Baz and Johnny and achieving what we did. Baz did wonders with staying alert while driving and Johnny did great with the planning and navigation. Base Wellington worked out well with the journey south a bit of an easy frollick compared to some of the events of previous days. A great week out and a memorable adventure, hopefully one to be repeated when the other trailer decides to resurface. Thanks again team. Well done
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Post by baz62 on Dec 4, 2012 19:22:08 GMT 12
Yep having The Baron and Johnny along was a tremendous help and all three of us could bounce ideas off each other regarding how to setup the load(and with Dave at his place) and best ways to tie it all down. Considering we did approx 1500Km we only had to do a few adjustments two or three times. The biggest problems were the Auster's wings as they tended to want to move outwards. The Tomahawk fuselage and the Auster fuselage didn't move the whole trip. The Mondeo was a gamble as she has done 224K (nearly 226K now!) but I kept her maintained, regular oil and filter changes etc. The really steep parts she would accelerate in 2nd gear but if you went into 3rd she would start to slow down. Biggest problem was when I had to start from a standing start on a steep bit. She kept on stalling until I rode the clutch and got her moving. Wont do that again I thought until in Wellington's rush hour another car broke down on the motorway in my lane in a steep bit and I had to try and keep her going stop start stop start riding the clutch until i could change lanes! yeah you could smell the burning as she got hot!! Didn't seem to bother her though as today she marched up the hills as before no problem. Glad to be home and i found out today that there was a problem with my CNC at work this morning so as the part needed has to come from Sydney i can have another day off. Thank god I need a rest!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2012 19:58:47 GMT 12
Crikey, so as well as an wrecked Auster and a Tomahawk fuselage, you've also found a new Mosquito project? Way to go Baz!
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Post by baz62 on Dec 4, 2012 21:16:27 GMT 12
Crikey, so as well as an wrecked Auster and a Tomahawk fuselage, you've also found a new Mosquito project? Way to go Baz! I think I may have swooned away if presented with yet another bit of aircraft to strap on Dave! ;D
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Post by JW on Dec 4, 2012 21:36:32 GMT 12
Interesting adventure you had Baz. Looks like you had some fun though along the way.
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Dec 5, 2012 5:29:28 GMT 12
There's a video of our departure from the farm strip in Gisborne that Baz may put up a link to. Well done for getting back safe and in one (collective) piece boys.
Now, where was that crashed Fletcher you spoke of baronbeeza...?
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Post by baz62 on Dec 5, 2012 10:20:44 GMT 12
Oh yeah the video! Johnny took this showing ZK-BRA take her last run up the farm strip. The last bit where I straighten the Mondeo up is actually the runway towards the end of the one and only landing direction. Why? Because then there is a farm fence, the road and then another bloody great hill!
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Post by skyhawkdon on Dec 5, 2012 14:07:15 GMT 12
Have you got the Mondeo booked in for a new clutch Baz? Seriously, didn't she do well! Not that I'm Ford fan or anything
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Post by baz62 on Dec 5, 2012 14:46:01 GMT 12
Hell Don without the trailer on she's like a rocket! The clutch doesn't show any signs of slipping but will keep an eye on it for a while.
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rhyno
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 90
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Post by rhyno on Dec 5, 2012 16:14:08 GMT 12
Are you not affraid of cross pollination with the two fuses like that? And just what happened for BRA to end up in such a bad way?
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Post by obiwan27 on Dec 5, 2012 21:36:03 GMT 12
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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 5, 2012 22:27:59 GMT 12
The Tomahawk fitted on pretty well compared to what it looked like right-way-up.
We had already checked the fuselage and as it was stripped out it was very light. We estimated 60 to 70Kg so we had no qualms considering placing it on top of the load. Given the reduced footprint of resting it on the cabin roof we figured it would fit pretty well.
We packed the Auster accordingly so it took very little extra to then place the spare fuse up on top. Our plywood floor extension deprived us of a tie down between the fuselages and the wings. Although we managed to tie the fuselages down very well it took a little trial and error to get the forwardmost portion of both wings to stay nicely tucked in. It only took a little tightening of the few tie-down ratchets in that corner every few hundred Km. We eventually tied the 6x2 cross brace more securely and that fixed the issue.
Given that the trailer was a quick ring-in to replace the one that went MIA we were very fortunate. The dungery looking replacement proved to be just the right size and did the 1600 Km it travelled effortlessly.
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Post by bobajob on Dec 5, 2012 22:52:38 GMT 12
Good job all round.. Well done Bob Howard
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Post by suthg on Dec 6, 2012 6:28:17 GMT 12
And a trailer restoration as well - I assume it had a WOF!! But yes - it suited the job in the end. You hadn't paid for the one that got away - stolen?
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