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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Feb 8, 2011 16:39:30 GMT 12
Flight of the Tiger MothBy KATHERINE ROBINSON - The Dominion Post | 3:45PM - Thursday, 20 January 2011AIR AND GRACES: Open-cockpit thrills over the Wairarapa's Ruamahana River. — KATHERINE ROBINSON/The Dominion Post.I BLAME my diary, which comes with cheery motivational messages for every week of the year. The day I was asked if I'd like to go for a joyride in a Tiger Moth I read, "Be brave. There is no substitute for experience." I remember this much later, bouncing 1500 feet up above the Wairarapa Plains in a plane that feels as a light as a butterfly.
Now, my experience of flight to date has usually involved at least two hefty jet engines, a cabin crew, and an aisle wide enough to hold the trolley load of drinks that will anaesthetise me to the fact that I am thousands of feet up in the air in a metal tube.
Flying a Tiger Moth is quite different. For a start it's an open-canopied plane. Not a strong selling point for some, but a test of my theory that it's not heights that make me jittery — more a fear of confined spaces.
And it's romantic. The plane's double-winged silhouette recalls the days when planes were made of cloth and tied together with string. The first De Havilland Tiger Moth flew in 1931 and 10 to 20 years later it was still the primary training plane for air forces around the world.
Hollywood loves the Tiger Moth — Meryl Streep leapt into one in Out of Africa to chase flamingos over Lake Tanganyika, and in The English Patient Ralph Fiennes pilots a Tiger Moth over the sinuous North African dunes. (I ignored comments from those who reminded me that both the planes crashed.)
"So, are small planes dangerous?" I ask John Bargh, chief pilot of the New Zealand Sport and Vintage Aviation Society's aerial acrobatic team at Masterton's Hood Aerodrome.
He chooses his words judiciously. "Well, a lot of small planes are flown by non-commercial pilots and I think sometimes they push it a little," he says. "You have to be careful with the weather here."
John made his first flight as a teenager in 1969 and has stacked up at least 20,000 hours in the air as a topdressing pilot. Flying is how he earns his living and it's also what he does for fun. He practises loop-de-loops and barrel rolls in the Tiger Moth, and once took it on an all-day flight to Wanaka for an airshow. He is my pilot for the next hour or so.
We are both clad in the full Biggles kit — big leather flying jacket, bathing cap-like helmets with goggles and huge ear muffs. There's no mirror, but I'm pretty sure I do not look like Meryl Streep.
But the plane, ZK-BLK, is the real thing. Built at the Rongotai works in 1943 to train Royal New Zealand Air Force pilots bound for combat, it has less instrumentation than my car and is considerably narrower.ANXIOUS AVIATRIX: Katherine Robinson prepares for take-off in a vintage Tiger Moth.I sit in the front, right behind the propeller — a little unnerving, as it makes me wonder if I am expected to drive this thing. Actually, I am just ballast and tightly strapped to the seat. According to John, it's quite hard to fall out, as G-forces would push me inside, even if the plane flew upside down. If I feel airsick, John tells me, I should just pull down one of the sides and go to it over the wing.
The Tiger Moth has a reputation as a fearless yet forgiving plane that yearns to be in the air. It's true — the plane trundles briefly along the grass, not so much taking off as allowing the wind to lift it. Once airborne, it becomes clear how sensitive the plane is to any breeze. A light to moderate wind at ground level translates to a lumpy ride from even 500 feet up. The plane twitches with every gust.
After one rollercoaster-like lurch, I take a few panicky photos that capture my own white knuckles.
Gradually, I calm down — I tell myself that I have been on bumpier roads. If anything, it reminds me of sailing with the same exhilarating sense of being part of the elements.
The engine is a comforting hum, turning into a growl when the little plane beats against a headwind. A wind shield above the cockpit protects me, but if I make any movement away from it, the wind roars in my face. I have to grip my camera as I take shots of the Wairarapa Plains stretching down to Palliser Bay and north to Mount Bruce.
"It's really best early in the morning," says John. "The air is as smooth as silk."
The plane's normal cruising speed is a gentlemanly 70mph (113km/h), but in aerial acrobatics like the loop-de-loop, John points the plane straight at the earth and rockets down to get the speed up to 120mph. This gives enough momentum for him to level out, flip the plane and swoop down. It has been likened to getting a Morris Minor around a racetrack.
We tootle about for a bit above the tangle of the Ruamahunga River, tidy lines of vineyards and a surprising number of backyard swimming pools. Then we swoop low into the afternoon sun towards the Tararuas.
"I'll bank so you can get a better shot," crackles John over the microphone. The wing dips sharply and the horizon isn't in the right place any more.
We spiral, banking tightly around. An old farmhouse, swimming pool and vegetable garden appear on the wing tip. It should be scary, but I'm too busy taking in the view to worry.www.stuff.co.nz/travel/4556762/Flight-of-the-Tiger-Moth
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 8, 2011 21:19:42 GMT 12
Nice story, largely devoid of the usual hysterics.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 8, 2011 21:35:27 GMT 12
I thought the aeroplane in Out of Africa was a DH60 Moth?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 8, 2011 21:47:24 GMT 12
Continuing Tiger NZ1453 was relegated to INST168 in 1956 serving with 4TTS Woodbourne. Sold in the mid 1960s, it was rebuilt by Mark P Robertson at Thames incorporating parts from his Tiger ZK-BJQ which had crashed on landing at Whitianga 14Jun68 and became ZK-CYC in September 1968. Passing into the hands of Ross Duncan of Pukekohe in 1980, it is still current but again seems to be seldom seen these days. ZK-CYC at Kaipara Flats 2004ZK-BVN was a post-war import from the UK, arriving for the Middle Districts AC, Milson and carrying the registration ZK-BGY. It was withdrawn at a later stage for reasons unknown to me, and then resurrected as ZK-BVN in 1958. After some years as a glider tug at Nelson and Wellington, it moved into private ownership and ended up with Dave Phillips at Ohakea. Apparently Dave did a rebuild using parts from NZ1471/IST125 before passing ownership to Brian Rankine in 1987. In 2003 the aircraft was re-registered as ZK-BTR, still under Rankine ownership, At Nelson 17/1/1965After RNZAF service Tiger Moth NZ1472 was Dec.surplus 28Jun56. Sold by tender Aircraft Engineering Co of NZ Ltd., Rongotai, for £355. Converted to civil status for R J & J K Harding, Wanganui as ZK-BRM from 17/10/1956 it first flew as a civil aircraft on 15/4/1957 with Wanganui Aero Work Ltd. Passing into private ownership, it lives on the Coromandel. ZK-BRM, looks to be at OmakaNZ1443 saw military service from 1942 until Dec.surplus 28Jun56. Sold by tender to Aircraft Engineering Co. for £335. Became ZK-BRL with Aircraft Engineering Co of NZ Ltd., Rongotai and had a succession of private owners over the years. Currently active at Rangitata Island. ZK-BRL at Wigram 1998
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Post by The Red Baron on Feb 9, 2011 6:02:15 GMT 12
Looks like Matamata,there was an aircraft engineer based there in the '50s-60's.
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Post by lumpy on Feb 9, 2011 6:10:25 GMT 12
Looks like Matamata,there was an aircraft engineer based there in the '50s-60's. Agreed , that it doesnt look quite for Omaka . The hills seem a bit far away .
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Post by angelsonefive on Feb 9, 2011 10:32:21 GMT 12
"NZ1485 was relegated to instructional use as INST151 at Hobsonville in 1951, and was eventually passed to 29Sdn ATC, Rotorua where it was rebuilt by Art Finch"
There was an engineer working at Masterton in the 1960's named Arch Finch. Among other things he looked after the Wgton and Wairarapa GC gliders and tow plane ZK-ATI. Would this be the same guy ?
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Post by Dave.K on Feb 12, 2011 15:39:31 GMT 12
I see you missed ZK- AKH. It was owned by the late Jack Hanlon in Dunedin. It crashed and burned at the Waimate air show Easter Monday 27 April 1975, killing Jack. He also owned Chipmunk ARL, a Salto glider, and a hot air balloon.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 12, 2011 23:12:12 GMT 12
ZK-AKH ex NZ807 Civilianized for Otago AC, Dunedin At DHNZ Rongotai Ed Coates photoCr & DBF at Waimate airfield 31Mar75.
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Post by hairy on Feb 21, 2011 21:09:03 GMT 12
Hah! You don't get rid of me that easily.....................I'm back. ;D RNZAF Tigers that didn't make it onto the civil register. NZ793, sold to Mr Anderson from Wigram 24 January 1947. NZ1437 (Inst.131), sold to Air Advertising Ltd., Blenheim, 1 May 1958. NZ1471 (Inst.125), seen here at Hobsonville, was transferred to the Masterton ATC in the late '60s. Parts used to rebuild ZK-BVN. (I wonder what's for lunch? ) NZ1481 (Inst.150), seen here at Hobsonville, currently on display at the RNZAF Museum masquerading as NZ825, anybody know why? The real NZ825 became ZK-AIB and is currently at Mandeville. Next up is anonymous RNZAF Tigers. 1st up is an anon. instructional airframe. Anon. de-mobbed Tiger at Mangere. Now for some RNZAF Tiger group shots. Some sort of parade at Whenuapai 1940. Mass take-off from Wigram (I think). And to round out the RNZAF Tigers, here is NZ730 leading a line up of factory fresh DeHavillands at Rongotai in June 1940. Modellers, note the interestingly camouflaged Fox Moth on the left of the first row. Next up will be anonymous civil Tigers and civil group shots.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 21, 2011 21:32:33 GMT 12
Simply brilliant post. That massed take off is a stunning shot. That could be Harewood I think, not certain though. I wonder what that was in aid of, perhaps some city flypast to raise bonds. There are at least 19 aircraft in the shot, simply amazing. The sight and sound of them going over in formation would be great.
I am also pleased to see that shot of all the Tigers lined up at Whenuapai. Obviously it is when No. 4 EFTS was based there, but I never realised that they had quite that many Tiger Moths on that station, I see 28 in that line up. Great stuff.
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dh83
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 7
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Post by dh83 on Feb 22, 2011 7:59:48 GMT 12
Most enjoyable Tiger pictures I have seen in awhile, thank you dh83
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Post by hairy on Feb 22, 2011 21:06:57 GMT 12
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Post by The Red Baron on Feb 22, 2011 21:24:04 GMT 12
1,2,4,5,6,7. are all at Matamata.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 22, 2011 21:57:10 GMT 12
Great juxtiposition there Marcus, all that low flying and then the dinged kites. ;D
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Post by hairy on Feb 23, 2011 21:15:41 GMT 12
1,2,4,5,6,7. are all at Matamata. Thanks for the location. Tonight we have group shots. Box Brownies, urgh. Photographer unknownA nice shot spoiled by some horrid little car. Line up at a Hawkes Bay and East Coast Aero Club pageant, taken through the wing of ZK-ARZ. Auckland Aero Club Tigers at Mangere. Waikato Aero Club line up. (L-R) ZK-ALU, ZK-ALL, ZK-ALT, ZK-ARY Auckland Aviation Services Tigers ZK-AOU and ZK-AUD at Mangere. Note the Whenuapai-ish hexagonal concrete work. Auckland Aviation Services fleet in the hangar, (L-R) an Auster, ZK-AUD, ZK-AOU, ZK-ANQ. Note the abundant spares at the rear of the Hangar. Next will be formations.
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Post by JW on Feb 23, 2011 22:36:21 GMT 12
Would anybody have any pics of ZK-BEF that they would be able to post in the thread here?
Thanks,
JW
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Post by furyfb11 on Feb 24, 2011 9:05:56 GMT 12
BEF at a very gloomy Opotiki 27/1/91
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Post by JW on Feb 24, 2011 14:55:41 GMT 12
Thanks furyfb11 for posting the pics of ZK-BEF.
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Post by hairy on Feb 27, 2011 19:29:15 GMT 12
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