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Post by mit on Nov 1, 2017 21:05:52 GMT 12
That king air has the same fuse paint scheme as the retired RNZAF kingairs, with a black tail and engines, even has Airforce style safely markings.
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Post by camtech on Nov 2, 2017 11:54:52 GMT 12
Seems to be missing one of those whirly things from the stbd engine, or is this the first hybrid - one turbo prop and one turbo jet.
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Post by area51 on Nov 2, 2017 22:25:09 GMT 12
Spot on Mit. VH-LNK so happens to be ex NZ1885.
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Post by planecrazy on Nov 3, 2017 12:31:22 GMT 12
Spot on Mit. VH-LNK so happens to be ex NZ1885. Now that I know she's an ex Kiwi will get some more pic's be interesting watching her being dismantled and shipped out?! More soon............
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Post by planecrazy on Nov 23, 2017 10:51:05 GMT 12
Latest in and out, thanks again to my ever reliable warning device, arrived yesterday arvo from Coolangatta and took off for Auckland around 8am local time on Lord Howe. The pilot, Pacific Aerospace’s chief pilot, happened to be an ex A4 driver, Chris “Undies” Underwood. Chris is possibly/probably the last person to fly an A4 in New Zealand delivering NZ 6505 to Woodbourne on the 30/7/2004. Had a great old chat with Chris who kindly answered my many questions and also signed my History of the RNZAF Skyhawk book, thank you Chris!
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Post by ZacYates on Nov 23, 2017 11:26:45 GMT 12
The pilot, Pacific Aerospace’s chief pilot, happened to be an ex A4 driver, Chris “Undies” Underwood. Chris is possibly/probably the last person to fly an A4 in New Zealand delivering NZ 6505 to Woodbourne on the 30/7/2004. Had a great old chat with Chris who kindly answered my many questions and also signed my History of the RNZAF Skyhawk book, thank you Chris! How cool is that?! Wow!
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Post by planecrazy on Dec 7, 2017 16:02:07 GMT 12
Been meaning to post some pic’s from my collection for ages and the tipped up Dash 8 thread I posted in the photography thread has motivated me! Sorry for the quality copies of old slides! In the forty three years that water based aeroplanes visited Lord Howe Island seven where washed ashore and damaged only two where lost which is fairly impressive considering the isolated location and the exposed nature of the lagoon. In 1963 Ansett’s “Pacific Cheaftain” VH-BRE had to overnight due to a storm, that very storm got hold of her and washed her ashore. As the forecast was for further bad weather a decision was made to refloat her without a port float and move her to a more protected location. Sadly the starboard float collapsed with the wing falling into the rocks, she was now too badly damaged to be repaired. She was pulled up onto the beach and striped of all usable items. Some of the island people actually approached Ansett, wanting to convert the hull to a unique coffee shop come museum. Once everything of use was stripped the hull was taken to sea and scuttled. A replacement for the above machine was found across the Tasman, seen at Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour not long after she arrived to serve Ansett. Ex RNZAF NZ 4108, she was christened “Islander” (VH-BRC) with Ansett. She was converted from a spartan military Sunderland to Sandringham configuration by the Ansett engineers. After only one and a half years in service with Ansett”Islander” was washed up onto the same stretch of beach as her predecessor “Pacific Cheaftain.” Islander had come ashore in fairly calm conditions, she was quickly repaired and returned to provide faithful service for another eleven years. Here she is not long before the service came to a sad end in 1974. Sold to Charlie Blair of Antillies Air Boats and now, after some time in the UK with Edward Houghton, in the care of Kermit Weeks. As a foot note last winter I visited the Bull Creek aviation museum in Perth and found NZ 4108's turret removed when she was converted to a civil airliner. VH-BRF named “Islander” was to operate to Lord Howe island from 1963 till the service ceased in 1974!
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Dec 7, 2017 17:52:04 GMT 12
Also brilliant! Planecrazy, its a real asset having you parked out there in the middle of nowhere filling an important gap and fulfilling a unique role in trying to satisfying our insatiable thirst for all things aeronautical in our part of the world.
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Post by planecrazy on Dec 7, 2017 18:51:47 GMT 12
Thanks mate, can't help myself, I reckon I need some sort of aviation fix every day! Some more from the local museum's fire sale of images, we scored around seventy pictures, not only aviation but also other island life images. A wonderful late war shot of a RAAF PB2B2 “Black Cat” on Lord Howe island. Love the wear and tear, the crew member on the phones reaction also note the rudder hasn’t been repainted and most of all the quality of the image. Another nice shot, from what I can make out the RAAF got 47 of the 67 late model PB2B2 tall tailed Catalinas manufactured. More to come soon.........
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Post by planecrazy on Dec 19, 2017 11:20:30 GMT 12
This Kingair came out for a charter over the weekend, found out she is ex RNZAF NZ1881. In the back ground you can see her cousin VH-LNK, ex NZ1885 who has not seen any action for around five weeks now. (see previous page this thread)
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Post by planecrazy on Jan 9, 2018 18:52:52 GMT 12
Been a bit quiet over the festive season the first visitor of the New Year, as always thanks to my spy of the sky, MC, for the tip on her coming my way. This little hottie in and out today around 1pm local time, when I say hottie not much wind today and very hot so she came in fast. Fuel and go on to Coolangatta and eventually a new home in Perth Western Australia.
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jan 9, 2018 19:42:32 GMT 12
Damn, I'll bet that isn't cheap per litre!
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Post by planecrazy on Jan 9, 2018 20:00:23 GMT 12
From memory around $4.00 per litre, liquid gold, to be fair freight costs on the ship are around $275.00 per cubic metre, petrol for my vehicle $3.05 per litre!
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Post by planewriting on Jan 10, 2018 19:48:19 GMT 12
What I've noticed about the aircraft is it is not wearing its international identifier. I am assuming it is ZK-ELB. Have the rules changed for aircraft travelling internationally?
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Post by planecrazy on Jan 10, 2018 22:15:10 GMT 12
Have always wondered about this, have seen a few ZK registered aircraft come through without the ZK, have seen a few with ZK taped on especially those that are just visiting Oz then returning to NZ. I don't think I have ever seen a VH registered aircraft without the VH. Is this just a New Zealand thing? Reminds me of that classic line in the The World's Fastest Indian, Burt Munro is going through American customs and they ask him to spell Invercargill, he spells it out but adds that he often drops one of the l's to save ink!
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Post by planecrazy on Feb 6, 2018 10:50:15 GMT 12
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Post by planecrazy on Mar 27, 2018 18:58:26 GMT 12
Saving this page for the new RNZAF Kingair 350 that came through last Saturday the pilot asked me not to post for a week until they were officially announced.
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Post by planecrazy on Mar 27, 2018 19:08:08 GMT 12
This is an oldie, as in I took the pic a while back, this Partenavia been based at Ardmore for many years, off to a new home in North Queensland. These pic's earlier today, very wet, Airtractor on it's way to Hamilton, NZ via Lord Howe Island piloted by Steven Death, according to Flightaware 1,643klms taking around 5.5 hours, phew! flightaware.com/live/flight/VHFZQ
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Post by Bruce on Mar 27, 2018 19:49:26 GMT 12
Look out for a couple of homebuilts heading your way in the next few days. Pazmany ZK-TLP (Trevor Parker) and Vans RV-7a ZK-ECE (Steve Carr) are due through there on Friday en route to an Australian adventure. Departing Tauranga Tomorrow (Wednesday) Follow on Spidertracks: go.spidertracks.com/public/transaus#/flying
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Post by planecrazy on Mar 27, 2018 20:30:35 GMT 12
Thank you for the tip, most grateful!
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