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Post by pjw4118 on May 11, 2014 11:53:58 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2014 11:33:27 GMT 12
The Lancaster is possibly the best thing that France has ever done for New Zealand, and it's one of our greatest national treasures in my opinion.
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Post by harrysone on May 16, 2014 13:02:43 GMT 12
my 1/144 'commemoration'   |
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furd
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 71
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Post by furd on May 16, 2014 13:59:28 GMT 12
I remember the arrival well but not the date. I was a member of the maintenance team that prepared the aircraft prior to its journey to Motat and if it is 50 years this May, it must have been the last aircraft maintenance job I did before heading off to Wigram for my aircrew wings course.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 16, 2014 14:35:37 GMT 12
It sat at Whenuapai for several months before being shifted to MOTAT, didn't it?
Great model there Harry.
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Post by corsairarm on May 16, 2014 17:19:51 GMT 12
I agree that is a good model Harry. I notice it doesn't have any guns as in some of the photos but they appear in the first lot of photos. What was the reason for that?
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Post by harrysone on May 17, 2014 8:37:08 GMT 12
the kit was based on the Amodel maritime patrol RCAF Lancaster kit (as opposed to the RAF bomber), which didn't appear to carry the guns full-time, also other photos I have seen of the French Lancs had no guns...so I made my best guess at the time  |
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Post by shorty on May 17, 2014 10:28:56 GMT 12
It had guns when it arrived at MOTAT, see the photos in my "stash thread" that I took of it arriving on site.
Question- As it was presented to "The People of New Zealand" shouldn't it be available for all people in NZ, regardless of location, to view free of charge?
Nowhere did the presentation mention that it was being donated to MOTAT, they merely, by default, became the repository for it.
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Post by typerated on May 17, 2014 10:31:17 GMT 12
How far away from being airworthy would it be?
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2014 11:01:06 GMT 12
It had guns when it arrived at MOTAT, see the photos in my "stash thread" that I took of it arriving on site. Question- As it was presented to "The People of New Zealand" shouldn't it be available for all people in NZ, regardless of location, to view free of charge? Nowhere did the presentation mention that it was being donated to MOTAT, they merely, by default, became the repository for it. The guns were probably removed by the armourers for safe keeping till the aircraft was moved on. The RNZAF does not take kindly to weapons lying around unattended. As to your thoughts on free access Shorty, I think I'd rather see a small charge that is allowing the aircraft to be seen under cover, well lit, out of the damp and humidity, and with a decent display around it rather than a free monument on a pole outdoors. Think of all the other national treasures in places like the Auckland War memorial museum, Te papa, Canterbury museum, etc, which people also pay to see. It's impossible to maintain the upkeep on these items without an income stream, surely? |
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Post by harrysone on May 17, 2014 12:36:37 GMT 12
Re getting her airworthy again? Probably expensive, I understand the spars were 'chopped' to enable transport by road
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Post by TS on May 17, 2014 12:41:47 GMT 12
I had heared that as well about the 'spar chopping'? But I have also heared that the wings where dismantled correctly?  Someone here must know the real story...... |
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Post by shorty on May 17, 2014 13:23:22 GMT 12
Dave, those places you mentioned all have free admission with the possible exception of "Te Papa" which I am not familar with. (Dumb name anyway!)
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Post by ErrolC on May 17, 2014 13:39:23 GMT 12
Auckland War Memorial is currently free for Aucklanders. Te Papa is free. Both charge for special exhibitions.
Regardless, the gift of something requiring housing and maintenance without a suitable income stream attached pretty much removes your 'right' to say how that housing and maintenance is paid for IMO. Currently it is mainly Auckland ratepayers (and taxpayers?), plus admittance fees and volunteer time, I believe?
The French got goodwill, and not needing to fly it somewhere further away in order to scrap it. I doubt they really had any expectations beyond that.
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Post by nzjet on May 17, 2014 13:46:50 GMT 12
i would pay to see it restored to airworthy, we need some heavies on the scene here
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Post by baronbeeza on May 17, 2014 13:51:11 GMT 12
I am working on it....
Getting heavier that is !
Oh, you want the bro's to go visit Motat ? That may work..
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 17, 2014 15:40:35 GMT 12
Fair enough Shorty, maybe I used bad examples regarding the museums. But the point remains, I'd rather see it like it is than sat in a paddock rotting like it used to be. Thank goodness that the New Zealand Bomber Command Association rescued it and they and the Fleet Air Arm association raised the funds to get it covered.
The spars were never cut, it is a myth apparently. And Peter Wheeler and Phil Furner who both look after the Lancaster reckon it's pretty much "airworthy". You might need to spend half a million dollars overhauling the Merlins and checking out the airframe, but it's in great shape.
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Post by camtech on May 17, 2014 21:12:00 GMT 12
I can concur about the spars not being cut for transport.
There is a photo in Bee Dawson's book "Mighty Movers" which shows the Lanc ready for towing to Motat with wings removed.
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Post by TS on May 17, 2014 22:27:35 GMT 12
The spars were never cut, it is a myth apparently. And Peter Wheeler and Phil Furner who both look after the Lancaster reckon it's pretty much "airworthy". You might need to spend half a million dollars overhauling the Merlins and checking out the airframe, but it's in great shape.[/quote] Excellent!!!! So all that is required now is to talk to Mr P Jackson and have one of his replicas put into MOTAT and move the real Lanc to Omaka for restoration then....  He could then have a real one in his Dambusters movie.  |
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Post by Ian Warren on May 18, 2014 12:15:19 GMT 12
On board Lancaster 1987, only wish I had the camera I had today and fore-site to have taken many more photo's and in other positions, back then I only had a Olympus Trip 35    Sticking my thumb were  I should not have but you can see my helmut in the back door entrance  |
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He could then have a real one in his Dambusters movie. 
