Mr John Smith

[corsair67]

What is the story with John's collection at Mapua: does he allow the public in to see his collection at all? What aircraft does he have? What is his background in aviation: was he aircrew/groundcrew, or is he just mad on warbirds?

I just had a look at 'Hairy's' photos of some of John's aircraft and am amazed how original they are.

[DragonflyDH90]

To view Johns collection generally all you have to do is to find it. Its not that bad to find really.
Just that it sort of out in the middle of the wops!!!
It is located in a place called Mapua, which is about half way between Nelson and Motueka, on the coastal road.

The advice I would give would be too never mention the buying or selling of his collection, or what he intends doing with it, as he is a little eccentric and just as likely to as you to leave whilst waving a big stick.

The collection is amazing, Mosquito, Hudson, Kittyhawk, Mustang, Tiger Moth, various engines, stuff everywhere, a/c wings stacked high.
He is rumoured to have some RR Merlins hidden away as well still in their transport cases, and it would not surprise me, his sheds are jam packed with stuff.

As to his history, I have no idea.
I presume he just decided one day they would be cool to have.
I remember hearing stories as a kid (I'm from Motueka originally) that he went across to Blenheim to pick up the Mossie on a trailer and drove it to Mapua himself (and if you know the road it wouldnt have been the best back then), which is a huge undertaking.

The collection is great, really hard to see all of it, and difficult to get pics (read dark and cramped).

Worth a look for sure.

[hairy]

The cardinal rules as Mr. DH90 has already pointed out are;
1. Don't even think "how much".
2. Do not ask what he intends do do with every thing.
3. Know your aircraft, if you are knowledgeable he is happy to talk to you for hours.
4. Be prepared to crawl to get around the hangar.

During summer he reckons he gets up to four visits a day from people from all around the world.

As far as I can tell he is British and migrated to NZ sometime after the war. In NZ he has been an orchard spray contractor and also worked at the car assembly plant in Nelson. His passion for Military a/c seems to have stemmed from modelling.

The a/c he has are;

1 x lockheed Hudson.
1 x P-51
2 x P-40
1 1/2 x Harvard
1 x wooden thingy ;D
parts of at least 3 vampires.
( I do not know about the Tiger but I don't doubt it.)

I am going to remove the John Smith album from my public albums, I left it there by mistake as he asked for no publicity when I asked if it would be o.k to take photos.............sorry.

[corsair67]

Thank you so much, guys. I will have to look him up next time I'm back in New Zealand.

I had heard about not asking about what he wants to do with the collection, and Americans (?) being chased off the property for waving wads of cash in John's face. I think it's amazing that he has such a wonderful collection, and it looks like a real time capsule of RNZAF history.

I guess he's had his share of people thinking he's absolutely mad; especially when you consider he was buying these aircraft to keep reasonably intact, when everyone else was wanting to cut them up for scrap and aluminium ingots.

I always give my Dad a hard time for not buying a couple of Corsairs, Mustangs, and Kittyhawks as he had plenty of room to store them on the farm at Little River!

[Dave Homewood]

I visited John last year with a mate of mine who lives in Nelson and had gotten to know John over the years. He was a very knowledgable man, highly intelligent conversationalist too. I have a lot of respect for the guy, and I loved his collection.

His Mosquito is his pride and joy, he has fully restored the interior and it's like a new plane inside. He is happy for people to have a look inside.

Apart from the rules above, I will add two points. Be very cagey about taking a camera, don't just pull it out and start clicking. He doesn't like that I'm told. He will usually give permission to take photos so long as you don't go passing them around or using them to publicise the collection.

The other thing is, be prepared for a long day. I'm told, and this happened to me even when I was there with one of his mates, that he'll keep you talking on his doorstep for at least half an hour, sometimes much longer, sussing you out before he offers to open the sheds. I have heard of people bowling up and asking straight off for a look, and being refused. He likes to get to know his visitors first.

I was glad to hear last year from my mate who runs the RNZAF Museum restoration section that they and John are on good terms these days. Past RNZAF officials had peed him off, but the current team has worked up a good rapport with him and he has been helping them on several projects I'm told - like allowing them to measure P40 parts so they can fabricate it for their one, etc. So that's cool.

He did mention when I was there last year that he'd been a pilot himself, he learned to fly on Tiger Moths in the 1950's from memory. He talked about watching the planes in England during the war too. He must have been a kid then, it's really hard to pin an age on him as he only looks like he's in his late 40's/early 50's but must be much older.

[Bruce]

Aparently he started collecting his aircraft when he was a teenager - other bits which he may or may not have include a complete gun turret off a RNZN Destroyer! We can be very grateful to him because he would have been about the only one around at the time interested in saving the aircraft for what they were. I entirely respect his right to do what he wants with the aircraft - after all he was the one who made the effort to save them. good on him too....

[Dave Homewood]

There was a rumour some years back that John had told the RNZAF that when he dies, the aircraft are all to be destroyed so they cannot get their hands on them. I heard this from several people in the know, not just 'enthusiasts'. I hope that - if it was true - he has reconsidered. Sure, he can do what he likes with his property, but realistically the aircraft are also treasures of national importance, and I hope when John has passed away that they might be restored and form a special John Smith Wing in a national museum, such as Wigram or better still, the new National Aviation Museum at Omaka. Imagine how nice it would be to see the Gloria Lyons combat verteran P40 fully restored, along with the Hudson and Mossie and P51D, etc. I think they should not be allowed to be destroyed as the rumour states, and I'd love to see them stay together and not just go off to some millionaire foreingers who might paint them in spurious US colours, etc.

[corsair67]

Thanks for all this advice, gentlemen: you are legends! One day, if I ever get to Mapua I will remember all this advice. I certainly won't be asking about buying them: I couldn't afford to buy the dust on them, let alone the aluminium/wooden wonder underneath.

The advice about taking photos is interesting, as I always ask permission to take photos when I visit someone's aircraft collection, as I believe you should never take anything for granted. Recently, when I was up in Masterton I visited the Old Stick and Rudder Collection at Hood Aerodrome and one of the first things I asked was if it is alright to take pictures of the collection. Paul let me wander around on my own and click away to my hearts content.
The FG-1D Corsair NZ5648 is wonderful to see in the flesh, and so is the P-40E Kittyhawk NZ3009!Pity Ray Hanna liked to have them painted in American colours!

Anyway, sounds like I should take a few beers to have on the porch before asking about seeing the aircraft. I hope he's not serious about having the aircraft chopped up when he dies, especially since he saved them from that fate in the first place.

[Dave Homewood]

To be honest, after my mate (who knew John fairly well and had heard all the stories, probably many first hand) had told me the stories about what had happened with photographers in the past, I was too nervous to even ask and never pulled my camera out of my bag at all. But I didn't need to really, the memories of that place are good enough.

I would think the threats made were spur of the moment. I have heard the particular Air Force officer who he had a run in with was not known for tact and was a pompous type, and had made the whole relationship rather strained. As I say, John and the Air Force Museum team get on very well nowadays, so hopefully some sort of better arrangement will be found to secure the future of the planes.

[jbbod]

Bit of an old topic guys. I would be really interest to see John Smiths aircraft collection. I am a young aviation enthusiest, particularly like ww2 era aircraft. I understand John does not have a phone or email contact. I am in the North Island but would like to come down and have a look. Is there anyone that could point me in the direction of whom to speak to, or knows hik personally? Would really just love to see the planes that is all. Hopefully someone can help

Cheers
Jeremy

[Richard Wesley]

Just dropped you a personal message Jeremy, Cheers Richard

[jbbod]

Thanks Richard much appreciated

[kiwi62]

Apr 4, 2018 22:09:37 GMT 12 Richard Wesley said:

Just dropped you a personal message Jeremy, Cheers Richard

Would love to see his collection, if anyone can please advise further details as to the location it would be appreciated.
Thank you

[Dave Homewood]

Ive been told over last weekend that Mr Smith is no longer receiving visitors.

[ww2]

Hi.

Unfortunately John SMITH of Mapua passed away in August 2019

Was cool at his funeral 2 planes flew over trailing smoke...one was an Avro Anson rebuilt by Bill Reid of Wakefield that is based at Omaka

Plans being made for the mosquito which is good - it wont be leaving NZ !!!

[Dave Homewood]

Yes most people here are aware of John Smith's death.

Another thread of interest is here:
rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/27961/john-smith-collection

[ww2]

Well just to update anyon looking at thius post

Poor old John Pasted away in 2019

Luckily his family have donated donated his mosquito to the Omaka Aviationm centre at Blenhiem Nz will be on display there

I was luckily enough to be able enough to help dismantle the plane before it was moved.

Got to sit in it on last time....thank you John for your forsight in preserving part of this WW2 history.

I asked his eldserly brother George how much they paid dfor it in 1956 an he said 80 pounds !!!

[Damon]

80 Pounds , probably quite alot at the time ,Then he had to shift it to Mapua.

[Peter Lewis]

Could be two months pay - before tax!

[Dave Homewood]

Please direct all further discussion to the far more current thread on the John Smith Collection, here

rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/27961/john-smith-collection