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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 24, 2017 22:47:47 GMT 12
As you can see, it is pretty munted!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 24, 2017 23:27:22 GMT 12
It looks like Curtiss backed over it with the truck when he picked up the engine.
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Post by davidd on Jul 24, 2017 23:30:10 GMT 12
Although rather "distressed", I do not think this aircraft was involved in a crash, more like "post-landing" damage, probably the result of beastly treatment by nasty humans having some fun at the expense of a helpless aeroplane! Definitely looks Oxford to me (and the colours look spot on for a WW2 British-type a/c), although Ansons also used Oxford cowls from about 1943/44 onwards. If an Oxford (or Anson) was involved in a crash one would expect severe crushing of leading edge and bottom of cowling, and certainly not flattened out like this particular example. David D
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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 25, 2017 7:51:54 GMT 12
Yes davidd, you could be right, although you would be talking of a direct prang into the ground or bush. This to me looks like a 'forced landing sort of damage' and according to the site: www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzoxford.htm NZ260 had done exactly that... "NZ260 Mk.1 503 P2034 Mark I. Built by Airspeed Ltd, Portsmouth, England. BOC with Unit No.1, Hobsonville on 25 April 1940 and assembled at No.1 Aircraft Depot. Written off after forced landing at Blenheim on 20 June 1940." As many of you know, I have done a few forced landings, and in the ones that didn't end up nicely, the damage sustained to my cowlings looked very similar - so maybe this Oxford (if it was an Oxford) was NZ260? Thanks also for the info on Ansons, davidd. I'll have to look into this possiblity.... Of course it could have simply been run over by a farmer on his tractor!
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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 25, 2017 8:06:54 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 25, 2017 13:30:50 GMT 12
Written off after forced landing at Blenheim on 20 June 1940." This is possibly referring to Woodbourne aerodrome as the place NZ260 force landed, as it was often referred to simply as Blenheim.
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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 25, 2017 14:45:44 GMT 12
Sorry, Dave, I wasn't meaning force landed in the Kenepuru Sound area - just that NZ260 had done a forced landing and then possibly been bought and shipped over to where the wreckage is now...but not necessarily the one Shorty saw in a photograph.... there's all kinds of possibilities, but at the end of the day, who knows?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 25, 2017 15:00:45 GMT 12
Has anyone asked the owner of the land where it was found or the neighbours about it?
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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 25, 2017 16:56:26 GMT 12
Not sure, but the fella that took the photos lives there and I just got an answer from him to your question: "Ive asked around but no one has ever seen it there, maybe a previous owner placed it there" (he found it out the back of his place)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 25, 2017 19:06:51 GMT 12
Have there ever been any large tornadoes or similar around that area? Perhaps it was picked up from elsewhere by one and dropped from a height onto this property. The may explain the impact damage. Just a thought, but quite serious in asking.
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Post by Bruce on Jul 25, 2017 19:13:30 GMT 12
It could have just been bowled around by cows - If you had a farmyard relic and the cows got around it, thats the sort of damage you could easily get...
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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 25, 2017 19:21:27 GMT 12
In reply to Dave's last post:
Yes that is always a possibility. As with ZK-WAC, I'm quite certain that was moved around in the high winds and that was a complete aeroplane! The aerial photo I have that shows it in the top of the trees was taken a week after Cyclone Bola went through. George Bolt had a DH9 move completely over a row of Microcarpas at Trentham and that was after it had been tied down! And you know how big and heavy that aircraft is!!! My initial thoughts was that possibly this cowling had detached and fallen off a plane that was flying overhead the area - obviously during WW2.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 25, 2017 19:59:24 GMT 12
It could have just been bowled around by cows - If you had a farmyard relic and the cows got around it, thats the sort of damage you could easily get... Do they have cows in the Marlborough Sounds?
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Post by camtech on Jul 25, 2017 20:14:10 GMT 12
They moove around a bit, I'm told.
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Post by shorty on Jul 27, 2017 19:23:23 GMT 12
Had a search through some old notes of mine to see what I had on the Oxfords (pl) that went out to the Sounds, I have noted that one to Knott & Harvey at Waitaria Bay and another to Harry and Wally Orchard at St Omer, don't have the serials but obviously they would be two from the lot that Jack Gould bought, so sorry Gav, the idea of the bits being from a crash is wishful thinking
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Post by grgrimmer on Jul 28, 2017 8:48:43 GMT 12
Thanks for doing the research Shorty. This about wraps this one up then!
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