NZ1092 - ZK-WAR photos needed please

[Dave Homewood]

Does anyone here happen to have any photos of Harvard NZ1092 in service, and later as ZK-WAR (the flagship of NZ Warbirds when it was owned by Trevor Bland and Stan Smith)?

I'd especially like to find coloured photos of her in her original ZK-WAR scheme as Lady Wigram with the yellow cowl and control surfaces and camouflage please.

This is to use in a film I am making about Trevor Bland.

[hairy]

I've got a B/W pic of it at Wigram in service, unfortunately it's only in the Grey/International orange of the later years in service.

[Peter Lewis]

Dave, thread title needs to be changed to NZ1092.

My contribution:

1964


1979




1994

[flyjoe180]

Hey Dave, there was a picture of NZ1092 WAR in the 1983 (?) souvenir programme for the Whenuapai Wings and Wheels show from memory. It was in formation with ENE I think, and featured the Lady Wigram scheme you talk of, albeit in black and white. I don't have the programme to hand, it is in Auckland with my other stuff.

[Dave Homewood]

flyernzl said:

Dave, thread title needs to be changed to NZ1092.

Ah, finger trouble. Changed now, thanks.

Cheers for the photos Peter, much appreciated. They will be useful for the film. Is it possible to get larger dpi quality ones emailed through please?
[e-mail]

Joe, thanks anyway, but I wouldn't be able to find out who the copywrite holder is probably. I was hoping someone here might have taken some in the earlier Lady Wigram scheme.

Marcus, your photo would be most welcome too please, via email.

[flyjoe180]

From another memory, there is one colour shot of that Harvard in The History of NZ Aviation book by Ross McPherson and Ross Ewing. That woudl have credits etc?

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, I think you're right. I will look into it. I know Ross Ewing so hopefully it's his shot. Cheers.

[flyjoe180]

No problem

[lumpy]

Yes , its on page274 and is credited to Chris Barlow

[Dave Homewood]

Does anyone know Chris Barlow at all? It's a lovely air to air shot.

[tbf25o4]

An interesting story on the first warbird scheme for NZ1092. It was painted at Wigram by the Safety and Surface workers who used some standard aircraft camo paint (as used on the iroquois) but had been sent to Wigram to camo the white toyota landcrusier used for tactical comms. As the Comms flight commander I was continually badgering the S&S workers to get my vehicle painted for an Army exercise. On one visit to them the sheepishly explained that the paint had "Time expired" and had been disposed of. In the background to this conversation was NZ1092 sporting a new colourscheme that looked vaguely (or most accurately) like the colours my vehicle was supposed to be painted in.
However, as an aviation historian and aeroplane nutter I forgave them.
The end result was our vehicle received a repaint with new stocks and went on the exercise!

[SEAN]

Dave

Found a couple I took at Ardmore in the early 80's:

[p40fanatic]

Oh! Topless Harvard! Is this "aviation porn" at its purest?

It's great to see these old pics and hear the stories about the beginnings of the civil Harvards and indeed Warbirds itself. And can't wait for the TT doco, Dave!

[Dave Homewood]

Nice shots there Sean, thanks.

Paul, great story regarding the paintjob. Do you recall the names of the S&S guys involved with painting ZK-WAR? Or those at Wigram that restored her? Trevor reckoned that apart from the 'Lady Wigram' name which he added as his own touch, the scheme was accurate to a Harvard that had flown at Ohakea, yellow surfaces and all. He said one of the guys had researched and found the scheme. However Wings at that time noted the surfaces were yellow because they had no camouflage coulours in the dope (which is backed up by your story that the paint was nicked )

Did a Harvard ever fly at Ohakea with the yellow surfaces on the wings and tail, and with the WA-R codes? I'm sceptical.

[hairy]

p40fanatic said:

Oh! Topless Harvard! Is this "aviation porn" at its purest?

The brazen hussy has been at it again..........


Also when and why did she lose the radio mast?

[p40fanatic]

Good question! I for one love the "early model" look the mast gives.

O/TWould be nice to have a Mk.IIA in the green/brown/yellow scheme with bands and yellow "buzz" number panel!

[tbf25o4]

Hi Dave,

the colour scheme was accurate to some of the harvards that were based at Ohakea circa 1942/43 for operational training. the Codes WA were never issued in the RNZAF as a squadron or school code but the WA-R on NZ1092 was a play on its civilian registration ZK-WAR which at the time the CAA required all warbirds to carry their civil reg (last three letters) subsequently through lobbying from the warbird fratenity the need to display their civil reg was dropped providing the paintscheme applied to the aircraft was accurate. Hence the later warbirds only have their military markings.
I do recall that the "lady Wigram" script was applied by one of our museum part time workers who was a retired sign writer. Unfortunately he died not long after painting that marking on NZ1092

[tbf25o4]

Dave,
further to the above, no the control surfaces (fabric) were never painted yellow and indeed the original reason during the repaint of NZ1092 was that there was no aviation dope of the camo colours available.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Paul, much appreciated.

[ErrolC]

I won a ride in her in the 1982 BoB flypast (by winning the Auckland Air Scouts quiz). I have prints (somewhat faded!) of the 2 B&W photos in the local rag (Western Leader). The prints have 'Photographed by Bryan Williamson, 9 Connaught St, Blockhouse Bay' on the back.
Looks like the pilot (shown about to hand me my helmet) was Trevor.