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Post by pjw4118 on Jul 30, 2017 14:08:11 GMT 12
I spotted its location on a new AA map. Has anybody been into look?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 30, 2017 14:50:12 GMT 12
I haven't but I believe they have remains of an Oxford there.
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 30, 2017 14:54:18 GMT 12
They also have a Harvard that's untouched since disposal. I was thinking of visiting again (last went 4yr ago) in the next fortnight and can take pics if anyone wants?
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jul 30, 2017 15:26:57 GMT 12
Yes please!
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Post by madmax on Jul 30, 2017 15:41:57 GMT 12
Hi Zac, would love an image of the Flying Flea if you can get one. Thanks
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 30, 2017 16:20:14 GMT 12
Same here madmax, but last time I went I couldn't find it.
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Post by madmax on Jul 30, 2017 17:39:36 GMT 12
I know that at one time at least the Flea's fuselage was on display however I'm unaware if they had the original wing, its last owner (Brewster) was experimenting with a new wing design, or the Scott Squirrel engine
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Post by Richard Wesley on Jul 30, 2017 20:47:23 GMT 12
I have some photos from many years back (2005) but I don't imagine things change very much. Will have to see if I can figure out how to post photos on here with Flickr... 05-05-17-Taranaki 103 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr
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Post by Richard Wesley on Jul 30, 2017 20:55:59 GMT 12
That seemed to work so here are some more... 05-05-17-Taranaki 131 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 132 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 133 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 135 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 136 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 137 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 138 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 142 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 143 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 144 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 147 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 149 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 152 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 153 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 154 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr 05-05-17-Taranaki 148 by Richard Wesley, on Flickr
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jul 30, 2017 21:39:52 GMT 12
I've seen other pics with much less 'clutter' around the Harvard and with wings attached. Unsure if they are earlier or more recent. Those wings pictured appear to be from a different airframe. Thanks for sharing those with us Richard, much appreciated.
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Post by planewriting on Jul 30, 2017 23:23:40 GMT 12
Some interesting stuff there. Of particular interest to me is the Lockheed 10A Electra components. I suspect that they are from ZK-ALI. Regarding the Harvard and nearby wing; INST177 was formerly NZ1089 and if you look at the instrument panel you will see 1089 recorded but I haven't quite convinced myself the wing serial reads NZ1089. Looks like NZ1088. And what is that structure out to the left of the wing. Is it a fuselage component (from?) Can someone spare me some misery? I remember when Oxford NZ277 was found. There was a photo in the papers at that time of the fuel levers. It seemed surreal as I knew that my father had handled those very levers when he flew NZ277. From ADF serials I see the propellor was from Mustang NZ2404 which crashed at Tongaporutu in northern Taranaki on a flight from Ohakea to Whenuapai after the pilot became disorientated in cloud and lost control on 22 December 1953. Squadron Leader Maxwell Stevens killed.
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Post by baz62 on Jul 31, 2017 9:14:17 GMT 12
Regarding the Harvard it currently has a geared R1340 as fitted to things like the Wirraway. If you look at the photo you can see the reduction gearbox not present on the R1340 normally in the T6/Harvard.
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 31, 2017 11:32:39 GMT 12
The Corsair model was built by Lance Adlam and is on the cover of his book The Quest For Wings. The curved piece of wood on the rear wall is a Flying Flea wing spar. I remember it being less cluttered when I visited in 2012. I'm interested to see how much it's changed, if at all. They had added two large cabinets full of models.
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Post by mit on Jul 31, 2017 15:23:02 GMT 12
They also have a Harvard that's untouched since disposal. I was thinking of visiting again (last went 4yr ago) in the next fortnight and can take pics if anyone wants? That's kind of true, it has lost it's original wing. that is why it has a kiwi roundel on the right wing not the "white feather" that is on the other positions on the aircraft. the right wing is from NZ1098, they were swapped after a ground loop. I have pictures from 2010 when the aircraft had it's wings on however I not sure how to post pictures any more!
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Post by mit on Jul 31, 2017 15:26:13 GMT 12
And what is that structure out to the left of the wing. Is it a fuselage component (from?) Can someone spare me some misery? Which component do you mean?
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Post by Bruce on Jul 31, 2017 18:14:15 GMT 12
The Flying Flea Fuselage?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jul 31, 2017 19:52:52 GMT 12
Here is the Harvard INST177 from 1996. At that time they had problems with rats in the wings (rat droppings = corrosion). Brewster's Flea can be seen on the ground, in front. I understand that that the timber for this came from Avro 504K ZK-ACU, which passed through Brewsters hands after the 1936 crash.
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Post by madmax on Jul 31, 2017 21:23:37 GMT 12
Negative Peter, the Flea was not constructed by Brewster however after obtaining it he experimented with models having multi-slotted wings which he believed would be capable of flying slower. He than began building a slow landing aircraft based on his design using timber taken from the 504. I have the full story in my archives but am unable to access them at present.
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Post by ZacYates on Aug 1, 2017 8:21:13 GMT 12
I've read that in addition to its prop the museum has NZ2404's engine, recovered from Tongaporutu. It'll be interesting to see how much is left. Regarding the Harvard it currently has a geared R1340 as fitted to things like the Wirraway. Maybe from a Ceres? Negative Peter, the Flea was not constructed by Brewster Based on info from Peter, Chris Rudge and Phil Treweek: built by Brian & Ian McMillan, Stratford; later passed to and completed by ER Brewster, New Plymouth. And what is that structure out to the left of the wing. Is it a fuselage component (from?) Can someone spare me some misery? Which component do you mean? Maybe the Cheetah on the test stand (which would be fun to get running)? The Gipsy cowl on the floor? The car/truck under the blanket?
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Post by madmax on Aug 1, 2017 12:36:09 GMT 12
The Flea was completed by McMillan brothers in 1936 and flown on at least one occasion. It was displayed at a Stratford airshow in 1937 but did not fly there. In 1938 It was loaned to ER Brewster for him to further experiment with a multi-slotted wing. Whether the multi-slotted wing ( supposedly built from timber from ZK-ACU) was ever completed and fitted to the Flea is unknown.
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