When did Wigram get the Vildebeest?

[Dave Homewood]

Can anyone who was involved or in the know please confirm the date that the ownership of the Vickers Vildebeest Mk. III NZ102 project and all the spare parts get transferred from MOTAT to the RNZAF Museum?

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand's website states "The remains of Vildebeest NZ102 have been part of the collection at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand since 1986."
airforcemuseum.co.nz/conserve/vickers-vildebeest-mkiii/

This date surprised me. It was swapped, along with the P-47D and the loan of Spitfire V wing leading edges, in a deal that saw MOTAT get a newly rebuilt wing for their Mosquito project done by Wigram. However I do not recall ever seeing the Vildebeest remains at Wigram in my time there in 1991-93, and I was very interested in all things museum at the time.

Also the Thunderbolt arrived at Wigram in 1993. I remember seeing it arrive on a truck, and even took a couple of photos. I know the Mossie wing was well underway at that time thought and had been for a couple if years, I guess.

Did the Vildebeest and Thunderbolt change hands when the deal was down, but they stayed at MOTAT for several years before Wigram was ready to take them? Or is the 1986 date erroneous? I am confused.

[Deane B]

Were the Vildebeest remains held out at Weedons? They had a lot of partial aircraft out there until the early 2000's.

[Dave Homewood]

I wondered that. I visited Weedons around 1992 and never saw it, so unless it was all boxed up, not sure.

[emron]

The Vildebeest fuselage plus a large quantity of parts were provided to the RNZAF by MOTAT in late 1982 and initially on loan. They may have been held at Whenuapai for a while before being ferried to storage at Weedons. 1986 sounds about right for when that loan was converted to a gift. In return the Air Force Museum offered to rebuild the Mosquito wing. MOTAT took up that offer in August 1989 when the pieces of wing were consigned to Wigram. The P-47 wasn’t part of that deal, it was a later gift and dispatched in 1992.

[camtech]

Looking at the AFM photos, the Vildebeest was transported from Whenuapai to Wigram, by Andover, 27 November 1981.
Another photo group shows the aircraft in 7 Hangar 17 January 1986.
I can recall seeing the Vildebeest in 7 Hangar while at NATTS. Part of the eastern end of 7 Hangar was closed off for Museum storage, and we had some stuff in 6 Hangar as well.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks guys! Much appreciated to have these details.

When I was there from May 1991 till August 1993, the eastern side of No. 7 Hangar was Air Movements, and the western side of the partition was the museum's restoration workshop. There were aircraft in No. 6 Hangar's western end too, Corsair, Avenger, two x Devons of 2TTS, and Bristol Freighter, plus a Bofors gun and some vehicles came and went. I never saw the Vilde so it must have been packed away and stored at Weedons I guess.

[camtech]

I guess the Vildebeest went out to Weedons late '86 or '87. I left in June '87, but can't recall the vildebeest being moved.