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Post by Marcus on Jun 11, 2007 17:48:48 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 11, 2007 18:12:23 GMT 12
I had seen news reports on other forums about the Carvair crash but didn't realise it was one of the ex-NZ ones.
I remember seeing them often as a kid parked up at Rukuhia. I seriously thought they were 747's because of their humps. :-)
Where's the other one these days?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 11, 2007 20:38:20 GMT 12
A very sad end. It's amazing that the two crew were uninjured, judging by the pics. Is there unintended irony in the NTSB report that states the aircraft "sustained substantial damage"? I'd like to see their definition of 'destroyed' in that case.
I too remember these aircraft in their active life in NZ and also stored at Hamilton. I recollect one of them arriving at Ardmore, would this be the largest aircraft ever to land there? (as distinct from the 747 flyby). It seemed enormous, there, at the time.
The other Carvair, ZK-NWB/N5459M/9J-PAA, is the other one mentioned in the report as "at Rand Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa (9J-PAA, msn 27314 and Carvair #21, the last one converted), but this aircraft is currently not flyable. It was last flown in 2005 and is now stored without engines, but restoration to flying condition is probably still possible." I have it's owners listed as Phoebus Apollo, Rand, Johannesburg.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 11, 2007 20:55:24 GMT 12
I'm sure the Hercules has landed at Ardmore, hasn't it? Surely that'd be larger?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 11, 2007 21:06:29 GMT 12
Now that I checked my statement above... the two are certainly comparable.
Carvair
Wingspan : 35.8m -
Length : 31.3m -
Height : 9.1m
Hercules C-130H
Wingspan : 40.4 metres
Length : 29.8 metres
Height : 11. 6 metres
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 11, 2007 21:14:27 GMT 12
Lets call it a dead-heat then.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 11, 2007 21:42:09 GMT 12
It would qualify as the largest radial piston engied aircraft to land there. Possible also wins the ugliest aircraft stakes too.
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Post by twilight on Jun 12, 2007 20:33:42 GMT 12
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Post by aussieo2 on Jun 13, 2007 15:08:08 GMT 12
I used to refuel & reoil the Ansett Carvairs when I worked in Rockhampton. Next biggest thing we used to get in to Rocky was Blackburn Beverleys and Argosy's from the RAF Far East for the military exercises, this was back in the 60's
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Post by corsair67 on Jun 13, 2007 15:28:37 GMT 12
Twilight, thanks for posting that extremely interesting link. Brings back memories of watching the Carvairs flying in and out of Christchurch.
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Post by John L on Jun 13, 2007 16:35:27 GMT 12
Didn't Safeair fly Argosies in the 80's?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2007 17:39:26 GMT 12
Yes, two of them, ZK-SAE and ZK-SAF. You can visit one of them at Woodbourne where it is preserved behind the Argosy Cafe. The other lies disassembled on a farm also in the Woodbourne area.
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Post by chrisnpl on Jun 13, 2007 17:44:05 GMT 12
Yes, SAFE did fly the Argosy in the 80s, and they had two. They had a passenger cabin that they could be fitted with for the Chatham Islands run; otherwise it was freight only.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 13, 2007 21:55:06 GMT 12
Tracked down the Ardmore visit. It was NWA, and the date 31st March 1979. Here are some of the pics - don't think the Humber 80 was part of the cargo!    |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jun 13, 2007 21:59:40 GMT 12
Yes, two of them, ZK-SAE and ZK-SAF. Three actually, ZK-SAL was here on lease 25Apr-16Sep90. Went back to Australia as VH-IPB but was broken up there in December 1990. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2007 22:09:09 GMT 12
Yes, but only two at a time.  And the question was "in the 80's" :-) |
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Post by theavgasdinosaur on Jun 16, 2007 1:27:20 GMT 12
Yes, two of them, ZK-SAE and ZK-SAF. You can visit one of them at Woodbourne where it is preserved behind the Argosy Cafe. The other lies disassembled on a farm also in the Woodbourne area. Please excuse me if this is too much thread creep ( Mods if yes please move to new thread) I have an excellent video of the final round trip to The Chatham Islands from Christchurch by ZK-SAE on 27th September 1990. It is/was published by The Argosy Trust. It is called "The Final Flight". I also have a large fine art print of "Argosy Salute" of ZK-SAF signed by the artist Reginald Mason and the crew of Captain Stephen Howard and First Officer Giles Goulden who flew her last ever flight when an unlocked undercarriage leg caused a forced landing at Woodbourne on 1st April 1990 This was also published by The Argosy Trust. The SafeAir Argosy fleet has a major claim to fame The Kaikoura UFO encounters of 20th/21st December and 30th/31st December 1978. I have a copy of "The Kaikoura UFO's" by Captain Bill Startup and Neil Illingworth. A very deeply thought provoking book. Does anyone know if Captain Startup is still alive? Were the TV videos shot on the second flight ever published for private purchase? If so where may I purchase a copy please? Be lucky David |
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Post by rotoruian on Jun 16, 2007 2:33:33 GMT 12
It's that new Canadian here again. As fate would have it this Carvair is my next DVD. I have the trailer all but made and will be posted on you tube next week some time. So I once again put out a call to anyone who has pictures/video of this bird.  Another story here:http://www.oldwings.nl/content/n898at/n898at.htm |
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Post by theavgasdinosaur on Jul 2, 2007 20:33:01 GMT 12
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Post by carvairguy on Nov 4, 2007 22:15:41 GMT 12
Very sad to read about old NWA. She was the best of the pair flying here for Nationwide Air. NWB threw a con-rod flying into CHC in June 1979 so we flew her back on three engines. Two days later she was still bleeding oil from her cracked crankcase at WLG. That was what killed Nationwide's operation. When we went to fit the spare engine it had seized in storage.
Bob Gilbert was the Chief Pilot. He's about to retire from AirFreight NZ flying Convairs. Bob will be writing his memoirs soon.
I remember once we had an electrical fire in the cockpit of NWA on the ramp prior to a wet night departure for CHC. Very lucky we never took off. Very amazing feeling taxing over the tops of 737s from our perch 3-4 stories high.
RIP NWA. Hope some of her is salvaged. The Dominican Carvair has wings cut off outboard of the main wheels if anybody is interested in that one.
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