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Post by thomarse on Dec 16, 2017 13:56:33 GMT 12
Correct Dave. Southern Cross are mentioned several times in Ken Anderson's book "Servicing Caterpillar" and it would appear had bases in Christchurch and Levin where they constructed a deviation of the Manawatu River to where it is currently and is about to be re-bridged at Whirokino. Southern Cross is said to have been formed by people who left the staff of Gough Gough and Hamer who it would seem were also contractors as well as the Cat agents - I believe they were involved with Rongotai Mk1, Nelson and Clarence. There's no mention of SC being involved in airport construction in NZ but as you say they definitely were in Fiji and Tonga
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Post by planewriting on Dec 16, 2017 16:40:05 GMT 12
Although the aircraft listed on page 1 of this thread were all military that is not to say there are no rumours on civil registered aircraft. In an Aviation Historical Society journal in the early 1960s there is reference to Simmonds Spartan ZK-ABL being in the Ngatea area. Has any one any idea what happened to that aircraft? Is it sitting quietly forgotten (or hidden) in someone's shed? Before the rumours start flowing, there should be no confusion between this aircraft and the swamp Corsair referred to elsewhere on this thread.
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Post by shorty on Dec 22, 2017 7:54:28 GMT 12
I tried chasing the Ngatea Spartan and as far as I could follow it it supposedly went to a house in Dignan Street, Pt Chevalier, Auckland but the trail went cold from there and no one there knew anything about it
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Post by rone on Dec 22, 2017 14:50:14 GMT 12
On page 10, Brenton mentions a fellow thought of getting a digger to hunt for buried bits and pieces. Do you realise that until around 1970, that diggers as known today did not exist in NZ. What were here were during the war years and well after were steam driven, cable operated, skid shovels. Later on diesel powered but still cable operated. To get one of these machines onto a site was quite an undertaking. Maybe the story teller just meant a pick and shovel. Also while discussing Kaikohe airfield, to Dave H, where did you get the idea that there were no US Army here in NZ. There were both Army and Marines here, I had an auntie who joined the US Army and drove ammunition trucks carting to Huia on the Manukau Harbour to ammunition bunkers there.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 22, 2017 15:15:07 GMT 12
I did not thin there were no US Army troops, I just thought they were in significantly less numbers than the US Marine Division that was based here. I may be wrong?
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Post by Brenton on Dec 23, 2017 18:54:51 GMT 12
I assumed he meant a bulldozer or some such and he never made it clear when he intended doing this. I'd also like to make it totally clear that I have no idea of whether there is any truth to any of it. Simply that I believe he believes what he is saying. I could be wrong. Perhaps he is muddled up. I know for a fact that many of these 'stories' we hear from veterans and the like are false. Sometimes it's difficult to put it down to just been muddled up or confused. I've met people who tell tall tales at best and are more realistically just full of it. Then again ... ask yourself just how clearly can you remember your distant past ? So this story had me wondering. I'd like to find out what I can about it. So far nothing else to add.
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Post by ZacYates on Feb 12, 2020 7:12:24 GMT 12
I figured these two tidbits were best posted in this thread rather than the DC-3 one as they strike me as rumours. As we passed through Mangaweka on our way to and from a wedding last week I posted a walkaround of ZK-APK, the DC-3 there, on a DC-3 fan group on Facebook. Can anyone answer the question posed below regarding possible preservation plans? (the cafe is definitely long-closed): ZK-APK Facebook query by Zac Yates, on Flickr In a similar rumours-y vein, the Kiwi Beavers website link says this about the Taupo McDonalds DC-3 ZK-CAW:
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Post by shorty on May 19, 2020 14:29:26 GMT 12
Rumour #4 in my original post re the "Biplane in a barn in the Wairarapa" may have had it's origins in Froggley's Avro 626 (photos of which I posted in my "stash" thread
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 19, 2020 15:11:33 GMT 12
Rumour #4 in my original post re the "Biplane in a barn in the Wairarapa" ahave had it's origins in Froggley's Avro 626 (photos of which I posted in my "stash" thread I have heard a rumour that there was/is another Avro 626 in a shed somewhere, and it was/is not Jim Frogley's one as that was known about.
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Post by Damon on May 19, 2020 15:45:40 GMT 12
NZ201 got converted to instructional airframe INST9 in 1939. The others were reduced to spares in 1943. NZ203 is most likely the rumoured aircraft .
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Rumours!
May 19, 2020 16:14:22 GMT 12
via mobile
Post by martymonsta on May 19, 2020 16:14:22 GMT 12
How bout that long lost murchison tomtit!?
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Post by shorty on May 19, 2020 16:54:34 GMT 12
There'snewspaper clippings about that on my stash thread
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Post by ZacYates on May 19, 2020 17:10:22 GMT 12
Anyone seen any Folland Gnats about the place?
A mate sent me a screenshot from a US website which has Gnat T.1 XR987/N7CV as “cancelled, exported to New Zealand”...?
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Post by madmac on May 19, 2020 18:18:45 GMT 12
In the late 90's there was some plan (can't remember which magazine it was in) to bring a lake recovery Wellington to New Zealand. Clearly it never happened and I don't ever recall a wellington being recovered anywhere in that time period, is there a back story to this or was it just wishful thinking?
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Rumours!
May 19, 2020 19:28:24 GMT 12
via mobile
Post by martymonsta on May 19, 2020 19:28:24 GMT 12
Hey zac, there was a gnat being returned to flight in Melbourne... 10 yrs back, never heard that it flew, ( also had an ex NZ Harvard, flyer) but have shots of it somewhere being worked on! It was a flyer, dunno where they got it, mayb that yr US machine?
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 19, 2020 20:06:09 GMT 12
How long ago are you referring to Zac?
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Rumours!
May 19, 2020 21:27:12 GMT 12
via mobile
Post by vultee43 on May 19, 2020 21:27:12 GMT 12
Anyone seen any Folland Gnats about the place? A mate sent me a screenshot from a US website which has Gnat T.1 XR987/N7CV as “cancelled, exported to New Zealand”...? Zac I believe there was one several years ago at Shortstop Jet Charters, Essendon Airport Melbourne. There may have been a plan for adventure flights. I know they had an Iskra at one stage too.
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Rumours!
May 20, 2020 7:04:59 GMT 12
via mobile
Post by l29 on May 20, 2020 7:04:59 GMT 12
Anyone seen any Folland Gnats about the place? A mate sent me a screenshot from a US website which has Gnat T.1 XR987/N7CV as “cancelled, exported to New Zealand”...? There is a Gnat that has been purchased by a Auckland guy. Currently awaiting paperwork to export from the states.
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Rumours!
May 20, 2020 10:15:18 GMT 12
via mobile
Post by baz62 on May 20, 2020 10:15:18 GMT 12
In the late 90's there was some plan (can't remember which magazine it was in) to bring a lake recovery Wellington to New Zealand. Clearly it never happened and I don't ever recall a wellington being recovered anywhere in that time period, is there a back story to this or was it just wishful thinking? I remember that. In my memory it was someone who owned an art gallery or was an artist?
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Post by madmac on May 20, 2020 15:44:30 GMT 12
I remember that. In my memory it was someone who owned an art gallery or was an artist? Might have been the Aviation gallery in Christchurch. I asked him about it one time I was in there and he mentioned it (the wellington) had a 75 sqn connection.
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