|
|
Post by nzompilot on Jul 17, 2008 14:43:39 GMT 12
The following links take you to the Marlborough Museum virtual Exhibits pages. The first one is the direct link to the 1920s Marlborough Aviation exhibit, the second takes you to the main exhibit page - this contains all the exhibits including one on WWI ANZACs. **Note you have to click on the photo to get into the link - clicking on the name for some reason brings up a dead link** www.exhibits1.museums.org.nz/collection1MHS1/exhibit2/vexmain2.htmexhibits1.museums.org.nz/ |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2008 15:04:44 GMT 12
Great find there Craig. That museum is very interesting, as I'm sure Craig (Corsair67), Sean (Parrofish) and Mike will attest from our visit there in 2007.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2008 15:10:14 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2008 15:14:33 GMT 12
On this photo showing the Moth hangars at Omaka... exhibits1.museums.org.nz/collection1MHS1/exhibit2/e20012a.htmThe caption says they're the only ones of those type left in the world. Last year after the Omaka airshow i was talking with Graham Orphan and he mentioned those hangars and their history. He said there was some doubt as to whether they were to remain there as someone on the airfield wanted to redevelop with a bigger building. Has anything happened to these historic hangars yet, in terms of either destruction or preservation? |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2008 15:15:52 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by nzompilot on Jul 17, 2008 15:28:13 GMT 12
On this photo showing the Moth hangars at Omaka... exhibits1.museums.org.nz/collection1MHS1/exhibit2/e20012a.htmThe caption says they're the only ones of those type left in the world. Last year after the Omaka airshow i was talking with Graham Orphan and he mentioned those hangars and their history. He said there was some doubt as to whether they were to remain there as someone on the airfield wanted to redevelop with a bigger building. Has anything happened to these historic hangars yet, in terms of either destruction or preservation? If they are the ones in this photo between the hangar and the club house then yes they have been demolished. That area is now home to SoundsAero maintenance's shiney new hangar. |
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Jul 17, 2008 21:34:55 GMT 12
That would around the time that this Avro D6243 flown by Euan Dickson became the first aircraft to fly across Cook Strait - 25th August 1920. D6243 was one of the four Avros bought privately by CAC (ie not an Imperial Gift aircraft) and had been used operationally by the British forces. Maybe that is some sort of night flying colour scheme? |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2008 22:50:20 GMT 12
It's really disappointing to hear that on such a great airfield where New Zealand's aviation heritage is recognised in a shiny new building, they cannot even preserve their actual heritage structures. So now there are none of those Moth hangars left.
Peter, perhaps it was a night scheme. Did they fly Avro 504K's at night though? I may be very wrong as I know little about WWI aircraft, but I thought they were primarily training aircraft, so why would they need night camouflage?
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Jul 31, 2008 17:03:04 GMT 12
Not so - the 504 was originally used as a front line aircraft. The RNAS used four 504s to form a special flight in order to bomb the Zeppelin works at Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance in November 1914.
Later in the war they were used in the (British) Home Defence squadrons for night flying use to hunt airships.
From Wikipedia:
In the winter of 1917-18, it was decided to use converted 504Js and 504Ks to equip Home Defence squadrons of the RFC, replacing aging B.E.2cs, which had poor altitude performance. These aircraft were modified as single seaters, armed with a Lewis gun above the wing on a Foster mounting, and powered by 100 hp Gnome or 110 hp Le Rhône engines. 274 converted Avro 504Js and Ks were issued to eight home defence squadrons in 1918, with 226 still being used as fighters at the end of World War 1.
Maybe D6243 was one of these?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 1, 2008 13:46:06 GMT 12
Cheers, interesting info.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 1, 2008 13:57:15 GMT 12
Guess what, that same aircraft served with No. 75 Squadron during WWI !!!
And yes, they were hunting Zeppelins for part of the war. So you're right. It's a night camouflage roundel.
This from adf.serials:
Previously with No 158 Training Squadron at Rochford, Essex and No. 75 Squadron at Elmswell, Suffolk. Purchased by Canterbury Aviation Company on 25 July 1919 and arrived in New Zealand on 24 December 1919. Completed first flight across Cook Stait from South Island to North Island on 25 August 1920 and the first flight in the opposite direction on 28 August of that year. Crashed Motunau 30 December 1921. Remains to NZPAF in June 1923 when the company was taken over by the Government.
What a historic aircraft for NZ, what a shame it was not preserevd.
|
|
