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Post by alanw on Dec 8, 2008 15:19:01 GMT 12
Hi all
Received in the mail today, the book by Bee Dawson,
"Portrait of a Seaplane Station" on page 146 there
is a photo of an Auster NZ1705 on floats taking off
at Hobby.
Anyone have any more info this, I never knew the RNZAF
had an Auster on floats.
Make for an interesting model build/diorama - (like the day Jack Wilson OC Flying-Hobsonville got stuck in the mud with his
training officer Ted Tompkins -quote from pg 147)
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glycol
Squadron Leader
Posts: 103
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Post by glycol on Dec 8, 2008 15:33:44 GMT 12
I did CMT training at Hobby in 1953. The Auster floatplane was there then and I recall it being used to search for an airman missing in the harbour. The CMTs were used as well and his body was eventually located.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 8, 2008 15:38:08 GMT 12
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Post by Bruce on Dec 8, 2008 17:07:51 GMT 12
Warren Russells "RNZAF - NZPAF Colour Schemes Vol 1" has several pics of Austers on floats (at least two were on floats at one stage or other) with all the colour scheme details.
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Post by shorty on Dec 8, 2008 19:43:03 GMT 12
 The floats from this aircraft were sold by the RNZAF to G. Grieg of Newcastle, NSW, Australia who later used them on VH-PMG. . |
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Post by alanw on Dec 8, 2008 20:05:14 GMT 12
Hi Gents
Thanks for those replies.
In her book Bee interviewed some of the maintenance personnel
who said" It was a maintenance nightmare, the steel got rusty
very quickly, we'd have to pull the fabric off & clear up all the
rust..... we did that often"
Also the starter motor had a habit of jamming at the most
inconvenient time... it sounds like a few bods went swimming
on occasion trying to turn the prop...
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Post by tbf25o4 on Dec 10, 2008 12:51:39 GMT 12
Get a copy of my book "Golden Age of New Zealand Flying Boats" there is a complete chapter on the Austers
Paul Harrison
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