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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 28, 2009 16:04:36 GMT 12
The P-40 is wearing its new scheme, a 1944 repaint scheme of overall green with Pacific roundels. Previously it was blue and green camo with OTU markings. I placed a photo in the Oxford Pile thead. It's more generic now, representing more than just one P-40E if you know what I mena - it was a scheme worn both at home and in the war zone, unlike the OTU scheme only seen at Ohakea. I think the serial chosen Barf said was NZ3094, or was it NZ3096? It's one of the P-40E's that No. 15 Squadron took over from the USAAF in Tonga, and saw service in both the Pacific and at home so it's really appropriate, especially as this is really an ex-USAAF aircraft.
The Oxford is destined (at this stage) to go back into the colours it wore when produced, as found when they stripped the nine coats of paint back to the original application!! That is RAF green and earth upper and yellow lower, with the yellow not being the scheme that came right up the sides, but stopping further down the sides. It's a scheme that many of our Oxfords wore in service throughout the war. Should look great.
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Post by shamus on Aug 3, 2009 16:43:14 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 3, 2009 18:36:17 GMT 12
Fascinating to see these Auster photos, I assume a fair bit of restoration had gotten it to the running stage as it had crashed into the sea when it went to MOTAT, hadn't it? Also really interesting to see it in orange plumage. Did it wear that colour in RNZAF service or was that a MOTAT Special colour scheme?
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Post by camtech on Aug 3, 2009 19:26:12 GMT 12
NZ1707 appeared in a number of schemes, Dave. Originally it was in an overall orange scheme during its Antarctic time. Later it was in a silver overall scheme, and, I believe, at the time of its demise into the Kaipara Harbour, was in camouflage scheme.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 3, 2009 20:20:13 GMT 12
Thanks Les. Interesting, I've never seen the orange scheme before. The third picture looks like it's in a silver scheme too but I guess that may have been an undercoat dope?
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Post by agalbraith on Aug 3, 2009 20:22:16 GMT 12
Great photos of the T7 Auster! Thanks for posting them
Cheers Anthony
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Post by Richard Wesley on Aug 11, 2009 20:53:02 GMT 12
I too had no idea the Auster was so far advanced with restoration? Always thought it was a pile of bits? Great to see other aircraft in the background of these shots like the Electra.
Keep the photos coming...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 11, 2009 21:41:06 GMT 12
I thought that too Richard. I'm wondering if the repairs after the crash were all done at MOTAT or had the RNZAF begun the repairs first before deciding to retire it to the musuem?
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Post by curtiss on Aug 15, 2009 21:12:41 GMT 12
Regarding the cowls on Avenger NZ2527: When NZ2505 was in the care of John Regan after being recovered from Opunake, the cowls from NZ2505 ( which were in poor condition ) were exchanged with those from NZ2527 when it was still in the playground at Rotorua. The engine from NZ2527 was also removed for NZ2505. This is why NZ2527 appears to have provision for a cowl gun. John Regan painted "The Hunter" on the cowls of NZ2527.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 15, 2009 21:15:31 GMT 12
Thanks for that explanation curtiss and welcome to the forum.
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Post by shamus on Aug 20, 2009 21:38:07 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 20, 2009 23:51:21 GMT 12
Geez, that's amazing to see when you compare it with now. MOTAT and the RNZAF Museum have done such an amazing job restoring it.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Aug 21, 2009 7:36:01 GMT 12
I reckon, makes the Ferrymead examples look good!
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Post by avro683 on Aug 26, 2009 2:12:54 GMT 12
Very interesting pictures especially of the Lancaster and Mosquito. I wonder why the stbd Mosquito wing was removed?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2009 8:46:22 GMT 12
It was apparently Goverment policy to remove wings of all almost aircraft sold by the Government Stores Board in a destructive manner so that people who bought them didn't attempt to fly them.
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Post by shorty on Aug 26, 2009 8:54:46 GMT 12
It was usually so the aircraft could be shifted. Usually they were bought by people without the knowledge or equipment to remove wings and they were on a time limit to shift them from the base. Even John Smith had to cut the wings of his Mossie to move it.
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Post by Richard Wesley on Aug 26, 2009 19:46:59 GMT 12
Very interesting pictures especially of the Lancaster and Mosquito. I wonder why the stbd Mosquito wing was removed? That would be both wings removed, with some sort of large saw, straight through the two wooden spars. All the mosquito's sold off had the wings removed just outboard of the engines so that that could be hitched to a vehicle and towed away. The mosquito wing is built in one piece and the fuselage then attached over it (there is a video available of the Motat example being reassembled). There is no other way of unattaching wings except with a saw. John Smith was the only person who was intending to reattach his wings and so did the removal carefully and methodically, allowing him to reattach his wings neatly. When the RNZAF were undertaking the restoration of the Motat wing there really was quite a gap between the inner section and the two outer sections from both the cut and subsequent rotting and deterioration. There was talk at one stage of restoring the Motat wing section in such a way as to have the outer wing sections removable with attachment bolts and fabric strip. With so little indoor space available at the museum it seemed like a good idea. Glad now though that the RNZAF restorer (whose name I have completely forgotten now, great guy) refused this and insisted on a one piece finished product.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2009 20:49:56 GMT 12
The chap who restored the wing at the RNZAF Museum, who's name I have also forgotten right now, did an amazing job. I'm pleased to say I spotted him a few weeks ago still working there at Wigram, now on the Oxford, which tells you the quality of the woodwork on that restoration too.
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Post by hairy on Aug 26, 2009 22:00:27 GMT 12
All the mosquito's sold off had the wings removed just outboard of the engines........... Not all, don't forget one flew away to the Americas.
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Post by Richard Wesley on Aug 27, 2009 1:54:46 GMT 12
All the mosquito's sold off had the wings removed just outboard of the engines........... Not all, don't forget one flew away to the Americas. Always exceptions... and always dangerous to use the word "all"!! Thanks for the photo post as well, will save that one as a reminder of Brian, good to hear he's busy on the Oxford...
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