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Post by vs on Aug 11, 2009 16:52:40 GMT 12
We have had a look at what Spitfires are in New Zealand.
How about P40's?
My guess that They can be found with the following owners:
Old Stick and Rudders
Ardmore/Wanaka based aircraft
RNZAF Museum
MOTAT
1 in Omaka?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 11, 2009 17:16:14 GMT 12
Two with John Smith.
A P-40C at AvSpecs returning to flying condition.
Several at Pioneer Aero.
There are several at Omaka too I believe.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 11, 2009 17:22:55 GMT 12
The last time I took a good look around in the Old Stick & Rudder Company hangar at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton (a couple of years ago), there was a second P-40 in there that appeared to be a restoration project. I seem to recall it had a placard on the fuselage stating it was an ex-RNZAF aeroplane.
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Post by John L on Aug 11, 2009 17:41:11 GMT 12
What condition are John Smiths p40's? I assume they are ex Rukuhia, but how far gone were they when he got them?
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Post by ZacYates on Aug 11, 2009 17:50:55 GMT 12
KTJ, that would be the aircraft recently exported to the US for Tri-State Aviation, a sad loss to NZ but America's gain. I don't immediately recall the serial, but IIRC it was a P-40M. NZ3119 perhaps?
By my estimation, NZ's current Kitty population is as follows:
Graham Orphan has a P-40K-10 in storage awaiting rebuild at Omaka.
John Smith has one each ex-RNZAF P-40E and P-40N at Mapua.
The RNZAF Museum has a P-40F being restored for static as an E.
The syndicated P-40N "Currawong" at Wanaka and sometimes Ardmore.
OSRC's P-40E at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton.
MoTaT P-40E at Western Springs.
Tony Raftis' P-40C being restored to airworthy at Ardmore with AvSpecs.
P-40N A29-446 at Pioneer, being restored to airworthy for Aussie owner Keith Hopper.
I believe there is another P-40 project at Omaka owned by a forum member.
And for the curious, two further ex-RNZAF P-40s are based in Australia.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 11, 2009 18:08:43 GMT 12
Plus a P-36 Hawk also at Omaka which will be great to see when it's completed.
And possibly a few more Kittys hidden away from public view too, after all, look at Allan Arthur's one which came out of nowhere all of a sudden.
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Post by vs on Aug 11, 2009 18:31:42 GMT 12
I was on a tour of the Robinson helicopter factory last year and met one of the guys who was involved in the Tri State P40. He said it will be restored back into RNZAF colours. Is the MOTAT P40 a composite or a real one?
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Post by baz62 on Aug 11, 2009 18:37:01 GMT 12
Motat's is a real P40.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 11, 2009 18:40:44 GMT 12
The MOTAT P-40 is a real ex-RNZAF P-40 which was rescued at some stage from the dump too, and restored by Pioneer Aero to replace their old one now flying. So it probbaly has bits and pieces from various aircraft mixed in but has a genuine RNZAF P-40E lineage.
John Smith's P-40's are dismantled and stored indoors but probably cannot be described as much more than wrecks with a lot of potential for restoration. I'd love to see his 'Gloria Lyons' P-40 end up at Wigram one day. Who knows.
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Post by vs on Aug 11, 2009 19:04:08 GMT 12
yes, 2 x P40's especially one with a cut back rare fuse would be great to see at the airforce museum. How is the Hudson progressing?
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Post by Richard Wesley on Aug 11, 2009 21:55:35 GMT 12
The MOTAT P-40 is a real ex-RNZAF P-40 which was rescued at some stage from the dump too, and restored by Pioneer Aero to replace their old one now flying. So it probbaly has bits and pieces from various aircraft mixed in but has a genuine RNZAF P-40E lineage. Mmmmm, Motat's current example is promoted as NZ3039 I think (P-40E c/n20218, ex 41-36385, EV131), but I've heard that the fuselage was certainly a burnt out wreck that could not be used as basis for airworthy restoration. Not sure what the story with the wings are? Am keen to track down the whole story one day? |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2009 14:56:25 GMT 12
vs - The Air Force Musuem's Hudson has been completed and on display in the main hangar for more than ten years, and remains possibly their best exhibit in terms of restoration from the ground up (and because Hudsons are more historic and cooler than anything else they have there, along with the Vildebeest and 626).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2009 14:58:24 GMT 12
Richard, I too would be keen to learn more about NZ3039's history. Was the burned out fuselage genuinely a kiwi one or a US one from PNG?
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Post by ZacYates on Aug 12, 2009 17:10:11 GMT 12
I've a feeling VS was meaning the Smith Hudson....perhaps?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2009 17:29:43 GMT 12
Ah right, sorry.
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Post by vs on Aug 12, 2009 18:40:33 GMT 12
yes, sorry....Was John Smiths Hudson I was talking about
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2009 18:58:01 GMT 12
My mistake. Last I heard, not a lot is hapening as all the focus is on finishing the Anson right now. The engine overhaul had begun, but the chap doing it, Richard Shuttleworth, sadly passed away.
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Post by vs on Aug 12, 2009 19:07:37 GMT 12
Is that an over haul on the engines for the Hudson or the Anson. I understand the Hudson will not be a flyer?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 12, 2009 20:03:09 GMT 12
The Hudson. Just to static, yes. The Anson engines are the main hold up right now too I believe.
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Post by Radialicious on Aug 12, 2009 20:07:38 GMT 12
The first engine for Bill Reids Anson is complete and fully restored by a friend of mine. I have watched the engine go together and knowing the rebuilder like I do, the engine will be as good as could ever be expected from the Armstrong Siddeley factory. I have just lent him some Oxford engine mounting components in preparation for its first test run. Tony Wytenburgs engine test truck is being modified as we speak. Tony used the truck to test run the WW1 RAF-1a V8 that he, Stuart and Wayne Tantrum built a few years ago. There is a great video of it running on his website, cams.net.nz
Hopefully the first of Bill's engines has a run very shortly. Yet another radial to add to the varied list at Omaka (albeit as a visitor)! The Cheetah is one of the sweetest sounding engines you'll ever hear.
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