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Post by Bruce on May 15, 2019 12:57:51 GMT 12
I note on a Facebook post this morning (That I cant share here unfortunately) that historic Ag-DC-3 ZK-AZL has been moved from Mystery Creek to Te Kowhai Airfield. My aeroplane has a new neighbour! This is a very sensible move after all the effort spent restoring it a few years ago, as no-one could actually see it at Mystery Creek. I know no other details about where it will be assembled and dispalyed, or whether its cover shed will also be coming to protect it from the elements.
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Post by Bruce on May 1, 2019 22:04:43 GMT 12
Flying Legends is awesome - I went in 2013. I would strongly recommend a good pair of comfortable shoes as you will tend to spend a lot of time standing on hard pavement. What grass there is gets pretty full very early - when I was there the trend was for various groups in the crowd to secure their spot with large and intrusive beach windbreaks (The kind you see in every picture of a stereotypical English beach holiday). Not having a camping seat with me (remember to take one!) the only option was to stand on the very hot concrete and I ended up with significant blisters, which haunted me through Oshkosh a few weeks later. Its a well run show with suitable time for breaks to look at the various stalls etc. If you get there early enough, pay the 5 pound (or whatever it is now) for the flightline walk - the photos you can get are well worth it! I would also strongly suggest visiting the air museum separately from the airshow (I did it the day before) since there is so much stuff on display you cant do it justice without missing most of the airshow. Shuttle buses from Cambridge are great - I had a rental car, but used the park and ride from West Cambridge services. Theres a bit of a queue getting out at the end, but all pretty orderly and everyone seems to be a friendly aviation enthusiast so its not too bad. Have fun!
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Post by Bruce on May 1, 2019 21:46:52 GMT 12
OK, it appears I was mistaken and I accept that. I knew we werent going to have the volley this year, but I don't recall the bit about not carrying rifles. I must have missed that.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 25, 2019 16:21:08 GMT 12
30sqnatc, thank you for filling in some background, I honestly did learn something. Ancient cavalry weapons really arent something I know anything about. As noted though, I have attended parades for 15 years or so, almost all of which had the QAMR as officiating guard. They have always had, up until this point Steyrs or the new infantry weapon (sorry I dont know what it is called) I pay attention because I know how tricky it is to do reverse arms drill with a bullpup. Never pikes / Lances - As you have said - I just havent seen them before - if I had, I wouldnt be making a fuss about it. Likewise, I have never seen any in all the hundreds of images of other services that flood media and social platforms every year. The point remains, and I stand by it, that someone along the line has decided that this year, that rather than using firearms, heritage weapons will be used instead. The reason? take a guess, its not hard to work out why. and that, I beleive is letting the side down.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 25, 2019 13:55:22 GMT 12
OK, so they just suddenly decided to honour this bit of their heritage this year? Without enough time to even make convincing looking lances...(Bamboo surely would never have been a heritage material...) OK, I am probably wrong saying they were never used, but the switch seems to be a definite choice to go to something "less warry". The unit in my town is also a "Mounted Rifles" unit, not Cavalry... semantics I know, but the sudden change is very noticeable, and, in my opinion, unfortunate.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 25, 2019 13:21:37 GMT 12
I notice at our local ANZAC parade this morning, and in photos from other smaller towns, that the Army Gaurds of honour around cenotaphs this year have been carry pikes, rather than rifles at "Arms reversed". I assume this is as a result of "sensitivities" after the Christchurch shooting. I am absolutely appalled seeing this. Firstly, the "pikes" are absolute rubbish, they are just bamboo poles with some kind of "metal" point added (and sometimes flags) - they look makeshift like something you would see in a school pantomime. Secondly, New Zealand armed forces have absolutely no heritage of ever using such a weapon at any time in their history. It has no relevance at all to them. A Taiaha would be more appropriate! Its a cop out to the "PC" "scared of guns" brigade. The Army Should have rifles - It is their role to bear arms so we don't have to. They should not be afraid of that role, and their heritage. It seems we are OK with having armed police with live weapons in our communities protecting mosques etc, but having soldiers on ceremonial guard duties with inert rifles is offense... Go figure...
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Post by Bruce on Apr 12, 2019 15:16:46 GMT 12
The RNZAF museum used to have a lot of Hudson bits in storage at Weedons - Maybe this was part of that stash at some time...
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Post by Bruce on Apr 11, 2019 18:08:40 GMT 12
I hope that does not mean lots of shortcuts were made. Generally not, Build time in shipyards has reduced in the last 20 years or so with CNC Plasma cutters etc producing very accurate components, with much less fine finishing required. Robot welding and modular pre-assembly also shaves huge amounts of time off the build. The time consuming bit is the fit out, which is still very much in the hands of skilled workers, and that is often restricted by how many teams at once you can actually fit in the spaces involved! Korean Shipyards are some of the best in the world in terms of quality and fast delivery.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 4, 2019 9:42:53 GMT 12
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Post by Bruce on Apr 1, 2019 19:55:11 GMT 12
The vessel was modified for navy needs and was repainted from a bright yellow to navy grey.
Yellow? some of it was, but most was Orange - Red... at least thats what I would call it....
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Post by Bruce on Mar 22, 2019 18:38:24 GMT 12
So the rockets on the Nieport where used air to air or air to ground, the way they are pointing looks like air to air? Almost looks like they could be fired and kept attached JATO style to increase rate of climb!? Air to Air -Le Prieur rockets were for attacking airships and observation balloons. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Prieur_rocket
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Post by Bruce on Mar 22, 2019 9:31:36 GMT 12
yes, it is indeed a Thompson refueller. They are a cool looking piece of 1950s aviation infrastructure. I hope someone does restore it!
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Post by Bruce on Mar 21, 2019 14:38:35 GMT 12
that one looks a bit like a Thompson - the Ashburton Aviation Museum has a beautifully restored example. Quite an unusual beast and a great conversation starter!
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Post by Bruce on Mar 2, 2019 12:55:58 GMT 12
Can anyone in the navy field enlighten me? I notice some RNZN ships have a black cheat line between the red anti fouling and the grey hull and some don’t, is there any logical reason for these differences throughout the fleet? The Edda Fonn appears to be red to grey, the ANZAC’s red to one shade of grey and then another shade of grey and the IPV/OPV/MRV fleet go from red to black to grey! I would have thought they would all be similar? Interested to hear if these is any logical reason for the differences? Don't quote me on this... as for the grey... the navy was slowly moving to the Aussie Grey a few years back once they use all the grey they had in stock Which has more of a blue green tinge to it... As for your so called cheat line lol... not really sure why there is a difference could be Barry did Te Kaha and Jovän did Manawanui My theory (very much as a "landlubber") is that its the Navy equivalent of low-contrast roundels. The ANZACs are combat vessels so bright colours are all toned down and therefore the band between max and min loading (which is I guess an important visual indicator) should be painted a more "camouflagey" colour. The OPVs and IPVs etc still need to look warlike but neat, crisp presentation is also important since they are in the local public eye a lot. I did wonder why Edda Fohn doesnt have a black band, but maybe that will come later...
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Post by Bruce on Feb 22, 2019 8:45:57 GMT 12
I still reckon a MAN Wrecker sounds like a feminist extremist....
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Post by Bruce on Feb 4, 2019 8:45:30 GMT 12
Excellent - I'll have a look at it later in the week when i'm down for the SAA Fly In!
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Post by Bruce on Jan 23, 2019 12:04:30 GMT 12
And of course a mid air collision between Airtourer DAC and a Dept of Civil Aviation Seneca (which came off worse) in the 1970s
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Post by Bruce on Jan 22, 2019 11:58:13 GMT 12
Stuff says its is a "One Seater"... just as well the student was solo then!
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Post by Bruce on Jan 21, 2019 8:13:55 GMT 12
Its almost certainly the Auckland museum's example. Once It had been confirmed the photo at Ashburton is reversed, you find the crinkles and dings around the rear fuse (especially the ones behind where the boy is standing) match the damage seen on the example today. See www.kiwimodeller.com/~kmodel/index.php/forum/51-world-war-ii/29810-fieseler-fi-103-vergeltungswaffe-1-reference-picsIt appears as though there has been some basic panelbeating but the big crease from the corner of the access panel is still visible. The paint finish is light grey over all - I think the coloured camo has been applied later - I would guess for the Ohakea display.
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MOTAT
Jan 15, 2019 7:28:01 GMT 12
baz62 likes this
Post by Bruce on Jan 15, 2019 7:28:01 GMT 12
Just a quick note to say that the December issue of Flypast magazine has a feature on the MoTaT aviation collection. Well worth a read. Cool! I'll look out for that in April...
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