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Post by madmac on May 25, 2022 22:27:19 GMT 12
I would expect a reduction in excess thrust on any new airframes with non hydrocarbon fuels, so longer than existing is likely. Noting the recent articles on the effects of the alpine fault going, the ability to supply the local towns with airfreight for 6 months or so, might be more critical.
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Post by madmac on Apr 21, 2022 21:10:02 GMT 12
Me thinks this has more to do with WIG's (Wing in Ground Effect) not been certified by the FAA but are considered a form of boat in the US.
I seem to recall that WIG's perform best at a height above the surface about equal the length of the wing cord, so 10 meters seems a rather high altitude. Given the sea state in NZ, we probably want something in the 1000 ton plus size.
Anyone know if WIG's are covered by CAA here (i seem to recall the legislation covering the CAA refers to anything that uses air to derive lift).
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Post by madmac on Apr 6, 2022 20:37:58 GMT 12
They could just start with the Cheapest contribution to defense by both (National & Labour) ditching the PRC agents from their party lists. Yes they have ditch a couple but those were replaced with lower profile agents (& I can never remember their names).
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Post by madmac on Mar 24, 2022 7:47:17 GMT 12
I seem to recall reading that it does work (they don't use dry ice anymore), however the conditions need to be close to raining anyway, so perhaps best thought of making it rain here instead of it raining over there. I think the Thai's use it a bit these days.
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Post by madmac on Mar 24, 2022 7:42:33 GMT 12
Well, if they don't want to operate dedicated freighters, I think AirNZ of the future is going to have to get smaller, 2 years of very limited travel is very habit forming.
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Post by madmac on Mar 9, 2022 8:24:26 GMT 12
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Post by madmac on Feb 26, 2022 20:41:49 GMT 12
A troll through the online archives found these Airforce Museum Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 89, 16 April 1931, Page 12 The bending of the rotor blades of the autogiro during a sudden gust of wind at Wanganui will necessitate the laying up of the machine for several months. The blades have been removed and will be sent to England for repair. The above photograph was taken when the autogiro was at Rongotai Aerodrome last week.
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Post by madmac on Feb 15, 2022 8:43:19 GMT 12
Very interesting that someone saw fit to document such an interesting exercise. So was it just training or was a spare wing needed after damage? I would guess the Engineering Officer (or who ever signed off) wanted a record for if they did it again (or C-47 didn't make it to Norfolk).
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Post by madmac on Feb 10, 2022 19:03:53 GMT 12
Yes it is & I was trying not to make too many deviations, but I will take that as an excuse to post a few of his photos. All photos knowledgebank.org.nz “Sterlings marshalled for Arnhem operation” “Kites in low level formation over Bristol Channel. Look out for the power lines on other side!” “Danny Kilgour and Jack Connell on low level formation with George Chesterton – not so low. On the way to bombing range Sturt Flats" “The Kite as she returned after paratrooping the first 100 men into Normany Invasion 6th Airborne Division” Artwork by paratroopers – ANZACS TAKE TO THE AIR TAFFY SOUTH SINEID[?] JOAN W.B.P. ‘IPSWICH SPECIAL’ PHILADELPHIA TO DURHAM “GEORDIE” LONDON EILEEN. ADOLPH HERE WE COME HULL FOR EVER
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Post by madmac on Feb 9, 2022 19:49:59 GMT 12
Well, I can't find any reference to the flying of a lodestar wing to Norfork island, so guess it hasn't been posted. Anyone know of the photos of the other half of this exercise? All RNZAF Museum, dated 1944 Lodestar wing mounted under Dakota NZ3516 for delivery to Norfolk Island, via Whenuapai. RNZAF Station Rukuhia.
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Post by madmac on Feb 9, 2022 19:36:45 GMT 12
I was struck by the Blackburn Bluebird III, so here's all the photos I could find in the various archives (there might be a couple I have missed). Does any one know how often it was operated on floats? or if there are photos of it on floats that don't crop the floats off. Fairfax Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 31, 6 February 1929, Page 9 Waikato Museum next 4 photos "Mr Blackmore and aircraft "Bluebird"" "Aircraft "Bluebird" being refuelled at Hokianga" There is possibly a newspaper piece somewhere to go with this one. "Stan and Warwick Blackmore in front of aircraft "Bluebird"" [/div] "Dr M.M. Hocken in aircraft "Bluebird"" [/div] Fairfax Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 78, 3 April 1933, Page 9 Fairfax, Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 79, 4 April 1933, Page 5 FATAL CRASH AT HAMILTON.—Nose-diving.from a height of 150 feet, a Blackburn Bluebird dual control biplane owned by the Waikato ■ Aviation Company crashed on Sunday morning at Te Rapa, f.our miles out of Hamilton. A pupil-pilot, aged 19, the only person in the machine, was fatally injured
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Post by madmac on Feb 6, 2022 20:21:42 GMT 12
knowledgebank.org.nz has some interesting Sterling. " Canterbury Aero Club buildings at Wigram in the late 1930s. The two biplanes were Gipsy Moths. The one on the left was a Miles Hawk and the other a Percival Vega Gull." canterburystories.nz "Kotuku, a de Havilland Express aircraft, at Wigram Airfield." canterburystories.nz "Dorothy Field, first female at Bridge Pa Club to become a pilot, standing in front DH 60 – ZK-AAB at Bridge Pa Aerodrome" knowledgebank.org.nz "Taken at North Island Air Pageant at Bridge Pa Aerodrome, 24 March 1934" knowledgebank.org.nz Carries a comment from Peter Lewis "Would appear to be the DH60G Moth '872' of the NZ Permanent Air Force" "DH.80A Puss Moth" feildingheritage.nz [/a] And a completely random photo with no connection to NZ except that it turned up on the NZ Presbyterian Research Centre archives. A five ship takeoff possibly in Canton.
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Post by madmac on Feb 5, 2022 23:01:14 GMT 12
It appears to have been fitted before the 1933 tour, This one from 1928 shows 2 bladed propellers "The Southern Cross at Wigram, Christchurch (Alexander Turnbull Library, PAColl-0813-03)"
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Post by madmac on Feb 5, 2022 20:52:04 GMT 12
I came a cross a number of photos of the recovery and repair of the Southern Cross & thought there must be a few more interesting pictures, so here we go. R.N. Boulton filtering fuel into Southern Cross, VH-USU, prior to New Zealand flight, 1933 [picture] / Sydney Morning Herald and Sydney Mail, Sydney National Library of Australia Men hauling Southern Cross, VH-USU, back from tide prior to Australia-New Zealand flight, Gerringong Beach, 1933 [picture] / Sydney Morning Herald and Sydney Mail, Sydney National Library of Australia
""Southern Cross" at Alma airport, Totara. "Plume" fuel truck. Aircraft was the first to fly the Tasman Sea in 1928. Made a refuelling stop at Totara Airfield on March 5th 1933, during a tour of New Zealand after the crossing." culture waitaki "Crowd alongside the Southern Cross aeroplane at Wellington Airport, Rongotai, 1933. Photograph taken by Sydney Charles Smith." National Library "Airplane 'Southern Cross' refuelling, circa 1931, New Zealand, by Leslie Adkin." Te Papa
"Shows the Fokker tri-motor 'Southern Cross' of Charles Kingsford Smith in a hangar, probably at Martinborough. A Bristol Fighter of the N.Z. Permanent Air Force is at left." Masteron District Council Archives
"Charles Ulm's monoplane 'Faith in Australia' at the Auckland Aero Club's Māngere airfield. Ulm, who had been Kingsford-Smith's co-pilot on the Southern Cross in 1928, crossed the Tasman again in his own plane, the Avro X 'Faith of Australia', on 3 December 1933. With him on the flight were co-pilot and wireless operator G.U. Allen, engineer R.T. Bolton, Ulm's wife and his secretary Miss N. Rogers. Mrs Ulm and Miss Rogers were thus the first women to cross the Tasman by air. Ulm landed at New Plymouth and proceeded to Auckland on 9 December 1933." Auckland Libraries
"Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 8 February 1933 p035" Auckland Libraries The next 4 photos are Manawatu Heritage. "This photograph shows the damaged "Southern Cross" when it landed at Milson Airport, Palmerston North. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and crew of the 'Southern Cross', a Fokker F. VII Trimotor aircraft, were delayed in Palmerston North for several weeks after the aeroplane's wing was damaged during taxiing 4 February 1933. The left wing sank axle-deep in a boggy patch of ground. The left wing and port propellor were damaged, taking several weeks to be repaired. Kingsford-Smith left for Sydney a few days later in the "Makura" for a much needed holiday." Manawatu Heritage
The next 4 are MOTAT The next 2 are Manawatu Heritage "Repairing the wing of Kingsford Smith's "Southern Cross" aircaft with 3-ply wood in a Palmerston North Agricultural and Pastoral showground building in Waldegrave Street. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and crew of the 'Southern Cross', a Fokker F. VII Trimotor aircraft, were delayed in Palmerston North for several weeks after the aeroplane's wing was damaged during taxiing at Milson Aerodrome 4 February 1933."
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Post by madmac on Feb 5, 2022 17:38:35 GMT 12
As these official stats show. If people really believe the tourism industry is still all good after that, they are dreaming. If you believe that restoring the old border controls would restore tourist visitor numbers your dreaming. That hasn't been the case overseas nor is it likely here. One of the takeaways from the CHCH feb earthquake was that it isn't going back to normal soon (then) and the same applies here.
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Post by madmac on Feb 5, 2022 15:38:17 GMT 12
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Post by madmac on Feb 4, 2022 12:35:31 GMT 12
This is a cropped version of a picture I took of a C-47 showing the openings up close. DSC_0613 The aircraft is at the Ste Mère-Église Airborne Museum. With the blanks in, which the RNZAF seemed to be in short supply or just gave up on after the rubber got a bit hard and they kept falling out (didn't see any in the post war photos). There is apparently two types of window holes, the 2nd I guess for machine guns. a couple of cropped pictures from the Airforce Museum collection
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Post by madmac on Feb 3, 2022 20:57:05 GMT 12
Sorry I had just looked a couple of dozen RNZAF Dakota photos and not noticed one dam window hole. But there they are when I looked again.
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Post by madmac on Feb 3, 2022 20:37:13 GMT 12
Those holes are gun ports. They are C-47's straight out of RNZAF service. If the C-47 was attacked the troops in the back would be expected to poke their rifles and Bren guns or pistols through the holes and fire back. No bull. They hadn't shoot at much for at least 6 years. Jokes about shooting wharfies aside, you mean some RNZAF bright spark thought it is was a good way of billing NZR for what would otherwise be dead stock.
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Post by madmac on Feb 3, 2022 20:13:02 GMT 12
Those DC-3 running freight, both have holes in all the windows, was it just for the sheep or was there another reason?
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