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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 2, 2010 19:25:48 GMT 12
Recognise a few faces in that 1963 Engineering Officers OH photo ( Definitely not a wartime shot )....Danny Gable, Alan Papesch ( he taught us Aerodynamics at Canterbury University early 1980s ), Roger ? Peart, Jack Horsley ...
Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on May 24, 2010 1:47:57 GMT 12
Yes - had a good look around Birdlings Flat myself a few years back - no much left. Only other 'Kiwi' Harvard photos - maybe of interest are these two of Ray Hanna's Harvard at Duxford about 10 years ago...they had their P-40E painted up in RNZAF wartime colours...so why not a Harvard in a Pacific type one ? ... attractive aircraft. We are pretty luck really with the Harvard in that spares are still readily available...big place in Dallas - Lance Aircraft - pretty much has everything you might need ... and there are several Rebuild Shops in the US doing them full time. ... long may they continue . Harvards Forever !
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Post by harvard1041 on Mar 14, 2010 20:43:19 GMT 12
Was on the KAHU Design Team - at AMDF at WB - the prototype flew in 1989 ( 05 ) with the T-Bird ( 54 ) shortly afterwards...exciting times....
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Post by harvard1041 on Feb 17, 2010 19:20:11 GMT 12
...sadly I think you are right... an absolute cluster... very poor Air NZ decisions, lousy upgrade Contractor in L-3, and poorly managed by Defence. And worst of the lot - the good people working at Safe pay the price for these bad Management decisions.
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Post by harvard1041 on Oct 20, 2009 4:14:37 GMT 12
Thanks Dave For such a busy busy unit with many guys going thru it - there are scant few photos left...which is a real shame. What dates was your man on 4 (F) OTU there Dave ? Here are the photos I have of 4(F)OTU aircraft - anyone have any others ? Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Oct 19, 2009 23:36:20 GMT 12
Great stuff - keep them coming...real time warp this aircraft - many many people have flown it over the years.
Thanks again Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Oct 18, 2009 17:31:47 GMT 12
Anyone out there have some photos of the Andrews A-1 ZK-BLU ? ...the older the better. Rgds Hvd1041
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787
Oct 2, 2009 11:15:22 GMT 12
Post by harvard1041 on Oct 2, 2009 11:15:22 GMT 12
Been following this reasonably closely.... it is a fiasco - Boeing have several big technical issues to overcome first - the wing-fuselage stringer fix, fuselage barrel reinforcement (the fuse barrel facility in Italy has shut down production) - then some massive production challenges ...plus a couple of yet-unannounced issues of equal severity.
... and now they're saying they will have to open a second line to meet the Schedules they've previously promised... sort of looks like the ANZ -9s might be assembled in South Carolina - all fine, but it's not a 5 minute job to set up a new line !?!
I think Boeing will suffer many many cancellations here...and the aircraft hasn't yet flown. A real case of Marketing overselling and overpromising ... and then failing to deliver... a real mess.
Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Aug 17, 2009 21:20:53 GMT 12
Thanks for the insight there Don...good stuff.
Actually know a bit about the -408 option (one of the reasons I went to Pensacola) - and there were a couple of ways to do it - the USN had fitted them successfully to a few A-4Fs ... there was even a Navair Service Bulletin ...but McDD didn't favour it - intakes weren't a big problem... but engine mounts etc were... but as you say came down to money which wasn't forthcoming....there were also options to uprate the -P8B to give more thrust..at the expence of life etc.
There were also a number of avionics options not put in the KAHU spec...which were pushed back to a 'mid life' update (which never happened) - targetting pods, anti-ship missle etc...
Cheers Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Aug 17, 2009 13:51:02 GMT 12
Hello
Both good points - often wondered why the RNZAF didn't try to get the early A-4Ms however...which flew in 1971 I believe...and not settle for the last of the A-4Fs...I guess it wasn't an option given the USN - USMC - IAF were kinda busy in 1970-71 and probably needed them.
..but the later A-4s with self starters & the bigger J52-408 were quite a leap in performance ( did a trip to Pensacola in the early 1980s and they were definitely the preferred aircraft ) ..... and the latter aircraft were the first A-4s really designed to operate from an airfield as opposed to a carrier - the early A-4s with no starter, no battery etc are fine when the equipment is on-board of course...but also pretty 'lean' compared to what a modern fighter needs.
Think my friends comments about the A-4 when they first got them, were based on problems getting the doppler working, the poor radar and very basic gunsight...things that KAHU all addressed of course.
The A-4 was undoubtedly a great aircraft - and a great one for NZ.
Cheers Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Aug 17, 2009 8:29:53 GMT 12
Great shots Shorty - keep them coming ...real treasure ! Here's a question for you - how much of a backward step were the A-4s compared to the Canberras ? .... got to have been good to work on a 'decent' USN aircaft compared to the Brit stuff...but capability wise...surely the Canberra had it all over the A-4. Buddy of mine here in Blenheim is Mike Hill - ex Canberra Nav - and 75 Sqn Nav Officer when they first got the A-4s...he thinks the A-4s were a step backwards... Interested in what you think ? ..never worked Canberras of course...always liked the A-4. Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Aug 16, 2009 4:14:54 GMT 12
Hey - let get back onto the aircraft here...Politicians are -well- politicians ie self serving, ignorant, usually dishonest...well, you get the picture. Anyway A-4s....went to an interesting talk at Oshkosh recently given by TR Swartz - who is notable for several reasons - 6,000 hours in USN jets, 1000 traps - would be happy to be buried in an F-8 Crusader ...and shot down a Mig-17 with a 5" Zuni rocket in an A-4C...he gave a great talk - real character - which included his story on how much lead you need to give a Mig with an unguided air-ground rocket (The RNZAF A-4s used Zunis early on - but finished up with the CRV-7s post - KAHU).... apparently you need to pretty much blank the aircraft out when about 300 yds behind it !?! Here's a couple of photos...his interview is bound to be on You Tube there before long...classic A-4 stuff. ..that's TR in the green hat. This is the ex-EAA A-4 that has recently been brought back to life...J-65 powered...due to fly soon. Pretty sure we could get one or two flying in NZ if so allowed...not a bad idea that... Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Aug 16, 2009 4:03:24 GMT 12
While on the subject of P-40s - just back in from Oshkosh where there were Qty 5 P-40s...probably the largest collection for many a year.... Ron Fagens P-40E (second rebuild in 10 years) -ex Russian aircraft. John Fallis' P-40N (ex 49th FG PNG - and with a lot of NZ - Aust parts in it) - great aircraft pretty much built all by John and his sidekick - Bill - over 10 years. The Canadain Heritage guys with their (NZ - Pioneer built) stunning aircraft. Rudy & David Frasca's P-40E ..and the interesting CAF P-40N - which despite its somewhat gaudy paint scheme..is unique in that it has never been rebuilt since built...all original. Cheers Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Aug 16, 2009 3:51:46 GMT 12
Interesting thread about P-40s in NZ. Of course the biggest connection over the last decade or longer has been the great work the guys at Pioneer have done rebuilding P-40s...there can't be many flying P-40s around that haven't benefited from their work. Have a bit of involvement in P-40s myself - worked for a guy in the US for a while who built parts for them - and thru him got meet the US based P-40 guys - Ken Hake, Ron Fagen, John Fallis etc and what with the Australian based builders - Murray Griffith etc ..and the Kiwi connection - Charles Darby, Garth Hogan, Mike Nicholls etc ...there really is a world wide source of information and parts. My own modest Project is a 1942 P-40E-1 ex Russian 35916 (CW 1023, c/n 19749, ET562) - which is really just a collection of crashed bits - part of the wing around the center (inluding a pretty decent 20mm hole thru where the fuel tanks are) - and fuselage side - looks very much like a collection of scrap metal. ...but have been collecting and making parts over the years...and have enough to build a fuselage and start on a wing. Couple of photos below. Have a -39 Allison (from Blenheim) Of course the other NZ connection is the very clever work Tony Wytenburg from Classic Aero Machining www.cams.net.nz/does at Omaka...Tony has made a ton of great P-40 stuff...couple of photos below : New Exhaust Stacks for the Allison New Engine Mount Truss' New Engine Mount Lugs ...plus a ton of other stuff. However the recent photos from Rukahia are just unbelievable...really make you wish you were around and just load one up on the trailor....but there is enough information and people out there to rebuild pretty much an entire aircraft...given the money and time. Like the saying goes, ' Going to have to stick around until I'm 150 years old to finish it all'. Cheers Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 9, 2009 14:27:53 GMT 12
..and some shots of NZ 1092. WP - 1990 Napier - 1985 WB - 1975
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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 9, 2009 14:13:17 GMT 12
Thanks for that Paul - clears the mast question up I think. Couple more photos - NZ1096 - WB in 1975 ... and then Tauranga this past Feb. Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 8, 2009 13:38:27 GMT 12
You making a lot of sense there Paul ... I think you are right ...
I've the RNZAF Mod Books at home (not here however) - and that would answer our questions...
Rgds John.
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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 7, 2009 12:43:11 GMT 12
Actually I think the (wooden) radio masts were original from production (US Radio) - retained for the TR1936 radios (Brit)...but removed when the 'modern' TR16440s were installed in the 1960s. Radiating wire ran from the TR to the top of the mast and then to the top of the vertical. All the brackets were left however...and these wooden masts seem to have survived. Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 6, 2009 13:44:27 GMT 12
Couple of shots of NZ1098 - OH in 1983 and WB in 1975. Rgds Hvd1041
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Post by harvard1041 on Jul 6, 2009 13:36:23 GMT 12
Great thread - and 'Thank You' for the photos and background info- very neat. Only have a few photos of interest but may as well start with 1099 - here's a couple - taken at Lake Head Station near Lake Rotoiti - about 15 years back -when Charles Darby and Jim Pavit owned it - believe that might be Jim in one of the shots - not the skinny guy holding the prop (that's me) - but the portly chap. Other shot was at WB in 1975. Always thought the folding rear canopy and rear gun were an interesting fit...most of the NZ Harvards had the canopy rivetted down and the actuating arm cut off (from production I think). Rgds Hvd1041
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