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Post by shamus on Mar 28, 2009 11:33:39 GMT 12
I remember way back in far off 1968 I was doing a Mooney rating with an Auckland Aero club instructor when the controller from Ardmore called and said R.... your wifes baby is on the way and you need to take her immediatly to the hospital. I immediatly turned the mooney towards Ardmore when he said hang on we're not finished. After a few more fully developed stalls he said OK lets go and we made a standard rejoin before landing. Very laid back. I learned later that this was not the first baby so he was oviously not concerned as much as I was.
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Post by shamus on Mar 28, 2009 11:11:33 GMT 12
I recall now that the engine from Peters Mustang ended up in Graham Craw's Packard Car Museum and as far as I know is still there today.
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Post by shamus on Mar 26, 2009 9:31:31 GMT 12
I remember Peter Coleman and his collection from some years back as he had a Rolls=Royce Kestrel out of a Hind that interested me. I also remember his making a turntable to turn the J locomotive round and actually turning it by towing it round with his Austin A40, the one pictured by the Mustang. Very ingenious.
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Post by shamus on Mar 25, 2009 15:33:27 GMT 12
Here is photo of a Hind Trainer which could possibly be NZ1540. It certainly has a 4 as the third letter in the serial. The photo is not very good as it was copied from out of the magazine 'Contact' June 1941 issue. If anyone has a copy of this issue they may be able to recognise the serial number and confirm or deny it.
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Post by shamus on Mar 25, 2009 10:31:57 GMT 12
An addition to the previous posting. Sorry Shorty but the Hind from Himitangi was from the collision of NZ 1528 and NZ1508 and not from the P40 collision. Don and I visited the site of the Hind/P40 collision and it was over a farm near the main road. The remains are buried on the farm site.
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Post by shamus on Mar 25, 2009 10:25:22 GMT 12
The accident you talk about happened on 23rd October 1942 and the Hind was piloted by L.H.F. Brown and passenger was Fl/Sgt Belcher. The P40 was piloted by Keith McDonald who I new and he died about 4 - 5 years ago. The report is available from the Archives and its number is 25/2/691 . Len Brown may be still alive. He was manager of the Automobile Assn in Wellington. It was always my intention to get the two pilots to meet but Keith died before this was able to be accomplished. Keith was active in his later years and was rebuilding one of Dons (Subritzky's) Kestel engines when he died. I do not have a photo of NZ1540 and would also love to have one if one can be found.
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Post by shamus on Mar 7, 2009 12:53:21 GMT 12
Thanks Lumpy, I found the photo in History of NZ Aviation,although I did n't get my copy from there. Have had my copy for about 20 years and don't remember where it came from, but do agree the Museum & Institute should be credited for it.
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Post by shamus on Mar 6, 2009 12:04:40 GMT 12
A photo of J Hammond by the Bleriot 'Britannia' in NZ.
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Post by shamus on Mar 5, 2009 12:54:23 GMT 12
The book by Rodliffe, 'Flight over Waitohe' is available now on Trademe for $5, also, Venture the far horizon, $12 and $14. Go to Trademe, Books, non-fiction, transport, aviation. Good luck. Also, I thought Hammond was famous for his flights in the Bleriot X1 not a boxkite. Referring to NZ of course.
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Post by shamus on Mar 3, 2009 17:22:41 GMT 12
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Post by shamus on Mar 1, 2009 13:48:16 GMT 12
Another one of the B17 D in NZ somewhere.
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Post by shamus on Mar 1, 2009 13:00:55 GMT 12
Here are the updated photos, Steveb, The one with its back to the camera is 41-2458 in case you can't read the number. http: //i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/Shamus_photos/124430.jpg[/IMG]
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Post by shamus on Feb 28, 2009 17:41:51 GMT 12
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Post by shamus on Feb 28, 2009 11:44:47 GMT 12
Here's another mystery that may set you thinking. I have done some reseach into B17s in New Zealand and found the following article in the Aviation Historical Soc. Journal, Vol 14 No 1, 1st Feb 1971. 'The Great Fying Fortess Mystery' John Regan writes from Wellington to say that the B17E, 41-2458 which crashed at Whenuapai on 9 June 1942 was named "Texas Tornado" . This name was painted in large letters on the port side of the nose. (End of quote). We know of course that the B17 that crashed at Whenuapai was, 41-2667 not 41-2458. Did John Regan take both the name and the serial from the same aircraft. This is the first mention in the AHSNZ records of the name Texas Tornado that I have come across and wonder if later writers have picked it up and it has become enshrined in legend. Just to add a bit more confusion. I saw a photo of the Texas Tornado at a friend and fellow collector, Des Leonards place. The last 2 numbers that could be seen on the taiplane did not match with 41-2667. I asked Des to get me a copy of the photo but he did the dirty on me by dropping dead a week later, so never got it. I subsequently heard his collection on Military aircraft photos went to the RNZAF Museum, Wigram. I enquired with Mathew O'Sullivan to get a copy of this photo but it could be found nowhere. So I ask the question, did John Regan get it wrong or have subsequent writers just picked up on the original statement he made and carried on a myth. Will post some more info and photos of B17s soon.
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Post by shamus on Feb 18, 2009 13:32:50 GMT 12
Have just come across this thread and took a look at my list of RNZAF Accident reports which begins at 1929. The following two are correct;- 11 May 39 Vildebeest NZ110, Wigram, and the report number is, 25/2/21. 10th May 39 Baffin A1674 at Banks Peninsular, Report number, 25/2/22. These reports are available from the Archives in Wellington. The other ones mentioned do not appear in the list of reports, and I am wondering if they could have been civil aircraft as the RNZAF report system was up and working some 10 years before these incidents. Their was a Vildebeeste crash at Wigram on 12 Feb 39 NZ102 crash landed. Report No. 25/2/17. Hope this helps in some way.
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Post by shamus on Dec 10, 2008 14:09:24 GMT 12
In the 1920s (before I was born), my father was one of the crew on the SS Tahiti on which Kingsford Smith and his crew travelled to the USA to pick up the aeroplane and commence the trans-pacific flight. He managed to get some photos of them, but I don't know where they were taken, here in NZ or in the USA. The first shows Kingsford Smith with, I believe Ulm and an unidentified person and the second is of McWilliams and Litchfield.
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Post by shamus on Dec 10, 2008 10:07:11 GMT 12
Cover of book by John Stannage. This is a paper back and says inside, First published, Christchurch NZ, December 1944, 10,000 copies. Printed by H.W.Bullivant & Co. Ltd. 163 Armagh St. Christchurch. Not to be confused with High Adventure (From Balloons to Boeings) By Alexander.
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Post by shamus on Dec 9, 2008 21:57:30 GMT 12
I have a copy of a book by John Stannage called 'High Adventure'. It was published in 1944 and is all about his adventures with Kingsford Smith. It is a rare book today but it is possible some libraries may have copies. It has a photo of the author on the front cover. Will post a photo of the cover tomorrow.
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Post by shamus on Dec 9, 2008 11:40:21 GMT 12
A not so good photo of the Zero displayed at an unidentified location.
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Post by shamus on Dec 8, 2008 21:28:43 GMT 12
The aircraft at Kuirau Park , Rotorua was definitely an Avenger. I was with the team from Motat preparing it for its road journey to Auckland. I know i have either a photo or a 8mm movie of it before it left for Auckland but can't lay my hands on it at the moment. Will post it as soon as it comes to light.
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