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Post by gibbo on Nov 16, 2023 14:57:43 GMT 12
Gibbo, here is Mangere aerodrome in 1942. From the Air Force Museum of New Zealand MUS0902345 Aerial oblique view of RNZAF Station Mangere. Awesome Thx Dave, hadn't seen that one. AIUI the lighter patch closer to the coastline at camera end was a WW2 extension for B17 & other larger a/c if required. There was quite a little settlement on the site in the day.
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Post by gibbo on Nov 16, 2023 14:55:24 GMT 12
Winstone Ltd - Aerial photographs: 1963 Mangere Airport, Auckland - laying the runway I hope you don't mind Gibbo. LOL course not...great photo eh, gosh NZ's aerial phto archives are amazing
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Post by gibbo on Nov 15, 2023 21:16:18 GMT 12
Going to hi-jack this old thread as it popped up when searching for info on the Auckland Aero Club at Mangere. I've always been curious exactly where the old airfield was ...knew it was in the vicinty of the AirNZ engineering base (more a base-let now) and found this image which appears to show the latter (post 1938 fire?) clubrooms & hangars sitting amongst the works for the new (current) runway etc... no doubt they were abandoned at this point & probably used by construction teams. The runway & taxiway layout is largely still 'as built' and looks to be pinpointing the location of the clubrooms. Fascinating stuff... we're talking Jean Batten; Kingsford Smith... some real aviation history on this site. collection.fletcherarchives.co.nz/objects/72123/winstone-ltd-aerial-photographs-1963-mangere-airport-auckland-laying-the-runway#&gid=1&pid=1
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Post by gibbo on Sept 30, 2023 19:28:41 GMT 12
Yes I kind of forgot it would've had to been 1958 - 1962 so just a typo with casualty numbers I'd say. Definitely not a confusion with the 1979 Erebus crash as he passed away the year before that... and had actually penned the manuscript in 1973 according to the introduction written by Sue Gray (his daughter). I'm picking given his description of 'flying into a mountain' that it'll be this one: aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19581016-1
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Post by gibbo on Sept 29, 2023 16:48:23 GMT 12
I sent an email request to Sue last week and had the book in my hand in just under 24 hours...great effort Sue...and a great book! I've already read it as I couldnt put it down once I started... definitely reccomended! It's interesting to read that NZ's reluctance to spend realistic $$$ on defence is not just a recent thing, nor is inter-service rivalry that underfunding fostered! For anyone reading it I'm curious about his reference on the top of pg 131 to an Antarctic plane crash ...written in 1973 it echo's the Erebus Disaster but is written years before it... I'm curious as to what others take away from that!?! I had the same question. Not sure what the incident could be. There's nothing I can find online that comes close matching his description and frankly there's no way something of that magnitude could be hushed up so the number of casualties must surely be merely a typo (a rather significant at that!). If not then he & others on his flight were given incorrect information ...but then he doesn't counter that with a correction which he would've remembered when writing that. It doesn't help that he doesn't give a date..even a year would've done. Neveretheless an otherwise excellent publication.
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Post by gibbo on Sept 29, 2023 14:39:25 GMT 12
I sent an email request to Sue last week and had the book in my hand in just under 24 hours...great effort Sue...and a great book! I've already read it as I couldnt put it down once I started... definitely reccomended! It's interesting to read that NZ's reluctance to spend realistic $$$ on defence is not just a recent thing, nor is inter-service rivalry that underfunding fostered!
For anyone reading it I'm curious about his reference on the top of pg 131 to an Antarctic plane crash ...written in 1973 it echo's the Erebus Disaster but is written years before it... I'm curious as to what others take away from that!?!
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Post by gibbo on Sept 3, 2023 22:30:04 GMT 12
I'm rather late to the party but this is a sobering series of images, belated thanks to Padre Joe for allowing them to be shared. I've visited the museum twice but not seen the Dauntless exhibit. Is it currently displayed? I was at the RNZAF meseum 2 weeks ago & no sign of the Dauntless on display nor in the restoration workshop, nor the reserve hangar. I did ask the tour guide about 'the display of the crashed plane' (he was ex-Army so I figured I shouldn't be too specific about the type)... he knew nothing about it. In fact I haven't seen it there on the last 2 times prior to my recent visit so it must be something close to 20 years ago I last saw it on display. I hope they haven't sucumbed to woke-ness & hidden it away... or worse! When I did see it (just the once) I was captivated by it as it was such a unique type of display... I remember I spent 10-15 minutes eyeballing it.
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Post by gibbo on Jul 5, 2023 9:37:59 GMT 12
I guess the argument of 4 aircraft against 6 is that the 4 are new, more reliable, more capable, smaller crews so a similar operational footprint with less input required. Just my very simplistic view. And with a proper simulator basically all flights will be operational ones, Yes indeed Errol, the simulator will make a significant difference as although obviously not the equivalent of an aircraft in the sky, a quick 'google' shows the US Navy state that 70% of their P8 training needs are able to be met in sims, including the maintenance training sim which the RNZAF are getting too. Apparently for the USN they calculated around 30% odd was met by 'on ground' training for their P3's... no reason to assume that would be anything widely different off that mark for the RNZAF. Sims of course reduce the number of training flights (can never be zero) but that in turn will flow thru to maintenance cycles, in fact the USN boasted of availability rates in the mid-high 90's in the first few years of P8 operation from what I remember reading somewhere. Sims also of course allow full-immersion training of much higher risk in-flight scenarios which will benefit crewing standards. My only bug-bear is that the EMAC complimentary MPA project is stalled, or maybe so de-scoped that it won't effectively address the need to provide a complimentary capability to allow the P8 to do more sharp-end taskings with the EMAC platform doing the bread & butter shorter range SAR & EEZ patrol etc. In the short term it sounds like the RNZAF wouldn't be able to crew another fleet so with any luck as the P8A beds into 5Sqn service the defence review will reinforce the need for the EMAC project and will deliver another capability that will bed in as P8 availability starts to possibly wane a little and crewing constraints are (hopefully) addressed.
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Post by gibbo on Jun 27, 2023 18:22:09 GMT 12
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Post by gibbo on Jun 25, 2023 23:37:05 GMT 12
Nice box arrived at Wigram when I was there this morning..... I believe it's on loan for a year or so. Ah so it's going to be used by the RNZAF team to famiiarise & take patterns one assumes. I'd have thought it'd be easier to send the museum team up north but I guess this way they won't have to rush it & can pore over it in fine detail... wonder if there's any IT systems that can do a 3D imaging & feed that into a CAD system to aid design, or am I getting ahead of myself? It'll certainly be some years before we see the Vildebeest complete but exciting times!
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Post by gibbo on Jun 20, 2023 18:39:53 GMT 12
The wings need rebuilding yet. That is just the centre section in the container!! When I was at Wigram for the 100th celebration I noticed the restoration display included newly made spar material(with a sample of original spar). Typically British with two flat parts for top and bottom of the spar with a zig-zag made of little plates.....all riveted together. Can't recall if it was wing or elevator....possibly the latter. Don Simms you recall? Various interesting snippets in this the updates on NZ102... there's definitely spar related chatter in there... the Vincent move has really sparked a lot of interest! www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/collections-research/conserve/current-projects/vickers-vildebeest-mkiii/
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Post by gibbo on Jun 19, 2023 21:17:02 GMT 12
I have been followed the Vincent since I first visited the Subritzky workshop at Dairy Flat over 20 years ago. Seeing it in the container is a reflection of Steve's hard work and commitment to this project over this time and the resulting airframe shows the impressive growth in his skills. I am by chance heading to Christchurch in July and am planning to take my son to the airforce museum at Wigrim, with a huge amount of excitement and anticipation. At some point I must find my photo albumn and with Steve's consent, look at posting some of these photos in time. I've never had the chance to view the Vincent... generally speaking what remains to be done? Obviously the wings & tailplane need covering, but as to the rest I'd be keen to know. Perhaps the Wigram team will complete it as part of the loan agreement... dunno. Looking forward to an update on this from the museum themselves.
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Post by gibbo on Jun 19, 2023 8:59:16 GMT 12
No problem with a loan, it'll be a great way to demystify the intricate framework & other aspects of NZ102's rebirth, clearly the Wigram team are very motivated to get their Vildebeest completed. On the topic of loaned aircraft, always wondered how the 'long-term loan' arrangement with the Oxford works... Canadian museum owns it, loans it to Wigram (who to be fair did all the heavy lifting of it's restoration includng some of their own parts) ...wonder if the Canadian museum can now come knocking & ask for it back!?! From the AFM website: Link: www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/airspeed-oxford/In 2000, the Air Force Museum of New Zealand entered into a long-term loan agreement with the Canada Aviation Museum for PK286. This allowed for the conversion back to its original Oxford configuration, bearing the colour scheme it would have worn when it first left the Airspeed factory. The restoration was completed in 2016 after 14 years and some 34,000 hours of work. In 2022, the Canada Aviation Museum formally gifted Oxford PK286 to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand collection. OMG, so the Oxford is here to stay... I dont know how I missed that little gem... that's realy made my week & it's only 9am on a Monday! She's a stunner!
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Post by gibbo on Jun 18, 2023 17:31:55 GMT 12
No problem with a loan, it'll be a great way to demystify the intricate framework & other aspects of NZ102's rebirth, clearly the Wigram team are very motivated to get their Vildebeest completed. On the topic of loaned aircraft, always wondered how the 'long-term loan' arrangement with the Oxford works... Canadian museum owns it, loans it to Wigram (who to be fair did all the heavy lifting of it's restoration includng some of their own parts) ...wonder if the Canadian museum can now come knocking & ask for it back!?!
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Post by gibbo on Jun 17, 2023 16:30:41 GMT 12
I think the intention is two complete ones Paul. Great news, the big plus it means the Vinnie isn't heading offshore! Certainly hope the long-term plan is to complete (& retain) both the Vincent & Vildebeest... I'd be curious to know if this is a long-term loan arrangement or a transfer of ownership?
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Post by gibbo on May 24, 2023 8:33:33 GMT 12
Ouch, don't tell the SAS guys that!
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Post by gibbo on Apr 26, 2023 8:35:44 GMT 12
Exactly what I thought when I read the article yesterday. The way I see it is this guarantees the airbases long term future. Actually this will likely have little or no bearing on whether the base remains... or to be more specific it is irrelevant to the future of flying operations at Whenuapai. The datacentre could easily operate as a standalone, high-security facility if housing goes up around it, albeit there might be some form of 'buffer' allowed as I understand they can be quite noisy with massive HVAC requirements.
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Post by gibbo on Apr 22, 2023 0:23:14 GMT 12
I don’t know. I’ve always found the 727 and the 757 a weird fit to a nation the size of NZ. I think it’s just time the 757s are replaced with two types. Just buy more c130js for military work and transport tanks (or maybe a A400m or 3) if something bigger is needed. Then for the VIP work get a couple of Business jets G650, Global 8000, or something. Give it a secondary role in pilot training or something as an add on to 42 squadron. Well multi day trips Singapore or East Timor in the back of a C-130 are not one of life's enjoyable experiences. Trips further afield are darn right diabilical. Cramped, noisy, box lunches, raining condensation and toilet in a can behind a curtain. 727/757 weird fit ..... have you actually tried it in a C-130? Keep hearing the same thing over & over about get rid of B757 for VIP use... I wish punters would remember that VIP is only a small (but very visible) part of what they do and their freight / combi capacity get used more than many seem to think. I do not believe it is acceptable to perform strategic personnel transport with a C130 given the distances required for the RNZAF to do so.
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Post by gibbo on Apr 5, 2023 7:58:38 GMT 12
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Post by gibbo on Feb 27, 2023 22:27:27 GMT 12
Media get into telling the true story...finally this is becoming an openly discussed topic which is exactly what is needed. Election year may make a little difference but the real bonus of this timing is the hugely positive press the NZD are getting at present with the exceptional effort being put into cyclone relief.
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