|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 23:16:46 GMT 12
Aermacchi to zoom in Masterton An Italian jet plane bound for Masterton will have no chance of spending its retirement mouldering in a hangar. Instead the jet, revealed this week to be heading to the George Hood Museum, will roar over Wairarapa as part of airshows and Wings Over Wairarapa. "We have been given every indication that with time and money we will be able to fly it," he said. "We're pretty hopeful that it will be a flying aircraft." full item Here: www.times-age.co.nz/local/news/aermacchi-to-zoom-in-masterton/3958665/ I like the sound of that .
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 23:14:27 GMT 12
I see on that wiki page that the total cost of the programme so far they have spent US$196 Billion. So, only about a quarter of what has been spent by the US on the Iraq war since 2003 - and a lot less people got hurt along the way! Errol I'd wager there is more spent on European professional football in than there is on space exploration these days as well.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 23:12:44 GMT 12
For example, when NASA released photos of buried rivers and streams under the Sahara desert taken from the Shuttle, the target audience was not the general public but the Soviet High Command to show that where ever and how ever they hid their missile silos, America now had the ability to find them. On a similar note, the guy that first imaged the Titanic wreck was only able to do so because he had just been imaging the wreck of the USS Scorpion on the same trip, and secured the equipment to do so on that basis. Finding the Titanic was a secondary bonus, but the submarine aspect was top secret at the time in 1985.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 23:07:15 GMT 12
I really like the shuttle programme from am aviation/rocketry technology aspect. But hey, the reason I decided to throw a few things into this thread about the expense of the programme o get some discussion going on the merits of the Space Shuttle programme. If I didn't make a few "controversial" comments no-one would have had much to say here at all about the last flight, as is often the way with threads that come and go for not being intellectually stimulating. I doubt anyone here has noticed but I like to think outside the square sometimes or really think about the big picture with things and not just take things as face value as the media presents it. Often when I express such thoughts here, people get all defensive because I am challenging the normal conventions of the topic as they see it. But it stimulates lively discussion and that is what the forum is all about. I learn from things that people say in these dicsussions, and sometimes maybe people learn from me too, or see a new angle on things at least. I never ever see anything as being black and white straight down the line, there's always different ways of thinking about subjects, and approaching them. I like to challenge my own thinking on topics by asking myself "Hey, but what if...?" Sometimes I throw things up here on the forum in a discussion as a way to see what other people think and say so it can help me decided exactly what I think about it. Maybe everyone else likes to think in a linear fashion and just go by what the books say, I don't know. I have found that looking at topics from all sorts of angles leads to places and I think this is one reason I have been very successful in research discovering a lot more than others have in many cases, because i think inside and outside the square. Some people take up the challenges and debate with it. Some can't handle such wierd and whacky thoughts and simply react and hit the smite button rather than stopping to have a think about is being said, or addressing it in a mature debate. I can always rely on you Sam to pick up the challenges I lay and debate with aplomb, and I appreciate that. Thanks Dave. Nothing wrong with thinking outside of the square, but you have to make sure the questions are good ones that will yield useful answers, and are working from a good foundation. The applications of knowledge and discoveries made in space are not necessarily limited to Astronomy in application. There is a confluence of disciplines at work. And while you quote a popular perception of how the grants/funding model works, reality isn't quite like that (speaking as a someone who works for a CRI).
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 20:04:12 GMT 12
Also the Hubble telescope has produced spectacular photos but what we see is all massively enhanced by NASA photoshoppers to make it interesting the public, and all they produce is more theories, not facts. And furthermore earth-based telecopes can produce the same results. I just read today they are making a square-kilometre radio telescope to hunt aliens with, which is supposedly going to be the best yet ever devised. So people can sit on their arses on earth and do better. No they can't. Hubble in particular is capable of things that no earth based telescope could ever do, no matter how large the array, and has made immense contributions to our understanding of the universe and how it works. And that is just one thing the Shuttle enabled. It was not a perfect platform, it was hobbled by design compromises, and never paid it's way as intended, but to allege it hasn't contributed to our useful sum of knowledge is absurd. You say they only produce more theories not facts, but the scientific definition of a theory is a little more robust than the commonly accepted one. Sorry Dave but you are not coming across as genuinely well informed on this topic.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 15:59:37 GMT 12
We've learned humans can live in space, at humungous cost. Whipty fricking do. Think how many more useful projects those trillions of dollars could have been spent on, like warbirds! Keeping old worn-out warplanes that only a minority of people know much or care about. Whoop de do..... ;D Apologies for the paraphrase but that is a massive over generalisation there about the Shuttle legacy Dave....besides, NASA's budget is nowhere near as big as popularly thought. It is a pale shadow as an organisation of what it was in the 60's and 70's.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 15:50:59 GMT 12
Fellow forumites!! Is it a bad thing that I'm more excited about seeing the Spitfire XIV fly again than the Mosquito? Nope. I would love to see a Mosquito fly, but that MkXIV was easily my favourite of any Spitfire I have seen fly in NZ. Looking forward very much to it's return.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 8, 2011 15:46:20 GMT 12
Hi Everyone. The latest issue of KiwiFlyer Magazine is out now, and it has a huge 12-spread photo essay about The Omaka Airshow in it Its only $5.90, and well worth the subscription! Cheers Chris Gee Yes I got my very first issue yesterday. I was getting both Pacific Wings and Australian Aviation each month but was finding Pacific Wings was getting a bit much to fork out the $9 or so. kiwi flyer is a well worth replacement for me. Interesting. I periodically re-read issues of interest of 'Pacific Wings' from the 80's and 90's when it was still 'NZ Wings', and overall feel a bit that it isn't quite the magazine it used to be (a bit like watching old and new 'Simpsons' episodes!) I only buy NZ aviation mags on an interesting issue basis at the moment. I get Aero Australia regularly but find Australian Aviation a bit dry as a regular read.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 6, 2011 22:02:48 GMT 12
Would a Strikemaster engine fit into a Macchi? From memory they were very similiar, one reason the RNZAF insisted on them as they had lots ofthe tooling already, so I heard/read when we bought them. They weren't that similar from what I was told, from someone close to me who worked on both types of aircraft.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 6, 2011 22:01:22 GMT 12
Do Brazil and Argentina not still operate the A4 in some form or another? Those are reconfigured/upgraded A-4M's with a different version of the J-52 than ours.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 6, 2011 15:50:14 GMT 12
Right, I'm of to Tauranga for xmas. Aermacchi's had a proud service record? They were only in service a week weren't they? Little bit longer than a week, by about a decade or so So no Skyhawk for the capital or anywhere near it, or in fact anywhere in the North Island south of Tauranga. Awesome.
|
|
|
MOTAT
Jul 2, 2011 10:52:42 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jul 2, 2011 10:52:42 GMT 12
Went up to this site last year, the scar is actually in the next feeder stream. crash site is at/near top of Skerret creek, at a vertical wall.though wreckage has tumbled down from there. Wreckage still about, armour plate, engine,and the wing centre section is in the stream,possibly covering the now more crushed wing panels. If you know what to look for the distinctive L/R wings ,joined by a line of bolts,upside down with gear retraction oleos still partly shiny.Also found a wheel disc cover in the bush and further downstream the rotting remains of one of the tires. Not a bad walk but best if you get guided the first time! How's the access? Do you need to cross any private land or can you just walk up the side of the creek? Interesting that stuff is still there, I thought it would have been salvaged/scavenged by now.
|
|
|
MOTAT
Jul 2, 2011 10:50:42 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jul 2, 2011 10:50:42 GMT 12
Hi Mumbles
Geez this was a long time ago. Other option for the road maybe Main Road south of the Wainuiomata Road roundabout
I have the Lat Long listed as -41*17'58.7660, 174*59'00.3242 That sounds about right given the other details Might pop over and have a look next time I have a bit of time to spare.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 2, 2011 10:45:54 GMT 12
It is the Moutoa Floodway - and it is in flood! The bridge (SH.1) across it is over 1km long. So who else sees if they can hold their breath all the way across it (drivers excepted)? Been a tradition amongst my family and friends when crossing that bridge for as long as I can remember. Slow traffic or slow drivers add to the challenge. Am thinking this might have been taken during a WILLOH or other RAAF deployment, judging by the Hornet looking shapes on the flight line and the number of cars in the viewing area
|
|
|
MOTAT
Jun 29, 2011 13:07:23 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jun 29, 2011 13:07:23 GMT 12
Shorty, MOTAT is now a Government funded national museum too, isn't it? The Auckland Council and Government signed a deal to fund it a few yars back - hence all the improvements there. And hence the reason they get a Skyhawk in the first batch. Am I the only one thinking as the official national museum of New Zealand Te Papa should get one? If for no other reason than to have one in Wellington (Hood doesn't count being more than an hour's travel away, and having them in the major cities does appear to be at least a part of the disposal process).
|
|
|
MOTAT
Jun 29, 2011 12:32:04 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jun 29, 2011 12:32:04 GMT 12
Orongaronga Stream, Wainuiomata. Sgt Thomas Marchant, 16 squadron, 1-5-43 I took a trip up to the wreck site way back in the late '60's. The scar was visible from Wellington Road (and still is I believe).
The rudder was in a property at the end of Sunny Grove and was visible as we started the walk up the stream.
The engine had been carried (rolled) down and was partially buried by the stream.
The armour plate had also been carried down but abandoned and that was also by the stream.
The experts in our team found what they wanted (fibrelock nuts from the tail-feathers?). I scooped up some small items of wreckage but the best was a fabric piece still in its Sky Blue. I lost it a couple of years ago dammit! Oh and we also recovered a bright green tipped armour-piercing .5 round that we handed into the police.
I really would like to visit the site again.Are you sure about Wellington Road? It's just that Sunny Grove is at the other end of Wainui. I'm a Hutt Valley local, so if you can give me some precise pointers I can go have a look and see if there is anything still visible from the road. I don't expect there would be anything remaining of the aircraft at the site itself these days. *Edit. Also curious about Orongorongo 'Stream'. There is the Orongorongo River, but that is some distance away (in the next valley at least). Orongorongo Stream may be a no-longer used reference for that river; the stream running past Sunny Grove these days is called Skerrets Creek, which feeds into the nearby Wainuiomata River.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jun 29, 2011 11:40:23 GMT 12
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ;D Aside from the headline fail the rest of the article is kind of reasonable to be fair.
|
|
|
MOTAT
Jun 29, 2011 11:02:35 GMT 12
Post by mumbles on Jun 29, 2011 11:02:35 GMT 12
Ok, just as long as it doesn't have a "wh" in it. Just pointing out that you wouldn't get far plugging "orongaronga" into a database or search engine.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jun 29, 2011 9:55:41 GMT 12
Gotta admit to a serious case of equipment/opportunity and skill envy here. Great shots.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jun 29, 2011 9:52:10 GMT 12
get some random cheap obscure crap just to make a point of difference and show we are 'independent' Can't help but get the feeling in recent years that 'Not Invented Here' syndrome is becoming apparent in NZ Govt, not just in Defence matters but in others where what look like good ideas from overseas aren't adopted because we have to come up with our own solution 'for the unique NZ environment' or some other doublespeak.
|
|