|
Post by oj on Mar 23, 2010 21:26:21 GMT 12
Ah yes, the error in commentary! Two different Vampires in photos (maybe three). Sorry!
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 23, 2010 21:21:00 GMT 12
Time to kick this off again: Here are some B170's at Rangitaiki on Reflex 2 08 Oct 1963 RNZAF Museum Official Photo: And here three of a Vampire starting, moving off and taxiing to take-off: All RNZAF Museum Official Photos And the Hastings coming in to land over the highway with interested public and disinterested dog: RNZAF Museum Official Photo And Hastings taking off: RNZAF Museum Official Photo Guys, I once again appeal to you if were there or know someone who was, the forum really needs some air-to-ground photos just to show our readers the scale of this exercise. There must be aircrew out there who flew at Rangitaiki at the time that might have photos?
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 22, 2010 21:10:10 GMT 12
Nice pics Baz. Here's 1812 ("Overture") and 1813 at Ohakea in March 1964.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 18, 2010 20:52:35 GMT 12
It was quieter than your standard NAC Dak Dave, and the DC6 operated from Harewood.
My first contact with the DC6 was being told to stow my kit in the forward cargo hold. I had to be lifted up into it as it is too far up without a step or ladder. The loadmaster who lifted me up said stow your kit in the rear of the compartment and stay up there to do all the others.
I thus had to work my passage so to speak. It was hot work. Later in the cabin en-route, I was surprised and most grateful to have a WAAF hostess come around and give us cold orange cordial as in-flight refreshment.
20 years later I was to spend (intermittently) many hours in the identical under-floor cargo holds of the two Carvairs during their overhaul and modification at JAL. The DC4 and DC6 were identical in that regard.
At JAL we had to install smoke detectors in the main cargo area and in each baggage hold. A lot of new wiring associated with this.
I feel another series of photos coming along. If I can find them ......
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 17, 2010 22:35:32 GMT 12
In about August 1963 when I was first posted to Ohakea from Wigram, I flew in the RNZAF DC6 shuttle that used to do the Auckland to Christchurch via Ohakea, Wellington, and maybe Woodbourne each week.
When we stopped at Wellington Air Movements Hangar, the DC6 had a problem starting one engine so there was a delay. The Royal Dak 3551 was just about to leave to return to Ohakea so I was one of three off-loaded from the DC6 to travel in luxury to Ohakea.
About half way to Ohakea the DC6 caught up to us and formated briefly on us to our starboard on a slow overtaking movement, then throttled-up and went into Ohakea ahead of us. It had to go there for other north-bound pax which was just as well because my kit was not transferred to 3551.
Before we got to Ohakea, the Pilot of our little "royal" flight came back into the cabin and chatted with us for a while, but he could not get back into the cockpit because the door latched failed internally. After many attempts he reverted to chopping into the door with the crash-axe to free up the latch and get back for the landing.
We watched all this (the splintering of the prized veneer) as we were in the forward lounge (3551 only had eight passenger seats, in two lounges 4x4 as I recall) That was my bit of excitement for the day.
The VIP aircraft were used now and again by the Governor-General, whenever he had to open a new girls toilet in Oamaru or some similar task (while the crew went golfing)!
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 17, 2010 21:30:53 GMT 12
I was at high school and used to race home to listen to it on the radio parliamentary debate broadcasts on 2YC I think kit was. It went on for many days and I was very interested at the time as my elder brother was in the RNZAF by then.
The main problem was getting politicians (laymen) to accept that second-hand was just a convenient journalistic slant implying from a junk shop whereas the engines were in fact RECONDITIONED.
Which means (for those of us that have every reconditioned things) as good as new. In some cases better than new because the first-life bugs have been ironed out.
You usually get the same as new-engine warranty anyway.
Yes Avon, no Avro.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 17, 2010 20:21:30 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 17, 2010 20:02:27 GMT 12
NZ ??02 at Wigram 1963. One of my own meagre photos.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 17, 2010 19:34:05 GMT 12
Correct. There were three F105D's there, one of which had an engine change done on the concrete apron outside the control tower. I was able to watch some of that at the time. Huge powerplants in those 100 series fighters. (Owen Cunliffe collection)
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 16, 2010 21:51:21 GMT 12
The lead aircraft must have beat a hasty retreat after this buzz-and-break as he cannot be seen. Might be tail-on to the viewer and receding in his turn. I checked with a magnifying glass but cannot see any hint of a third image.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 16, 2010 21:35:13 GMT 12
Whoops! Where'd he go? (Owen Cunliffe collection)
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 16, 2010 21:20:38 GMT 12
Follow me!
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 16, 2010 21:10:59 GMT 12
14 Squadron. (Owen Cunliffe collection)
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 16, 2010 20:48:53 GMT 12
RAAF P2V7 Neptunes at Ohakea March 1964. (Owen Cunliffe collection)
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 16, 2010 20:28:52 GMT 12
Crowd scene at Ohakea Open Day March 1964. Aircraft, from the left, include: ?, B170, 3xC130, Victor, original Globemaster, ?, another C130, Argosy, Hastings, Neptune wing. Photo taken from No. 5 Hangar annexe roof above Ground Equipment Bay. Photo from Owen Cunliffe collection.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 15, 2010 20:48:07 GMT 12
Back to Kahu manufacture at PAC: Here is the Armament Control Panel being built up And here a couple of the finished Armament control Panels and Intercom Control Panels with an armament control relay box and some other box (Don?) Here is a functional sequence test on an armament relay box. Here is the Instrument Panel being loomed-up. And here the full Instrument Panel Frame Assembly. The Instrument Panel Frame assembly was difficult to build (look at the welding) as it had to be held to very close tolerances and was difficult to inspect dimensionally (Inspectors headache). We had no modern coordinate measuring equipment. That's about all I have to show. If I find anything else in my garage trawl I will of course let you see. OJ
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 14, 2010 19:47:44 GMT 12
Corsair, The looms were of course tested first while still on the loom board before being packed for dispatched. This testing was extremely important. Every wire had to be "rung through" from end to end to check continuity and insulation resistance tests done. The "ringing-through" process is very simple and has its origins in early telephony. A simple buzzer and battery in a box is used with just two test prods which are inserted into the appropriate sockets of the multi-pin connectors at each end of the circuit. One person reads out the connector wiring socket numbers for each end and the probes inserted for the buzzer to work.
It takes a while (think of a loom with up to 400 wires, which we had) but our little buzzer box was $29,990 cheaper than the machine (called a DITMICO Tester or something like that) that the Yanks usually use to test aircraft production wiring looms.
.... then the looms had all the connectors fitted with dust caps and after final inspection clearance were tagged and folder carefully into plastic bags and cardboard boxes for dispatch to Safe Air.
....and Don, yes there were some potted plugs and relays, and conformal coating of PCB's but these photos were used to market our capabilities to other potential clients, and potted relays and plugs look ugly and you can't see the shiny solder!
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 14, 2010 19:10:54 GMT 12
Hawkeye, we did manufacture large UAV's in NZ, at PAC.
In about 1993-94 PAC manufactured a 50% airframe content of a series of 14 new Jindiviks for the RAF. The other 50% of the airframe was made by ASTA in Melbourne.
But, of significance to the PAC Electrical Dept., was the awarding of all the wiring work and panels and boxes to PAC. Again, this was a complete modernisation and upgrade of the Jinvdivik, so yes, some of the ex-Project Kahu personnel did the Jindivik electrics, using existing equipment and tools, so there was pretty well instant ramp-up into production mode.
Sadly, a few months afer the aircraft were delivered to the UK, the MOD declared them obsolete and I think only one or two actually flew.
Most went straight to UK aviation museums as brand new aircraft!
Good old U.K. MOD. Massive fail. SNAFU par excellence.
You can read heaps about the Jindivik on line on several web sites and the UK parliamentary papers and debates ..... Also see videos etc. Just Google.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 13, 2010 22:00:49 GMT 12
Magnificent history shown in those Curtis. I cannot speak highly enough of them. But, there is also one very valuable and interesting adjunct to the series:
What is that British United Carvair doing on the deck at what appears to be Wellington? I have been reading quite alot of Carvair history, but that movement hasn't cropped up.
Could you do us a favour and post that pic into the Carvair thread as well so we can get someone to sniff it out?
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 13, 2010 21:35:11 GMT 12
OK Guys, a few more. By the way F&P were an initial bidder for Project Kahu Wiring loom manufacture but did not receive or do any Project Kahu wiring work. However, a subsidiary of F&P, Screencraft, in Auckland, did manufacture the mil-spec printed-circuit boards for the "Panels & Boxes" part of the wiring kits, as a subcontractor to PAC. Here are some "Boxes" Junction Box ( Can't remember which one right now but we will find out .... Relay control box (function to be advised) Another relay box .... And yet another relay panel ..... Here's one of those Screencraft-manufactured PCB's in a box. The PCB's were all hand populated and hand soldered at PAC to high-reliability mil-spec standards. And here's a rotatable relay panel assembly jig to help you solder all those hundreds of connections onto the little relay terminals. What? You're too confused already? OK lets take a break and put some more up later ....
|
|