Devon NZ1804 Project

[baz62]

I start this thread with a simple photo.

Before you say "Whats this got to do with a Devon? I must ask for a respectful silence as this tree gave it's life for a good cause. Translation: it was in the way!!



To recap. I am going to be part of a group of enthusiasts owning exRNZAF DeHavilland Devon NZ1804. You may remember these photos in another thread of a few weeks ago about my Ashburton visit:




Now the eagle eyed among you may notice in the top photo the gap between the building on the right and the foliage on the left is quite a bit smaller than a Devon's wingspan.
Well it might impress you to learn we manged to push, wriggle and pull this Devon through this gap! (I know it impressed me and I was doing it!!)
The wing is getting close to the wall here but I'd rather pose for a photo!!!


You may recognise the tree just to the left of the cockpit...........yes its gone now See top of this thread!) ;D ;D ;D


The props are handy to push and pull on with Phil on the home made towbar to steer her around


Basically we put the nose as close to the building as we could, backed the tail into the foliage and (once we did some trimming with the chainsaw) just pivoted the aircraft round.



There was some complaints from Larraine (Peter's wife) but we tried to ignore it lol.
Once out of there we parked her on the house lawn for a bit to go help get this airworthy Devon out of her hangar.






This was NZ1828 with the RNZAF and painted the same as NZ1804 although she now has seating in the fuselage. Phil Hindon owns this Devon and also has NZ1827. And he also fully owned NZ1804 which will shortly be officially group owned but with Phil still as part owner.
Phil certainly has corned the market with Devons and certainly knows their ins and outs so will be able to steer us down the right path.
He took NZ1828 (ZK-XNZ) up to do some circuits so while we were towing a Devon into and across Ashburton airfield we had one of her stable mates flying overhead! Ahhh yes it was a good day!

Now a few shots of 1804 on the lawn and hooked up to Pete's Toyota to tow part of the way.



Note the security guard dog Amber in the foreground.


Note the security guard dog Amber in the foreground.

Not bad having your own Devon on your lawn!


heres the Toyota hooked up and the guard dog is ready to keep intruders back.




Thats all for now. I'll post some more later with some interior shots as well.
Cheers
Baz ;D

[flyjoe180]

Those trees were sacrificed for a good cause, good news that you're getting involved in this group Baz. Obviously security is quite extensive at this establishment, a baddie wouldn't want to take their chances with Amber (who to me looks more interested in guarding the Toyota rather than the Devon).

[yak2]

Great pics.
BTW. Appropriate Kiwi numberplate ;D

[Richard Wesley]

Thanks for the story and pictures Baz! Great project to be involved with and I look forward to coming and seeing the old girl in person perhaps later in the year.

[baz62]

Mar 21, 2010 23:05:33 GMT 12 yak2 said:

Great pics.
BTW. Appropriate Kiwi numberplate ;D

Oh ha ha...fortunately the car's Peters so I'm in the clear ;D

richardwesley said:"Thanks for the story and pictures Baz! Great project to be involved with and I look forward to coming and seeing the old girl in person perhaps later in the year."

Hell Richard we better get cracking on the old girl and make her presentable!! Let us know when you are down here so we can give you a good tour!
Yes I am very excited about this project and learning about a Devon from an engineering point of view. Although I did help ground run the Museum's Devon a few times and know a few minor things about them (like where to plug the battery cart in and also the location of the air accumulator bottles (strange what you remember isn't it?) the airframe and engines are fairly unknown to me. I did help Bob McGarry overhaul a Gypsy Major for a Tiger Moth back in the 1980s but the Gypsy Queen the Devon uses is a bit bigger!!
One thing I do own that is Devon related is a RNZAF Flight Manual for the type which if there isn't one handy I'm glad to provide.

[baz62]

I forgot a couple of shots! This one shows us in full wriggle mode, tail in the foliage (well the foliage that survived the culling!!)


And in the process of making room for the final swing round. The underside of the rear fuselage is at the top of the shot.

Grrrr

Grrrr

Grrrr

Grrrr




Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Clunk!


(Sorry couldn't resist!)



Heres some shots of the cockpit and cabin:




Me checking out the "office".



The tail cone is off at present so this is a shot looking into the cabin. The small tank on the right is for de-icing fluid.


Oh some poor quality shots from my cheap mobile phone as we trundle along to her parking spot.




Yes the first job is getting the flaps, rudder, ailerons and elevators recovered with nice new fabric as the tatty remains will NOT do!

[skyhawkdon]

Great thread Baz. Love your work!

[baz62]

Thanks Don. Pity its not a Skyhawk, you'd be perfect for "where's this wire go???"
Did you ever work on Devon's?

[oj]

Nice pics Baz. Here's 1812 ("Overture") and 1813 at Ohakea in March 1964.

[skyhawkdon]

Mar 22, 2010 19:05:31 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Thanks Don. Pity its not a Skyhawk, you'd be perfect for "where's this wire go???"
Did you ever work on Devon's?

I learnt my trade on Devons at 2TTS, but apart from remembering where the batteries went I don't think I would be much help! But if they get a Skyhawk, well that's another story (I've quietly got my fingers crossed on that one BTW).

[baz62]

Thanks for the Devon photo OJ. Feel free to post Devon photos on here people I'm more than happy to see them, especially if they are NZ1804!

[Barnsey]

But if they get a Skyhawk, well that's another story (I've quietly got my fingers crossed on that one BTW).

...if you ever need/want a partner for that, I'd be keen!! In all seriousness, I'm sure there'd be enough people to form a syndicate in Christchurch.

[skyhawkdon]

Yep I reckon we could get quite a few people in a syndicate in Chch if they are ever allowed to sell them to individuals. Lets hope that gifting them to museums (like Ashburton and Ferrymead) is what happens to the ones GTW and Wigram don't want. The scrapping option doesn't bare thinking about!

[Peter Lewis]

NZ1804 CFS navigation trainer Wigram 29Aug1964



Wanaka 2002



Chocolate fish?

[baz62]

Ahhh thanks for those Peter. ;D Is the black and white photo showing o4 in the silver and dayglo scheme?

[Peter Lewis]

Silver, dayglo bands, black lettering.

[baz62]

Since I plan to post photos and updates on getting NZ1804 back to (sadly ground bound) life I thought a thread name change would be appropriate.
I popped down to Ashburton and grabbed some rags and gave her a little spruce up in the cockpit. Bit hard to see what the difference is but there are certainly some pissed off spiders as their webs are gone now.
I took the opportunity to have a really good look at the interior. And I couldn't help myself and had to try all the switches and dials to see if they worked. The heat and the cold have not been kind to the metal work, fabric and plastic(Bakelite?). But I couldn't find anything that was seized, even the seats tilt adjustment still worked. The de-icing manual pump was part way out but with a little effort it went back home and rotated to its locked position.
The Devon's have neat little "curtains" that slide forward in the top of the canopy and give some respite from the sun. They have virtually crumbled to dust. The canopy is suffering from crazing and there is a break at the top rear. Also the seal round the port for the very pistol is stuffed so weather can get in easily.
Does anyone know whether there is a canopy mould knocking round for a Devon? Otherwise we will have to investigate making our own but I'd hate to re-invent the wheel if someone already has done it!
We are going to organise a temporary cover to keep the worst of the weather out. Fortunately the hangar she will be going in will start to be constructed shortly after the Wanaka show. (The owner has a vested interest as he is one of the ten owners of NZ1804!!

One thing I am keen to track down is a parts manual and or a maintenance manual. Although she won't be flown i would like to do things properly if at all possible.
Once she is inside I'd like to remove the cockpit seats, control columns and Instrument panels to enable a good clean and repair as necessary to be done. Plus remove the Nav training table so we can tackle the cabin too.
Thats about all for this update. Oh if you have a time expired Gypsy Queen 70-3 looking for a good home I know a Devon that would like one or even two! ;D

[newbruce]

I've got manuals for the Dove, Devon and Sea Devon. Any idea how different the RNZAF Devon would be?

I can scan them and post up .pdf's if they are of any use.

Canopies are unobtainium I'm afraid - they have been a real commodity amongst Dove owners for years. Mind you, I wouldnt be at all surprised if there wasnt a shed in NZ crammed full of them - you guys are much better at keeping useful things than we are!

I found a good product for getting interiors looking nice and shiny again - Ambersil Mould preservative - which is basically a gold coloured light oil. A light film of this will make everything look like new.

I have a lot of instrumentation for Doves and Devons, plus stacks of electrical stuff - do let me know if there's anything you need, and I'll do you a deal!



Bruce Gordon

[baz62]

That sounds promising!! As far as similarity's between Devons I understand that our Devon's were actually Dove's but we called them Devon's. Thats why I wasn't surprised when I saw the plate over the rar door inside saying "Dove NZ1804".
Although I think I also read somewhere that the only difference between a Dove and a Devon as far as production went was there was "a man from the Ministry" on the Devon line!!
Yes please scan away, I'd be very interested in what you have!
I'm also keen to find an overhaul manual for the Gypsy Queen 70-3 as well.
Yes I did wonder about canopy stocks! There is an ex RNZAF Devon here that has a metal top instead of perspex but I do like the "shark like" top to the military Dove/Devon!
Thanks Bruce

[corsair67]

Wouldn't the RNZAF Museum have the manuals you are after?