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MOTAT
Sept 21, 2021 13:08:43 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 21, 2021 13:08:43 GMT 12
Superb to see these early shots Ron, thanks so much!
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Post by emron on Sept 21, 2021 14:35:33 GMT 12
Those Vildie photos were from when Murray Lane was doing it. I joined MOTAT what must be a couple years after these photos were taken and by then Murray had the firewall, all the frames and the tail attached to the Vildebeest. The 10A was back out the front next to the Lanc and Peter Dingwall’s team had re-attached the Mossie cockpit floor and were doing the last of the balsa work to enclose the nose compartment.
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Post by emron on Sept 21, 2021 15:10:04 GMT 12
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MOTAT
Sept 21, 2021 17:53:02 GMT 12
via mobile
Post by ZacYates on Sept 21, 2021 17:53:02 GMT 12
I can’t say how much I’m enjoying seeing these photos and hearing about those days. Just wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to scan and upload these.
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Post by shorty on Sept 21, 2021 20:35:02 GMT 12
Those Vildie photos were from when Murray Lane was doing it. I joined MOTAT what must be a couple years after these photos were taken and by then Murray had the firewall, all the frames and the tail attached to the Vildebeest. The 10A was back out the front next to the Lanc and Peter Dingwall’s team had re-attached the Mossie cockpit floor and were doing the last of the balsa work to enclose the nose compartment. My direct involvement with MOTAT ended in early 1967 when I joined the Air Force and moved away. i had originaly lived just a hundred yards or so from MOTAT so got involved with it from it's inception
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 21, 2021 21:45:21 GMT 12
When you see these photos you realise how lucky we are that a bunch of enthusiasts went around New Zealand and collected what most would have considered just junk, and now we have the Hudson, Lockheed 10A and Mosquito all rebuilt and on display, and the Vildebeest being rebuilt at Wigram as a result.
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Post by emron on Sept 22, 2021 12:04:16 GMT 12
I am looking forward to seeing what else comes out of this photo collection. Dave, not wishing to raise your hopes too high. I don’t have access to any of Tom’s albums, prints or slides, they must be held by others. I’ve just got this small assortment of negative rolls that he gave away separately. There are still more treasures amongst them, we may need to wait for Auckland at Level 2 before I can obtain presentable copies of the colour ones for you. My own photography has been a little sporadic over the intervening years but here are a few moments I’ve captured in the journey between then and now, for your consolation: Fast forward 12 years: With boundless enthusiasm, Barrie East ably assisted by Miles Hughes are joining back on one of the outer parts of the Hudson centre-section 1981. nz2031_1981 by Ron Wilson, on Flickr Followed by firewall and undercarriage installation in 1982. nz2031_1982 by Ron Wilson, on Flickr And engines in 1983. nz2031_1983 by Ron Wilson, on Flickr Likewise 20 years later for the Mosquito: In the spirit of co-operation. Three piece wing loaded and bound for Wigram August 1989. nz2305_wing_1989 by Ron Wilson, on Flickr Sandy Currie showing progress made, to Tom Craill, Frank Bish and David Craill during our visit January 1990. nz2305_wing_1990 by Ron Wilson, on Flickr
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 22, 2021 12:37:24 GMT 12
Fantastic shots there Ron. I remember that Mossie wing being built there during my time at Wigram. I am guessing the original wing was sent down just for components to be removed and installed, as I think the wing's wood was all new, wasn't it?
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Post by emron on Sept 22, 2021 13:20:42 GMT 12
All of the original spars and stringers were retained and no further dis-assembly was done once the plywood skin was removed. There was quite a bit of work needed to tidy up the rot and straighten the chainsaw cuts. As far as I remember a style of fishplate was used to join the ends back on and fill the gap left by the saw cuts. As well, one of the outer wings was off another airframe and there was some variations in it’s length and design to account for.
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Post by denysjones on Sept 22, 2021 15:32:38 GMT 12
Following on from those comments Ron here's a shot I took at Wigram of the mossie wing joint as Brian Smith was showing me progress on it. Also an early one of a very crowded workshop with Vilde, mossie, and corsair all crammed in. I think this is probably 1970.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 22, 2021 16:24:33 GMT 12
Oh wow, OK, that is terrific that so much of the original wing was incorporated.
Three stalwarts of the RNZAF there in that last shot. Terrific.
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Post by emron on Sept 22, 2021 17:26:59 GMT 12
Would it be putting the cat amongst the pigeons to suggest that their 50th anniversary reunion back at MOTAT, along with NZ3009 is now overdue?
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Post by camtech on Sept 23, 2021 22:03:26 GMT 12
Also an early one of a very crowded workshop with Vilde, mossie, and corsair all crammed in. I think this is probably 1970. [/quote] That's the workshop as I remember working in it, mainly on the Corsair. I was always climbing over, under or around various bits to get to where I was working. Used to take some of the various instruments back out to Whenuapai, and with the approval of my bosses, used to check and service them before putting them on the racks for later refit to various aircraft.
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MOTAT
Sept 23, 2021 22:24:44 GMT 12
Post by planewriting on Sept 23, 2021 22:24:44 GMT 12
If that is the real ZK-AFD with Hudson NZ2031 then, for me, that is interesting. My father logged both of those aircraft in his flying career.
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Post by emron on Sept 24, 2021 15:09:41 GMT 12
The real ZK-AFD (fuselage only) arrived by road from a scrapyard in Waitara in March ‘67. The Hudson arrived about the same time via RNZAF Hercules from Dunedin, as did Anson NZ412 from Christchurch. Plans to restore AFD were put on hold when the more complete 10A ZK-BUT was received by sea from Christchurch in January ‘68. AFD was later refurbished as well and displayed as a cutaway in the ASB Pavilion at Western Springs for many years. It’s presently away in storage at Meola Rd. I recall that MOTAT once had a short section of a third 10A fuselage, possibly from ZK-ALH, but that was in poor condition and eventually disposed of.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 25, 2021 13:30:27 GMT 12
From the PRESS, 7 JULY 1960
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 25, 2021 13:32:53 GMT 12
From the PRESS, 2 OCTOBER 1961
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MOTAT
Sept 25, 2021 14:38:39 GMT 12
Post by ZacYates on Sept 25, 2021 14:38:39 GMT 12
Fascinating! I wonder which one it was...
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Post by planewriting on Sept 25, 2021 16:08:02 GMT 12
The real ZK-AFD (fuselage only) arrived by road from a scrapyard in Waitara in March ‘67. The Hudson arrived about the same time via RNZAF Hercules from Dunedin, as did Anson NZ412 from Christchurch. Plans to restore AFD were put on hold when the more complete 10A ZK-BUT was received by sea from Christchurch in January ‘68. AFD was later refurbished as well and displayed as a cutaway in the ASB Pavilion at Western Springs for many years. It’s presently away in storage at Meola Rd. I recall that MOTAT once had a short section of a third 10A fuselage, possibly from ZK-ALH, but that was in poor condition and eventually disposed of. I remember the real AFD arriving from Taranaki. Dad was absolutely thrilled and surprised to find the dismantled AFD outside a service station down there about 1960.. Many years later I saw the complete cabin door of ZK-ALH lying in long grass at the Meola Road site and have often wondered what happened to it.
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Post by emron on Sept 25, 2021 16:25:56 GMT 12
From the PRESS, 2 OCTOBER 1961 As well as a lack of NZ heritage, that price ($280K in today’s money) would have been a bit steep for the Museum which was still just a proposal and had no income. Ten years later they weren’t able to raise $8000 to counter the overseas offer for the Corsair. Their total income in 1970 was $46,000.
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