The Vintage Aviator Fighter Collection.

[Poohbah]

Guys and Girls

The Vintage Aviation Fighter collection is opening for the summer this Labour weekend ( 23,24,25 October) in the Old Stick and Rudder Company's hangar on Hood Aerodrome Masterton. Each weekend until Easter 2011 the collection will be available to the public. As well as the Vintage Aviators WW1 aircraft there is also the P40e, Corsair, engines and uniforms to admire up close. Guided tours during the weekend are a feature at set times both Saturday and Sunday. You don't have to be a plane buff to enjoy these. Groups are most welcome. So for a different group/company outing contact Sara Randle on [phone] or 021 311 606 for times and bookings.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Masterton flyboy fighter recalled

By GERALD FORD - Wairarapa Times-Age | Monday, 01 November 2010


WINGED HISTORY: Masterton pilot Gene De Marco (right)
shows Michael Bell an FE2b aircraft, a modern-day
reproduction of the aircraft Mr Bell's father flew.
— Photo: Susan Nikolaison.

SPANNING 14.5 metres and 94 years, a new arrival at Hood Aerodrome made a personal connection on Saturday with its World War I past.

The Zanzibar I is a full reproduction of the World War I aircraft FE2b and was built in this decade by the Vintage Aviator Ltd, which has a collection at the aerodrome.

On Saturday, pilot Gene De Marco introduced the unique plane to Masterton resident Michael Bell, whose father flew one of the originals in World War I.

Mr De Marco had been planning to take Mr Bell for a spin but was suffering a back injury which ruled him out of flying for the day.

Admiring the plane and arranging with the pilot to fly on another occasion, Mr Bell said he knew very little about his father's wartime experiences.

"All I know is he was in France in the army and he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916."

Mr Bell had also been told that his father had survived despite crashing nine times.

RAF in those days stood for Royal Aircraft Factory, which made the planes, and members of the flying corps maintained their regular army rankings.

FE stands for Farman Experimental and the FE2b was one of the slower British planes in a war where both sides were trying to outdo each other for speed.

"They were really slow and really steady, which makes for a good bomber but it also makes for a good target," Mr De Marco said.

The planes were at their best flying in formation but by 1916, when they reached the German front in numbers, the FE2bs were already becoming obsolete as a fighter and reconnaissance plane.

A similar version, the FE2d, was used for night bombings.

Building the plane had taken several years of research, Mr De Marco said.

Materials used include a water-cooled engine, Irish linen and spruce timbers.

Mr De Marco described the plane as "big, heavy and unique".

The heavy back-mounted engine and propeller were unusual and, Mr De Marco, said the tricycle-like undercarriage and lack of a front propeller were described as a strength.

According to the aircraft manual, if during an emergency landing the plane hit a low wall or fence, the smaller front wheel would break off and the pilot and gunner be "safely ejected".

"When I first started flying it, that was something I couldn't get out of my mind," Mr De Marco said. The Vintage Aviator Collection is open on weekends at the Hood Aerodrome.

www.times-age.co.nz/local/news/masterton-flyboy-fighter-recalled/3928361

[vs]

Are they till building a second FE2b? I remember seeing a picture of it with the completed one

[kiwi]

Having been down to Masterton last year , will there be anything new ? With delivery of a Bentley rotary to that Snipe in the States are we likely to see anything Bentley powered ?

[mumbles]

Weather forecast for tomorrow doesn't look promising. Metservice saying fine, but with strong gusty northwesterlies.