Two Queries from Tauranga

[Peter Lewis]

On display at the Tauranga Airshow on Sunday (at least) were two mystery ships.

Firstly, this parked microlight is clearly marked at ZK-EXR.
The first ZK-EXR was a Ultralight Flight Phantom and was active from 1982 in the Frankton, Te Puke and Whakatane areas.
The aircraft was withdrawn and the registration cancelled in December 1999.
The CAA website does not list a second issue of this registration.

The aircraft appears to be in good condition, but did not fly in the Sunday.
Is this a resurrection of the Phantom, or something else?



Secondly, this under-rebuild P-40 was in the static displays.
Identity?
Is this a rebuild for the aviation museum there, or is it someone else's project?

[Bruce]

The Phantom is indeed the original EXR - I dont know a lot about who owns it or why it was on display, but it arrived and departed in a specially constructed Housebus that clearly was built to accomodate it.

The P40 is a Museum project using a number of original bits ex the Pacific islands, and a new build wing wing constructed mainly of wood but with an aluminium skin. I don't know if it has a traceable identity - the fuselage might have some traceable frames etc, but it has new skins etc. It should be quite a good static representation of a Kittyhawk, even if not completely authentic.

[Naki]

Peter, more here on the P-40

rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Airshows&thread=13791&page=1

[Dave Homewood]

Wow that P-40 looks STUNNING considering it has come together in such a short time, and from bits! it will be a great representative of the type for the musuem.

[flyjoe180]

Something doesn't look right about the P40's tail to me. Maybe it is the angle of the rudder?

[Peter Lewis]

Thanks for the clarification and information.

[JDK]

Feb 3, 2012 8:04:25 GMT 12 flyjoe180 said:

Something doesn't look right about the P40's tail to me. Maybe it is the angle of the rudder?

It's just the wrong shape, which is a pity given the rest of the aircraft's so impressive.

[Deleted]

That it is! Many thanks for the photo Peter, I am compiling a bunch for my own collection tracing the project from conception to display. I can't wait to - some day - see it in person.