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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2006 14:58:42 GMT 12
"I'm told that NZ2527/ZK-CBO is now back in storage at MoTAT."
When I was there in December it was undergoing a lengthy restoration with - I was told then - several engineers working on the slow laborious job of eliminating the corrosion caused by the topdressing trials and outdoor storage. It was the most challenging looking restoration there (only slightly better than the Lodestar outside) yet the chief engineer who gave me the tour was confident they could restore it.
It was in much better shape when the CAF had it, I've seen photos of it in 1987 all painted up nice for events in Queen Street and Whenuapai where it helped to celebrate the RNZAF's 50th.
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Post by Ned-Air2Air on Oct 22, 2006 18:03:47 GMT 12
Ardmore was a treasure trove back in the old days, when I was a kid. I used to go out there when the old Bristol Freighters were all parked down the Clevedon end of the runway and then there was the Carvairs that used to sit idly by. Even had the chance to go flying with Dutch Middleton in the James Aviation AgDak on some topdressing runs, now that was awesome.
Also got the chance to sit in the old Mosquito that used to be in Ross Jowitts hangar, think it went to Motat or somewhere, also was a Corsair in there at that time also.
Aaah, thems the good ole days.
Neville
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Post by xr6turbo1 on Oct 22, 2006 22:25:22 GMT 12
Interesting that Harvard NZ1057, in the background of that first photo, is flying today out of Ardmore. and what a magnificent example that is
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 26, 2006 15:30:53 GMT 12
Regarding Sean's photos, which are greast by the way, the second Avenger is not the same as the first. The second is the ex-Te Rapa gate guard, now in the RNZAF Museum as NZ2521. The P-47 and Vampire at Whenuapai would have been awaiting transport to Wigram by Hercules (The Vampire had just lost it's former duty after Te Rapa had been closed) this was swapped with the RNZAF museum for a rebuilt mosquito wing (I think) but has now been further swapped for a P40 from Australia. It is currently being restored to airworthy condition. No, the RNZAF Museum swapped their P-47D for the Sopwith Pup replica now on display at Wigram. The P-40F/E came after swapping with their Corsair.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 26, 2006 15:34:14 GMT 12
I meant to add that when the Silverstream museum had that Avenger it was restored in Fred Ladd's aircraft;'s colours by their team (From memory lead by John Regan). They researched it thoroughly with Fred and so all the colours and dimensions of the Plonky logo were correct. When in 1993 we painted Sir Tim's TBM in the same scheme, we had this same Avenger in the same hangar, and so used the logo and also John Regan's notes as a guide to get it right. The Plonky on Sir Tim's aircraft was hand-painted by Aircraft Technician and Wigram Official Artist, Sgt Trevor Platt.
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Post by ZacYates on Nov 19, 2012 13:45:06 GMT 12
Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but how far along was the conversion to a topdresser before it was abandoned as Peter said? Would it have been along the lines of the RNZAF trials aircraft, or something different?
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Post by baz62 on Nov 20, 2012 11:47:35 GMT 12
Wow nice photo of NZ2527 at the beginning of this thread. Just a note about the nose gun. as mentioned only the TBF-1 had the nose guns but no wing guns and the opposite was true for the TBF-1c as in no nose gun but wing guns.) But as I have mentioned before NZ2504 has both wing guns and nose gun positions. The nose gun position isn't noticeable today as at some point before her final repaint she had -1c cowlings and cowl flap installed covering the gun trough (which I believe is still there as i had a nosy with a screwdriver while working on her in 1979/80). Doesn't look like they got too far with the conversion Zac at least as far as the airframe goes!
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Post by dakman on Nov 20, 2012 13:24:56 GMT 12
Found a b/w photo of ZK CBO not dated but sure looks like Ardmore. It carries ZK CBO on the tail fin . only no marks on rudder.. Perhaps with wings folded the reg was obscured in the first photograph ?
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Post by baz62 on Nov 20, 2012 14:34:11 GMT 12
Sorry to butt in, but I just happen to find these which may or may not be of interest: And this was taken at Wigram in 1980: That photo was probably taken either just before an engine run on a Sunday afternoon (going by the civvys by the aircraft)The car on the right of NZ2504 by the white "fence like" structure is George Jaunzemiz's(as he was known then) blue Volkswagon!
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Post by shamus on Nov 20, 2012 19:57:28 GMT 12
Time to put this mis-information out to pasture for good. When Murray Lane , the Motat Vildebeest project leader retired from the project, I took over as caretaker of it. It became obvious later that this was never going to be completed by Motat and I suggested to John Barrie, the RNZAF Museum Director that we swap the Vildebeest for the rebuild of the Mosquito wing. This was just after I had negotiated for the Ted Packer Mosquito to go to Wigram and the idea was for the two wings to be built simultaneously. John Barrie agreed and so did the Motat Aviation committee. So the deal was done. No other aircraft were involved in this arrangement, only the Vildebeest and the Mosquito wing. No P47s, Catalina or anything. OK. got that.
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Post by corsairarm on Nov 20, 2012 21:21:36 GMT 12
I was not part of Motat then so why did the P47 and Catalina end up with the RNZAF museum?
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Post by shamus on Nov 21, 2012 8:53:15 GMT 12
Don't know how the P47 or Catalina ended up going to Wigram. This must have been later and I was not involved with it. I know that when Motat moved out of the hangar at Ardmore, the instructions were to dispose of duplicate parts etc. As a result, truckloads of bits went to Wigram. Possibly about this time Motat had too much on its plate and disposed of the P47 as not being an RNZAF aircraft and not important to the collection. I know the Catalina was in pretty bad shape as it had been used for fire practice in New Guinea. Looked a daunting task to restore.
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Post by ZacYates on Nov 21, 2012 12:33:41 GMT 12
Jim: TWO Mosquito wings? Does that mean there is a spare at Wigram awaiting a fuselage (NZ2355/83)?
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Post by shamus on Nov 21, 2012 15:17:33 GMT 12
Zac, I was referring to a wing for the Ted Packer Mosquito that went to Wigram about that time. I can,t recall whether it had a wing or just the stub wings. However Wigram only built the one wing at the time which was for the Motat Mosquito. I don,t know what progress, if any has been done on their Mosquito I think they are too busy with the Oxford.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2012 16:55:57 GMT 12
The Catalina was transferred to RNZAF Museum ownership as early as 1983. It went to Base Auckland where restoration began. It transferred to Wigram circa 1990.
The P-47D transferred to Wigram around 1992.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2012 16:57:18 GMT 12
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Post by shamus on Nov 21, 2012 21:33:14 GMT 12
Thanks for the update, Dave.
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Post by ZacYates on Dec 28, 2021 10:23:34 GMT 12
Found a b/w photo of ZK CBO not dated but sure looks like Ardmore. It carries ZK CBO on the tail fin . only no marks on rudder.. Perhaps with wings folded the reg was obscured in the first photograph ? Long shot, Allan: any chance you still have this photo and can post it?
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Post by 30sqnatc on Dec 28, 2021 13:16:59 GMT 12
just next to the "old army tank" (is that still there?) The old Sheridan tank was retreived by a Waikato Military vehicle club in the 1990s. It is currently sitting out the front of a machinery and engineering firm at Horitiu, just north of Hamilton on SH1, awaiting a suitable location (and funds) to start restoration. the engineering company sells water tanks, so the Sheridan has a sign on it "We Sell Tanks!" (with the word "water" in small letters.) Toot N Whistle, sadly is no more (including the dinosaurs in the steaming hot pools ) As this thread has several pieces of misinformation perhaps I should also correct the former Rotorua tank is NOT a Sheridan (1969-1997 US Vietnam era tank), it is an ex NZ Army WW2 era Valentine. Edit 30 Dec 21. From Great Guns, The Artillery Heritage of New Zealand by Peter Cooke and Ian Maxwell. The Valentine Mk V was brought by Reg Gibson and restored. It is now in a collection in La Wantzenau, France.
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