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Post by Radialicious on Jun 11, 2008 19:11:54 GMT 12
I suspect a modern day LAC Homewood would know the difference between a Devon and a Bristol...........
Running CLT was a trip! It's funny where you end up in 20 years. It was mid winter 1988 when CLT left Wigram for the last time. She lived at Woodbourne for a year or so before she departed offshore.
Chris Andrews and myself refitted a spinner today. We went down exactly the reverse path of getting the buggers off. Drama after drama! It was getting dark when we gave up on the second one but I suspect the more we rushed to beat the darkness, the more we struggled.
Lester Hope and I teed up some serious fire extinguishers this morning and Chris organised some support in the form of an RNZAF fire appliance. Sniff, the 20 kg one with the wand is all but secured. I've read the manuals on what Mr and Mrs Bristol suggest you do to a Hercules that has swallowed a lung full of extinguisher. Worst case scenario is removal of the engine and send it off to an overhaul shop. Second worst case is that the engine must be flown within one hour to negate the corrosive effects of the extinguisher agent. But wait a minute, if there was reason for an engine to catch fire, I would take a lot more than an hours convincing that it is a good idea to take it flying!
Ahh Bristol!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 11, 2008 20:16:30 GMT 12
I suspect a modern day LAC Homewood would know the difference between a Devon and a Bristol........... I knew the difference back then, it is just a very old and blurred memory. One I'm not certain of, perhaps I'm confusing it with something else. But I seem to recall something had its engines run and lots of people were watching. I do know one thing, they never ran the Corsair as it had no propeller! I found the photo I took, which was either on the morning of the show or the evening before when things were being set up.
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Post by sniff on Jun 11, 2008 20:24:03 GMT 12
Radical, Rad! you must have the most read thread on the site. Glad to see you are getting lots of advice, but i hope it is not getting you down?
Rather than take it flying for an hour, just ask 40 Sqn to put a Herc in front of it for an hour at high power - it should have the same effect. ;D
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Post by Radialicious on Jun 11, 2008 20:37:25 GMT 12
Not at all! The more advice the better! No-one has tried to start a pair of Bristol Hercules in NZ in almost 20 years. Youtube has the fascinating video of a C-130 being started by the full power slipstream of a Caribou parked just in front of a propeller. Obviously a failure of the Herc's GTC and a lack of bleed air. It's hard to believe a thread about a half dead rattly old oiler like a SAFE Air B-170 is more read about than the importation of a two seat Spitfire WTF?!? ;D
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Post by Radialicious on Jun 11, 2008 23:03:57 GMT 12
Progress!!
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Post by ozfuryfan on Jun 13, 2008 1:41:44 GMT 12
Hi Dave is that pic of the Corsair the same one that G Hoskins exchanged for a P-40,if so I will be working on it tomorrow!!!cheers,Pete
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2008 2:19:47 GMT 12
Yes. Can you take a camera?
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Post by nzompilot on Jun 13, 2008 17:31:11 GMT 12
B-DAYCONGRATULATIONS ALI'll leave the narrative of today to Al and await Gavin's more superior photos - but to get you in the mood here are a few I took. Over 50 people were present to witness the Port engine of CPT return to life after so long. 3rd time lucky and she was away. Al preparing CPT Hot Oil Prime - Al in cockpit and Gavin on wing taking photos Hand cranking the Port prop prior to starting The predicted smokey start The port engine in full life
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Post by corsair67 on Jun 13, 2008 17:38:00 GMT 12
EXCELLENT! Well done Team Al!
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Post by sleemanj on Jun 13, 2008 19:29:12 GMT 12
Yehaaar!
Eagerly awaiting the Youtube!
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Jun 13, 2008 19:45:17 GMT 12
Today was a very special day for so many people. What Al has done is something quite unbelieveable really. After a busy afternoon it became clear that one engine start was going to be the order of the day but hell what a sight when it burst into life. The sound was just incredible and Al certainly is the man of the hour and justifiably so.
I am very happy to have helped out where possible and took the day off to help Al where I could because its such a big aeroplane and I know we walked a few ks today just moving about the aircraft.
After some warming of the oil and putting so many spark plugs back in it was getting a bit late but she fired into life easier than everyone thought. There was a bit of smoke but not as much as we had thought and once the oil was burnt out she purred like a kitten, quite incredible.
Hats off to Als skill with engines, it has really paid off and the second engine will hopefully be running in the next few days.
Boy what an achievement, just incredible. There were ex Bristol pilots in attendance including the pilot who originally ferried the aircraft to New Zealand and I am sure those guys will have grins a mile wide for quite some time but I think everyone who witnessed the first start will as well.
Mate those are great photos, there so many cameras about today and you should come over and say gidday as it would be good to meet you!!
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Post by nzompilot on Jun 13, 2008 20:21:52 GMT 12
Gav, you always seemed to be busy when I was free this afternoon - will catch up with you round MAC at some stage though.
The sound of that radial purring has to be the best thing I've heard this year... was absolutely gorgeous when he got it running smoothly......
I took several hundred photos this afternoon and am slowly sorting through them all, if I find any other interesting ones I'll post them here ... otherwise there are some on my blog which can be accessed thru the link under my avitar.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2008 20:50:29 GMT 12
FAN-bloody-TASTIC.
Well done Al and your small support team. What a great achievement. And thanks nzompilot for those brilliant photos. Again, well done Al. I'm so pleased it has all gone well today. Thanks also for sharing this wonderful endeavour with us over the past few months.
No doubt there has been a very joyful Bristol reunion at the Marlborough Aero Club bar all afternoon and evening.
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Post by Bruce on Jun 13, 2008 21:17:47 GMT 12
Shes alive!!!! well Done Al, great work. All the bits are doing what they should be - great stuff.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 13, 2008 21:26:16 GMT 12
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Post by hairy on Jun 13, 2008 22:40:33 GMT 12
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Post by haughtney1 on Jun 14, 2008 2:26:37 GMT 12
Congrats Al, great job, not only for the engine run and all the hard work and sacrfice leading up to it, but also for the wonderfully discriptive narrative you have compiled on this thread. Whenever my wife catches me on the PC reading Wings over Cambridge...she always asks.."have they got that thing running yet?"
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Stormbird262
Flying Officer
DSP with M.Sclerosis & Coeliac who simply love's anything that fly's from what ever age and time
Posts: 69
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Post by Stormbird262 on Jun 14, 2008 3:23:08 GMT 12
WHOOOO HOOOOO I just LOVE BIG ROUND BRISTOL'S , And that lovely sound they make too ;D A blooody RIPPER job Well done and congrate's to all involved in this project!!!! so happy I could just......... Did the old girl burp and fart some then spew Oil and a 007 smoke screen ;D Crikey this is one BONZA thread ;D IF I make it to N.Z next year, I will just have to drop by a drooool some if that's OK, I'll try not make too much of a mess. BUT I am a certifide VEGGY ..........PlaneInsane, and just PlaneCrazy That's before the MS, Sciatica and Celiac ;D ;D Well done again all from over in Oz! Oooooo Roooooo and CROC'S RULE!!
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Post by silverfox on Jun 14, 2008 4:00:08 GMT 12
Fantastic news and congratulations to all involved.
Is the one that was at Waihi Beach still in existance?
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Post by kiwichappers on Jun 14, 2008 4:21:31 GMT 12
Congratulations guys. What a wonderful reward for all those cold dark hours that preceded the great day. I have very fond memories of the '40,000 rivets flying in formation'. When Cook Strait weather got to bad for the Freindships we occassionally got flown back to Wellington in passenger containers that slid into the cargo hold. If one was really lucky you got a seat by a window in the container that matched one in the aircraft and then you could see how hairy the weather was.
I look forward to seeing her next year when I get home.
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