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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 15, 2009 10:12:35 GMT 12
It was built for the RAF near the end of the war and spent most of its RAF days in a storage unit. Later it was converted to become a Consul and went to a civil firm that flew it as an airliner for some years. I believe it last flew in 1965, and it was about to be scrapped when it was saved by the Canadian air force (?) or some museum there who recognised that it was valuable. They stored it for years too, and eventually a deal was struck for a 20 year loan to the RNZAF Museum (now Air Force Museum of New Zealand) where they will also restore it to original Oxford specifications. I'm told it's likely to be painted into its original factory applied RAF scheme of green and brown upper, yellow lower colours, which were also worn by many of our own RNZAF Oxfords. Hopefully that 20 year loan period will be extended so the museum gets the benefit of their amazing and hard work on it.
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Post by sopwitht1 on Jul 21, 2009 20:32:29 GMT 12
"Originally constructed as Oxford I PK286 by Airspeed at Portsmouth in early 1945, G-AIKR did not enter RAF service prior to conversion to Consul standard, beginning on 25 September 1946. After civil ownership in the United Kingdom, it was shipped to the Canadian National Aviation Museum at Rockcliffe, Ontario in October 1965. Currently on permanent loan from the museum in Canada, the aircraft arrived at Wigram in mid 2004 and will be completed as Oxford I NZ1289 of No.1 SFTS, Wigram."
Nice piccies Dave - that centre section looks very impressive. A little birdy told me that some of the RNZAF guys at Woodbourne are making wing-to-fuse fairings for the Oxford, also elevators and other bits for the P-40.
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 23, 2009 17:38:11 GMT 12
The Oxford looks fantastic! But will it be ready for Wanaka? *ducks thrown items*
Must say I preferred the initial scheme on the P-40, but this one still looks nice.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 23, 2009 23:09:10 GMT 12
I liked the original P-40 OTU scheme but totally agree with the decision to make it more generic and more relevant to those who flew in the war zone.
That number mentioned above for the Oxford, NZ1289, is according to Barf who paints the aircraft there, not set in stone. He says it may well be painted in it's real number. Or perhaps an RNZAF number on one side only. They have not yet decided on the final identity, but the scheme is all but chosen.
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 24, 2009 7:26:56 GMT 12
I forgot to say I definitely approve of the proposed Oxford colour scheme. Always loved that one on the Oxbox. Fantastic!
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Post by sopwitht1 on Jul 29, 2009 21:37:44 GMT 12
Hi Dave - that info I quoted was written in 2004 (!), so it's possible the aircraft's id might change, like the Kittyhawk. Neat pics by the way - especially of the centre section. I'm going to be in Chch for a short while, so I might just drop by the museum and take a gander at things.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 29, 2009 22:31:12 GMT 12
My info comes direct first hand to me from the man who paints the RNZAF Musuem's aircraft and works on the restorations, less than two weeks ago, so is very up to date.
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Post by shamus on Aug 4, 2009 18:48:11 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 4, 2009 20:43:23 GMT 12
Fantastic, it's looking superb. Thanks for those photos Shamus, and thanks to Don and the guys too.
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Post by shamus on Aug 4, 2009 20:49:54 GMT 12
One more photo I missed before.
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Post by baz62 on Aug 5, 2009 15:36:39 GMT 12
Man thats impressive, still amazing that she survived all these years. Wonder what else is hiding out there........
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 20, 2009 16:28:07 GMT 12
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Post by ZacYates on Sept 21, 2010 12:13:36 GMT 12
Bump!
Any more photos out there, folks? Waiting on a FROG/Novo Oxford kit to arrive, intend to finish her in the brown/green/yellow scheme...so colour shots would be much appreciated!
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rod
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 80
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Post by rod on Sept 21, 2010 15:39:28 GMT 12
This site is unbelievable, the more time you spend here, the more it comes to life, well done to all, Im thinking I may have found a piece of family history, ....
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rod
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 80
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Post by rod on Sept 21, 2010 22:06:51 GMT 12
that seat came out of a consul my pop wrecked, it was made into a rocking chair once , hence the bits of pipe cut off at the bottom
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Post by oggie2620 on Sept 28, 2010 8:19:59 GMT 12
There are some fab photos here... they aint the prettiest a/c around but by god they were a forgiving and well loved aircraft. Great to see some being renovated.. There are a few around thank goodness in the UK too. Dee
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 28, 2010 10:16:55 GMT 12
I've decided for completeness to copy these photos into this thread too. Their original thread was here: rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Wartime&action=display&thread=11559These RNZAF Official Photos (Air Force Museum of New Zealand copyright) come from the late Bob Lawn's collection. They show the aircraft storage at Woodbourne in Jan-Feb 1945. I had no idea just how many trainers were mothballed at that point in the war. These are engines, Cheetahs from the Oxfords I guess, taken on the 15th of Feb 1945 The aircraft stored in No. 2 Hangar, RNZAF Station Woodbourne, 9 January 1945 These diagrams show which aircraft were stored in which hangar in the 17th of Jan 1945 No. 1 Hangar at Woodbourne No. 2 Hangar at Woodbourne No. 5 Hangar at Woodbourne And the hangar at Omaka
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 28, 2010 11:36:39 GMT 12
Here is one I got this week from WWII pilot Noel Arnott. Note that the two serials are consecutive, and in the RAF tradition the camoufalge is applied in the opposite way around for odd and even serials, the A and B Scheme. Does anyone here know which units NZ1260 and NZ1261 served at?
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jamesm
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 6
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Post by jamesm on Sept 29, 2010 20:03:49 GMT 12
Dave,
Neat photo. My grandfather's logbook indicates that NZ1260 was with No. 2 FTS at Woodbourne during March - April 1941 (at least). My grandfather (Joe Ward) flew the aircraft half a dozen times on exercises with Laurie Murdoch, who was later killed on operations over Europe.
Cheers, James
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 29, 2010 20:08:43 GMT 12
Hi James, I have the distinct feeling your grandfather was on the same course as Mr Arnott who I got this from. If not, there wasn't much in it. They were both founding members of No. 3 (GR) Squadron.
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