Some Photos From My Stash

[hairy]

Aug 19, 2008 9:01:49 GMT 12 shorty said:

you can see that the hedge behind is much higher and the signwriting in the flap fence has faded a lot.

A slightly better view from my "stash" of the Corsair at Asplins for comparison with shortys shot above.


It looks like the Corsair was moved at some point to where the Hudson was judging by the writing on the fence.

[Dave Homewood]

I find it so amazing Shorty how many of the notable places, events and aircraft your camera got to be at, and I highly suspect you may have your own TARDIS? Brilliant, wonderful shots of the Corsairs, especially Josephine.

[shorty]

Most of my other Corsair photos that have been processed to the print stage are fairly common official photos so I won't bother posting them but these two may be of interest. Taken at Asplins in February 1967 just before joining the mob, they show NZ5612. I don't know the identity of the P-40N cockpit section and neither can I recall what the other debris is . Obviousy somebody wanted something out of the rear fuselage fairly desperately!
NZ 5612 at Asplins by Neville Mines, on Flickr
A front view of NZ5612 with NZ 5503 in the background. The lattice type structure on the right side of the photo is the rear fabric covered portion of a Catalina wing
NZ 5612a by Neville Mines, on Flickr

Time to move onto another aircraft type.

[Dave Homewood]

A sad sight.

[corsair67]

No, no - more Corsair photos please! ;D

[shorty]

Must be time to move onto PBY-5s (no, I'm not going to post shots of the -5A)
Just before I do here are two shots of one from over the other side of the ditch. This is sitting at Lake Boga in Victoria which was a wartime RAAF Base. It's composed of bits of various different PBY-5s good to see it fenced off to keep the little Oiks off it.
PBY1 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
PBY2 by Neville Mines, on Flickr

Having got that one out of the way next time I can do some of ours.

[shorty]

The rest of the Catalina shots are probably RNZAF Museum ones.
First up is PBY-5 NZ4020 (the "Wandering Witch")which was written off after stalling on landing (watering??) at Hobsonville.

NZ 4025 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
Then another -5 NZ4025

And finally a well known shot of NZ4049, a PB2B-1 seen over a Fijian island. This aircraft provided the SAR cover for the 1953 Queens visit. Sold in 1956 to NZ Metal Smelters for (wait for it!) 175 pounds.
NZ 4049 by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[pa18]

Corsair

Any ideas why the "Josephine" livery was used shorty?
I remember it had silica-gel plugs and inhibiting oil in the engine
I think it was the engine man from AESL that first cranked it over?After a couple of failed attempts(Supercharger in high blower?) it coughed,fired and belched out a humungous cloud of white smoke !
I think it got the love bite from a vehicle when it was parked under the old control tower?

[shorty]

No I don't note the significance of the "Josephine" scheme, that would be a good question to ask of Frank Bish,

These next shots are of the Catalina base at Segond Channel. I'm not sure what the first shot depicts so I would be keen to hear peoples opinions.
Segond 2 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
The second one shows we have three Cats in the shelters and five others on the hard. Interestingly no Cats are moored out, they have all been pulled out. Possibly the number of liberty ships (as in the background) made it too hazardous and the Cats were only launched when they were actually going flying.


Segond 3 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
The third shot shows the control tower on the point with hard standing behind it.
Segond 1 by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

I have never seen aerial shots of Segond Channel before, what great photos. It looks like a bit of a paradise.

I have interviewed a chap here in Cambridge who served there and he told a very, very strange story of how a sea creature came up one night and attacked several men while they were all watching a film at the outdoor cinema!! No-one could catch it and they never found out what it was. This chap was deadly serious, in fact he doesn't have much of a sense of humour at all.

[shorty]

Staying at Segond we have NZ 4043 PA-O being serviced on 19-7-45. Note the maintenance office built under the work platform. I can't identify the items hung above the office window
NZ 4043 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
NZ 4043b by Neville Mines, on Flickr
NZ 4043a by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[shorty]

Continuing with the series we have the outer wings now removed. Altough no serial is visible in the first and third shots in the previous post the letters "O" and "A" can be seen. The only possiblility that I can see that fits are PA-O thus NZ 4043, a PB2B-1.
Notice the short trailing edge sections and engines sitting on the platform in the middle photo
NZ 4043c by Neville Mines, on Flickr
NZ 4043e by Neville Mines, on Flickr
NZ 4043d by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[shorty]

Having taken the outer wings off the next step is to remove the centre section. Hope that guy straining on the chain hoist in the first shot hasn't been eating baked beans cos those shorts look like the won't take much more pressure!
NZ 4043f by Neville Mines, on Flickr
NZ 4043g by Neville Mines, on Flickr
NZ 4043h by Neville Mines, on Flickr
and then with the whole wing off they fuselage is pushed outside .
Why did the wing have to come off? I have no idea!
NZ 4043i by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

That is a fantastic sequence of photographs Shorty, I had no idea such a huge job would be tackled in the field like that. Amazing.

[flyjoe180]

I can't identify the items hung above the office window

They look like mugs hanging from hooks to me.

[shorty]

Duhhh Mugs, far too obvious for me! Thanks, I'll go with that.

Thought I might move on to P-40s but I don't intend to post shots of restored ones as they are pretty commonplace. Neither was I going to post wartime shots except for these four.Most other wartime photos I have are ones published in assorted books etc and elsewhere. After these it will be shots I have taken over the years.
NZ 3040 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
Starting with this P-40E NZ3040 It went onto 2 OTU where it was coded FE-A. It had a mid air with Hind NZ 1540 over Foxton on 23 October 1942 during formation flying practice. Pilot baled out successfully. Written off books at Ohakea on 26 November 1942 as complete write off. The wreckage of the Hind was in the sand dunes behind a house I rented at Himitangi beach. It was recovered by Don Subritzky in 1969
Ohakea Scramble by Neville Mines, on Flickr

A posed photo at Ohakea of a supposed scramble, notice how many feet are actually in contact with the ground. Also in actual fact they are running towards the hangars and away from the aircraft!
NZ 3012 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
A shot of NZ3012/ET604 on initial test flight before the NZ serial was applied
NZ 3208 and 3072 by Neville Mines, on Flickr
Finally a line up at Wigram, the far P-40M is NZ 3072 Waiarapa Wildcat and the near one is P-40N NZ3208

[shorty]

Now some P-40s at everybodies favourite place, Taken about 1956 on the good old Brownie!
Whereas in earlier photos the aircraft were still basically in their lines by this stage they were getting quite jumbled. Only one I can possitively identify is the second one in with the star showing through which is NZ 3128, a P 40 N-1. The photo of the individual one may also be 3128. I wonder why they took the reduction box off? Maybe it was the easiest way for unskilled labour , without specialist tools, to get the props off?
Rukuhia 4 by Neville Mines, on Flickr

Most of the canopys are gone, probably for clochesRukuhia 2 by Neville Mines, on FlickrIMG]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk201/crumples_bucket/Rukuhia.jpg[/IMG]
Note this one still has the radiators. Worth a fortune for serviceable ones now
Rukuhia 3 by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[shorty]

By the time that worked commenced on the upgrade of Hamilton Airport Larsens smelting operations had slowed down immensely but the wrecks had to go from the leased land. They were sold to Asplin, who torched the wings etc of and moved then to his property around his garage. It was from here that John Chambers and John Smith acquired their examples and where I took these photos about Jan 67.(Spot my A 30 in the background!)
Document (50) by Neville Mines, on Flickr
Document (51) by Neville Mines, on Flickr
Document (52) by Neville Mines, on Flickr
Document (94) by Neville Mines, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

Great photos, but very sad.

[shorty]

Just to finish the saga of the Asplins P-40s here is a shot taken about 1965 while lying in the nose doors of a B-170. There is about 50 fuselages visible as well as a Vampire and assorted other stuff.

Asplins Aerial view by Neville Mines, on Flickr