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Post by shorty on Oct 8, 2008 12:59:34 GMT 12
Here is another fling wing machine, like the Wasp it will be a nice machine when they finish the engine cowls and fit them!  NZ 3702 by Neville Mines, on Flickr However now we move on to one where things don't always work out. in this case NZ 3703 which came to grief on 30 June 1977 in the headwaters of the Awatere Valley en route from Woodbourne to Wigram when the short forward tail rotor shaft failed. Looking at the first photo the wreckage can be seen just to the right of point off the bluff. As can be seen a little bit further and there was nothing to cushion the fall and a bit earlier and they would have crashed to the floor of the gorge.  NZ 3703 Crash site by Neville Mines, on Flickr We clambered down to the wreck and collected all the detached parts and removed what was left of the rotors. From the Landrover parked at the edge we ran the winch wire down to the wreck and set it up as a sort of reverse flying fox. Using kit bags with caribiners on them and a rope back to the top we pulled the bits back to the top. For the rotor blades a kit bag was slid over each end, tied together with cord so they stayed on the ends and the whole lot slid back up. As can be seen it was the intervention of trees that stopped the downward tumble. The only injuries sustained by the crew happened at this stage when they fell from their seats as the scrambled clear.  scan0149 by Neville Mines, on Flickr With only the major section left the Iroquois lowered a cable and swung it across to us at the site where it was clipped onto the top of the rotor mast and the wreck pulled clear and lowered into a nearby paddock.  NZ 3703 Recovery by Neville Mines, on Flickr ![]() h why I was given the task of holding the strop (being the shortest guy there)I dont know but after everything was secured and the load checked it was taken back to Woodbourne as an underslung load.
 NZ 3703 salvage by Neville Mines scan0148 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2008 13:48:35 GMT 12
Very interesting photos of that recovery mission. Was it rebuilt? Was anyone hurt in the crash? It looks nasty.
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Post by shorty on Oct 8, 2008 14:22:22 GMT 12
Injuries were very slight, just those caused by falling out of the seats.
Aircraft was written off
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 12:26:28 GMT 12
Time toadd some more photos, this time way out of sequence. Starting with NZ 1010 taken at Ohakea. This later crashed at Lee's Line while doing a PAR approach at Ohakea 28-10-65.  NZ 1010 by Neville Mines, on Flickr Next is NZ 1087 of the RNZAF Museum, since repainted as NZ 948.  NZ 1087now 948 by Neville Mines, on Flickr Next is what is probably NZ 1029, if so, it was sold by the GSB in Oct 62. Taken at Wigram with Devons in the background  NZ 1029 by Neville Mines, on Flickr Final one for this series is a wartime photo, probably Woodbourne. Note the twin venturis and extended exhaust it is maybe NZ 923.  NZ 923 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 18, 2008 12:36:45 GMT 12
No way - that'd drop the top speed by another 40kts! ;D
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Post by Damon on Oct 18, 2008 13:44:35 GMT 12
Great photos there Shorty .Keep those Harvard pictures coming!
Is the last one '23' painted in a black or dark colour for any reason? Does'nt appear to be a camo. scheme at all.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 18, 2008 14:45:08 GMT 12
In some old film processes during the war the yellow came out dark like that, so perhaps it is the standard trainer yellow with the light blue diagonal as seen on many Woodbourne machines (I can't recall if it was ITS or ATS that had the light blue stripe). The 23 may be just a buzz number and not related to the serial.
It would be nice to think this was a dark blue or black scheme though, and thinking about it the buzz number woukd normally be red, blue or black so who knows as it looks a different shade to the blues and reds and it isn't black.
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 15:05:40 GMT 12
This illustrates a trap for young players. Early film was of the "orthochromatic" variety which "sees" colours different to the later "panochromatic" film. The Aircraft is in fact yellow overall with probably blue buzz numbers (compare the shade with known colours in the roundel), had it been the later panochromatic film the yellow would appear the same as the training bands in the other shots. This photos of Tigers at Harewood is a classic example because the look like they are in a olive drab type colour they are actually overall trainer yellow. It illustrates one of the pitfalls in analysing earlier black and white photos with the aim of determining colour schemes. (the photo is from a AHSNZ publication)  Harewood by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 15:48:22 GMT 12
A couple more Vampire shots The first one was taken at Hobsonville in the early 60s and although the serial isn't visible A little detective work tells us that it must be INST 171 as it has the ejection seat warning triangle painted on it and therefore it cannot be an in service aircraft and it must be the one the painters used.  INST 171 Hobsonville by Neville Mines, on Flickr This next shot is a bit out of the ordinary. I salvaged out of a rubbish bin a roll of 16mm gun camera film after the gunnery exercise has been analysed. This film starts with the blackboard being held in front of the gun camera with the pilots names on it and then you get about 2 or 3 minutes of athe Vampire making passes at his opponent. The whole film runs for about 10 minutes. The interesting thing about it is that it is all in negative format (I guess if it's not going to be kept why go to unnecessary time and expense) and I therefore tried doing a print through my enlarger. Made for an interesting shot with the quarry just visible behind the the centre spot of the sight.  scan0151 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
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Post by phil82 on Oct 18, 2008 15:56:59 GMT 12
The ejction seat triangle on that Vampire must have been painting practice, because, as I'm sure you're aware, the single seat Vampire didn't have an ejection seat!
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 15:59:04 GMT 12
That was the point of my comment!!
quote: it has the ejection seat warning triangle painted on it and therefore it cannot be an in- service aircraft and it must be the one the painters used.
(and I did work on them from 1967 until they were retired)
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Post by phil82 on Oct 18, 2008 16:01:31 GMT 12
NZ 1010 did, indeed crash just off Lees Line as you've mentioned, the pilot being one P.O Fitzmaurice, who had formerly been an engine fitter I think.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Oct 18, 2008 16:58:01 GMT 12
Here's one of INST171 (aka INSTNZ1717) in what looks like the same place, but viewed from a little further around:  |
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 16:59:03 GMT 12
Some of the out of the ordinary visitors that called ot Ohakea in the early 70's First we have the only time that the Luftwaffe made it to Ohakea. After all this time I can't remember who the VIP was but this is his transport.  Luftwaffe 707 Ohakea by Neville Mines, on Flickrand a closer shot of the nose.  scan0223 by Neville Mines, on Flickr Also in the 70s HMS Eagle visited our waters and her Buccanners and Sea Vixens were tasked with attacking Ohakea. The A4s and the Blunties were scrambeld to defend and we had half an hour of low level dogfighting over the base. Fantastic!! The weather clagged in and the aircraft couldn't land back on board so they overnighted on dry land. Poor old aircrew only had there immersion type flying suits so they had to rustle up some clothing and get dispensation to wear irregular clothing in the officers Mess. Didn't get any shots (that I can find) of the Buccs but here is one of the Vixens.  Buccaneer folded wings by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 21:00:06 GMT 12
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Post by shorty on Oct 18, 2008 21:07:28 GMT 12
last two for tonite, a couple of four ship formations over Ohakea, The first time I had seen air to air refuelling , let alone a triple refuel, a KB 50 and three F105s and , many years later, a four pig formation.  KB 50 refuelling by Neville Mines, on Flickr  scan0157 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
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Post by agalbraith on Oct 18, 2008 22:00:12 GMT 12
Wow, very awesome pics.
I am very greatful for you uploading these images, I know it is a big job scanning and resizing and uploading to photobucket, but it is a real treat and much appreciated............I am constantly looking for the next updates.
Cheers
Anthony
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 19, 2008 0:15:11 GMT 12
What's that Luftwaffe aeroplane? Is it a Boeing 707?
I never knew any Sea Vixens had visited NZ. Nice to see.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 19, 2008 0:16:50 GMT 12
And I second what Anthony said, thanks very much Shorty!
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 19, 2008 0:47:03 GMT 12
Is it true that the RN crews returned to the carrier slightly worse for wear after being forced to 'endure' good old Kiwi hospitality in the Mess at OH?  |
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