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Post by beagle on Jan 25, 2008 21:30:55 GMT 12
Has anyone seen or got an images of the 3rd B727 we got which ended up at Woodbourne and reduced to Toyota Corollas.
Was it at Whenuapai before it went south or have I read that it flew direct to CHC then to WB.
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Post by beagle on Jan 26, 2008 20:02:17 GMT 12
found this one of it in United colours earning it's keep before we got her.  |
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Post by Freighter5910 on Jan 26, 2008 21:04:31 GMT 12
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 27, 2008 19:53:59 GMT 12
According to adf serials: "Sold to RNZAF 29 April 1981. Delivered to Christchurch 06 May 1981. Flown to Woodbourne 25 June 1981 and broken up for spares. Flew approximately 21 hours in RNZAF service." Which leads to two questions: - would the delivery flight USA-Christchurch and CH-WB add up to 21 hours, or were there other flights between May 6th and 25 June? - the colours on the airframe look to be UAL livery, but was 'NZ7273' ever painted on? At Woodbourne August 1982:   |
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 5:13:27 GMT 12
the serial number would have been most probably on the engine nacelle
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 28, 2008 13:07:48 GMT 12
Peter, I can't recall if it flew around much after it arrived in Christchurch at all, but maybe it did?
I guess it would have clocked up about 14-16 hours flying from the States to Christchurch, depending of course where it originated from in the US?
By the way, does anyone know the reason it arrived in Christchurch first, instead of going straight to Woodbourne?
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Post by kiwi on Jan 28, 2008 13:10:55 GMT 12
Might have been for customs clearance .
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 18:01:29 GMT 12
I'm thinking that maybe it was because they were going to break it down and ANZ engineers at CHC are pretty clued up on Boeing products of that size , so maybe the Air force had already sorted sometghing out with them regards advice etc on what parts would be worth something if salvaged before being flown to WB to get stripped down.
One thing from the WB images is that the leading edge of the tail plane is still fitted. Unless that was taken off later, then I would have thought that would be a good piece to save. Why, cause I was at 40 when they pulled a 727 out of the hangar but the tail plane hit something and had to be replaced.
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Post by Bruce on Jan 28, 2008 18:48:08 GMT 12
One source I have read (cant rememer where) staed that '73 was used to move police riot squads around the country during the 1981 Spingbok tour. Checking the tour dates however this desnt match up with the date of arrival at Woodbourne, as the tour started in July. the other two 727s were used, although at that stage they were still not officially operational.
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Post by phil82 on Jan 28, 2008 19:34:02 GMT 12
I happen to know the guy who was responsible for the purchase and delivery to NZ of the three 727s. He was my best man in fact. I'll talk to him tonight and see if I can't answer some of the queries on this thread! Small world isn't it?
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 20:45:02 GMT 12
Just trying to think who were pilots etc on 40 then.
My first stint was with the famous, shit, lsot his name, he was in that movie Rescue, ok got it, Radar O Riley, John Cotton
Second tour was the likes of Dennis O'Connor, Hughsie, others I have lost names
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Post by sniff on Jan 28, 2008 21:03:15 GMT 12
Ken Gayfer, Andy Russell, Jeff Romeril, Rob Guinea all in the initial bunch of pilots on the 727. As other names return to memory, I will post them.
AR took took 73 into WB.
Some of the 20 hours might have been cont in the aircraft after sim training - Denver, I think?
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Post by sniff on Jan 28, 2008 21:12:18 GMT 12
As I remember it, they even initially carried navigators too until the pilots got up to speed with with international nav procedures. Also, they still had to have a proper nav fit - Omega and INS in those days.
As an aside, Dave Bamfield had a big part to do with the purchase, he retires next month as the Vice Chief of Defence Force after one of the longer RNZAF careers.
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 21:14:14 GMT 12
what about engineers and flt stewards then
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Post by sniff on Jan 28, 2008 21:19:24 GMT 12
Rex Keane ex 5 Sqn, ? Stobie..... FE's
ALM's too, but cant recall names there either.
Didnt know the initial Dollies, they came from 42 Sqn and from base units.
Anyway, I was next door at 5 Sqn, Rex was my 1st Eng for a while before he went to 40.
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 21:22:50 GMT 12
Was at 5 in 89/90
was on board for the spinner incident
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Post by sniff on Jan 28, 2008 21:23:00 GMT 12
Speaking of Best Men, Rob Guinea was my main man. Tragically killed in a road accident at Christmas in 1982.
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 21:26:11 GMT 12
trying to pick him, tall skinny  I did a Fincastle with people like Pierre, Crossland and another that enjoyed helping the boys consume a bit of the amber fluid... |
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Post by sniff on Jan 28, 2008 21:26:38 GMT 12
I was living the good life in Penang/Butterworth 89 to 91. I missed the spinner incident, sounds nasty. Tony Medcalf and I blew the prop seals flying out of Hawaii one night, that was exciting for a while, totally lost control of the prop!
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Post by beagle on Jan 28, 2008 21:31:26 GMT 12
Remember reading about that.
The spinner... spinner c ring was not correctly refitted when spinner put back on.
were doing high powers run with Harry Harrison when it came off and shattered and bit went into intake , leading edge, side of fuselage. Dash lit up with the odd light and the first things harry said was Fuel Line. First thing I thought of was fire when he said that and I was ready to run the gauntlet to the back door.
Took a few months to fix as parts had penetrated the air con duct above the bomb bay and they had to pull lots of stuff apart to make repairs.
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