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Post by shorty on Dec 16, 2013 18:23:07 GMT 12
I'd go with an "Air Force Week"(or similar) promotion and the aircraft having been barged there and then lit up to make some noise and attract the populace to what was happening. Red Baron, there is no way you can tow a Vampire with it's wings off unless you've taken them off with a gas axe just outboard of the u/c legs, which is probably a bit noticeable!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 16, 2013 18:30:49 GMT 12
Were the Vampire wings built in a similar way to the Mosquito?
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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 16, 2013 18:33:14 GMT 12
I was wondering Shorty. I am guessing the tailbooms are not so bad to remove though ? Would that have been a possibility for road transport ?
The one on the wharf was lifted intact and undoubtedly barged though. All the indicators are there..
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Post by Bruce on Dec 16, 2013 20:34:06 GMT 12
Were the Vampire wings built in a similar way to the Mosquito? Nope.... the Vampire wings were all metal (although I think they were Redux bonded?) only the forward fuselage pod was wooden.
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Post by shorty on Dec 16, 2013 20:58:42 GMT 12
Vampire wings are all metal and attach either side of the fuselage (i.e no centre section) and the main u/c is attached to the wing and retract outwards. Rocket rails fit between the u/c and the fuselage. Tail booms come off easily just at the wing trailing edge
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 16, 2013 21:13:17 GMT 12
OK, cheers for that.
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Post by scrooge on Dec 19, 2013 9:29:04 GMT 12
Seems like a huge effort for a small effect. Don't know about 'small effect', I would think a vampire at full noise on a wharf in Wellington would have quite and effect...
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Post by oggie2620 on Dec 25, 2013 8:46:55 GMT 12
Is she still in storage at North Shore? Have been given a model of her for Christmas by my model making friend. Dee
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 25, 2013 8:58:42 GMT 12
Don confirmed to me that adf.serials is wrong. His Vampire is NZ5732.
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Post by camtech on Dec 31, 2013 20:48:48 GMT 12
OK guys - help me out so I can update ADF.serials. I was aware that Don had 5732, but where does the "B Billing of Torbay" fit, What Tender did Don buy '32 on, What was the fate/disposal of '51
As an aside, I am working on updates to ADF.serials gradually, so any assistance greatly appreciated to hs780mf@gmail.com
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 20, 2018 14:28:11 GMT 12
I wonder if Classic Flyers may be persuaded to display '51 on a mock wharf setting when she's complete?
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Post by angelsonefive on Mar 21, 2018 4:51:55 GMT 12
I recall this. The Vampire was no longer on the wharf though, but near the then Central Fire Station, today known as the Wgton City Fire Station, when I saw it. The old memory banks are a bit fogged in, but the plane was on display somewhere in the vicinity of the intersection of Oriental Parade and Wakefield St, or possibly Oriental Parade near Herd St. If the jet came to the city via the new airport and the Wellington Wharves then the means of transport across the harbour would probably have been the Harbour Board's big floating crane, Hikitea. A Vampire would have been a ridiculously easy lift for the floating crane. This would explain the lifting slings. No barge necessary. The Miramar Wharf gates could have been a challenge, but it is possible that the Hikitea could have been positioned in Evans Bay alongside Cobham Drive just south of Miramar Wharf, and the plane lifted off the roadway.
BTW, the Hikitea is still with us. Owned by a trust, restored to working order, and open to the public. Berthed at Queens Wharf, I think, and worth a visit.
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Post by planewriting on Jun 28, 2019 22:01:50 GMT 12
OK guys - help me out so I can update ADF.serials. I was aware that Don had 5732, but where does the "B Billing of Torbay" fit, What Tender did Don buy '32 on, What was the fate/disposal of '51 As an aside, I am working on updates to ADF.serials gradually, so any assistance greatly appreciated to hs780mf@gmail.com Camtech will realise I am following up on some notes he gave me yesterday on NZ5751. Ken Jacobs, from whom this Vampire was obtained, informed Classic Flyers it was stored in a shed in Blenheim from the time he obtained the aircraft from the RNZAF in 1973 till its removal to Classic Flyers in 2018. Also in the shed were about 12 Goblin engines. The entire contents were placed in two shipping containers and transported to Tauranga. Before leaving Blenheim, the men and women who had come from Classic Flyers, dismantled and disposed of the shed at Ken's request. If my memory serves me right there was an occasion when a Vampire was placed in the playground on the roof top of the Farmers Trading Company building in Hobson Street, Auckland. In addition to that, for some reason my mind is telling me that, once again, NZ5751 was involved. Can anyone confirm if a Vampire was on that building and if so, when? Serial number would be good to see too. Dave, you may consider merging this thread with the active Classic Flyers one on this same aircraft. Not to worry if it is tootricky or not considered necessary - just a thought.
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Post by davidd on Jun 29, 2019 10:51:55 GMT 12
At last, something definite, taken from the Woodbourne and BOCU unit histories, although not verbatum. The former states that this Vampire was ferried across Cook Strait by (RNZAF) Bristol Freighter to Rongotai on 19th October, then towed around to Clyde Quay (presume by a vehicle of some kind). Interestingly Woodbourne history states that the aircraft was 5757, but the photo on this thread would seem to indicate that the typist responsible for adding this detail in the history was one of the fast and furious kind (the sort that make lots of mistakes). The BOCU unit History of 22/10/59 states that Vampire 5721 (sic) was this day flown back to Woodbourne for storage (presumably by Bristol Freighter again), having been on display at a Wellington wharf. Not a mention of any take offs, landings or other dramatics then. Only amazing thing is that in neither mention did the typists get the a/c number correct. David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 29, 2019 19:12:57 GMT 12
Good sleuthing David!
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Post by machina on Jun 29, 2019 21:25:56 GMT 12
How do you get a Vampire in a Freighter?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 29, 2019 21:33:29 GMT 12
Perhaps it was the ship kind of Freighter, rather than the Bristol kind? It'd make sense being on a wharf.
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Post by davidd on Jun 29, 2019 22:08:20 GMT 12
A Vampire can be fairly easily got inside a Bristol Freighter, you just have to dismantle it. The RNZAF has also carried Devons aboard Bristol Freighters too, several times, although not certain if they could carry the mainplanes and engines at the same time. I was there when we dismantled a single-seat Vampire (minus engine) and took it to Ferrymead many years ago, it just took a bit of manpower and some simple tools. This was the one owned by Gerald Rhodes. David D
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Post by oj on Jun 29, 2019 22:26:16 GMT 12
More likely deck cargo on the old Tamahine Cook Strait ferry.
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Post by davidd on Jun 30, 2019 11:11:29 GMT 12
Why are people still speculating on the means whereby that Vampire suddenly materialised on Clyde Quay? Although heavily biased on this question, I still favour the means mentioned in the Woodbourne history, where a Bristol Freighter was quite explicitly involved, and also provides exact dates. I have since located yet another piece of evidence, from the Woodbourne history, which further backs up "my" version. Perhaps some STRONGLY believe that a Vampire can NEVER fit in such an aircraft, dismantled or not, and therefore an alternative explanation is required, no matter how speculative. David D
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