Flying boats

[Dave Homewood]

OK, yes I have worked out how Polls work ;D

Just a thought, for a maritime nation our aviation heritage sadly lacks much in the form of the Flying Boat preserved in NZ.

If another flying boat were to be miraculously brought to NZ or built as a replica, which would you prefer?

To add detail - my hyperthrtical suggestions would be thus

Short Singapore - recovered from Lauthala Bay, Fiji, where they were scuttled, and restored for static display in the RNZAF Museum Wigram

A flying replica of the nice old Walsh Brothers Flying Boats that trained pilots on Auckland's shores and skies

Supermarine Walrus - static option for RNZAF or RNZN museum to reflect the service of type in those two Armed Forces

Supermarine Walrus - flying on the warbird circuit as was proposed and came close recently before the deal fell through

Some rich guy buy's the ex-RNZAF Sunderland from Kermit Weeks, returns it to the air in RNZAF configuration and uses it for tourism flights and airshow appearances

Re the Catalina, the RNZAF Museum's one is given a sudden injection of money and is finished to static display standard in full RNZAF kit at Wigram

A Grumman Goose representing postwar operations of the type

Other - what other Flying Boat would you want to see preserved in NZ, and how would you want it - static, flying, water taxiing?

[hairy]

There are enough bits lying around to get the Weeks Sandringham back to a Sunderland.

[Bruce]

MoTat Are currenltly building a Walsh flying boat. Obviously Static only, but another sydicate was looking at building an airworthy one a few years ago.

Can I vote for a Fairey IIIF? - Not quite a flying boat but a very nice marine aircraft....

[Dave Homewood]

There's another poll where you can stick your Fairey! hehe ;D

Wow, MoTaT is building a replica Walsh boat, wicked. There's a really good semi-amatuer video documentary on Waitemata flying boats (available from the Warehouse, or used to be) which has some amazing film of the Walsh's flying bots, and even pilot's eye view of Auckland. Stunning. I watched it recently with Mum and we both said it'd be great if a replica was made, they could take tourists for flights over the harbour recreating the days of the Walshes.

Did that syndicate come to nothing in the end? Or is there still a hope?

[Bruce]

Havent heard much about the flying Walsh boat at all, the target was to get one flying for the last Americas Cup regatta in Auckland, and obviously that came to nothing, I havent heard anything around the SAA, and I would expect some of our members to be involved if it was happening.
The basic concept is sound as construction of a Walsh boat is fairly straightforward and inexpensive. One would probably make a "generic" version as each Walsh machine was hand made and original. Aparently the syndicate had obtained a genuine Hall Scott engine, but for practical purposes a Gypsy Major could be inverted (right way up?) and would prove a more practical option. There would be difficulties in taking paying passengers as the machine would be in the experimental category, and finding a suitable base would cause problems. Being a pure flying boat, airshow appearances would be limited and there may not be many opportunities for exposure (therefore difficult to get sponsorship - a Sunderland would have worse problems) but if someone wealthy and enthusiastic (perhaps a famous film director...) would finance such a thing for the sheer joy of it, it could be done - and not too expensively - $250,000 perhaps.... Anyone inetersted (and wealthy )