Oamaru Mosquito

[Dave Homewood]

In the book The Museum Makers by Harold Stone (see book reviews board for my full review) there are photos of a Mosquito fuselage offered to Motat, who refused it!!

It looks to be in fairly good condition and has a huge amount of metal work stil extant. Definately restorable these days!

Anyway, it says it was near Oamaru. I am trying to determine whether any other museums or collectors later saved it, or if it was destroyed. Perhaps it's still there under the huge pine trees?

So, of the Mosquitoes in presevration today in NZ, there are:

RNZAF Museum
NZ2355 - from T. Packer - where it came from I don't know. Could this by the Oamaru one?

Motat
NZ2305 - came from Marton (not the one)

Mapua
NZ2336 - John Smith's (not the one)

Ferrymead
NZ2382 from Banks Peninsular - not the one,
NZ2328 from somewhere called Totara - where's that? Is this near Oamaru perhaps?

Drury Hills
NZ2308 - Glynn Powell's under restoration

So - are any of these the one from Oamaru? Or was it never saved?

[corsair67]

Dave, this may be of interest:

"Three Mosquitoes (other than those purchased by Mr Hayman, M.P.) were purchased by individuals. NZ2305 was purchased from Ohakea by a Marton farmer, Robin Coleman in 1955. The aircraft was collected minus engines and propellors (they were held separate from the aircraft and too heavy to move), its outer main plane was sawn off, and the aircraft towed with the rear fuselage on the back of a truck, to his farm on Galpins Road. The aircraft was purchased for 25 pounds mainly for its hydraulic oil and fittings and remained stored under a large macrocarpa tree until it was donated to MOTAT in June 1967. Restoration work on the aircraft at MOTAT is well advanced and it is now displayed in the hangar at the Keith Park memorial airfield.

NZ2382, the oldest of the RNZAF's FB6's (and the only one delivered in brown green camouflage - all others arrived in light grey/green), was purchased by Bruce Goodwin of Pigeon Bay, Christchurch in 1953. In 1968 members of the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society located the wings and other components of this aircraft. The society also has the fuselage of NZ2328 acquired from J Clarke of Oamaru. Also in Christchurch, Ted Packer has the fuselage of NZ2355, wing parts of NZ2383 and components of several others (although most of his collection has now been donated to the RNZAF Museum).

John Smith's Mosquito NZ2336 at the time of its disposal from Woodbourne

NZ2336, from the last batch of Mosquitoes sold in 1956, was sold to John Smith of Mapua, Nelson. Although he was forced to cut the aircraft into manageable sections at Woodbourne to facilitate transport to Gardener's Valley, Mapua, he spliced the aircraft together again, where it remains intact and complete inside and out in remarkable condition. The Government Stores Board recorded at the time that he intended to retain it as a "museum piece" and it remains today as the most complete Mosquito in New Zealand."

I found this information at - www.integration.co.nz/aviation/RNZAFMos.htm

So it would appear that the Oamaru Mossie is NZ2328.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Craig.

However, I discovered late last night and was to post tonight when I got a chance - two Mosquitoes were rescued from James (Jim) Clarke's place. One is at Wigram and the other Ferrymead. So it is one of the two of them.

See these pages from an excellent Mossie site with full histories of each NZ survivor - one our Hairy is familiar with as his photos of the Motat one appear

www.mossie.org/NZ2305.htm - Motat - ex-Marton, found by Charles Darby

www.mossie.org/NZ2308.htm - Glyn Powell

www.mossie.org/NZ2328.htm - Ferrymead - ex-Jim Clarke, Oamaru

www.mossie.org/NZ2336.htm - John Smith, Mapua

www.mossie.org/NZ2355.htm - Wigram- ex- Jim Clarke

www.mossie.org/NZ2382.htm - Ferrymead - ex-Christchurch farm

www.mossie.org/NZ2383.htm - Wigram - ex-Malcolm McDonald

[corsair67]

I was thinking that it would be interesting to know how Mr Goodwin got his Mossie into Pigeon Bay as that road is pretty steep and winding in some parts, and I doubt it was tarsealed way back in 1953. Must have been an epic of some proportion!