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Post by Dave Homewood on May 22, 2015 22:12:59 GMT 12
In restoration it's the details that matter. So it's great to see this update from Denys Jones at Ferrymead on his recent detailing of hard to find items on Lockhead Hudson NZ2035. He writes: "Off topic I just had some faceplate decals for radio station boxes done for 2035. The BC-3620 box (stop me if you know this) was unique (as I know it) to the Hudsons and early Venturas for the RAF. Hence they are rare and sell in the UK for around the GBP300 figure. I got some boxes minus faceplates a couple of years back via Charles Darby and have been getting switches, lights etc together from various sources for them. I made the faceplates ok but got the facings (the black bits with cutouts for the other bits to poke through) done by a local signwriting firm. It might be sobering to some forum watchers to know that two such decals cost $120 all up working from a photo. The two attached show (looking aft in 2035) one on the left wall and one right aft of door plus a close up. Funds for this typically come from applications to poker charities but in CHC these days competion for such funds is intense. Hopefully a Hudson lover like you might appreciate progress! Feel free to post and rattle the donations can as John Key doesn't give us $1M+, donations can be made via ferrymeadaero.org.nz!"   |
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Post by dazz on May 23, 2015 1:01:48 GMT 12
Is there any information on progress on the 'other' Hudson project with Reids in Nelson? From what I understand it was basically just a stripped fuselage shell in need of significant love, and perhaps a Lodestar center center section in order to proceed.
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Post by Ian Warren on May 23, 2015 12:54:37 GMT 12
I should hook into getting in the Wigram Hudson, almost in it a year so back but it would be worth a return.
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Post by denysjones on May 23, 2015 21:52:15 GMT 12
And you expect to see change? The work on that finished yonks ago before Alan W left.
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Post by Ian Warren on May 24, 2015 0:16:44 GMT 12
And you expect to see change? The work on that finished yonks ago before Alan W left. I do have a brother called Allan W .. I know he not the same .. but it would be good to get serious comparison photo's , great thing many like as with the don't have the opportunity to look and check out. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 24, 2015 2:23:27 GMT 12
Huh?
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Post by Ian Warren on May 24, 2015 9:51:01 GMT 12
Just a little lite hearted joke , I do have a brother Allan
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 24, 2015 12:33:52 GMT 12
Maybe plain English will make it more readable?
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Post by denysjones on May 29, 2015 21:47:03 GMT 12
Ok Ian I get your drift.
However caution about "comparisons". There are the issues of how the aircraft were built, modified by the RNZAF, or other users, and then their subsequent lives.
My following comments are based on my 40 odds years of being associated with NZ2035.
Firstly the interior colours of the a/c. As I now understand it the first a/c were from direct RAF contracts and were painted internally in a Lockheed colour which was not RAF interior green nor AN611 US interior green. I believe that when the lend lease kicked in and the USAAC became the contracting body then the colour changed to a more olive version of AN611. Later the RNZAF repsrayed interiors in a lighter colour which was NZ originated and the pigments weathered out to a very blue hint. (My experience shows that this respray was limited to areas above the floor line).
Wigram have redone the interior of their a/c to the latter colour but we have done 2035 to the Lockheed shade which we have matched to Resene Paints Parlsey shade. Motat's and the Reid/Smith a/c also are that Lockheed colour but I have met parts of other a/c which are the AN611 shade.
2035 was resprayed in the RNZAF shade but they masked around stencils and we have been able to reinstate them but Wigram's is missing several of the stencils presumably because they had no evidence of them.
Secondly there is the issue of changes in the production and use modificiation of the a/c. As a simple example, Motat's has a drift sight aperture directly opposite the entry door but Wigram's and 2035 do not have this. There are a lot of other picky differences in the equipment fit in the main cabins that I struggle with (resolving 2035) but trust me they are very real. An example is that Motat's has a rack mount aft of the fwd bulkhead that hangs from the roof for the US command radio set. 2035 and Wigram's don't have the rack nor in the case of 2035 are there any fixing holes in the stringers to show that it was ever fitted.
Thirdly there is the extent to which a/c have been restored. There are 10 Hudsons left in the world and I've had access to 3 in NZ 2 in Aust and 1 in the UK and they all have differences to systems fit which reveal their post air force use and the degree to which they have subsequently been restored to Lockheed spec. The worst are the ones used by Adastra in Aust for survey work. The Aust War Memorial have spent a couple of days with us at Ferrymead and I with them in Canberra working on details to help them redress this modification work.
One of the hardest areas is the hydraulic and fuel systems bay below the pilot in the fuselage.
Post war use seems to have resulted in extensive rework of this complex area and so the reversal of this in restoration is difficult. Obviously the bomb door stuff ceased to have a use and so was deleted. In Aust Adastra secured the bomb doors with bolted straps.
We were always told that 2035 was probably the most original a/c in many respects when we got her and reworking this bay proves this. Likewise 2035 appears to be the most original in the area where the de-icer controls are, and the fuel dump systems but I'd need to show you photos of this as they would be easily missed to casual/uneducated observer.
Finally there is the matter of actually having access to parts. Remember we had less that 100 Hudsons in NZ and they really only served for some 5 years. Compare that with the numbers and service of C47/Dc3 and then go looking for parts you won't find heaps of dumped parts for Hudsons like you do for the C47/DC3 post war as I guess the RNZAF recycled (= scrapped in the term of the day) them yonks ago. Of course then you have all the ex-NAC DC3 stuff to turn over.
There are many parts which are US generic and so are C47 or Hudson but there are many which are Hudson unique in NZ terms. I can show you how the 3 NZ restorations in NZ differ in fit due to the teams getting to the "how do we get past this stage. I could tell you a long story one day about the saga of getting one instrument for 2035 from Nth America but how others just dropped in our lap. However those stories are to be told another day.
So I have to say "comparison" pix are very well but what do they really say?
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 2, 2015 19:12:49 GMT 12
Deny's - I have just found this thread and seen the photos of the Hudson. The standard of workmanship is amazing and you are to be congratulated on your work to date. I am volunteering at Classic Flyers and working on the Avenger and I know only too well the problems that can occur and how at times ones need to work around them.
Cheers Mike
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Post by baz62 on Jun 2, 2015 22:23:37 GMT 12
I am volunteering at Classic Flyers and working on the Avenger Cheers Mike yes Denys has done a first class job alright. Mike I was part of the restoration team on the Air Force Museum's TBF and would be keen to get in touch about the work being done, possibly answer any questions, possibly take some photos of areas you need info on. Cheers Baz |
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Post by denysjones on Sept 26, 2015 21:54:50 GMT 12
Dave has suggested I set this thread up so here we go This week (Tuesday 22nd) we had a major event in the saga of the repairs to our hangars and also to the future of ZK-BXG getting under cover in company with ZK-BRF. Our buildings were at the last phase of some $500,000 of earthquake repairs and one of the major issues was that one of the 10m tilt panels in BRF's hangar had to be removed and then replaced to refix it in-situ. This was the opportunity to get BXG inside under cover forever. We'll get some pix put up by the good Mr Homewood showing events with the $1000 per hour crane doing it's thing.    However we must acknowledge the support of Whyte Construction of CHC's staff in making all this possible on the day. The weekend before we did what we know people will chastise us for in that we removed the rear 1/3rd of the fuselage of BXG. However in this operation we found that for many years she has been subjected to water ingress and we found extensive areas of mould, rust and aluminium powder corrosion. On Tues morning BXG flew for the last time and is now safely ensconsed under cover and in the months to come will be reassembled and fleshed out as she has not been for the last 20 or so years. AirNZ have provided authentic 100 series under carriages and also complete Dart power packs to go into the process. We are however desparate to secure a propellor. We'll keep you posted on progress. |
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Post by baz62 on Sept 27, 2015 9:23:36 GMT 12
Great update. When do you think the Hangars will be open to the public again?
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Post by agile on Sept 27, 2015 18:06:29 GMT 12
My pictures from the day. Apologies that they stop midway through - I got roped into the action at that point!  Slab comes out...  Revealing the Viscount.  Fuse and centre section readied for lifting:  We have lift-off:  Halfway around, and that's all from me! Again, if anyone knows where we can get a propellor..... |
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Post by agile on Sept 27, 2015 18:12:14 GMT 12
Great update. When do you think the Hangars will be open to the public again? It's a bit of a 'When they're ready'. We have to reassemble BXG and get her on her feet, clean up all of the dust from the repairs, repaint the walls and floor of the hangar, resurrect the fencing etc. Ideally we would also like to get the Dak back on her stands (they ripped from the floor during the quake - they didn't do her too much harm, but she will take some lifting!). Hopefully early in the new year, but we'll see. If you have any free Saturdays, come on down for a nosey and we'll get you on the end of a paintbrush  . |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 27, 2015 18:35:51 GMT 12
Thanks Denys and Alex for the great update.
I've made this thread 'sticky' so it sticks to the top of the Preserving NZ Aviation section, and hopefully all future news, updates, visit photos and questions about the Ferrymead collection can be placed here, much like the MOTAT thread.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 2, 2015 8:34:59 GMT 12
A new update from Denys Jones, this arrived yesterday for the collection:  Denys says, "Apparently it is actually out of one of the RNZAF 727's but found its way to the AirNZ training school and is/was now surplus to their needs technologywise. We've also already got a tailpipe and clamshell reversers off a 737 which we'll fit to it so it'll be a rather impressive beast when setup." |
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Warrant Officer
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Post by 777219 on Oct 3, 2015 16:21:41 GMT 12
"Again, if anyone knows where we can get a propellor....."
How different are the 100 Series from the 500 Series? Air Post and Airwork will be ceasing operations of their two 500s next year and they have a lot of spares. Maybe they have something that could be of use to you but not worth anything to them on the open market, and I don't just mean propellors.
I think they will be trying to sell both aircraft, but if there are no buyers there could be an opportunity for a museum to have one.
Rex.
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Post by agile on Oct 3, 2015 19:33:08 GMT 12
I think for our purposes a Dart Prop is a Dart Prop. We'll see what happens with Airwork.
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Post by aeromedia on Oct 4, 2015 9:05:15 GMT 12
The best possible outcome for BXG I believe. In great company with BRF. Well done guys.
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