RNZAF Museum flying boat recoveries

[Dave Homewood]

In the August 1982 NZ Wings it states in two different news items that:

The RNZAF Museum sent a team to survey the possible recovery of sunderland NZ4111 from the Chatham Islands. It says the team had checked the remains and reported it was feasible to get enough components for display purposes. They were asking for any interior fittings for the restoration... what happened to this plan?

And...

an RNZAF team lead by Wg comm Brian Knight had dived on the wreck of Catalina NZ4031 at Funafuti in the Tuvalu group , to survey it and evaluate the possibility of recovering it. When they got there they found souvenir hunters had already nicked the instrument panel, instruments and guns. Did anything more ever come of this? Was a recovery considered? Was it in salt water of a fresh water lagoon? Did any photos of the wreck get published?

[Peter Lewis]

NZ4111:
Hit rock during taxi to t/off to Chatham Islands 4Nov59. Remains on Chathams by W & C Powell; recovered by RNZAF Museum early-1994.
NZ4031:
Cr on t/off Funafuti Lagoon 12Apr45. 3 killed. Pilot F/L A R Tuckett.
I have no record of any recovery on file - the one at Wigram is a PBY-5A ex 44-34081/VR-HDH/VH-SBV

Looking at the map, I'd say salt water:

[Dave Homewood]

flyernzl said:

NZ4111. Remains on Chathams by W & C Powell; recovered by RNZAF Museum early-1994.

Thanks Peter. How much was recovered? I know from a FlyPast article there was a substantial amount still there in the early 1990's, but was widespread and being used as sheds, etc.

What does the reference to W & C Powell mean?

[corsair67]

Dave, the museum have a wing float from a Sunderland, and I'm pretty sure it's from NZ4111.

Last time I was at the museum it was on display in one of the rooms above the Atrium.

I'll have a look to see if I took photos of it.

[Peter Lewis]

Subject to informed contradiction, W & C Powell would have been the guys who gained salvage rights.
Sorry, I don't know how much was recovered - or indeed what was available in a recoverable state after thirty years.
Contrary to common beliefs, most aircraft that are left stranded in remote areas do not survive intact for very long. Due to the cost and difficulty of getting their hands on building materials, the local population in these places are usually adept at 'reclaiming' any suitable materials that are left lying around and converting them to a more practical use. I found this out when I was trying to track down the Percival Princes left in Samoa. 'Sorry mate, all gone!'

[Peter Lewis]

Just so everyone knows what we are talking about,
NZ4111 in happier days overhead Lauthala Bay