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Post by Peter Lewis on Nov 8, 2006 22:44:45 GMT 12
A little while ago, I went to the Westgate cinema centre (to see a movie, of course) and was surprised to find a Spitfire replica hanging from the ceiling in the entance hall of this building. This replica looks to be quite well done, and in an apparently realistic paint scheme, although lacking a serial. Has anyone else heard of this item? know who created it - and why? For those who don't know the area, Westgate is only a few miles from the Whenuapai/Hobsonville airfield complex, and the outside of the cinema building is painted in a yellow and black chequerboard pattern in an attempt to recreate the look of an airfield building. Lacking a camera at the time, I took this photo with my wife's cameraphone - if nothing else, it shows that the photgraphic abilities of a Sanyo phone in the half dark of a movie theatre are severly limited!
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 9, 2006 14:58:39 GMT 12
Looks pretty impressive, Peter: the Spitfire that is, not the Sanyo phone camera!
I would be interested to know the background of this replica too.
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Post by hairy on Nov 9, 2006 15:29:55 GMT 12
It has been there since the complex opened several years ago, I think someone told me awhile ago that it came from the moulds used to make the one at Christchurch airport.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 9, 2006 15:44:51 GMT 12
It certailny looks like a lowback Mk XVIe so makes sense that it'll be anoither replica of TE288, like the one at Harewood, Hamilton and Wigram's part replica. I read another from that mould went to Australia at some point and of course two went to Harewood as one was arsonised. I hadn't heard of this replica though at Westgate.
That place was all fields when I was young ... Whoops, starting to sound like Phil82.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Nov 9, 2006 16:51:56 GMT 12
It has been there since the complex opened several years ago, That's why I put 'new' in quote marks . . . slow as a toad, that's me. Don't get out enough.
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 21:16:11 GMT 12
Yes I have seen that spitfire too. I was told years back where it did come from, but due to old age settling in , that information has gone. As to the other firbeglass models, I helped in the manufacture of them all, the second one I painted and the 3rd one which went to the musuem at Perth, I primed and they painted it over there in their own colours. A few years after this I did an ANZAC Exchange to Perth for 3 months and saw it outside the musuem. It looked in a very untidy state. As to the second one that is outside CHC airport, I pass it every day going to and from work. i am pretty sure it has been repainted since i first did it as that was 1984/85. Just wondering if the 1st one that got damaged was somehow repaired and is the one at Westgate .
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2006 21:32:14 GMT 12
I wouldn't think the first one from Harewood was repairable, it was very badly burned to the point of looking like a melted Airfix kit. I wonder if Ossie james and his team made it after buying the RNZAF moulds, to raise cash for the Hamilton one.
By the way, that Hamilton one has only been up two years this month, and the other week I noticed a distinct shade of green growth appearing on it. It's very damp by the river, I hope th council or someone will give it a clean soon.
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 21:51:09 GMT 12
On the subject of the one at CHC. It was put up on the pole outside the brevet Club. Who actually owned it. Where is the brevet Club now. Did w eever operate spitfires from CHC If the brevet Club is now moved and we did not in fact operate spitfires from CHC them should the one there be moved to where the brevet club is now, or if it is now defunct then outside a RSA. As for putting something in it's place, then either something military that operated from there in the war days, well should we if there is no brevet Club so naturally it has to either a B737 or a C141 thoughts. Can hear some T56's roaring overhead on finals right now. will be air freights convairs
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2006 22:02:18 GMT 12
The Brevet Club is now situated in the old Publications Library within the RNZAF Museum complex (the one on the museum carpark side, mezzanine floor).
They moved there due to decreasing numbers, understandably. Their original Harewood building was demolished for some reason, I was gobsmacked when I saw it gone this year.
So the Brevet Club moved to be nearer their real Spitfire and left the glassfibre one behind. The Spitfire in the museum that came off the pole was presented by the RAF to NZ to mark the number of New Zealanders who flew with the RAF in the war. I think at the time Chch was the biggest branch sothey got it.
We never operated Spitfires at all in NZ, only in Britian and Europe (and some Kiwis in the Middle East, malta, etc). The first Spitfire to ever fly in NZ was Sir Tim Wallis's TB863. British Seafires had visited in the 1940's and 50's though.
The most prolific flyer from Harewood in military days was the Tiger Moth. There were also Vincents and Hudsons based there, but all three are a little impractical to place on a pole there (ifyou could find examples of the latter two!)
I say stick with the Spitfire.
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 22:08:32 GMT 12
why stick with it if it has no relevance to the area, ie CHC Really, there has been other air craft that deserve to be up that pole or chocked up there before that spitfire. ie, C141 or B737. ok being a bit silly here, but Mt Cook Line had their 748's operating out of there for many a year, repaint the andover in mt Cook colours, how many people would realise the difference.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2006 22:11:32 GMT 12
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Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 22, 2006 22:15:48 GMT 12
In my opinion, that Sp[itfire is a memorial of sorts to those who not only flew here, but who went overseas and probably flew aircraft types not operated here. The Spitfire is one of those, and deserves it's place. But I can also see your point about the relevance of a Christchurch related type for the airport. Palmerston North has a derelict Metro.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2006 22:15:54 GMT 12
Andovers never flew for Mount Cook though, as you well know. The HS748 is actually a very different aircraft despite what people think.
And yes the Spitfire does have relevance, many many Christchurch men flew them in WWII.
You might as well say we never operated Lancasters from Auckland so lets give Motat's one bag to the French.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 22, 2006 22:17:52 GMT 12
Don't tempt any fate whatsoever Dave!
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 22:17:58 GMT 12
hey Les, can ya do us a favour tomorrow. go down to westgate for lunch, pop into the movies and check out it's serial number, thats a good chap, tally ho.......
so really Dave, ya not that keen on a Starlifter or Boeing put there instead.
Pretty sure there was some talk about getting a starlifter donated a few years ago before they were all retired.
Put the spitfire at woodbourne. It has no gate guardian. ok a question, has Woodbourne ever had a gate guardin air craft in it's history, no ya cannot count the argosy up the road 1 km
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2006 22:18:35 GMT 12
Genuine aircraft shouldn't be put on poles either. It kills them. Stick with a mock-up and put the real one indoors. Ferrymead and Wigram do great jobs for Chch in that respect. Or maybe an airliner could be housed at Harewood somewhere, but sticking one on a pole won't happen as it's a health and safety risk.
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 22:21:08 GMT 12
Andovers never flew for Mount Cook though, as you well know. The HS748 is actually a very different aircraft despite what people think. yes I know but visually for 80% of people ..not
And yes the Spitfire does have relevance, many many Christchurch men flew them in WWII. mmmmmmm yes forgot about that " very important " fact.
You might as well say we never operated Lancasters from Auckland so lets give Motat's one bag to the French. Thats inside a musuem, totally different.
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 22:22:13 GMT 12
have ya seen the 747 they have at a german airport on poles
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2006 22:57:15 GMT 12
The bigger the plane on a pole, the more dangerous. They don't last long on a pole, especially in cold climates. Even sitting on its wheels large aircraft fall apart. Case in point the Vulcan that was at Liverpool and sold on eBay. It's now tincans as it was so rusted it was scrapped.
Hamilton's Turbo Fletcher gate guard had to be rescued, restored and put into a museum before it fell apart. Gisborne took it's Lodestar off poles and inside. I think the days of putting metal planes on poles is a thing of the past now. I think the only genuine aircraft on a pole in NZ now is NZ1050 at Wigram, which isn't in the best shape but is at least cared for regularly unlike most gate guards.
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Post by beagle on Nov 22, 2006 22:58:42 GMT 12
did you just pop out for some supper
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