Bristol Freighter Remains

[Dave Homewood]

Once again Key Forum is closed due to the cyber attack they have been suffering for weeks

[kiwithrottlejockey]

DOS attack?

Or something worse?

[Deleted]

I did wonder what was happening. I was able to visit it just now though.

[TS]

Do you ever think we would see one of these old girls lumbering around the sky's again... or is that a mad question to ask?
Bear in mind that there was a time when nobody wanted to see anything old flying around. Now look at it.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

I'd say there were probably a few people living along Evans Bay in Wellington who were ecstatic when they ceased hearing Bristol Hercules engines rattling their windows.

Ditto over in the Blenheim area close to Woodbourne.

I can still clearly remember the last time I saw (and heard) a Bristol Freighter. I was in Brandon Street in Wellington and the Freighter was climbing out over the harbour before turning west and heading over to Blenheim. It was rather loud, even amongst all the din of the city. Not that I was complaining about it, but I imagine for non-aviation-enthusiasts living along the departure path, they would have been glad to see the back of them.

[TS]

Yeah true, but you wouldn't be hearing them one after the other these days now would you. :-)

[Dave Homewood]

What has happened with the one in Canada? Weren't they planning on getting it running again when Al and Marty were working on restoring the Omaka one? Maybe it will fly? The one heading to the UK won't fly, despite 20 million pounds being thrown at it apparently, and I doubt any of the ones here and in Aussie ever will again.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Dec 15, 2016 16:33:38 GMT 12 TS said:

Yeah true, but you wouldn't be hearing them one after the other these days now would you. :-)

I can remember staying with my Mum's cousin in Wellington during the school holidays back in the early-1960s. His house was up on the hill in Strathmore Park overlooking Wellington Airport. You could always see (and hear) Bristol Freighters all day long. Often there would be one on approach, another Bristol climbing out, and a third Freighter swapping cargons on the tarmac. As soon as one Bristol Freighter disappeared out of sight, another one would come into view. It was like a continuous aerial conveyor belt.

My Mum's cousin was Alan MacCaulay, the owner of Aviation Radio at Rongotai. He also installed the various radio beacons at Wellington Airport when it was built, as well as the radar up on Hawkins Hill, then maintained all of it.

[Peter Lewis]

Dec 15, 2016 14:54:59 GMT 12 TS said:

Do you ever think we would see one of these old girls lumbering around the sky's again...

I seem to remember that the last flying B170 in Canada was grounded when the props ran out of hours and no replacements were available.

[kevsmith]

The Rail-Air operation of SAFE in the mid to late 60's on week days was as follows:
First one out of Blenheim was at 0430 and it did BM-WN-BM for the early morning papers (The Dominion) then back to WN and stop for Breakfast. This aircraft was scheduled for 5 return trips through to around midday.
The next one departed Blenheim at 0600 and also did 5 return trips while a third B170 departed Blenheim at 0630 and did one and half Blenheim - WN trips then WN-Nelson-WN then Blenheim. The afternoon schedule usually had two aircraft on the Straits runs (BM-WN-BM) for 4 or 5 return trips and one of those then did the late mail WN to Christchurch then WN and return to Blenheim.
So in all there were 5 crews used on the Straits runs every week day. Add to that the NAC freight runs which invariably passed through Wellington as well which probably used another 3 aircraft each weekday. 3 aircraft were used on the Sunday papers departing around midnight on the Saturday night, one starting from Auckland and going all the way south to WN, CHCH and Dunedin. In the Summer this one stopped at Dunedin or Alexander and on the Monday morning flew cherries or other stone fruit back to the Wellington Markets. The other two Sunday paper aircraft departed Wellington with one going north and one going south with both usually returning to Blenheim by dawn on Sunday morning.

[TS]

Dec 15, 2016 21:39:10 GMT 12 Peter Lewis said:

Dec 15, 2016 14:54:59 GMT 12 TS said:

Do you ever think we would see one of these old girls lumbering around the sky's again...

I seem to remember that the last flying B170 in Canada was grounded when the props ran out of hours and no replacements were available.

Was that the one that was here with Hercules Air? If it was I remember seeing it fly over home at about 9 to 10,000 FT heading North. From where I was she still sounded loud but good.
I remember that one at WP one air show in the 1980s I think??.. As for props can't they make them, they do for other bits and pieces that are unobtainium for aircraft. BUT I guess the old B170 just ain't going to be popular enough, not to mention running costs....

[pjw4118]

I hope Dwen has charged the Bristol Aero people plenty.
Around a decade ago when a great example was at Waihi Beach I was visiting the Collection then based at Kemble. In getting talking to the engineers ( as you do ) I mentioned the Waihi B170. They became very keen and on return I checked with the owner ( name forgotten but owned the airstrip too ) and he wanted $45000. The shipping company we were using at the time were keen to transport it for the publicity. I passed it all over the BAC.
Two months later I received the shittiest letter from their Chairman to say that they didn't want a B170 and if they did they would work through official channels and to keep out of it. It came as a surprise as I wasn't in "it " with the owner being in direct contact with the BAC engineers.
So the nice B170 became a bunk house and the BAC have bought a piece of !!.. Official channels ,,,yeah right,,, ha ha

[Deleted]

Here's the project website for Aerospace Bristol: www.aerospacebristol.org/freighter

[Peter Lewis]

Dec 16, 2016 14:16:17 GMT 12 pjw4118 said:

I checked with the owner ( name forgotten but owned the airstrip too )

John Black

[pjw4118]

Thanks Peter .It was really sad that a good museum aircraft became a bunk house all through some Colonel Blimp in UK. If he was an example of british aerospace no wonder they ended up in the drain as just sub contractors like their motor " industry ".

[baz62]

Dec 15, 2016 17:25:11 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

What has happened with the one in Canada? Weren't they planning on getting it running again when Al and Marty were working on restoring the Omaka one? Maybe it will fly? The one heading to the UK won't fly, despite 20 million pounds being thrown at it apparently, and I doubt any of the ones here and in Aussie ever will again.

Not sure which one you are talking about Dave but recall back in (2006?) the last Bristol Freighter to fly and was on display somewhere in Canada was sold to another museum. They basically gave the old girl a service and flew her one last time to her new home. Ex-RNZAF too.

[harrysone]

I see NZ5911 has popped up in a full page news article in February's Aeroplane magazine. It suggests the BACT or Bristol Aero Collection Trust have acquired it and it will be brought back to Filton for restoration pending funding. It says the group just managed to save the aircraft from the scrap man in 2016.

[Dave Homewood]

That was reported last year, Harry. Apparently Bristol has 20 million quid to spend on a new building and things to put in it so they have snapped up the Freighter and they intend to fully restore it to pristine condition.

[noooby]

The one in Canada you are probably thinking of is at Wetaskiwin. I see her every now and then when I'm close by on business. Nice and tidy and came with a heap of spares.

[emron]

When next visiting Waitomo you may care to stay aboard Bristol Freighter NZ5906 at the Woodlyn Park Motel. Or if your preference is for things Nautical then you could try Fairmile Q406. Better still, if you enjoy the experience so much you might even want to make an offer, as the Park is up fo sale right now.