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Post by Dave Homewood on May 28, 2007 22:31:21 GMT 12
When the Auster NZ1707, now in the Wigram Musuem, crashed into the Kaipara Harbour, it was serving with No. 3 Squadron. I guess as it was doing army co-op work it would have been in green and brown camouflage by that time. So when it was retrieved at restored by No. 1TTS Hobsonville to present to MOTAT, did they restore it to its current camo scheme? Or was it at that point reverted to the yellow Antarctic scheme?
If not the latter, was it restored again to that scheme after getting to Wigram?
Also, when Wigram acquired the Antarctic Auster from MOTAT later in the 1980's, the RNZAF Musuem swapped it for Auster NZ-BWH, which is now on display at MOTAT in RNZAF colours despite never having served with the air force. How and when did Wigram come into the possession of BWH? Was it donated? Was it bought initially to display themselves? Was it bought specifically to do the deal to get NZ1707?
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Post by Bruce on May 28, 2007 23:23:16 GMT 12
According to this photo scanned from "NZ Tragedies - Aviation accidents and disasters" by John King (photo RNZAF Official) the Auster appears to have been in a single colour scheme at the time of its accident, either yellow, or more likely Silver overall. If I recall the details in Warren Russells NZPAF - RNZAF colour schemes Vol 1, 1707 never wore camouflage during its career (once back from the ice it wore silver and dayglo for a while as a trainer). When I visited Motat in the 1980s as a kid, I did see '07 stored dismantled in one of the small workshop hangars and at that time it was definitely yellow and relatively tidy, so it appears as though it was restored to its Antarctic colours at Hobby. I dont know any details on 'BWH (or NZ1708 as it is now) but that aircraft is in very similar configuration to to RNZAF J5s as the J5 was a civilian series anyway unlike the AOP series which had military features such as squared windscreens etc.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 28, 2007 23:50:16 GMT 12
Thanks Bruce, that's a neat photo. And you've answered my question about whether it was yellow while with Motat. I would agree that it looks to be silver in the photo above.
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Post by corsair67 on May 29, 2007 11:32:37 GMT 12
What year did that Auster accident happen?
I love the shot of the Iroqouis with the Auster wings jammed in the fuselage.
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Post by Bruce on May 29, 2007 17:42:41 GMT 12
1707 crashed at Kaipara heads on 22nd August 1966.
checking on some other info, BWH is actually a J1B so that is a bit different to the J5 - a bit bigger I think?
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Post by corsair67 on May 29, 2007 18:06:42 GMT 12
Thanks Bruce.
So the Iroqouis were really new then?
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Post by Bruce on May 29, 2007 18:18:38 GMT 12
yes the hueys were new - they were still "D" models at the time - note the Silver fern roundels!
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Post by corsair67 on May 29, 2007 19:00:43 GMT 12
You mean, the 'white feather' roundels? I forgot that they got UH-1D models first. The H's didn't arrive until about 1970 wasn't it? It must have been great to be on 3SQN when the Iroqouis arrived, as it would have been a huge gain in capability and flexibility for the squadron.
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Post by Peter Lewis on May 29, 2007 21:14:36 GMT 12
NZ1707 was an orphan. The other Austers (NZ1701 to 1706) were J-5 models bought new from the factory, but NZ1707 was an Auster Mk.7c Antarctic C.4 which came second-hand from the RAF especially for Antarctic work (it had already been used in the 1956 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition prior to its arrival in NZ). It's final crash on 22nd August 1966 was into the sea 2mls N of Shelley Beach, Kaipara Harbour, pilot Lt D Grant. Hence its helicopter recovery. Aiglet ZK-BWH is a rebuild of ZK-BBY, an early Auster topdressing aircraft operated by Auster Air Services Ltd. of Timaru which had crashed near Akaroa, Banks Peninsular, 10Jul58. It was rebuilt by Aerotech at Timaru for Harry Cederman, their chief engineer. Shortly after the rebuild it went to Nelson where it was operated for many years by Peter Molone of Stoke, 'the flying vet'. Eventually, in 1983, he sold it to the RNZAF Woodbourne Aviation Sports Club. I have a note that it was painted up as NZ1708 during their period of ownership, but this is uncertain, can anyone who was at Woodbourne 1983 - 1985 confirm this? The RNZAF Museum Trust Board bought the aircraft in August 1985 with the intention of using it as a swap for NZ1707, and ownership was transferred to MoTAT in October the same year. Interestingly the registration was not cancelled until 1991. At Nelson in the 'big hangar' 20th January 1965. At that time it was painted white with red trim:
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 29, 2007 21:29:11 GMT 12
Thanks Peter. Excellent info there.
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adrianh
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 1
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Post by adrianh on Nov 27, 2020 7:45:55 GMT 12
Hi Folks, I am in the UK and researching the Auster j5 Aiglet Trainer to build a RC model for Scale competition. I'm leaning towards 1/3 scale although 1/4 scale is also an option. I have some drawings of the fuselage and some Auster General arrangement 3 views but have next to nothing on the wing and tail surface structures. Would any Auster enthusiasts have digitised drawings of the wing rib structure, wing build and strut fittings. I expect the tail feathers will be very similar to the Piper Pa18 but again any detail would be appreciated. I hope to finish it as G-AMMS as it is local to me (Within a four hundred Km) and has a lot of history to her. Having said that there are a few very attractive J5 Aiglets in New Zealand and Australia but finding paint chips and paint specifications would be a difficult hurdle to overcome. If anyone can help please PM me and take things from there. Best regards Adrian
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Post by tbf2504 on Nov 27, 2020 12:03:31 GMT 12
My understanding is that BWH was purchased by the museum for the specific purpose of restoration and swapping for NZ1707. The restoration of the Auster was carried out at Woodbourne. The pilot of the Iroquois carrying the Auster was Squadron Leader Geoff Hubbard (retired as an Air Commodore) The Silver fern is in the roundel. The silver fern transfer replaced the short lived "white Fern" circa 1957/58. The silver Fern was never referred to as the "White Feather" as that was given to the White Fern which some of the public gave it that derogatory term.
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Post by tbf2504 on Nov 27, 2020 13:26:03 GMT 12
Further to my comment above, scratched the old grey matter and remembered that in the early 1980s when the air force museum project got underway, each of the major bases was asked to contribute an exhibit. Auckland was alloted the task of refurbishing the Catalina, and one of the marine craft. Ohakea had the mustang, and Woodbourne the Auster. The "swap" of the Auster for NZ1707 did raise some mumbles from Woodbourne after all the work they had done on BWH.
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Post by baz62 on Nov 27, 2020 15:09:38 GMT 12
Further to my comment above, scratched the old grey matter and remembered that in the early 1980s when the air force museum project got underway, each of the major bases was asked to contribute an exhibit. Auckland was alloted the task of refurbishing the Catalina, and one of the marine craft. Ohakea had the mustang, and Woodbourne the Auster. The "swap" of the Auster for NZ1707 did raise some mumbles from Woodbourne after all the work they had done on BWH. Not surprising that Auster was immaculate and flew into Wigram! The only real issue with it was it was the wrong Mark being a J1B and not a J5 but only someone who knew the difference would be able to tell.
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Post by tbf2504 on Nov 28, 2020 9:43:22 GMT 12
Baz, I also think that personnel at Woodbourne raised the money to purchase BWH, but would have to research that issue
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Post by baz62 on Nov 28, 2020 15:37:35 GMT 12
Baz, I also think that personnel at Woodbourne raised the money to purchase BWH, but would have to research that issue Yes I think they did.
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Post by curtiss on Nov 28, 2020 17:19:22 GMT 12
Yes we did
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 30, 2020 17:00:48 GMT 12
Auckland was alloted the task of refurbishing the Catalina, and one of the marine craft. Ohakea had the mustang, and Woodbourne the Auster. Woodbourne also restored and replicated the Spitfire. I think the Antarctic Auster is the perfect example to have in the museum, much more historic.
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