The Classic Flyers Museum, Tauranga, Thread

[kiwi285]

The boys are working on Vampire NZ5767 to get this ready to mount on a stand in the childrens play area. The old Swordfish will be removed to make way for the Vampire. One of the problems we had in completing the airframe is the missing fairings around the tailplane to boom joint and the fairings for the ens of the booms. After exhausting all options available to us we took the aluminium fairings from NZ5751 and created fibreglass moulds so that we could produce those required from the same material. We have finally made these inhouse and they are now mounted on the aircraft. I thyink they have come up alright if you dont get too picky.

Vampire in Hangar 090623 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

20230809_105336 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

20230825_112233 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Vampire fairings (3) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Vampire fairings completed (1) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

[kiwi285]

Now we can finally get back to making the 500lb bombs that started out about 8 months ago. We are getting ready to join the two halves of the first one we have made inhouse.

20231001_122126 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

20231001_122137 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

[chrism]

Is this Vampire an intact original example?

[l29]

Oct 2, 2023 16:53:15 GMT 12 chrism said:

Is this Vampire an intact original example?

Yes. Hopefully not staying outside.

[Venomnut]

And like every other Vampire and Venom left outside on display it will rot away past the point anyone will want to repair it.
Disappointing guys.

[chrism]

Don't put this outside in the childrens play area. It will deteriorate and be damaged for sure. Disgusted if that is the plan. Or am I missing something?

[shorty]

I'll endorse the comments about having a Vampire in a kids playground, have you not seen what happened to the T-Bird at Blenheim ,the single seater at Woodbourne the one that was at Cave and every other one that has been placed where kids can get at it.

[Dave Homewood]

Perhaps stick the plastic Spitfire V in your garden and leave the historic Vampire indoors.

[Deleted]

I'm very surprised to learn the Vampire is to go into the playground. I know what I say has no weight but it seems like a waste of a terrific exhibit. I had to re-read the post to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

I like Dave's suggestion of putting the Spitfire outside instead.

Please don't put the Vampire outside.

[McFly]

Retired airliner reconstructed in New Zealand (link)

A former Air New Zealand ATR 72 is being rebuilt by a group from the country’s Classic Flyers organisation

A team of volunteers at Classic Flyers based in Tauranga, New Zealand, have made significant progress on their rebuild of ATR 72 ZK-MCJ. The retired airliner, which formerly flew with Air New Zealand, is destined to be used as a training aid by JNP Aviation, who are also based at Tauranga.

In a statement, Classic Flyers thanked their hard-working volunteers and said: “This will become an impressive training device for the JNP business and a very distinct asset on the Tauranga Airport.”

The ATR 72 was withdrawn from New Zealand’s civil register last March. Shortly afterwards, the aircraft’s wings and tail were removed from the fuselage, enabling the various parts to be trucked to their new home.

[Dave Homewood]

Wow. I totally missed that last Friday when Bruce and I called in there for lunch on the way to Whakatane.

[Dave Homewood]

What is happening at Classic Flyers these days? We've not had an update in ages Mike, Des, Peter, and all.

[kiwi285]

Hi all, Its been quite quiet on the aircraft front this last year and I have spent most of my time doing general maintenance around the buildings and displays.

The team working on the ATR have now been tasked with making props and spinners and mounting these and putting cowlings in place and that is keeping them busy. I have just finished making two fibreglass spinners and Art and Graeme are making up all of the blades and getting ready to mount them in the hubs they have made. They have already made up the prop shafts and frames that pickup on the engines mount points.

Dave is working away on the SE-5a from Warbirds (ex Wanaka) and I have been helping with that too. Unfortunately some of the control surface cables were just cut and we are having to replace them and thread them into the fuselage and wings with them all covered.

Earlier in the year we picked up a fuselage section for a Grumman 4 seater and did some work on this to make it suitable as a setting for a simulator project for the Tauranga Boys High. Some of their students have made up their own simulator control unit and as their teacher is a current pilot he approached Andrew about the possibility. They were happy with what we had done so they came and collected the cockpit area and are working on it. Their teacher apparently took some of the students involved to Waharoa and arranged a flight for them over there so that will be a great help in encouraging them to look at a career in aviation.

There is some talk around of other possible aircraft projects coming along but as yet we are still waiting expectantly. Time will tell.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Mike, that's a great update. Some nice projects there. I'd completely forgotten that the museum got an ATR from somewhere. Neat to be encouraging the school boys too. Well done all!