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Post by Dave Homewood on May 10, 2019 22:37:43 GMT 12
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Post by kiwi285 on May 17, 2019 17:00:46 GMT 12
The fuselage pod has been washed and cleaned and panels opened for the first time in years. Most of the restoration team seemed to be hovering around the aircraft. The nose leg has been released so that is hanging down where it should be and the lower fuselage panels, around the guns, have been removed and put to one side. The fuselage frame in front of the engine bay is a mass of control runs, wires and assorted 'bits' - not much spare room there.
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Post by Mustang51 on May 17, 2019 17:36:59 GMT 12
From my experience on the Vampire you will need one guy with a 6 foot long arm 1 inch in diameter, one with fingers 12' long and double jointed and three to just stand there and swear !
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Post by kiwi285 on May 17, 2019 19:19:45 GMT 12
One of the team came over and joined us as there were so many around the fuselage with everyone offering an opinion and no one listening. Sounds familiar.
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Post by kiwi285 on May 23, 2019 15:38:02 GMT 12
Yesterday we had Gerry Gaston from Pauanui, who was a Warrant Officer engine technician with the RNZAF Engine Reconditioning Squadron at Woodbourne visit us and view the DH Goblins. After leaving leaving the RNZAF he became an aircraft maintenance engineer and operates his own company Total Aviation Services. Among other things he provides maintenance support for John Luff's DH Venom and was involved with the dismantling of the ex RNZAF Bristol Freighter which was sent to the Bristol Aviation Museum in the UK. Gerry was giving our people advice on the Goblin engines we have here and which ones we might be able to recondition.
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Post by kiwi285 on May 25, 2019 10:36:07 GMT 12
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Post by kiwi285 on May 31, 2019 16:23:12 GMT 12
We have about half the team now working away on the Vampire although, at this point, it is mainly the engine people involved. Des tells me that they have the Goblin turning over by hand and the necessary info is coming together and they all sound very positive. Maybe a case of keep an eye on the thread as the year progress's. I understand that some of the team will be making trips up to Waiuku soon to start retrieving additional equipment with which to take up space in our hangar. Interesting times for certain. 310519 007 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 310519 006 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by curtiss on May 31, 2019 17:53:26 GMT 12
Nice original paint on the Vampire - looks great. I hope it doesn't get repainted.
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Post by machina on May 31, 2019 20:58:27 GMT 12
Very cool. Will this be restored to flying condition?
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 1, 2019 16:41:43 GMT 12
Probably not but certainly to taxiing condition. The costs to get the paperwork completed would be horrendous.
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Post by flyinghilly on Jun 2, 2019 14:56:04 GMT 12
Dave - do you know where this Vampire came from? Where has it been stored all these years?
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Post by planewriting on Jun 2, 2019 15:31:20 GMT 12
It came from Ken Jacobs who had it stored in a shed on a property in Blenheim.
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 10, 2019 19:27:20 GMT 12
I understand that the team working on the Vampire have finished checking all of the items on the front end of the chosen Goblin and are getting ready to mate the engine to the mount pick up points on the rear of the fuselage front pod. I would expect to see the engine in place come Wednesday afternoon. Of course bolting it in is the easy parts - I look at all the pipes and wires hanging there and I shake my head. I wouldn't have a clue where to even begin. 070619 (11) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 070619 (10) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 19, 2019 16:53:58 GMT 12
I have attached a couple of photos taken today of the Goblin being run up on the starter motor. Wondered what the noise was and where the breeze was coming from. One look was enough as everyone in the hangar was standing round the engine as they ran it up using the starter cart. Everything spun up quite nicely and there were NO horrible noises coming from the bearings or from blades rubbing on the casing. A good start me thinks. A couple of the onlookers were keen to put some kero in there and light the touch paper to see what would happen. 190619 010 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 190619 011 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Jun 19, 2019 18:00:11 GMT 12
Awesome! So they couldn't get more than 300-400 hours TBO but leave them sitting for a few decades and they'll spin right up when called upon!
Am I correct in believing this is the same engine that powers the L-29?
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Post by noooby on Jun 20, 2019 9:39:40 GMT 12
Nyet. The L-29 uses the M-701 engine, designed and produced in Czech.
You might be thinking RR Nene engine? This was made in Russia as the Klimov VK-1 and the Czech's made it at Motorlet (who also designed and built the above M-701)
The Nene/VK-1 was used in the Mig-15, Mig-17 and Il-28.
I have heard that the L-29 is the fastet straight wing aircraft in the world though.
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Post by davidd on Jun 20, 2019 11:15:39 GMT 12
I think the F-104 (and X-15!) might have been a tad faster, but then their wings were kinda tiny! Perhaps you mean the fastest PRACTICAL straight-winged aircraft, or the fastest FLYING straight winged a/c. Do any flying F-104s still exist (one in the USA?) Thinks - I should take more note of your words "have heard that the L-29 IS (present tense) the fastest ...." David D
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Post by shorty on Jun 20, 2019 12:12:39 GMT 12
At the end of their service life DH Goblin engines for the Vampires were being recalled from training schools, ATC units, scrap dumps etc to enable their compressors and turbines to be salvaged (where possible) to eke out as many hours as possible
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Post by l29 on Jun 20, 2019 13:03:28 GMT 12
Fast and l29 don't really go in the same sentence....
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Post by delticman on Jun 20, 2019 14:20:48 GMT 12
I think the F-104 (and X-15!) might have been a tad faster, but then their wings were kinda tiny! Perhaps you mean the fastest PRACTICAL straight-winged aircraft, or the fastest FLYING straight winged a/c. Do any flying F-104s still exist (one in the USA?) Thinks - I should take more note of your words "have heard that the L-29 IS (present tense) the fastest ...." David D There is several youtube videos of this one last year, just for the sound only is something else.
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