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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 25, 2019 0:20:02 GMT 12
The latest WONZ Show, Episode 203, is now available. In this episode I visit Wal Denholm in his office at Avspecs Ltd., the Ardmore-based warbird restoration company, to discuss the restoration and recent success with de Havilland Mosquito FB.6 PZ474. This Mossie served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force as NZ2384, and then went to the USA. When it was purchased as a project by Texas-based collector Rod Lewis it returned to New Zealand as what can only be described as wreckage. Over the past four years PZ474 was rebuilt back to its magnificent former glory – in fact better than it ever would have looked. It took to the air again at Ardmore on the 13th of January 2019, in stunning RAF Coastal Command colours, and after test flying it was shipped to the USA. In July PZ474 was one of the major stars of EAA AirVenture 2019 at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the project won two awards, the Phoenix Award and the Grand Champion WWII award, the latter being the most prestigious of all awards at the world’s biggest aviation event. Wal talks all about the Mosquito’s restoration and the Oshkosh experience. He also gives an overview of what else they are currently working on, the Curtiss Hawk for Jerry Yagen, the Supermarine Spitfire XVIe for a US-based customer, the next Mosquito project which is still for sale, the Grumman Widgeons and the Kawasaki Ki-61 Tony. Here is the episode link:www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2019/08/wal-denholm-pz474/Mosquito PZ474 over the Auckland coastline during its initial test flight in January 2019. (Photo courtesy of Gavin Conroy of Classic Aircraft Photography) The Mosquito PZ474 at the Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore in November 2018 (Photo: Dave Homewood)
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Post by baz62 on Aug 25, 2019 10:53:52 GMT 12
Look forward to this one. I had forgotten about the Tony, they certainly have a good workload for the next several years!
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Post by hardyakka on Aug 25, 2019 22:53:29 GMT 12
Just listened to this one. Very entertaining and informative. Must be nice to have friends who’ll drop a few million on project just because you tell them they need that aircraft in their collection... It tells a great story of the esteem in which Avspecs is held in the world of warbird restorations. Nice work, Dave.
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Post by ZacYates on Aug 26, 2019 0:26:30 GMT 12
Fantastic episode Dave, a great recap on PZ474 as well as a tantalising glimpse into what's coming. I always enjoy hearing from Wal.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 26, 2019 14:03:24 GMT 12
Glad you chaps have enjoyed the show.
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