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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 28, 2020 20:04:59 GMT 12
It's an absolute Who's Who of Good Buggers involved down there. What a great team.
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Post by patmurphy on Aug 29, 2020 22:24:15 GMT 12
Great to see the progress on the Mossie. It will be interesting to see video of the drive over to Omaka. I hope someone has this in hand for a future DVD/BluRay of the whole thing. To the future and I know it's probably running before walking, as it hasn't even been dismantled yet, let alone moved but I wonder if any thought has been given to getting this to the stage of being a runner once more. Not talking daft stuff like return to flight or even taxiing, the issues with the woodwork are well known but seeing that rocker cover removal, it looked clean as a whistle. Didn't Mr Smith run the aircraft occasionally? Thoughts welcome.... Anyway, it's just a great time for you Kiwis as far as Warbirds are concerned, we need some good news in these weird times and I'm glad all the airframes are staying in the country.
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Post by ZacYates on Aug 31, 2020 12:03:26 GMT 12
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Post by Richard Wesley on Aug 31, 2020 18:37:18 GMT 12
For those not in the know, the pilot seat weighs about as much as the radiators!
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Post by davidd on Sept 1, 2020 13:53:16 GMT 12
I would bet that the armoured bulkhead forward of cockpit weighs a lot more than the seat armour! There should also be a rear opening door at top of the bulkhead armour, RH side I think, hinged at bottom, with a chunk of clear armour glass in it. Was this for checking something "up front" in flight? David D
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davem2
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 97
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Post by davem2 on Sept 1, 2020 15:38:05 GMT 12
Indeed around 75 kg IIRC. We spent several hours trying to unbolt the cockpit armour plate, but in the end had to give it up as there were a number of bolts we just couldn't get at. Avspecs have a plan to support this area when they lift off the wing.
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Post by Richard Wesley on Sept 1, 2020 18:50:19 GMT 12
Seeing the efforts to date to dismantle and move this aircraft, I've been wondering about just how John got the aircraft to Mapua in the first place and how it put it all back together all by himself. This article online at www.aviationnews.co.nz/news/9/28/How-much-is-a-Mosquito/ has some interesting history. In particular, it has this to say about the day John picked up NZ2336: "But the air force was immovable. Anything left at the end of the day was going to be torched. His only option was to remove the wings outboard of the fuselage with a chainsaw. This would mean he didn’t have a complete Mosquito. No problem. There were plenty more Mosquitoes where that one came from, so he was allowed to go to another aircraft and this time chop up a fuselage, so he had a complete wing and a very large Mosquito kitset to take home." So the wing on the aircraft today comes from a second aircraft?
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davem2
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 97
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Post by davem2 on Sept 1, 2020 19:54:15 GMT 12
Richard
His father and brother helped get the aircraft to Mapua and also with the reassembly. The fuselage was cut behind the cockpit with precision and spliced back together. John was a very competent cabinet maker and did a superb job. The mainplane was cut into three sections, but will check further on that tomorrow.....
Dave
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Post by harvard1041 on Sept 1, 2020 20:16:47 GMT 12
Glad everyone is liking the new posts Basically with the P-40s moved, Tigermoth moved, Harvard & parts gone, Vampires sold, P-51 & parts gone.... there is just the Mosquito to go.... and with a good team in control, this should happen fairly quickly - month or so. It has been a long, but enjoyable Project - I think Curtiss & I have done about Qty 45 trips to Mapua & back in the last year - lots of hard work, but also lots of interest. Special guy - John Smith - hopefully this outcome will keep most people & family happy; I think it will. Cheers John.
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Post by Richard Wesley on Sept 2, 2020 9:51:35 GMT 12
Richard His father and brother helped get the aircraft to Mapua and also with the reassembly. The fuselage was cut behind the cockpit with precision and spliced back together. John was a very competent cabinet maker and did a superb job. The mainplane was cut into three sections, but will check further on that tomorrow..... Dave Thanks Dave, super keen to see some photos of how that was achieved if there is anything visible before repainting.
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Post by baz62 on Sept 2, 2020 13:01:17 GMT 12
Richard His father and brother helped get the aircraft to Mapua and also with the reassembly. The fuselage was cut behind the cockpit with precision and spliced back together. John was a very competent cabinet maker and did a superb job. The mainplane was cut into three sections, but will check further on that tomorrow..... Dave Anthony Galbraith showed me photos of the Mosquito from a few years ago and you could just make out the join in the wings (outboard of the engines). John indeed did a fantastic job putting her back together!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 2, 2020 14:39:28 GMT 12
Here is a shot from John Smith's collection showing the cuts, photo via Harvard1041
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 2, 2020 14:55:48 GMT 12
Some great photos today just in from Harvard1041 of a visit by the Smith family to Omaka. Here they are, George, Robbie and Jo, with NZ3220 Gloria Lyons and Curtiss.
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Post by baz62 on Sept 2, 2020 18:22:32 GMT 12
Here is a shot from John Smith's collection showing the cuts, photo via Harvard1041 Looks like those wings were cut inboard of the engine nacelles. Interesting.
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Post by agalbraith on Sept 2, 2020 19:42:47 GMT 12
No outboard Baz, check out the fairings behind the engine nacelles on the upper wing
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Post by curtiss on Sept 2, 2020 19:44:05 GMT 12
Cut was definitely outboard of nacelle. You can see the main wheel and U/C leg which is directly behind the engine. There are also other head on photos showing the cut was outboard.
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Post by agalbraith on Sept 2, 2020 19:45:17 GMT 12
Here is a shot from John Smith's collection showing the cuts, photo via Harvard1041 Now THAT'S an awesome photo! Thanks for sharing....
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Post by ZacYates on Sept 2, 2020 20:37:37 GMT 12
Glad everyone is liking the new posts Very much so, John! Thank you for sharing so much. Great news! I'd missed that.
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Post by Richard Wesley on Sept 2, 2020 22:10:41 GMT 12
Here is a shot from John Smith's collection showing the cuts, photo via Harvard1041 Now THAT'S an awesome photo! Thanks for sharing.... I'll add my wow to the thread. That's one of the more incredible photos I've seen in a while. I thought initially that was making the cuts for transport, but of course it is in fact in the middle of reassembly. Just as amazing feat by John. Look forward to any other photos coming to light.
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Post by dazz on Sept 2, 2020 22:57:23 GMT 12
Given all the sectioning and reassembling John was forced to do back in the day, how structurally sound is the fuse for the move to Omaka? Obviously the Avspecs team are well versed in the procedure, but from what I understand even with a newly built fuse the mating/unmating of the fuse/wing is a delicate procedure!
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