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Post by ZacYates on Nov 22, 2020 22:24:32 GMT 12
Thanks for sharing Mike, I've been looking forward to seeing the latest progress on this aircraft. Thank you.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 22, 2020 23:16:27 GMT 12
Fantastic update Mike, thanks very much. You and John and the team have been very busy indeed!
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Post by komata on Nov 23, 2020 6:03:28 GMT 12
Concerning 'Gloria'; clarification please...
This was an airframe which had been carefully preserved and it's provenance (History) known and documented. It was / is an 'Historic artifact' in it's own unique right, and worthy of preservation in that state, to the extent that it should be considered a 'time capsule'.
At least, IT WAS!!
For reasons known only to the museum which now has 'care' of her, Gloria's history has now been compromised by the addition of imported, non-original parts, by the installing of-which her value as an historic artifact is 'tainted' and it cannot be said with any degree of accuracy that she is currently in 'original' (as found) condition.
On that basis, would someone please explain exactly what Gloria's fate is to be?
Is she to be left in her 'as found' condition (as hauled out of John Smith's shed' and be respected as such), or is she to become a 'bitzer' with 'add-ons' (such as engine mounts, new fabric, panels etc.) to 'make her look pretty' for public display; which latter situation is apparently her current state?
Clarification would be appreciated, as the 'add-ons' means that her value as an 'Historic artifact of national importance' is severely-reduced, and, for historians, she is 'No longer the girl she once was'.
Thank you.
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Post by harvard1041 on Nov 23, 2020 7:25:09 GMT 12
Actually don't think either of your points are accurate....Gloria hadn't been preserved but only stored in the shed at Mapua and was showing many areas of corrosion and rat damage....stopping or slowing this was our first priority.
It hasn't had a bunch of new parts added either...many of the assembly's added are originals from 3220 as John had never really started any work on the airframe.
True some parts are newly fabricated, but in sympathy with the rest of the aircraft - that's what we do as P40 restoration folks.
Most importantly, the family are very involved and fully support the current path.
Cheers Hvd1041
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Post by nzgrasshopper on Nov 23, 2020 8:33:04 GMT 12
Thanks for the great photos Curtis. Fantastic progress. I’m going to have to remake the engine mounts on my P40 as I’ve made the Lord mount all around.
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Post by komata on Nov 23, 2020 14:21:56 GMT 12
Harvard1041.
Thank you for the clarification.
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Post by agile on Nov 23, 2020 16:10:57 GMT 12
She's looking great Mike and John. 'Historians' and indeed the rest of us are fortunate that there are P40 experts willing to commit their time and resources to preserving this piece of NZ history.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 23, 2020 16:20:14 GMT 12
And their money!
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Post by baz62 on Nov 23, 2020 16:50:24 GMT 12
Great progress Team Curtiss! Oh and Teresa and I got our Mosquito T shirts in the mail last week. I think they make you look suave and sophisticated (but that might be my Shepherd enhancing the photo!) so quick buy one or two now before they sell out! 20201123_174118 by Barry Tod, on Flickr 20201123_174159 by Barry Tod, on Flickr
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 23, 2020 17:48:19 GMT 12
Mum ordered one for me last week for my upcoming birthday.
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Post by agalbraith on Dec 19, 2020 21:25:32 GMT 12
Here's some interesting research I did with John about the F24 camera installation in the nose of TE910 about 2014.
We found a couple of photo's of what appears to be TE910 shortly after arrival to NZ, she was in her RAF cammo and parked behind an early Aussie T43. I only have a poor photocopy of one of them now. Although we couldnt see the serial we both deduced it was her because as far as he was aware she was the only one that ever came to NZ with one fitted.
One historian I was communicating with between John, him and myself turned up some interesting information. The only way we could really confirm why she had it at factory level was to find the Form 78 from production, John didnt think he had it, which kinda frustrated him, although he was going to have a look.
This from the chap researching for us in Canada "My idea is that she (TE910) may have been one of the machines destined ACSEA (SEAC) postwar (even after Coastal, this could happen). As you may know, a good number of these were in the late TExxx series and I have just recently discovered that some were also locally (Ceylon/India) mod'ed to carry out fast recce at the Squadron level (more or less) in connection with Beaufighter operations in between the end of WWII and operation Firedog. I believe this was restricted to 45 Sqn, but may have been the case for 84 Sqn as well. The F.78 should reveal if this particular aircraft came to NZ by way of ACSEA order".
The camera (they both agreed) used was probably a Fairchild F.24 fast frame, fitted with what John believed was a 1 inch cone (Actually I am not really sure what this all means with cones and things, but JS did. John just asked me if I could find him a 1 inch cone for the F.24, which I never did. Unfortunately.
Anyway, quite a rare/unique (the only known survivor set up like this) fitment and something JS and I looked into in depth. I think this will make a great display with the airframe when completed.
As far as JS and I were aware this was not fitted by 75sqn and no mod records at the time were found for this during extensive research at Wigram.
Anyway, I thought it was interesting history and a snippet of much research with JS, myself that spanned a couple of years. This is a rare mod and very difficult to find info on.
Hope you like it
Cheers Anthony
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 19, 2020 22:52:57 GMT 12
Interesting stuff Anthony.
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Post by nzgrasshopper on Dec 20, 2020 23:35:41 GMT 12
Back in Dec 2017, I dropped off a complete F24 camera system including a 5" lens cone, body, magazine, mount, intervalometer and power supply with Graham at the AHC. Similar to this. Not sure if it was placed into the WW2 display or is in storage. It was primarily used for vertical photography, but the camera body and maybe the mount could fit in the nose cone on the Mosquito.
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Post by planecrazy on Dec 21, 2020 9:02:54 GMT 12
Wow what a generous donation, good on you.
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Post by camtech on Dec 21, 2020 15:45:19 GMT 12
Back in Dec 2017, I dropped off a complete F24 camera system including a 5" lens cone, body, magazine, mount, intervalometer and power supply with Graham at the AHC. Not sure if it was placed into the WW2 display or is in storage. It was primarily used for vertical photography, but the camera body and maybe the mount could fit in the nose cone on the Mosquito. Spent many hours working on those rigs at Whenuapai.
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Post by ZacYates on Dec 21, 2020 17:29:30 GMT 12
For an idea of size, here's me with my F24: Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr This was saved from the skip at Wanganui Aero Work along with a mount (now destined for a flying Spitfire project in the UK).
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Post by camtech on Dec 21, 2020 18:33:46 GMT 12
Not the most dainty of little things are they?
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Post by ZacYates on Dec 21, 2020 23:03:10 GMT 12
Not the most dainty of little things are they? I tell ya what, it’s hard to shoot a selfie with.
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Post by curtiss on Dec 24, 2020 20:01:15 GMT 12
Work is progressing on Gloria Lyons with the wings in the process of being joined together and inhibited. Unfortunately, the years of outdoor storage have taken a toll with some significant areas of corrosion. The lower surface is in much better condition than the upper, but lots of interesting detail is still visible. Placard inside an access panel detailing how to mount various bombs and drop tanks on the centre rack. IMG_2105 by Mike N, on Flickr Rear mounts for the guns. IMG_2104 by Mike N, on Flickr Front gun mounts, gun heater ducts and ammo feed chutes. IMG_2103 by Mike N, on Flickr Gun bay IMG_2102 by Mike N, on Flickr Centreline rack and sway brace mounts. Yes, the wing is standing on its leading edge. IMG_2101 by Mike N, on Flickr John Saunders and Neal Blackford working on joining the wing and installing the lower tank panels. There are hundreds of bolts that can only be done up a few flats at a time. A few swearwords seem to help the process along.... IMG_2100 by Mike N, on Flickr Lower wing fairing trial fitment. IMG_2106 by Mike N, on Flickr Plan is to have the fuselage and wing mated together early next year. Merry Christmas from the Omaka Curtiss team.
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Post by ZacYates on Dec 24, 2020 20:35:23 GMT 12
Thanks for the update, it's great to see what's happening with Gloria. Thank you Mike and John for sharing these photos and updates with us, I know I have followed closely and with great interest. I can't wait to meet Gloria at Easter.
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