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Post by l29 on Mar 20, 2020 18:04:51 GMT 12
Hell it looks like you can move around, much cleaner than a few weeks ago, well done. Keen to see the mustang assembled and ground running!
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Post by dazz on Mar 20, 2020 19:52:43 GMT 12
Wow I am absolutely amazed at how tidy the place is. I didn't realize the mustang was missing that whole lower section as the aircraft was half buried. Where has everything gone ? The Mustang parts are all there in storage- it looks like they were just removed to make the aircraft easier to move. It's a shame that the Mustang's wings were less than delicately removed, from what I read that occurred well before it came into Johns ownership. I guess resparring the wings is the only option if it were to fly again? However, it'll be great to see it reassembled, even if just for static display.
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Post by curtiss on Mar 21, 2020 16:03:40 GMT 12
Harvard1041 and myself cleaned up the horizontal from NZ3043. Interesting to see the clarity of the colours when it was wet. The top surface appears to have been oversprayed with a blue and darker brown ( just visible on the leading edge ), but it has all peeled/weathered away. Like most of the overcoated paints, the adhesion is poor. The yellow cross appears on a lot of the P40 parts and is probably something applied in the scrapyard. IMG_1510 by Mike N, on Flickr IMG_1509 by Mike N, on Flickr IMG_1507 by Mike N, on Flickr
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 21, 2020 16:41:08 GMT 12
Stunning!
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Post by planecrazy on Mar 21, 2020 17:27:27 GMT 12
Wow John Smith should be honoured with some sort of award for what he has done for New Zealand's history, just fantastic!
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Post by 30sqnatc on Mar 21, 2020 17:45:33 GMT 12
Even displayed as is they would be an amazing exhibit and provide a unique window into the past.
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nz104
Pilot Officer
Posts: 54
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Post by nz104 on Mar 21, 2020 17:45:48 GMT 12
To see this collection & the state of preservation is just amazing & well done to John to have the forsight to preserve it in the first place but also to all those involved in helping to preserve it currently.
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Post by agalbraith on Mar 21, 2020 21:06:16 GMT 12
Thanks as always, and a very interesting study of the paint colour as well as hard demarcation edging etc
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 22, 2020 20:58:28 GMT 12
Such a big smile on my face seeing these. Thank you John for all you did to rescue and keep safe these aircraft, and to Mike and the crew for sharing these wonderful photos. And now to see components after a wash...wow!!
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axelford
Squadron Leader
I have visited 13 Plane wreck sites and counting, happy to help with info!
Posts: 120
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Post by axelford on Mar 24, 2020 9:37:29 GMT 12
WOW, amazing to see aircraft so well preserved! These should definitely not be repainted.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Mar 24, 2020 10:36:30 GMT 12
A fantastic historical record, no doubting the paint scheme and variations. Well done to the team for bringing it to our attention and interest
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Post by curtiss on Mar 26, 2020 16:37:59 GMT 12
Some nice work by Marty who has been working on drawing up the Gloria script full size. The numerals are from an original set of Air Ministry 8 inch brass stencils that were used by the RNZAF during WW2. Gloria Script by Mike N, on Flickr Air Ministry Numerals by Mike N, on Flickr
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Post by agalbraith on Mar 27, 2020 8:18:47 GMT 12
That looks awesome, Marty is a legend! He did the Winged Dragon nose art for my Auster rebuild.
Thanks for another great update...always appreciated!
Cheers Anthony
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 27, 2020 11:09:44 GMT 12
Hear hear. I always love seeing the latest on John's birds, and Marty's skill never fails to amaze me.
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Post by cranknbnk on Apr 2, 2020 12:57:32 GMT 12
Greetings from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I am a young vintage aviation enthusiast and am absolutely obsessed with the Mosquito. Does anyone currently know what the plans are for Mr. Smith's Mossie or how to get in touch with the family?
Mr. Smith sounds like the NZ equivalent of Walter Soplata over here. I have had the absolute privilege to see his collection quite a few times and it is most impressive, however he never had a Mossie. Cheers and thanks!
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Apr 2, 2020 13:02:14 GMT 12
Greetings from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I am a young vintage aviation enthusiast and am absolutely obsessed with the Mosquito. Does anyone currently know what the plans are for Mr. Smith's Mossie or how to get in touch with the family? Mr. Smith sounds like the NZ equivalent of Walter Soplata over here. I have had the absolute privilege to see his collection quite a few times and it is most impressive, however he never had a Mossie. Cheers and thanks! Welcome to our little corner of the aviation world! Your comparison with Walter is not far off the mark.
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Post by 30sqnatc on Apr 2, 2020 15:38:25 GMT 12
Greetings from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I am a young vintage aviation enthusiast and am absolutely obsessed with the Mosquito. Does anyone currently know what the plans are for Mr. Smith's Mossie or how to get in touch with the family? Mr. Smith sounds like the NZ equivalent of Walter Soplata over here. I have had the absolute privilege to see his collection quite a few times and it is most impressive, however he never had a Mossie. Cheers and thanks! But were absolutely not telling you anything about the Mossie . As Gollum says in LOTR 'My precious. Curse them, we hates them! It's ours, it is, and we wants it!” “We be nice to them if they be nice to us.'
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Post by vultee43 on Apr 2, 2020 19:48:41 GMT 12
NZ gives so much to the world in experience and restoration. It's about time they got to keep some history for themselves. I've seen similar things happen here in Australia. A great reason tocome to our beautiful corner of the world (when we're allowed to 😉).
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Post by curtiss on Apr 4, 2020 9:16:32 GMT 12
Some detail photos of P40E-1 , NZ3043 for your enjoyment in these difficult times. IMG_1553 by Mike N, on Flickr Remains of "F" code from time with 14Sqn as HQ-F. IMG_1552 by Mike N, on Flickr Remains of "HQ" marking. IMG_1551 by Mike N, on Flickr Fuselage fuel tank viewed through fuselage access door. "Slushed" is a term used when preserving tanks for storage. IMG_1550 by Mike N, on Flickr Flare dispenser in rear fuselage - a nasty bit of english kit that fired flares out the top of the fuselage. IMG_1547 by Mike N, on Flickr Hole in Left hand rear vision panel. Mounted behind is the gear warning horn - I suppose the hole is there to allow the noise out! IMG_1546 by Mike N, on Flickr The control column, rod and gun charging panel are all painted light green (RAF Cockpit green?). Everything else is painted in the normal American dark green. IMG_1545 by Mike N, on Flickr The rusty steel bit is a NZ made mount that allows the installation of an Air Ministry RAF reflector gun sight in place of the normal N3. I don't know why this was done when the P40's used in the pacific had the N3 sight still installed. IMG_1544 by Mike N, on Flickr Bomb release - LHS of cockpit floor. IMG_1542 by Mike N, on Flickr Does anyone know what sort of radio an SCR 535 is? IMG_1540 by Mike N, on Flickr Gun charging panel ( minus hydraulic gun chargers). Also mounted on this panel is the fuel priming pump and the deicer fluid hand pump. That's all for today folks.
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Post by baz62 on Apr 4, 2020 9:44:08 GMT 12
Some detail photos of P40E-1 , NZ3043 for your enjoyment in these difficult times. IMG_1553 by Mike N, on Flickr Wow thanks for those photos. Wow she looks in good nick inside! On the remains of the "F" is a what at first I thought was damage to the skin leaving a hole but it looks quite uniform. Is it for a radio wire or similar to come out of?
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