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Post by Mustang51 on Sept 4, 2020 8:39:25 GMT 12
There's that green again ! Have lots of bits in that colour
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Post by Mustang51 on Sept 4, 2020 11:23:22 GMT 12
BTW......anyone there able to take a closeup high definition pic of the data plates, performance plates etc?
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Post by markrogers on Sept 4, 2020 11:33:06 GMT 12
I am wondering if the RNZAF painted the green on the doors sometime in the Mustang's life. The clamshell doors would have been the original zinc chromate color as can be seen by the scratches and patches on them revealing the original color underneath.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2020 13:28:44 GMT 12
Another day, more fantastic detail photos from Brendon Deere of Mustang Two Three. Brace yourself, this one's a big dump of photos! I hope he doesn't mind me sharing his photos here for those who don't do Facebook.  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 04 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 05 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 06 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 07 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 08 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 09 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 10 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 11 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 12 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 13 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 14 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 15 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 16 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 17 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 18 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  NZ2423 Ohakea 050920 Brendon Deere 19 by Zac Yates, on Flickr |
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Post by nuuumannn on Sept 5, 2020 14:35:09 GMT 12
Brilliant!
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Post by planecrazy on Sept 5, 2020 16:58:19 GMT 12
Yes these pictures are just amazing, be interesting to know how many
hours this machine had on it when it was retired by the RNZAF?
Thank you
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Post by Richard Wesley on Sept 5, 2020 21:50:03 GMT 12
Now we're talking, wonderful close up photos and great to really be able to see the detail of this aircraft. Thanks for taking the time to post.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2020 13:32:29 GMT 12
be interesting to know how many hours this machine had on it when it was retired by the RNZAF? Thank you I think it was Brendon who commented on Facebook that engine and airframe have about 400hr TT, although they were continuing to research that. Also notable is the fact the engine currently fitted is the same one it left the factory with. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2020 15:01:26 GMT 12
Matthew O'Sullivan, Keeper of Photographs at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, posted a series of photos today of NZ2423 from their archives. Four of them he believes were taken of the aircraft at Upper Moutere. I noted in the background there was another familiar piece of technology, the champion powerboat Tru-Jen! That boat was owned by Harry Rutledge and Bill Ruffell. The boat was powered by an ex-P-40 Allison engine, and was tuned by ex-RNZAF engine expert Bob Highet. Bob had also tuned the engine of the famous polished No. 4 OTU P-40N that raced the Ventura at Ohakea. So can anyone confirm, is this actually Upper Moutere? Or is it Blenheim where the boat was built? And what was the connection between the plane and the boat?  fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/Collection/1981-338.6d.jpg.info#?c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5003-Search-the-Collection%2F |
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Post by denysjones on Sept 7, 2020 15:26:29 GMT 12
I'd say that the photo is taken at either Rutledge's or Ruffell's property (in Blenheim I guess) as some years ago I was given a paper copy of "The story of Tru-Jen and the Masport Cup" (written by Tony Rutledge and Merv Snowden) and on the first page is a photo of the boat (as originally named Susan Leigh II).
The main thing is that in the background of the shot appears the same building as in the one above on the left with the distinctive under-eave features (sorry not up to speed on the building terms).
Having a quick flick through the 31 pages to see if anything else of relevance came up there is a reference to that fact that the boat had a P51 tail fin attached at the rear to counteract the torque of the engine.
As 2423 lacks a fin in the above picture it may well be possible that she was the donor of said fin.
Datewise the boat was built in 1958 and suffered a shaft failure in the 1959 Griffith Cup race which holed the hull and she had a massive rebuild and emerged for the 1960 racing renamed as Tru-Jen so the above photo would be dated post 1960.
hth
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Post by baz62 on Sept 7, 2020 15:38:08 GMT 12
Looking at the photos on here it does look like a Mustang fin and possibly rudder? Click Here |
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Post by baz62 on Sept 7, 2020 15:52:43 GMT 12
Air Force archives have this photo of NZ2423 on her last visit to RNZAF Base Wigram. Did she do a bit of a tour before heading into storage? EDIT: Looks like this was not on the day she last flew going by his logbook.  MUS980931.t5f55518d.m600.xE0aRHuiR by Barry Tod, on Flickr |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2020 16:34:59 GMT 12
Bloke standing there with his hands in his pockets would have got a royal bollocking in my days.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2020 16:39:42 GMT 12
Thanks for that info Denys.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2020 17:12:50 GMT 12
I now have the story of all this, as Don Subritzky just phoned and filled me in. He conformed that photo is in Blenheim, and the two guys with the Tru-Jen boat had bought the Mustang from the RNZAF with the intention of cutting the fuselage lengthwise, removing the whole top half and putting it on top of a new powerboat. They apparently hacked into the side to look at the structure (which explains those holes in the side) and decided it was going to be all too hard. So they gave up on it.
Blenheim local Peter Coleman then brokered a deal with Rutledge and Ruffell in which they sold the aircraft to John Smith. So thank goodness this happened, and Pete Coleman had the foresight to intervene. Thanks Don.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2020 21:04:03 GMT 12
There are some real gems there, thank you Matthew and I hope more photos of the other Smith aircraft surface soon from his efforts. I'm wondering if the air-to-air photos with NZ2402 were taken on 16/04/57 as Alistair McLeod noted in his logbook (posted by/on behalf of Curtiss) he flew NZ2402 for "Mustang formation photo" on that date. Air Force archives have this photo of NZ2423 on her last visit to RNZAF Base Wigram. Did she do a bit of a tour before heading into storage? McLeod's logbook has him flying NZ2423 on 24/4/57 "OH-Coleridge-WG-OH", flight time recorded as 2.30 - perhaps this was when this photo was taken? |
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Post by Damon on Sept 7, 2020 21:40:37 GMT 12
Matthew O'Sullivan, Keeper of Photographs at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, posted a series of photos today of NZ2423 from their archives. Four of them he believes were taken of the aircraft at Upper Moutere. I noted in the background there was another familiar piece of technology, the champion powerboat Tru-Jen! That boat was owned by Harry Rutledge and Bill Ruffell. The boat was powered by an ex-P-40 Allison engine, and was tuned by ex-RNZAF engine expert Bob Highet. Bob had also tuned the engine of the famous polished No. 4 OTU P-40N that raced the Ventura at Ohakea. So can anyone confirm, is this actually Upper Moutere? Or is it Blenheim where the boat was built? And what was the connection between the plane and the boat? fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/Collection/1981-338.6d.jpg.info#?c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5003-Search-the-Collection%2FHi Dave. I take it that this gentleman (Bob Highet) is the same person we met at the Te Atatu WoNZ Forum meet we had some years ago? Quite incredible ! His stories about tuning the Allison engines for the boat and the P-40 for the Ohakea P-40/ PV-1 Ventura race were captivating . And to find out that John Smith's P-51 is part of that. Amazing ! |
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Post by Mustang51 on Sept 8, 2020 8:13:17 GMT 12
That pic of "Tru-Jen" certainly appears to show not only the fin and rudder but IMHO also the dorsal. Could be wrong - and have been before.....
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 8, 2020 8:47:35 GMT 12
Yes Damon, same chap. He was fantastic to talk with. Bob Highet worked on Vildebeests, Vincents, Ansons, P-40's and Harvards as an engine mechanic, serving with No. 2 (GR) Squadron, the School of General Reconnaissance, No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron, No. 2 Servicing Unit in the Pacific, and No. 4 Operational Training Unit at Ardmore and Ohakea. He had Damon, Alex (out of shot) and myself enthralled with his stories over the lunch break, including that he was one of the guys that polished up the "C.O.'s Barge" P-40N at No. 4 OTU, and he personally suped up its Alison to give it four more inches of maximum boost to help it in the famous race with the Ventura, as seen elsewhere on the forum. He also was the engineer who installed and maintained the Allison engine in the very famous postwar racing powerboat Tru-Jen! I arranged with him that day that I would come back up to Auckland and do a full interview with him (I'd actually previously interviewed him on the phone several years before about his 2GR and School of Gen Recon service but at that time had no idea about the P-40 stuff). Sadly within two weeks of that event, and hjust as I was making plans to go back and see him to do the full interview, he died.   |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2020 20:11:33 GMT 12
Brendon has shared a video on Facebook for all the Mustang fans, with tantalising glimpses of spares in the distance. |
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