WONZ 237 - Jack Godfrey

[Dave Homewood]

I sat down with the well known and respected modeller and aircraft builder Jack Godfrey in October 2019. Jack talks about growing up in Auckland and the Hawkes Bay where he discovered aero modelling at a young age. While living in Hastings as a kid he haunted Bridge Pa aerodrome, and used to help the legendary Temple Martin in his aircraft restoration business. He worked for Aerial Mapping there too, before being called up for Compulsory Military Service where he became an airframes mechanic in the RNZAF at Taieri for three months. Returning to Aerial Mapping he could not settle, and so had a change of vocation and moved into an apprenticeship in newspapers.

Jack moved to Hamilton to work in the printing business, but it did not work out and he ended up moving to a new job at Aerochrome Plate grinding cylinders for aero engines. This company became part of New Zealand Aerospace Ltd., which Jack continued with. After grinding cylinders for a few years, Jack progressed to a quality inspection role. He later went back to printing.

Well know Hamilton-based aviation entrepreneur Ossie James brought Jack into set up a school programme at St Paul’s Collegiate to build a Murphy Maverick. Next he built Jodel D.18 with Noel Bailey, ZK-JAC, which is still flying today. And Jack built a full sized replica of a Bristol Scout for the Armistice In Cambridge committee for a static display. Jack passed away on the 7th of December 2019.

Here's the link:
cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2021/06/wonz-237-jack-godfrey/