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Post by markrogers on Jul 17, 2021 17:13:47 GMT 12
Came across this video on YT, showing the aircraft at MOTAT and Silverstream in 1981.
Take note of the two Ceres aircraft, one with wings on and another one without it's wings on, lying beside it.
The Ventura appears in a pretty good condition too.
(Admin- I was not sure if this is the right place to post it, but please do feel free to move it to an appropriate one if need be).
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2021 19:43:39 GMT 12
Fascinating to see this footage. Almost everything looked so tatty sitting outdoors, but a few of the planes looked great. I visited on Tuesday and I much prefer the museum now where all the aeroplanes are under cover, and good lighting, clean and nicely presented.
It was interesting to also see the aeroplanes at Silverstream.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2021 19:50:11 GMT 12
So much to like! The wings on MOTAT’s Ceres was a great sight and it was cool to see the P-40 wearing the same scheme it would have flying in the UK nearly twenty years later.
Also I agree with Dave, it was an unexpected surprise to see the Silverstream machines! Was that a Hudson turret in the Avenger?
The narrator’s accent was a bit tricky for me at times and the music seemed to jump out of the screen! But I really enjoyed it.
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Post by planecrazy on Jul 18, 2021 10:02:12 GMT 12
Great old clip, they had a few Harvards, would imagine someone knows what became of the Airacobra, traded perhaps?
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Post by baz62 on Jul 18, 2021 10:15:39 GMT 12
Great old clip, they had a few Harvards, would imagine someone knows what became of the Airacobra, traded perhaps? I think the Airacobra ended up in Australia? And yes thats definitely a Hudson turret. Interesting to see some familiar Harvards. NZ1040 was one I (and Shorty!) were involved with here in Christchurch and now flies in Queensland in US Navy markings. NZ1057 and NZ1052 both back flying again based at Ardmore. Avenger NZ2505 looked pretty good but fresh paint will hide anything! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 18, 2021 10:33:19 GMT 12
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Post by planecrazy on Jul 18, 2021 11:22:31 GMT 12
NZ1040 was one I (and Shorty!) were involved with here in Christchurch and now flies in Queensland in US Navy markings. Bumped into her, NZ 1040, near Cairns recently.  |
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Post by shorty on Jul 18, 2021 12:29:49 GMT 12
The Airacobra was Monty Armstrong's one that we brought back from Tadji (PNG).
Was good to see the shops across the road from MOTAT , they are long gone but were my local shops when growing up', I lived just up the road.
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Post by emron on Jul 18, 2021 17:43:12 GMT 12
We used to work Wednesday nights in the old Aviation Workshop at Western Springs around the time of this video. The shops must have been gone by 1983, when the Northwestern Motorway was completed. But before then, Michele’s Pizzas were popular. My favourite topping was “Maggio”.  |
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Post by thebrads on Jul 18, 2021 18:27:03 GMT 12
In the background there is a hangar without cladding. I presume it's being built at this time, and it's the hangar (I assume) still onsite today. Where did it come from? Any interesting stories around this building?
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Post by thebrads on Jul 18, 2021 19:45:17 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 18, 2021 20:02:55 GMT 12
Dale that Belfast hangar was moved from Ardmore. It is one of the original wartime hangars from there. It has shifted again since from the position seen in the video and your aerial shots, and it remains the restoration hangar today. I was in it on Tuesday doing some recording.
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Post by emron on Jul 18, 2021 20:11:46 GMT 12
That was what is now the Aviation Workshop at Meola Rd. It was one of three hangars demolished at Ardmore using labour from the Government work scheme at the time, the Temporary Employment Program (T.E.P) All of the timber and cladding was trucked to MOTAT. It was planned to erect two hangars side by side but only one was partially completed before the scheme closed. The foundations were laid for the second but it was never built as the Museum ran out of funds soon after. The corrugated aluminium roofing and many of the wooden trusses were in too poor a condition to re-use, so there was little left to finish the second with anyway.
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Post by emron on Jul 18, 2021 23:24:10 GMT 12
In the background there is a hangar without cladding. I presume it's being built at this time, and it's the hangar (I assume) still onsite today. Where did it come from? Any interesting stories around this building? Those three old Ardmore hangars were out in the middle by the control tower. Coincidently around the same time was the third Ceres in the series there. When I last saw it Ken Jacob’s BSQ was spread around the front yard of the by then vacant Training College, most of it ended up at the bottom of the drained swimming pool. Perhaps Retrolens has all of this as well. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 17:17:51 GMT 12
Is that the P-47 at bottom right? Coincidently around the same time was the third Ceres in the series there. When I last saw it Ken Jacob’s BSQ was spread around the front yard of the by then vacant Training College, most of it ended up at the bottom of the drained swimming pool. Perhaps Retrolens has all of this as well. Oh for a time machine, or for someone to have bought BSQ from Ken and saved it. |
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Post by emron on Jul 19, 2021 19:34:11 GMT 12
Yes, the P-47 was on gate guard duty down by the Motions Rd entrance in those days.
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