|
|
Post by oj on Feb 5, 2022 21:09:32 GMT 12
Fascinating photos as always.
Can someone explain why the centre engine has a three-blade prop?
I don't recall the modern replica as having that.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 5, 2022 22:27:46 GMT 12
Wow those Southern Cross photos are fascinating.
I was also going to ask about that three bladed prop, I have never noticed that before.Most photos seem to show it with a two blade prop. Must have been a mod for that particular trip to New Zealand. The real one and the replica both have two blades on the centre engine these days.
|
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Feb 5, 2022 23:01:14 GMT 12
It appears to have been fitted before the 1933 tour, This one from 1928 shows 2 bladed propellers "The Southern Cross at Wigram, Christchurch (Alexander Turnbull Library, PAColl-0813-03)"  |
|
|
|
Post by madmax on Feb 5, 2022 23:37:14 GMT 12
Prior to the Southern Cross wing being repaired at the A & P Show Grounds it had proposed to transport it to the Dominion Aeroplane Co Dannevirke for repairs but it was then realized it was too long to fit through the Manawatu Gorge without the possibility of further damage. In the 1980s I met a woman in Palmerston North whose father, a cabinet maker, had been in charge of overseeing repairs, she had retained several of the wingtip ribs and gave two pieces from them as a memento.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2022 10:17:02 GMT 12
That is cool. I guess there is still some NZ wood from the repair in the aircraft now. Any idea how long the repair took?
|
|
|
|
Post by madmax on Feb 6, 2022 11:27:21 GMT 12
Hi Dave, No idea how long repairs took, the pieces of Southern Cross wing ribs I passed on many years back to the late Keith Trillo
|
|
|
|
Post by planewriting on Feb 6, 2022 11:33:51 GMT 12
Hi Dave, No idea how long repairs took, the pieces of Southern Cross wing ribs I passed on many years back to the late Keith Trillo In November last year I met Bruce Broady at Motueka. In our discussion he mentioned having acquired various items from Keith Trillo so perhaps he may have those pieces. I haven't got Bruce's contact details but I'm sure someone will. |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2022 12:31:06 GMT 12
Mark McGuire just sent this through:
Hi Dave
I wonder if this is the court case about the Flying Flea?
Papers Past | Newspapers | Evening Star | 25 August 1937 | THE FLYING FLEA (natlib.govt.nz)
Kind regards
Mark McGuire
---------------------------------
THE FLYING FLEA
OWNER AND PILOT CHARGED
UNAWARE ALMA AERODROME UNLICENSED
A case of interest to aviators was heard in the Oamaru Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., when William Lindsay Notman (owner) and David Harrison Whitaker (pilot), of Oamaru's Flying Flea, faces charges of contravening the New Zealand Air Navigation Regulations. After hearing the evidence Mr Bundle dismissed both charges.
Defendant Notman was charged with being the owner of the aircraft ZM-AAC (Flying Flea) he allowed it to be flown in contravention of the Air Navigation Regulations, to which he pleaded guilty. A plea of not guilty, was entered by Whitaker to a charge of flying an aircraft which was not certified as airworthy outside three miles of a licensed aerodrome or a New Zealand Air Force aerodrome.
Mr C. Zimmerman represented both defendants.
It appears that on May 15 Notman loaned his Flying Flea, which is classed as a research or experimental machine, and therefore not airworthy, to Whitaker, who took the plane up on several flights. Incidentally these flights were the first experimental ones for a Flea in New Zealand. The regulations provide that an machine cannot be licensed to fly more than a radius of three miles from a licensed aerodrome. At the time the flights were made the Alma aerodrome, situated just outside Oamaru, was not a licensed nor a New Zealand Air Force aerodrome, the license having lapsed.
Sergeant McGregor said Notman had been notified that the Flea could be licensed only for experimental purposes and could be flown only by a qualified pilot. Later the Controller of Aviation had notified both defendants that any flights from the Alma aerodrome would be contrary to the regulations.
Counsel said Notman had received his license to fly his machine within the three-mile radius. He had advised the Controller of Aviation that the memorandum would be strictly adhered to but at the time he was under the impression unfortunately that the Alma aerodrome was registered. When he found out the position he forwarded the sum of 10s to re-register it.
Mr Bundles: Why was the license cancelled?
Mr Zimmerman: The fees had not been paid. According to the secretary's calculations, the license was cancelled in January, 1937, when the North Otago Aero Club went out of operation.
The Sergeant said the offence was purely that the plane had been flown from an unlicensed aerodrome. There was no suggestion that the flyers had gone outside the three-mile limit.
“Since the license has lapsed there have been at least half a dozen foreign planes using the Alma aerodrome", said Mr Zimmerman. Neither of the defendants had received notification from the Controller that the aerodrome was unlicensed. He thought it was the duty of the Controller to notify all registered pilots of an unregistered aerodrome. The breach was merely a technical one.
Mr Bundle said it appeared that both defendants were under a misapprehension as to the license of the Alma aerodrome. They were quite within their rights in flying within a radius of three miles, but they had committed a technical breach, of flying from an unregistered aerodrome. He accepted their explanations that they were unaware of the breach, and dismissed both charges, subject to the payment of court costs (10s).
|
|
|
|
Post by madmax on Feb 6, 2022 14:22:09 GMT 12
Dave, Hope they have survived
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 6, 2022 18:08:16 GMT 12
Who?
|
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Feb 6, 2022 20:21:42 GMT 12
knowledgebank.org.nz has some interesting Sterling.  " Canterbury Aero Club buildings at Wigram in the late 1930s. The two biplanes were Gipsy Moths. The one on the left was a Miles Hawk and the other a Percival Vega Gull." canterburystories.nz  "Kotuku, a de Havilland Express aircraft, at Wigram Airfield." canterburystories.nz  "Dorothy Field, first female at Bridge Pa Club to become a pilot, standing in front DH 60 – ZK-AAB at Bridge Pa Aerodrome" knowledgebank.org.nz  "Taken at North Island Air Pageant at Bridge Pa Aerodrome, 24 March 1934" knowledgebank.org.nz Carries a comment from Peter Lewis "Would appear to be the DH60G Moth '872' of the NZ Permanent Air Force"  "DH.80A Puss Moth" feildingheritage.nz  [/a] And a completely random photo with no connection to NZ except that it turned up on the NZ Presbyterian Research Centre archives. A five ship takeoff possibly in Canton.  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2022 17:04:28 GMT 12
Hi Dave, No idea how long repairs took, the pieces of Southern Cross wing ribs I passed on many years back to the late Keith Trillo In November last year I met Bruce Broady at Motueka. In our discussion he mentioned having acquired various items from Keith Trillo so perhaps he may have those pieces. I haven't got Bruce's contact details but I'm sure someone will. Fingers crossed the pieces of the Old Bus have survived  |
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Feb 9, 2022 19:36:45 GMT 12
I was struck by the Blackburn Bluebird III, so here's all the photos I could find in the various archives (there might be a couple I have missed). Does any one know how often it was operated on floats? or if there are photos of it on floats that don't crop the floats off. Fairfax Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 31, 6 February 1929, Page 9 Waikato Museum next 4 photos "Mr Blackmore and aircraft "Bluebird""  "Aircraft "Bluebird" being refuelled at Hokianga" There is possibly a newspaper piece somewhere to go with this one.  "Stan and Warwick Blackmore in front of aircraft "Bluebird"" [/div]  "Dr M.M. Hocken in aircraft "Bluebird"" [/div]  Fairfax Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 78, 3 April 1933, Page 9  Fairfax, Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 79, 4 April 1933, Page 5 FATAL CRASH AT HAMILTON.—Nose-diving.from a height of 150 feet, a Blackburn Bluebird dual control biplane owned by the Waikato ■ Aviation Company crashed on Sunday morning at Te Rapa, f.our miles out of Hamilton. A pupil-pilot, aged 19, the only person in the machine, was fatally injured  |
|
|
|
Post by pjw4118 on Feb 10, 2022 14:06:14 GMT 12
Mad mac , the Stirling IV photo of "its easy cobber " is from Noel Sutherlands logbook ( copied 4.15 ) and is his aircraft L9 - E of 190 squadron. He used it for most of the airborne ops in 1944 and towed Horsa gliders across the Rhine in 1945 .
|
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Feb 10, 2022 19:03:53 GMT 12
Yes it is & I was trying not to make too many deviations, but I will take that as an excuse to post a few of his photos. All photos knowledgebank.org.nz “Sterlings marshalled for Arnhem operation”  “Kites in low level formation over Bristol Channel. Look out for the power lines on other side!”  “Danny Kilgour and Jack Connell on low level formation with George Chesterton – not so low. On the way to bombing range Sturt Flats"  “The Kite as she returned after paratrooping the first 100 men into Normany Invasion 6th Airborne Division” Artwork by paratroopers – ANZACS TAKE TO THE AIR TAFFY SOUTH SINEID[?] JOAN W.B.P. ‘IPSWICH SPECIAL’ PHILADELPHIA TO DURHAM “GEORDIE” LONDON EILEEN. ADOLPH HERE WE COME HULL FOR EVER  |
|
|
|
Post by planewriting on Feb 11, 2022 5:00:12 GMT 12
The DH80 Puss Moth above deserves a special mention. It is ZK-ABR which in 1936 Francis Chichester and Frank Herrick flew to England where it became G-AFDH. Look at nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144673728/view and www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/11483446/1-dh80a-puss-moth-396-dh80-fitted-with-modified-ab-ixcomMy father used to tell me the story of the Bluebird accident. Aged 18, he lived at Frankton, Hamilton at the time and was in his parents backyard when he observed a NZPAF Moth fly overhead. Realising this was unusual for a Sunday he hopped on his bike and headed straight off to the Te Rapa aerodrome where indeed there had been a fatal accident. The Moth was flown by Leonard Isitt who two years latter endorsed Dad's logbook and these two men knew each other for many years during their shared time in NAC. |
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Oct 12, 2022 20:55:10 GMT 12
I came across the fletcherarchives.co.nz the other day. They have some interesting photos. Soo, here is a few of helicopters working for living Hume Industries (NZ) Ltd - Hume Pipe Co: 1989 helicopter delivering pipes in rural hill country  Hume Industries (NZ) Ltd - Hume Pipe Co: 2013 Humes Pipeline Systems Ltd - 1989 Ranfurly, Central Otago - Irrigation Scheme: helicopter lifting pipes into position  Hume Industries (NZ) Ltd - Hume Pipe Co: 1979 Bay of Plenty - helicopter delivering pipes  Fletcher Construction Co Ltd - Contracts - Kapuni Gas Pipeline, Taranaki to Auckland/Wellington: 1969 Helicopters being used to position Kapuni Pipeline in difficult country near Ngaruawahia  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1960 Helicopter weed spraying operations  Hume Industries (NZ) Ltd - Hume Pipe Co: 1988 helicopter lifting slabs at unknown site  Winstone Publication: 1969 Winstone van loading the helicopter with flooring materials to deliver to the oil rig, Discovery II, off the coast of New Plymouth, Taranaki  |
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Oct 12, 2022 21:06:29 GMT 12
A few ag aircraft from the fletcherarchives.co.nz Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1959 Aerial top dressing demonstration by a Cessna aircraft during the PATA conference in Christchurch, Canterbury  Cyclone Industries Ltd: 1962 Loading topdressing aircraft on farm. The landrover looks a little light on the back axle. ![]() Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1951 Tiger Moth aircraft [aircraft registration ZK-AYJ] aerial top dressing in the Rotorua district, Bay of Plenty  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1951 Aerial top dressing, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, showing improvised air strip and Tiger Moth aircraft [aircraft registration ZK-AVJ] , which can carry a load of 5cwt of superphosphate, being loaded; Only one minute is required from landing to take-off;  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1951 Fletcher-built/brand aircraft, near Matamata, North Waikato aerial top dressing farmlands (may be performing the 'victory roll')  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1959 Aerial top dressing, Raglan area, North Waikato, showing the de Havilland Beaver aircraft  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1959 Aerial top dressing [aircraft registration ZK-BIX] for Maori Affairs Land, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1958 Aerial top dressing with heavy aircraft, a Lockheed Lodestar from the Agricultural Aviation Show at Milson Airport, Palmerston North, demonstrates top dressing  Certified Concrete Ltd - Contracts: 1965 Air New Zealand hangar, Mangere Airport, Auckland (interior)  I don't think I have ever seen any other photos relating to Fletchers being assembled in the hangar at AirNZ |
|
|
|
Post by madmac on Oct 12, 2022 21:26:39 GMT 12
Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1951 First clover seed to go by air via Australia National Airways Pty Ltd aircraft, from New Zealand to Australia  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1951 First clover seed to go by air via Australia National Airways Pty Ltd aircraft, from New Zealand to Australia  Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1950 Transportation by air of Wright Stephenson & Co Ltd Seeds (a) aeroplane interior, four men - (b) two men unloading  I wonder how they tied these down in the cabin. Wright, Stephenson & Co Ltd: 1960 Loading aeroplane with sacks  Did the Argosy ever fly Trans Tasman airfreight? Cyclone Industries Ltd: 1976 Cyclone products - industrial fence at Harewood airport with Continental aircraft lined up. Signage board - Operation Deep Freeze Geophysical Year 1957-1958  Hume Industries (NZ) Ltd - Hume Pipe Co: 1968 Aeroplane flying over unknown airport control tower  Looks like a superimposed DC-8, but non the less a nice image, guess its the Auckland control tower. Fletcher Construction Co Ltd - buildings, Christchurch: 1970 Harewood Air Terminal - inside hangar - Air New Zealand 737 aircraft parked inside  |
|
|
|
Post by chinapilot on Oct 12, 2022 23:17:34 GMT 12
Great find.
The 737s would have been 1980ish.
|
|
