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Post by ZacYates on Feb 2, 2022 8:36:38 GMT 12
Hi all, Although she now calls Temora home I feel this is worth posting here: a very in-depth (84 images) photographic walkaround of the former Alpine Fighter Collection Spitfire XVI TB863 by Graeme Molineux aka Grubby Fingers Aircraft Illustration. Enjoy! |
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Post by planecrazy on Feb 2, 2022 19:28:49 GMT 12
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Post by Damon on Feb 3, 2022 20:40:30 GMT 12
So long ago it left our shores. It still hurts.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 3, 2022 22:41:10 GMT 12
TB863 was the first Spitfire I ever saw fly, and it is the only Spitfire I ever saw flown by Sir Tim Wallis, Ray Hanna and Stephen Grey. It will always remain special. But I am glad it is in a great home at Temora and if I am honest I think PV270 is a much nicer looking Spitfire with its early tail.
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Post by Mustang51 on Feb 3, 2022 22:53:15 GMT 12
I very well remember the vitriol poured out against Australians at the dinner after Wanaka the year the Spit had its last flight over there. We (Shambles, Gordo, Tooly, myself and respectives) had reserved a table at that Sunday night post show dinner and the MC....who co-commentated Wanaka with me a number of years later... railed against Australia taking the Spit. We just sat there and looked at eachother, then, in the dark, started clapping the comments for which the MC thanked us...not knowing who we were. I was simply amazed how we were "stealing" the aircraft...Next day we went to the airport again and took oil samples for a SOAP test. It was then that we were told that a number of pilots had been 'promised' that they could fly the aircraft before it was disassembled for shipment to Oz. News to Big Pete but they got their flights. I am sure that there would be video of that dinner if anyone cared to go back. Big Pete (Pring-Shambler) David's Chief Engineer is a great mate and was also amazed at what was said at the dinner. Thankfully no-one at the dinner had a clue who we were apart from being Gold pass ticket holders. Thankfull also that the matter quickly went behind everyone and at the machine's first public display flight in Oz (accompanied by the Mk.VIII) Sir Tim and Lady Prue happily acknowledged that it was 'home' where it belonged.
Also so glad so many Kiwis have come over to Temora either for the Warbirds Downunder or regular Showcase events to see her fly and that I have not (yet) been thrown off a cliff into the Tasman.....
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 3, 2022 22:57:59 GMT 12
Gosh that is pretty rotten treatment Ando. Sorry to hear that.
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Post by Mustang51 on Feb 3, 2022 23:10:30 GMT 12
Mate....we didn't care at the time or now. We were just so surprised by the "Donald Trumpesque" beat up at the dinner. As I said we clapped and cheered the MC and he responded by thanking us for our support....little did he know. As long as Sir Tim was happy so were we.
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Feb 4, 2022 6:35:42 GMT 12
Many people identified with Sir Tim's Spitfire. In many ways it was the flag-ship and spearhead of the burgeoning fleet of vintage airframes in NZ. I think many people became quite attached to it - Sir Tim made it a well-known sight all over NZ - and it had/has a special place in the hearts of many. I know it pained me to see it go (along with the rest of the AFC), but it is actually far more fitting that it resides in the land of OZ considering its history. Long may it be so, and long may it fly.
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Post by planecrazy on Feb 4, 2022 9:39:26 GMT 12
Please excuse my average humour, that French guy who purchased the Hurricane will face the guillotine if he shows up! Would loved to have seen her stay in Enzed.  |
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Post by Mustang51 on Feb 4, 2022 10:27:45 GMT 12
I spoke with him at Legends a couple of times and he was proud to be able to display the aircraft. Interesting story about its 'arrival' at Duxford Legends in the middle of a display.....
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Post by nuuumannn on Feb 4, 2022 11:37:16 GMT 12
It was great to see the Hurricane on the flight line at Legends. I used to work with some of the guys who restored it and they had some stories that are best not repeated here... That wee book that came out was an interesting official version of its restoration.  Hurricane static-4 |
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Post by nuuumannn on Feb 4, 2022 11:39:03 GMT 12
I came back and saw the Spitty at Wanaka in the days of 35mm film.  TB863 Wanaka |
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 2, 2022 12:29:11 GMT 12
Hope you don’t mind Zac, I would like to invite all to include their pic’s of this ANZAC icon, a star of both countries, what have you got folks? Be great to see some of her in New Zealand, thank you Sir Tim and Mr Lowy. A fantastic idea, Peter! I very well remember the vitriol poured out against Australians at the dinner after Wanaka the year the Spit had its last flight over there. Ando, my goodness, that's awful to hear!! TB863 was the first Spitfire I ever saw fly, and it is the only Spitfire I ever saw flown by Sir Tim Wallis, Ray Hanna and Stephen Grey. It will always remain special. But I am glad it is in a great home at Temora Many people identified with Sir Tim's Spitfire. In many ways it was the flag-ship and spearhead of the burgeoning fleet of vintage airframes in NZ. I think many people became quite attached to it - Sir Tim made it a well-known sight all over NZ - and it had/has a special place in the hearts of many. I know it pained me to see it go (along with the rest of the AFC), but it is actually far more fitting that it resides in the land of OZ considering its history. Long may it be so, and long may it fly. I grew up watching documentaries about Sir Tim, the Wanaka airshow videos and reading the books so for me TB863 really was the Spitfire to me. I admit that as an 18yo I cried upon hearing the news of her sale and saluted her with tears in my eyes before I left WOW06, but I harbour no ill will or negative feeling about the move - she truly is in the right place. The only thing is I really, really need to get to Temora to see her again! Following Peter's suggestion here are some photos my father Dave Yates took of TB863 at my first Wanaka, 2004 (he took me to Wings Over Wairarapa 2001 which was my first time seeing her in person but he wasn't into photography then):  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt1_0013c by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt2_0052 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt2_0053 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt2_0054 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt2_0056 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt2_0070 by Zac Yates, on Flickr With the Breitling Fighters for their swansong display:  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt3_0039 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt3_0040 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt3_0041 by Zac Yates, on Flickr  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt3_0042 by Zac Yates, on Flickr My own photos from Saturday at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2006:  tb8631_zps552794d8_34874735583_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr  tb8632_zpsc169edc7_35644519746_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr  tb8633_zps360cd904_34874735833_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr  tb8634_zps728a6705_35644520096_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr And I hope you'll indulge me but here's a final photo from Warbirds Over Wanaka by Dad with yours truly, aged 16, fulfilling a lifelong dream by posing with The Spitfire during the flightline walk:  Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004 pt1_0022 by Zac Yates, on Flickr |
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Post by Mustang51 on Mar 2, 2022 13:00:43 GMT 12
Zac....very nice and prophetic shots there
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 4, 2022 7:30:05 GMT 12
Zac....very nice and prophetic shots there Thanks Ando, and I'll pass on your kind words to Dad. Perhaps we could allow the moving image also? Apologies for the quality of the WOW04 material but it was a second-hand camera being held by a very excited boy at his first Wanaka. |
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Post by Mustang51 on Mar 4, 2022 10:48:49 GMT 12
Zac, I was there as well with a group of mates in the area fronting the Gold Pass Stand....some very nice memories
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jtoml3
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 8
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Post by jtoml3 on Sept 1, 2023 23:25:28 GMT 12
I came across this thread which is related to the one I started back in 2021. I'm still yet to figure out what plane I sat in (TB863 or P-40N ZK-CAG), however on the week of the Ardmore Open Day in 2001, we purchased a copy of this drawing which I thought I'd share here given the admiration the plane has. At Ardmore I thought I sat in the TB863 cockpit (dad can't recall), especially given this drawing was for purchase, however on the NZ Airshows History website, it lists ZK-CAG being at the Ardmore Open Day but not TB863 (we didn't attend open day, but the day or weekend before as dad had a friend who let us sit in a cockpit). Its a long shot asking, but would anyone happen to know if TB863 was at Ardmore around the time of the open day in 2001, even if it wasn't there on the day? If it was somewhere else, it would likely confirm we sat in ZK-CAG. I wish my memory was better, but I feel like it was a Spitfire cockpit we sat in when I compare photos to a P-40 cockpit, especially the reddish leather chair in TB863. I haven't been able to find any info if there were other airworthy Spitfire's in NZ at the time.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 2, 2023 20:45:46 GMT 12
In 2001 there was only one airworthy Spitfire in New Zealand,TB863. The Mk. XIVe NH799 had crashed in 1996, and was not returned to flight till many years later. MH367 had not arrived in New Zealand yet either.
It is unlikely that TB863 was at Ardmore in 2001, but not impossible. If it was at an open day that year, someone here is bound to have a photo of it.
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jtoml3
Leading Aircraftman
Posts: 8
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Post by jtoml3 on Sept 3, 2023 23:12:18 GMT 12
In 2001 there was only one airworthy Spitfire in New Zealand,TB863. The Mk. XIVe NH799 had crashed in 1996, and was not returned to flight till many years later. MH367 had not arrived in New Zealand yet either. It is unlikely that TB863 was at Ardmore in 2001, but not impossible. If it was at an open day that year, someone here is bound to have a photo of it. Thanks Dave. After discussing this with my father again, he seems sure it was a P-40, so fitting with your comment it must have been ZK-CAG. |
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