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Post by Bruce on Mar 7, 2007 20:05:43 GMT 12
SATURDAY 17th March - Tokoroa Airfield. Repeat of last year's memorable fun fly in. Hosted by Tokoroa Aero Club, everyone is welcome. Expected aircraft types include Microlights, Homebuilts, Vintage, classic, Warbirds and Helicopters Model aircraft. If it has wings, rotors or some other form of lifting device, it needs to be there! No charge, but support the BBQ and Raffles running throughout the day. Photos from last year:    See you all there! (especially if you have a noisy and distinctive aircraft....)  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 8, 2007 8:10:00 GMT 12
Anyone interested in flying down to this event from Auckland or Hamilton?
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Post by Bruce on Mar 8, 2007 8:29:42 GMT 12
I'd be interested in flying from HN - what in? (not that it matters!)  |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 8, 2007 14:54:25 GMT 12
Socata Tobago JIE
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Post by Bruce on Mar 8, 2007 19:59:48 GMT 12
yup I'd be keen.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 9, 2007 8:25:58 GMT 12
Great, Bruce. I'll PM you early next week and arrange the timing.
Still have room for one or two more, for anyone else interested.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 19, 2007 21:45:19 GMT 12
Well the weather wasn't that great for the last day of daylight saving, methinks they were saving it for somewhere else. After a delayed start from Whenuapai I got through to Hamilton to collect Bruce. The short flight from Hamilton to Tokoroa was marred by low cloud. A cloudbase of 2000' AMSL can be a bit of a problem when the airfield is at 1200'! However, thanks to Bruce's local knowledge, we found the field OK. We were one of the very few who made it. Apparently the locals were about to flag the whole thing until they received a call that three gyrocopters from Matamata/Tauranga were on their way. Time to polish up the barbie. Tokoroa is actually quite large for a rural field (I had never been there before), and the few visitors were lined up opposite the hangars:  Apart from these, a Bantam from Tirau, an itinerant Cessna 180, ourselves in the Tobago and the aforementioned gyrocopters made up the visitors.  The real action seemed to be in the local hangars, which contained an assortment of kitset-assembled Safari helicopters:  A rarely-seen Auster which could be on its way to Tasmania:  and a small number of homebuilts, including a Rand which seems to be past its useby date:  When we left the field later in the afternoon the weather had improved slightly and some of the local aircraft had become active. Back at Hamilton, after we had caused chaos by asking for the use of the seal rather than grass, I took time to admire the three new aero club Alpha R2160s. Also in the area was a bit of a ring in, CT-4B VH-CTZ, which after a brief period as ZK-JMN went to Australia in 2003. Is this back here permanently, or just here for some work to be carried out?  The flight back to Whenuapai was carried out in deteriorating weather conditions but allowed me the opportunity to grab the Seagrove airfield pics that are posted elsewhere. Thanks Bruce for your company and local navigation knowledge, otherwise I might still be blundering around the Waikato looking for small grass landing areas. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2007 22:05:48 GMT 12
A pity about the weather.
That Airtrainer is an interesting site. That should be the one from Aerotec at Toowoomba and is the only civilian operated CT-4E - not a B. However here it is wearing B type cowlings. Has it been re-engined?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2007 22:08:47 GMT 12
See, a CT/4E here! www.airliners.net/open.file/0688724/M/ The description of "in the paint scheme of the RNZAF" is a little rich... I don't think ours have ever worn teatowl patterns on the sides. :-) |
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Post by Bruce on Mar 19, 2007 22:31:13 GMT 12
Its definitely a "B" I think one of the ex RNZAF machines that didnt go to BAe Tamworth. (s/n 81 would put it in the RNZAF "B" Batch)
I certainly enjoyed my day Peter, thanks for the flight in the Tobago, its a neat machine. My pictures are virtually identical, so I wont post any more. The fly in was certainly a lot smaller than last year, but it was great to catch up with plenty of friends and talk aeroplane. I was a bit worried to see that the Barbie was being "driven" by none other than "Rocketman" Bruce Simpson - normally his use of LPG gas bottles involves lots of noise and white glowing metal (He is the imfamous constructor of a homemade cruise missile, also known for his valveless pulsejet experiments...).
The Rand KR1 is the machine formerly owned by Bob Maisey of Taupo. It was powered by a Walter Micron inverted 4 cylinder (off NZs only Tipsy Belfair) but will shortly gain a new powerplant. Murray Belfield (Trans Tasman Jodel Pilot) is repairing damage casued by taxiing over a runway marker board. The KR1 has a very short retractable undercarriage, which adds complexity but virtually no additional airspeed, therefore there is very little underwing clearance. A lot of KR2s (The side by side seater) have the retracts replaced with fixed leaf spring gear - with no difference in cruise speed. Murray is also taking the opportunity to tidy up a number of deficencies in the original construction - so its not past its use by date yet!
certainly though, Tokoroa has always got something interesting tucked away in the hangars!
Hopefully next year the weather will play ball and we'll have the return of all the visiting classics of 2006.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2007 23:07:31 GMT 12
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 19, 2007 23:08:08 GMT 12
Well it was certainly built as a B, and served as such as NZ1933. As to correct colours, here it is at Westport in 1997:  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 19, 2007 23:14:23 GMT 12
Hmm, so it has been a B, then an E, then a B again? or is this two aircraft with the same registration?
Peter, have you got a closer photo of that special artwork on the tail? I assume it was marking the 30th Anniversary of the team. I'd love to see the artwork in detail if anyone has a photo. Thanks.
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Post by twilight on Mar 19, 2007 23:20:43 GMT 12
You guys are actually talking about two different aircraft:
CT-4B 081 NZ1933/ZK-JMN/VH-CTZ cancelled 15November 2004
CT-4E 216 ZK-ILI/ZK-JPK/VH-CTZ from 17November 2004
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Post by Bruce on Mar 20, 2007 8:27:24 GMT 12
An E cant be converted back to a B, as the wing is in a different position (about 2" further forward) which would require some serious re-jigging. sounds like a very quick rego swap for the CTZ aircraft - no wonder ther is some confusion (s/n 81 must be waiting for a ZK rego)
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 20, 2007 8:48:01 GMT 12
That would seem to be the answer to the problem, twilight, thanks.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2007 19:55:00 GMT 12
Thanks Twilight. Yes, I was thinking last night after I went to bed that the wings would be different. Problem solved I think.
Any photos of the Red Checkers logo anyone?
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Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 20, 2007 20:52:17 GMT 12
Best I can do at the moment, scan from a print. These particular negatives are not where they should be, misfiled somewhere, they will give a better scan when I do locate them.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2007 21:01:17 GMT 12
Thanks Peter, that's excellent.
A new decal option for Dave Lochead there I think...
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Post by Bruce on Mar 20, 2007 22:22:59 GMT 12
What a cool bit of artwork - I never saw that on any of the B's coming through Aeromotive for refurb, unfortunately most were whisked off for paint stripping as soon as they arrived from the ferry flights.
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