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Post by planeimages on Jan 10, 2007 22:26:32 GMT 12
Does anyone have any high-quality digital or photo pix of your Lancaster for possible use in a magazine story please?
I believe it was another one of the French Navy machines from Noumea. NX 611 (Just Jane at East Kirkby) and NX 622 (RAAF Assn Bull Creek Perth) are of that ilk.
Thanks
Peter
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 10, 2007 23:09:39 GMT 12
The New Zealand Lancaster is indeed ex-French. There's another ex-French one under restoration in France too.
I don't have any good photos of the Lanc as it's terrible to photograph where it's situated, due to the dark building with bright glary skylight windows, and the other exhibits around it. To the eye it looks fine but cameras don't seem to like it's current postion. I've tried with digital and film with no success. No doubt some of the older memebrs have photos of it when it was outdoors, but then it was not retored and nowhere near as lovely as it is today.
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Post by planeimages on Jan 11, 2007 8:06:07 GMT 12
Thanks Dave.
Hopefully someone will have a shot. As posted earlier I am off to UK in June. Wednesday 6th will see me at East Kirkby for the full VIP taxy-ride in Just Jane, another ex-Noumea Lanc which was serviced at and later departed from Bankstown en-route to Biggin HIll. She is a sister to NX 622 which resides at Bull Creek Perth.
Hopefully, Vulcan XH558 will have flown by the time I arrive and I hope to see her fly at Biggin Hill, Cosford or at Bruntingthorpe. If all else fails the Vulcan is planned to fly on 17th, the 25th anniversary of the Falklands. I will be at Kemble open day and I can't imagine that, if the Vulcan flies on that day, she wouldn't make an appearance there.
Some anoraking over the fence at RAF Valley and possibly Mareham. Definitely Coningsby. One of the UK websites is about to publish a list of good LFA spots in Wales so some time has been set aside for a shoot at one of these.
Hendon, Duxford and the Mosquito Museum at Hatfield are on the list as are two occasions at Old Warden. The LPG have invited me to their workshop at Bruntingthorpe but I understand that a Lightning fast taxy is not planned.
In between all this is slotted some time at Dunstable to shoot some gliders and maybe even a flight over the ridges. I may get a chance to eat and sleep!
All that should be worth the torture of the two long-distance flights.
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Post by phil82 on Jan 11, 2007 8:44:41 GMT 12
Swine!
I was over there in May Peter, but saw more of Monet than I did of Mossie! Sounds great, look forward to seeing the results. Savour the Vulcan! At the point of take-off you hear that fabulous whine and you think "here he goes" then he really puts the boot into it and you get that magnificent deeper sound of a Vulcan at power, and there'll be a cloud of black smoke, and sh'ell be away before you know it. There won't be a lot of fuel on board, so don't expect a long take-off, and watch for the steep climb!
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Post by phil82 on Jan 11, 2007 8:49:00 GMT 12
That Lancaster is, indeed, EX-RAF but never saw war service, and was sold to France. It operated for many years out of Noumea in the Air-Sea Rescue role, before being donated to NZ. One of the reasons for that gift was the main spar had something like 10 hours life left on it when it arrived in NZ. So it could fly again with a total restoration, but a new main spar alone would cost a couple of million dollars.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 11, 2007 9:39:52 GMT 12
An interesting point about the Lancaster is everyone refers to it as Motat's Lancaster, but they do not actually own it. It was gifted by France to the people of New Zealand, and is really a national treasure. It was restored by the New Zealand Branch of the Bomber Command Association with support from the RNZAF and others. Motat is really just the custodian of 'our' Lancaster, which is great. They're doing a fine job of it these days, but some years back it was very nearly removed from there and taken to Mangere or Wigram.
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Post by Kereru on Jan 11, 2007 17:07:26 GMT 12
As Dave has mentioned it is rather difficult indeed. I got a few in November 2004 and large flash was not working that day(flat batteries I think). I must go back soon and try again. Colin
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 11, 2007 17:11:06 GMT 12
I found it was virtually impossible to take decent photos inside the main hangar at MoTaT: it's too cluttered. Anyway, I have my memories of the day to fall back on!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 11, 2007 17:43:54 GMT 12
I remember the bad old days when the planes were all out in the awful Auckland weather and sea air, so I will not complain about seeing them all crammed indoors.
But what does annoy me is they used to have a mezzanine floor over the main entrance which you could climb up to and look down on the Lancaster, etc. I went up there in 1996 and it was an excellent overview of the hangar. But on subsequent visits in recent years this has been out of bounds as is used for storage, which is a shame.
Of course there is an expansion planned which will reduce the pressure on space somewhat hopefully.
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Post by planeimages on Jan 11, 2007 21:15:41 GMT 12
Hi Dave,
I believe the correct term of endearment is "schweinhundt". I'd rather be a dog than a piggy.
Better to be looking at aircraft and other toys than art for me. Whatever grabs you.
Thanks Kereu for your shots. If I use it in the planned story we can get rich together! If I need high-res files can I call on you please? Is that a Sunderland lurking in the background?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 11, 2007 21:38:38 GMT 12
That's the Short Solent Mk IV in the background. The Sunderland is still outdoors and rotting away (has the retoration actually begun yet? I was told in May 2005 it was about to, and again in Dec 2005...)
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Post by Kereru on Jan 12, 2007 9:45:41 GMT 12
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Post by Kereru on Jan 12, 2007 9:52:27 GMT 12
Thanks Kereu for your shots. If I use it in the planned story we can get rich together! If I need high-res files can I call on you please? Is that a Sunderland lurking in the background? I took these in fine jpg and the originals are quite dark, as mentioned earlier I will be visiting again soon and will shoot in raw for similar shots and they will be available to you if you need them. Cheers, Colin
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 12, 2007 11:47:56 GMT 12
It is indeed the only Solent IV left in the world. There is one other Solent, a Mk III I think, preserved in Oakland, California, famous for appearing in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
It certainly is better lit at the other end, and easier to snap photos. I think Motat are going for the darker look with the Lanc as it was a night bomber.
Great Solent and Sundy photos.
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Post by planeimages on Jan 12, 2007 17:59:35 GMT 12
Hi Colin,
That would be very kind of you and much appreciated.
Dave,
Well I wasn't far off!
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Glen T
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by Glen T on Jan 18, 2007 23:30:25 GMT 12
Peter, I was at Bruntingthorpe July 05, took my family this time thru Europe for 3 mths and included Paris Airshow, Duxford and Brntgthpe. My boy just loved the Victor, Lightnings and the Guppy. I was on exchange at Marham in 2000 on 2 Sqn Tonkas. My mate Max is part of the AALO and the RIAT Engineering team - and I also dropped into the Vulcan crew the history of all the Vulcans that visited NZ ... I was shown around inside her in 2004, and boy she was totally gutted but it was awesome seeing all the new wiring and work carried out etc. Truly a huge task. Standing by the rope for the fast run by the Lightinings in reheat is something to behold for sure. I have been working on the flight lines at RIAT with Max since 2000. I am planning on being there again this year. If you will be around Faiford over that weekend, then let me know and I could take you behind the scenes maybe! Cheers Glen
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Post by John L on Jan 19, 2007 11:48:07 GMT 12
I have a couple of internal photos of the Perth Lancaster I took last week?
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Post by planeimages on Feb 6, 2007 17:05:15 GMT 12
Hi Glen and jonl,
My apolgies for a tardy reply.
I am hoping fro a Lightning run but I think it is unlikely. Maybe when XH558's ops are clarified the LPG might tie in with Vulcan. The biggest problem is the number of car driving days booked on the strip at B'thorpe.
Unfortunatley my time away will not include RIAT. It would have been very much appreciated to go behind the scenes. Bugger! Thank you ever so much for the offer.
jonl. Your internal shots would be much appreciated. Would you like to post them so I can see how they look please?
Thanks
Peter
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Post by planeimages on Mar 18, 2007 8:34:29 GMT 12
I have a couple of internal photos of the Perth Lancaster I took last week? Hi Jonl, Could you post the pix or maybe let me have a CD with them please? The story is well underway. Thanks Peter
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Post by planeimages on Mar 19, 2007 18:53:08 GMT 12
This is the draft of the two paragraphs on your Lancaster for my story on Antipodean Lancasters.
Any comments please?
Significant to our story are two more of the French Pacific Lancasters; NX 665/13 and NX 622/16, which, along NX 611/15, were the last of the marque to be operated in conventional active service. (The BBMF Lancaster is formally operated by the RAF.)
"In recognition of the assistance of New Zealand aviators to the citizens of France during WWII, NX 665/13 was donated to the people of New Zealand as a national treasure in 1964. The Lancaster was restored by the New Zealand Branch of the Bomber Command Association with support from the RNZAF and others. With just ten hours nominally remaining on the main spar, it would require a massive injection of funds to make her airworthy again. Better to rest in peace.
Bearing dual codes AA-O ND 752 of No. 75 (NZ) Sqn and SR-V of PB457 of 101 Sqn RAF, the NZ Lancaster is displayed indoors under the custodianship of the Auckland Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). In a reversal of the usual sequence, many items of the French equipment, stripped from NX 664, were returned to France to aid in the restoration of the Wallis Island aircraft."
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