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Post by hairy on Apr 24, 2008 18:32:36 GMT 12
I've been threatening to do this for awhile and now I have finally got a decent scanner..................  First up how about a day in the life of DeHavilland of New Zealand, 20th October 1944. The prop shop, Moa Point. (Wellingtonites, is this building still around at Moa Pt?)  How to make a Tiger prop.......Step 1  ...............Step 2  ...............Step 3  Morning tea.  "Maori girls stitch a Tiger Moth wing watched by Wayne Parrish (American Aircraft) & Nicolas Higgs, General Manager, DH of NZ."  The Dope shop.  Inside the dope shop.  The engine test rig.  Afternoon tea.  Left to right - ?, J.Dodds, ?, ?,Andy Sutton.  Left to right - W.Temple, T.Sheehan (seated), J.Johnston. Hope you enjoy  |
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Post by stingray on Apr 24, 2008 19:16:35 GMT 12
excellent photos thanks for sharing
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2008 20:40:43 GMT 12
Wow, what a superb post Marcus, thanks so much for sharing those excellent photos. I feel like I've had a tour of the factory. Are they Leo White photos?
When did DHNZ finally come to an end? Were they active postwar to support the various Tiger Moths, Dominies, Mosquitoes and Devons in service?
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Post by hairy on Apr 24, 2008 21:01:45 GMT 12
Are they Leo White photos? I'd like to think so but I can't say absolutly, but................................here is the back of the "Maori girls" photo  And here is Leos dedication in my copy of his book Wingspread.  Whatya reckon?  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2008 21:09:57 GMT 12
I would say it's almost conclusively his writing. You really know how to find these old photos mate. Now that you have a good scanner, I hope we may get a peak at a few more.
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Post by hairy on Apr 24, 2008 21:17:02 GMT 12
Would you believe the scanner goes up to 9600 x 4800dpi, the posted pix are only 150dpi.  I was thinking of unusual visitors to Whenuapai next. ;D |
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Post by corsair67 on Apr 24, 2008 21:38:19 GMT 12
What an incredible selection of images there.
Love the morning and afternoon tea shots! ;D
Does anyone know where the engine test rig was located?
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Post by flyjoe180 on Apr 24, 2008 22:00:30 GMT 12
Can't say I have seen any buildings of this appearance at Moa Point. The hill behind it could be where the sewage works are now situated. I'll take a proper look tomorrow and get back to you.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2008 22:10:51 GMT 12
I think the 'morning tea' and 'afternoon tea' shots were actually taken during the same smoko break, judging by the positon of the buns on the table. All those lovely sticky buns!
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Post by hairy on Apr 24, 2008 22:40:12 GMT 12
Okay, I confess I split the pics into morning and afternoon tea, they just say DH Rongotai and Oct '44 on the back. Oh dear me my credability is shot, how can they ever trust me again......... ;D Bruce, check out the brand name on the bikkie tin on the tea trolley. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 24, 2008 22:52:30 GMT 12
;D No worries mate, it was well edited into the sequence. Sorry for pulling you up on it.
It's really interesting seeing the propellers being made. I wonder how many went in the bin for being unbalanced, or for one false slip with the spokeshave. A real art I'd think making them.
Some of the men there look like they'd fit in well in a Mr Cholmondley-Warner film.
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Post by hairy on Apr 24, 2008 23:06:40 GMT 12
I reckon the polished metal prop on the floor is a work of art. |
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Post by lumpy on Apr 25, 2008 9:20:36 GMT 12
Pretty confident the photo of the guy painting the props has been posed for the camera . I know dress codes were a bit different then , but look how hes dressed - not really paint shop attire ( and also in contrast to workers in the other photos ) . Also , I doubt they would want over spray on that polished prop on the floor ( a lot of work would have gone into that ) . Great photos all the the same , very interesting indeed
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 26, 2008 12:06:11 GMT 12
You're probably right lumpy about the posed nature of the photo. It does look like they sprayed paint there, note the overspray on the wall, but I doubt they'd stack finished items right next to they workplace like that. Is the polished prop an actual propeller? Or is it one of those master tool things for balancing engines or whatever? I don't know of anything that would have been made or maintained by that factory that had a metal polished two bladed prop like that.
In the second to last show of the five chaps in front of the Tiger Moth, what is that just left of the propeller hub? Is it a light or something? It almost looks like a funnel.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 26, 2008 17:09:50 GMT 12
The "funnel" on the Tiger moth is actually the propeller spinner cap, but it appears to have been slid backwards onto its central screw. My guess is that is because the Propeller hasnt had its final inspection yet to check that all the lock tabs are in place on the bolts.
regarding the beautiful metal prop, I think that is off the former Wellington Aero Club Waco that would have been in for rebuild at about the time the photos were taken. The engine in the test stand is a radial, and its not an Armstrong Sidney Cheetah Which would be the only radial I would expect to see at DH (Oxford or Anson) , so I'm guessing its a Continental out of a Sherman tank, which was used to re-engine the Waco at the time.
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Post by hairy on Apr 26, 2008 18:45:43 GMT 12
Maybe it was a prop for this in for refurbishment?  ZK-AJS Update **WRONG**  See below. |
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Post by hairy on Apr 26, 2008 18:57:19 GMT 12
Nope, not the Beech, I'm pretty sure Bruce is correct.  I just skipped ahead of where I was up to and scanned this.........  Looks like the same prop to me. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 26, 2008 20:47:13 GMT 12
Yes, that looks like it. Thanks. I never realised the prop hub was hinged like that on a Tiger Moth.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Apr 27, 2008 9:18:21 GMT 12
I had a look around Moa Point yesterday, there were no such building remaining, but I'm sure that landscape is close to the airport, where the sewage plant is now. Having said that the landscape has been altered significantly since those photos were taken, with the building of Rongotai Airport and the surrounding extensions for the runway etc.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Apr 28, 2008 15:44:37 GMT 12
The engine test bed was not far from the southern end of the main runway on the side of the road near Moa point. Was still there in the late 1960s, believe it was removed mid 1970s?
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