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Post by baz62 on Jun 14, 2009 9:02:42 GMT 12
Thats an Anson alright as I recognize the shape of the tail from working on the Museum's bare frame. For comparison check out this photo. gmam.ca/images/Anson%2012%2010%20feb%2004SM2.JPGYou may be right about it not being the Red Checkers in 73 (give me a break I was only 10!!!!!!)  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 14, 2009 9:06:12 GMT 12
Sorry, I wasn't criticising you, just checking my own facts.
I have to wonder why the Anson would be there in 1973, the Historic Centre never began till 1976 so it must have been privately owned. Was Philip Burns in the RNZAF? Or is the photo from a later airshow? Is it perhaps one of the MOTAT airframes waiting for a trip north?
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Post by obiwan27 on Jun 14, 2009 9:16:47 GMT 12
I'm 100% certain the pics are from the 73 airshow. It was the first ever one I went to and several parts of the Base were open to the public, hence the photos taken in the area of the control tower. The Air Force seemed like a pretty cool place to work at by an 9 year old boy. I was especially intrigued when we went to what must have been part of the TTS where a kind of 'show and tell' talk was being given and my eye was drawn to several pictures of pretty ladies with no clothes on dotted around the workshop.....great recruitment and marketing ploy there ;-)
I'm not so certain if the Red Checkers did display but I don't remember any other public displays at Wigram prior to the Harvard's retirement in 77. No doubt someone will know. As always I am happy to be corrected, it is 36 years ago after all :-)
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Post by baz62 on Jun 14, 2009 11:08:18 GMT 12
Dave no apology needed, we need you (and the other more knowledgeable among us) to point out facts like this otherwise things become taken as true when they weren't. Philip wasn't in the RNZAF but his Dad was (bit of a legend at Wigram I believe).
I do remember there being two Anson Fuselages in the Museum (Talking 7 hangar in the early 80s). One which became the restored example we carefully rubbed down and removed corrosion then painted with primer/antirust. The other one still had remains of wooden longerons and bits of equipment and was on the remains of the one piece wing (just a few spars). The frame was pretty rusty too.
I didn't realise MoTaT got one, perhaps it is one of theirs?
Maybe Shorty would know?
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Post by baz62 on Jun 14, 2009 11:11:33 GMT 12
Actually now I think about it the Harvards may have been coming in for a buzz and break before landing as I don't recall seeing a formation aerobatic display. I never saw Harvards doing this til the Roaring Forties as the next show I attended was the 1978 Wigram one celebrating Kingfords Smiths arrival.
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Post by shorty on Jun 14, 2009 12:33:45 GMT 12
Looking at that photo I would have said it was a servicing stand! It's definitely not NZ 612 that I got and Don now has, that was loaded onto a Herc direct from where it had been stored up by the garages and flew north on 18-7-68.
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Post by obiwan27 on Jun 14, 2009 14:50:11 GMT 12
Here's a close up of the article in question. What does it look like now??  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 14, 2009 15:06:40 GMT 12
I hate to say this but my first thought too was it's a servicing stand. Can we get a bigger blow up of it please?
The two Anson airframes the museum had both came from Swannanoa at the same time I believe. One was restored, the other one apparently scrapped afterwards.
The one I mentioned as being connected to MOTAT is the one that Shorty refers to, which is often associated with MOTAT (I assume they once owned it?) but is now in the hands of Don subritzky.
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Post by baz62 on Jun 14, 2009 19:07:22 GMT 12
No not a servicing stand as I remember the whole fuselage being there. If you look closely you can see the position for the tailwheel as per my attached photo of the other Anson.
If its not perhaps I have a brain tumour!!
Additional: (Ken (obiwan) is living with me at the moment so easy to discuss the photo) Ken remembers the whole fuselage frame as well and it is definitely 1973 as Dad had the camera and we got this shot after NZ1099 by the tower. So a mystery Anson then!
We will try and blow the picture up a bit better.
Baz ;D
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Post by obiwan27 on Jun 14, 2009 20:36:33 GMT 12
How about this?  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 14, 2009 21:27:20 GMT 12
It's even smaller.
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Post by obiwan27 on Jun 14, 2009 21:44:05 GMT 12
Bugger!!!! Can't seem to get the 'zoom' to stick......Would you like to have a try Dave?
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Post by baz62 on Jun 15, 2009 15:45:39 GMT 12
The other thing that confirms its an Anson is the hingeline of the fin where the rudder would attach. Its not perfectly vertical but slopes forward at the top.
Baz ;D
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Post by obiwan27 on Jun 15, 2009 17:34:10 GMT 12
Here's a good shot of the Anson tail for comparison, taken while we were working on her during one of our Sunday afternoon stints.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 15, 2009 19:26:15 GMT 12
So basically it's just the tail. Was it perhaps an instructional piece used for students to work on?
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Post by baz62 on Jun 15, 2009 20:18:11 GMT 12
Possible however there is signs of some kind of support in the photo which indicates to me there is a substantial piece there.
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Post by baz62 on Jun 17, 2009 16:17:48 GMT 12
I mentioned our little mystery to my exRNZAF friend at work. He is going to ask another chap who was at Wigram in 1973.
One idea he did have was perhaps the Vampire and the Anson frame belonged to the Radio School and were used in training to calibrate radar. Pete didn't get to Wigram til 1978 but they used a couple of Devons for the same thing.
Interesting eh?
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Post by baz62 on Jun 22, 2009 15:19:02 GMT 12
Ok my friend got hold of Alan MacDonnel (Pronounced Dunnell) who served at Wigram in 1973. He states he remembers the 1973 50th Anniversary air show AND more importantly that the Vampire AND the Anson were there on display. Also present was the Monospar and Spartan. Plus there was a lot of "Brass" milling about them he relates. From what he recalls both the Vampire and the Anson belonged to Joe Burn's son which of course is Philip.
So at least I can confirm someone else saw them there as well and Ken and myself aren't mixing up photos and dates. As to whether they did belong to Philip some inquiries should sort that out as well.
;D
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Post by obiwan27 on Jun 24, 2009 15:39:31 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 24, 2009 22:12:10 GMT 12
Great photos in those cuttings Ken, thanks for posting them. I especially love the Baffin and Gordon photos.
What did the caption under the Baffin say, it's been cut off. It looks like "Members of the Christchurch (Territorial) Squadron...." what's after that?
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