Vintage Wings of Canada (VWC) in Gatineau, Quebec, is pleased to announce the acquisition of three airframes to the collection; a De Havilland DH-83 Fox Moth, a Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk IV and a Vought F4U-4 Corsair. These follow the Swordfish which arrived on October 31st.
The Fox Moth has been acquired from Sir Tim Wallis of Wanaka, New Zealand. It is construction number 4033 and is currently registered ZK-AEK. Originally built for the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) in 1932, 4033 was later used in commercial service in New Zealand and was abandoned in Fiji in 1957. The aircraft was recovered and restored by Colin Smith from 1998 to 1993 in the authentic colours it wore as the Prince of Wales’ airplane. It won the award as Reserve Grand Champion Antique at Oshkosh in 1993. Wallis bought the DH-83 soon afterwards and took it back to New Zealand. The DH-83 Fox Moth has special Canadian interest since many DH-83Cs were built in Toronto after war production came to an end and before the DHC-1 Chipmunk started full production in 1948. The DH-83Cs were used extensively as bush planes in northern Canada. The aircraft is currently being shipped from New Zealand and is expected in the VWC hangar shortly after Christmas. There are no plans to change the paint scheme.
The Kittyhawk was built as a P-40N and is currently under restoration with Pioneer Aero in New Zealand. It is RAAF s/n A29-414, USAAF s/n 42-104827 and construction number 28589. This airframe was operated 78 Squadron RAAF. A29-414 crashed on landing in poor conditions at Tadji in New Guinea in 1944 and was abandoned. A29-414 was recovered and shipped to Pioneer Aero in 2001 and the restoration commenced. The project has been acquired by VWC and the restoration, now well underway, will be completed Pioneer. VWC estimates the arrival of A29-414 at the hangar in 12 to 16 months. VWC has decided to paint the aircraft in the markings of 260 squadron to recognize the remarkable exploits of Stocky Edwards who was a Flight Sergeant at the time and is now the highest scoring World War II fighter ace among living Canadians.
The Corsair is a F4U-4 with Bureau Number 97359, construction number 9513 and is currently registered N240CA. In civilian life this Corsair was used in the filming of the television series “Ba Ba Black Sheep”. It was restored by Pacific Fighters in Idaho Falls, Idaho, from 1998 to 2002 and won the Grand Champion award at Oshkosh. The aircraft will spend this winter at Atlanta and Palm Beach and arrival at VWC is expected in the spring of 2007.
You can look forward to viewing these aircraft at an upcoming air show, or at one of the VWC Open House events to be held in the summer of 2007.
By: mrhenniger - 11th December 2006 at 15:33
Great news on a P4o and a Corsair. I wonder what markings they will acquire eventually?
I have been told the P-40 will be something similar in appearance to this model…
http://www.largescaleplanes.com/articles/WW2/BrianCauchi/P-40K/P-40K.html
Mike
By: mrhenniger - 11th December 2006 at 15:30
But I note they state it served with the RNZAF. Wrong, there never was a 78 Sqn RNZAF. This is an RAAF machine through and through.
Sorry about that Dave. I have corrected the error above. No matter how careful one is, these mistakes get through, even with proof readers.
Mike
By: Bruce - 11th December 2006 at 15:29
Quite so
How significant is an aircraft that was crashed, abandoned, and rebuilt from nothing with all new wood?
Do I not remember it operating in the UK for a while a few years back?
You might also remember the Jean Batten Gull, that was allowed to leave the UK to go to New Zealand. Should we have stopped that?
Bruce
By: Yak 11 Fan - 11th December 2006 at 15:11
Crap!! A hugely important piece of NZ’s aviation history, that Fox moth, is going overseas. I hope its sale is stopped like the DH89 earlier in the year, as I’m sure it would fall into the same category if not higher of nationl treasures. It was one of our first ever airliners in the 1930’s. Damn!!!
What rubbish, does that mean we can have the Bristol Fighter back, or maybe the Hurricane or numerous other aircraft that have been sent to New Zealand in recent years? The free trade in these machines can only help the preservation movement worldwide.
By: Peter - 11th December 2006 at 15:05
Theyll need a hangar expansion
Great news on a P4o and a Corsair. I wonder what markings they will acquire eventually?
By: Dave Homewood - 11th December 2006 at 14:55
Crap!! A hugely important piece of NZ’s aviation history, that Fox moth, is going overseas. I hope its sale is stopped like the DH89 earlier in the year, as I’m sure it would fall into the same category if not higher of nationl treasures. It was one of our first ever airliners in the 1930’s. Damn!!!
It’s good to see Pioneer has found a good home for its P-40N that they;ve had for sale for some time. But I note they state it served with the RNZAF. Wrong, there never was a 78 Sqn RNZAF. This is an RAAF machine through and through.
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December 11, 2006 at 2:02 pm