I found an old article today from the Waikato Times newspaper, which is a fairly large circulation regional daily paper here, dated the 24th of June 1984. It’s about the construction at RNZAF Woodbourne of the fibreglass Spitfire replica the RNZAF made to replace the real TE288 at the Brevet Club, Harewood, Christchurch, NZ.
The text states that as far as they were aware, this was the first ever full sized fibreglass Spitfire replica to be built. Can anyone dispute this? Or is it really the first?
Incidentally it was built by the RNZAF who moulded off the real thing after it’s paint was stripped. Apparently the mould was so accurate it even replicatse scratches on the real thing. Also involved were the Central Institute of Technology who designed the metal framework inside the GRP, and the stand and structure claculations so it could withstand gale force winds. This was the first of several made from the moulds. This first one was sadly fire bombed by some terroristic vandal just months after erection and was lost, so the RNZAF made a second one. they then made one for an Aussie museum (don’t know where) and another now hangs in a mall at Westgate near RNZAF Whenuapai (perhaps the same one?). Lastly the one in Hamilton which was made after aviation pioneer Ozzie James and his team purchased the moulds.
By: Dave Homewood - 22nd March 2007 at 10:23
Gee, the poor old thing was a bit weather beaten. It looks much happier these days and I think its replacement probably looks better than that had done too.
By: G-ORDY - 22nd March 2007 at 09:58
Here’s the real TE288 being taken away on 5 March 1984.
By: Dave Homewood - 21st March 2007 at 04:44
Dave,
Your NZ replica will not be totally GRP. It will be built up on a wooden or steel armature.
Indeed, as I mentioned the Central Institute of Technology designed the metal framework
The BoB replicas were constructed using a plywood armature and clad in full GRP skinning using a plaster mould generated from a full size original donor, in this case Mk V BM597.
Cheers.
TE288 will not be on the data plates…only the constructor’s number
Ah yes. Well I’m sure they have it on some paerwork in the archive or somewhere…
Unfortunately the Air Force Museum at Wigram do not have the manpower available to paint either the correct RAF serial, TE288, or the alias serial, ‘TB625’, appropriate to its current markings OU-V ‘Rongotea’. :rolleyes: This despite the offer of a cut full size military stencil.
It’s probably not a manpower thing, rather a prority thing. It is a shame but 99.9% of the public would never notice nor would they care. I used to visit there almost every weekend for nearly three years and never noticed, and I was in the painting trade! it was only on this forum i learned the serial was missing.
This is all doubly confusing as NZ has two GRP replicas, both, as I understand it, painted as ‘TE288’. 🙂
No, now there are three! Harewood, Hamilton and Westgate mall’s examples all carry that serial 🙂
By: John Aeroclub - 20th March 2007 at 20:32
TE 288 the Christchurch Spitfire XVI replica. It is extremely convincing even close up.
John
By: 25deg south - 20th March 2007 at 20:05
Specialised Mouldings of Huntingdon U.K. certainly had constructed a 1:1glass fibre Spitfire replica pre 1986.
Some might remember it at Duxford in the mid ’80s.
Those in “Piece of Cake” were built by Feggans Brown a couple of years later and include motorised and taxying variants.
By: CSheppardholedi - 20th March 2007 at 14:04
All depends on the definition of replica. I don’t think this one from 1943 wold stand up to close inspection!;)
By: Mark12 - 20th March 2007 at 13:37
Dave,
Your NZ replica will not be totally GRP. It will be built up on a wooden or steel armature.
The BoB replicas were constructed using a plywood armature and clad in full GRP skinning using a plaster mould generated from a full size original donor, in this case Mk V BM597.
TE288 will not be on the data plates…only the constructor’s number
Unfortunately the Air Force Museum at Wigram do not have the manpower available to paint either the correct RAF serial, TE288, or the alias serial, ‘TB625’, appropriate to its current markings OU-V ‘Rongotea’. :rolleyes: This despite the offer of a cut full size military stencil.
This is all doubly confusing as NZ has two GRP replicas, both, as I understand it, painted as ‘TE288’. 🙂
Mark
By: Dave Homewood - 20th March 2007 at 12:14
I did wonder about that film when I read the article, hence asking. I couldn’t recall if the Spitfires were GRP or wooden – they burned like wood but then the burning ones may have been.
Disregarding film props, was this the first GRP one built to go on a pole as a gate guard?
Of course it’s TE288, it’s on the data plates (I assume…) Oh well, the number is on all its replicas!
By: Mark12 - 20th March 2007 at 11:33
Dave,
How do you know it is TE288? 😉
Upwards of 20 GRP Spitfire full size replicas, I am sure, were made for the BoB film in 1967/8.
Mark
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March 20, 2007 at 11:11 am