NZ quake

http://westmuse.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/from-museumsaotearoa-new-zealand/

Museum staff at Wigram OK it is reported. That’s good news!

I have visited the excellent museum and its archive, and I certainly hope it (and more importantly the staff) have come through safely. From memory, some buildings and hangars are concrete, there are some suspended aircraft and a couple of two-story buildings.

We have also not heard anything reliable from Ferrymead, but it may have been hard hit according to unconfirmed reports. Certainly some of Ferrymead’s buildings are much less substantial than the RNZAF museum’s.

However there are more urgent works needed elsewhere at the moment.

Regular aeronautic local reports on Dave Homewood’s forum here: http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=12932

I’m a New Zealander with a friend who volunteers at the Wigram museum, I have heard no updates from him re the museum but he is personally ok. Also down there is the Ferrymead facility, home to a Mosquito rebuild, complete Viscount and R4D and numerous other aircraft and exhibits, and I have heard no news about them.

My family and friends in Christchurch are all safe and well, ditto for my fiancé, however I have been watching the TV when I can – we even have it on in the store at which I work – and the damage is truly devastating. Foreign governments have passed on their condolences but also offers of assistance, several of which have been taken up. It is tragic, but the resilience of the Christchurch citizens is stunning and inspiring.

I was wondering how the RNZAF museum has faired in all this?

From their website….

The research collection consists of two archives. The paper archive comprises personal collections, manuscripts and ephemera, logbooks, journals, technical drawings and publications, maps and a research library of over 3,500 books. The photographic archive comprises some 700,000 prints and negatives as well as photographic albums, film and sound objects.

…I will post this link anyway.

http://rebuildchristchurch.co.nz/suburbs-damage/wigram

Hi Eric,
Thanks for that – however it reads like a report after last year’s quake, not yesterday’s, and there’s been no recent feedback on Dave Homewood’s forum to match it, although it sees likely that damage is probably low as the airfield is some distance – and on ‘more solid ground’ than the city.

Thoughts go out to the people of Christchurch at this tough time.

Regards,

As an ambulanceman I deal with both the injured and deceased, almost on a daily basis, but I still find it hard to convey the right words when something on this scale occurrs like this.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Christchurch at this time.

Can anyone confirm if Pete West is okay? He works for Flypast and creates those wonderful three-view-illustrations. I cannot remember if he lives in Christchurch or not?

CONFIRMED SAFE AND WELL AND NOT LIVING ANYWHERE NEAR CHRISTCHURCH. My thoughts are with those affected.

There is another thread running in GD as well.

Though probably not the place for this….John

I think there is absolutely a place for this John. Historic flying is about much more than just aeroplanes. People matter, and everyone on this forum will probably have communicated sometime with fellow enthusiasts in NZ.

Glad your son is OK, and thoughts are with all affected by this tragedy.

Here in Auss we are in shock with todays events.Prayers go to all over there..Going to be tough for them to recover from today.

Though probably not the place for this, I have just heard from my son who is an aircraft engineer at Christchurch and lives just north of the city and they are thankfully all OK though there has been much loss of life and devastation. I know there are some other forum members from Christchurch area and I hope they are OK too.

John