Wanaka today – sad news

I have tried. It only changes the title inside the thread, but not on the forum main page. The way this forum is set up it doesn’t allow the title to be changed by the poster.

Where are the moderators??????????

Dave H, can you not edit the title since you are the original poster?

Dave

Yes, might be a good idea, as this is the second time this thread has nearly given me a coroany! 😮

Yes, please change the title! Instant sickening flashback to the news of Tom Middleton.

While flying the SNJ with him the day before the start of Wanaka 2000, we got into a heated argument about spin recovery in a Pitts. I relented in the discussions, something I have always felt horrible about since.

Sir Tim was at Arlington last year and I had the honor of giving him the tour, but I felt kind of silly telling him about his Rata, Oscar, Spitfire, Emil and Hurricane. A true gentleman.
Norm

Maybe a moderator could please alter the title of this dredged up ancient thread, it gave me a bit of a fright till I realised I wrote it!

Yes, might be a good idea, as this is the second time this thread has nearly given me a coroany! 😮

Cheers

Paul

Indeed. There’s lots more warbirds in NZ than just Wanaka. For example there will be an Anson Mk I flying here in a few months time, now that will be something to see.

NZ is still one of the worlds “undiscovered”….

With all the work being done at Avspecs and with Peter Jacksons collection…Two islands rich in history…:)

sorry, didn’t think about the headline! tried searching the web but to no avail. damn shame its being broken up but i’ m sure they will all find a good home.:eek:

Me too Dave…thought there must have been an accident today, which I hadn’t heard about..perhaps a little more thought in dredging up old threads would be good…..is it so hard to start another? Or failing that a quick Google search would have garnered the info.

Dave

Mark Stringer,

See the NZFPM’s website for latest news. It has been updated recently.
http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/

The historic Fox Moth recently went to Canada. The Spitfire is doing just fine at Temora.

There is stil a Chaika and a Rata with the collection, and the Hurricane, Chipmunk, Tiger Moth and SE5 replica. I’m told they’re still all up for sale.

Maybe a moderator could please alter the title of this dredged up ancient thread, it gave me a bit of a fright till I realised I wrote it!

Wanaka news

What a disaster for New Zealand aviation, quite apart from the historical value, the collection was just about the only fighter aircraft New Zealand could put in the air in the event of an attack. Lets hope these warbirds find a good home.

Anybody have any updates on the collection? has anything else found its ways to new owners yet?

I believe that’s correct. And another pilot who flew that plane, Deryck “Bill” Kain, lived here in Cambridge till his death a few years ago. He provided the control column that’s in the aircraft now. More significantly for NZ is it was one of the Hurricanes that did the flypast at Cobber Kain’s funeral.

The aircraft you saw Paul was a Fox Moth, not a Gipsy Moth.

Hi Dave – thanks for correcting me. I have absolutely no idea whatsoever why I called it a Gypsy Moth – of course it is a Fox Moth! I must have been brain dead when I wrote the article.

It will be superb if the Hurricane can stay at Wanaka. One of its original WW2 pilots lives in the town as far as I remember. So I guess it does have a sort of local connection.

Paul

Sir Tim Wallis actually had three Spitfires before his crash. He had a Mk V based in the UK which was sold off shortly after his accident. He also had other aircraft that were sold off which we never saw in NZ, including a Bf109. In fact it has to have been one of the best fighter collections the warbird world has ever seen with the following passing through it’s ownership at various times:

Spitfires x 3
Hurricane (plus several others rebuilt for UK by Sir Tim’s Hawker Restorations)
Corsair
P-40K
Avenger
Zero Replica
Rata x 6
Chaika x 3
Yak 3
Tiger Moth
Fox Moth
Chipmunk
C-47
AN-2 (x ?)
Buchon (x 2?)
Wildcat
Bf109F
P-51D (x 3)
Bf110 x 3

The reason for his accident has always been out in the open, he never kept it quiet. A stupid mistake basically. Very sad but true.

The aircraft you saw Paul was a Fox Moth, not a Gipsy Moth.

I heard on Sunday that the Hurricane has also been sold, but as there were dozens of rumours circulating the base over the weekend after the big bombshell hit, and this is wholly unconfirmed.

It would be nice if the Hurricane was to be retained at Wanaka by another operator, as there is quite a warbird fraternity there now, but I can only cross my fingers on this one. Over the weekend was the first time I have ever seen a Hurricane flying, and it must be the same for many Kiwis that it’s such a rare opportunity, unlike in the UK where they are fairly plentiful. It’d be nice if it stayed here in my opinon, as a memorial to all the Kiwis who flew the type in the war. It’s apparently the best preserved example in the world, ifyou believe the comentators at the show. Knowing the AFC’s work, it’s probably quite right.

From the long list above of their aircraft, I believe the AFC now only owns the Hurricane (?), Fox Moth, Tiger, Chippie and around two each of the Rata and Chaika, though one of the Ratas may just have sold I’m told, and the other is damaged after it’s gear collapsed recently.

I am so glad I made the huge trip down to Wanaka, it was a superb show with fantastic flying and an amazing atmosphere. The news of the Spitfire and the collection did dampen spirits a little for everyone there but almost everyone I talked to understood the reasoning and were not too bitter. The collection’s owners can do what they wish with their aircraft, who are we to moan? We’re all so grateful to Sir Tim for igniting the Warbird community some 21 years ago and keeping it among the best in the world for so long. He’s a true hero, and I wish him well, and all his many dedicated workers.

The airshow may go on and still be as good in 2008, or maybe not. Who knows? OFMC may also be gone by then. But I will never forget my experiences at Wanaka and elsewhere with these fantastic fighters, especially Wanaka 06 which was the best show I’ve ever seen.

No idea why Rolls changed the direction of rotation but I do know the Griffon was designed well before the war.[/QUOTE]
I read somewhere .Dont recall where, that the rotation of the Griffon to the opposite of the Merlin was to conform with the American standard, Can anyone confirm or deny this?. Also talking to a old Spit pilot friend, his comment was that the Griffon “Pranged a lot of our chaps” by this exact problem Sir Tim had of putting the trim the wrong way after years of flying Merlin engine machines.. Old habits are hard to forget sometimes i guess, but this one has real serious consequences.. Cheers WilliP

The Spit XIV in question (NH799) is still undergoing rebuild. Not sure where, though.

In store under Avspecs care at Ardmore on The North Island NZ

Mark

Thanks Paul, thats just what I figured, with the trim set in the wrong direction the torque was too much for Tim to overcome. No idea why Rolls changed the direction of rotation but I do know the Griffon was designed well before the war.

Sir Tim had 2 Spitfires – the Mark XVI that is now being sold, plus a Mark XIV. Most of his Spitfire flying hours were on the Mark XVI, with its Merlin engine. He flew this one late one evening. Early the following morning, he climbed into his Griffin engined Mark XIV, trimmed it for take-off, whilst still in the frame of mind to fly his other Spitfire. As you probably know, the Griffin engine rotates the opposite direction to the Merlin. Therefore, Sir Tim trimmed the aircraft in the wrong direction.

On take off, this proved to be near fatal to Sir Tim and obviously wrote the aircraft off. Perhaps someone can enlighten me as to why Rolls Royce changed the engine direction? There must have been a good reason, but I bet it caused a hell of a lot of crashes and presumably deaths.

As Sir Tim related this story to me, he added, with a simple smile, possibly out of embarassment “I forgot, simply forgot”. About half an hour later during my tour of his hangar, he stopped by his wonderful Gypsy Moth and explained the history of it and how it was used by King Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, on holiday. When we went to move on to the next exhibit, his wheel chair simply spun round and round, as he had left one of the brakes on. His nurse leaned forward and told him the brake was on. He looked up at me, smiled wryly and said “I forgot, simply forgot”.

After all he has been through, it was great to see he still has a sense of humour.

Paul

The Spit XIV in question (NH799) is still undergoing rebuild. Not sure where, though.

That’s a shame to here about the collection splitting up. Hopefully they aircraft will get treated as pieces of the past and not scrap wherever their new home is.