P51 Mustang ex RNZAF flying at a show to open Rotorua airport in New Zealand some time in the late 60’s. Don’t know who owned it but it was painted white with some fuel company sponsorship on the side. I believe it was sold on to the US. Unfortunately I didn’t have a camera with me.

Prior to this I had been to a show at the old airport (probably its closing down show) which was a grass field in the middle of town. There, apart from the usual collection of Cessna and agricultural aircraft was a Bristol Freighter, Vampires and Harvard’s. I am also sure that we got a flypast of a Hasting, Canberra’s, and a Sunderland landed on the lake nearby and flew at the show. I vaguely remember a Beverly flying over but it may not have been at this show. Date mid to late 60’s

One of my uncles at the time I think was in command of one the transport squadrons, and I’m sure this was why we had so much air force participation.

Dave, I got to see a Vulcan flying at a show in Hamilton. I can’t remember if it landed but it did a touch and go, and ended the show with a fast run in and a steep climb to 20,000 ft in a gloriously blue sky (at least that’s how I remember it) this must have been about 1974/5

I think a good many if not all the airworthy Hornets were shipped to the far-east and scraped out there when retired, and that resulted in the type retiring from service out of reach of any museums and the like.

The Centaurus used the same bore as the Herc with a longer stroke so the sleeves would have been very similar. I am sure the issue is one of available skills and knowledge rather than basic reliability of the engine. One difference was from memory the Herc had the sleeve drives at the front but the Centaurus drives are front and back for the respective cylinder banks. Cooling fin area around the cylinder head was increased giving the visual impression of much larger cylinders.

Does anyone know who will be flying the Seafury?

Smoke from radials is not necessarily an indication of imminent failure, as the flying shots indicate, but when the engine is at idle power it will not burn the oil passing into the cylinders completely and that is when you get the smoke. Once the power is up it clears.

It was down for the Biggin Hill show with the Sea Hawk, but I don’t think it will make it from some of the news coming out last month

Number 7 is a Vought Cutlass? I think