Too bad that the two pictures are currently unavailable
I can see them! The Salmson photo at The Aerodrome is actually the first of two photos of that replica on Airliners.net by Mick Bajcar: https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Salmson-2/750632?qsp=eJwtjEEKwkAMRe%2BStRsRXHSnF6gLLxAmHy2ddoYkoEPp3U0Hd4/34G2Uyur4%2BrNV0EAG1vSmE1VWXoyGjWa0T1Gxo3JerKyRrajfWyhhxy0lVIf8/agCPRIs9dMrzucA6KMzXa7hZbKauT/gPGXa9x%2Bn%2Bi%2BY
And with apologies/thanks to Major Larabee at The Aerodrome, here’s the Gunbus photo they also linked over there way back when:
Gunbus replica Major Larabee via The Aerodrome by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Disassembly of the Mosquito for transport has begun. The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre team has shared more details and photos about the Mossie mission today on Facebook:
It was a magnificent weekend here in the Top of the South which saw a large team from the Omaka aviation community, head to Mapua to prepare the John Smith Mosquito fighter bomber for her journey to Omaka in Marlborough. It was a big day and a productive one with fantastic team spirit shared by a great crew of dedicated supporters. Thank you to everyone who participated and the many more that offered. We look forward to sharing more of this epic journey with you. Click on the images for more details & if you would like to contribute financially any assistance big or small is much appreciated, please visit see our Give-A-Little page https://bit.ly/3jvpAL6
NZ2336 Mapua 150820 OAHC 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Start of the day – John Saunders at left explains the journey travelled so far to reach the point at which the gathered team could prepare to ready the aircraft for its big shift. This line-up features key people in the mission. from left, John, Mike Nicholls, family members Jo, George and Robbie Smith, Bill Reid, and newly appointed Project leader, Al Marshall.
For those unfamiliar with the name, Al Marshall is the brains behind the restoration of Omaka’s resident Bristol B.170 Freighter to taxiing condition.
NZ2336 Mapua 150820 OAHC 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
By the late afternoon, much progress had been made with a key milestone being reached with the removal of the propellers by a team from Airbus at Woodbourne. By this stage Cowls and flaps are off, props, gun access doors, ammo boxes, bomb bay doors. Jay’s JEM Aviation Ltd team has the port engine ready to lift out (that was a huge job) and the starboard nacelle is off with the port nacelle nearly ready to come off too.
The Fighter Flights team, which operates Reno racing Yak-3 Full Noise, has also been sharing photos of the work underway:
The innards of the Mosquito expose just how complex it is to create a multi role aircraft. Not only does this Mossie carry 4x 20 mm Cannon and 4 x .303 machine guns but there’s still room for bombs and Chelsea golden syrup as well. Awesome.
NZ2336 ammo and gun doors Fighter Flights via FB by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Apparently there had been whispers of a second Mosquito in John’s collection, but it was a (very welcome) surprise to me! On July 24 Avspecs released a short video tour of the parts haul, which is only visible on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Avspecs/posts/3602073823159358
Mustang Two Three came out of the shed yesterday and bits are already on the way to Ohakea ahead of the big move next week: https://www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555/permalink/4239229772785791/
For those who don’t do Facebook here’s Brendon Deere’s post:
P51D NZ2423 out in the sun today for the first time in nearly 60 years as it prepares for its journey up to Ohakea next week. A container full of all its other parts, spares and the remains of several other RNZAF Mustangs started the journey north today. The main radiator and a bunch of other stuff is journeying back with me tonight on the ferry Kaiarahi – marking the first stage of the return of NZ2423 to RNZAF Ohakea where it spent its operational life.
A great team did a magnificent job over the last two days. Led by John Saunders and Mike Nichols, a lot of really hard work was done by Mit Brereton, Graham Andrews, Ryan Southam, Robbie Smith and Jo Smith – all under the watchful eye of George Smith who fittingly closed the doors on the container today.
Brendon’s photos, again from Facebook (I hope he doesn’t mind):
NZ2423 Mapua 140820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
NZ2423 Mapua 140820 Brendon Deere via Facebook 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
John Smith’s brother George at the wing root.
NZ2423 Mapua crew 140820 Brendon Deere via Facebook by Zac Yates, on Flickr
I think jeepman may have meant to post the message seen on TVAL’s homepage, rather than a cryptic one of his own?
The end of an era by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Thank you Colin, I for one have done my best to remain positive despite the negative changes and the constant, fairly consistent barrage of negativity from various folk. I’m optimistic the forum will continue as things do seem to have picked up in recent weeks. I doubt it will return to its previous self, and the idea that UKAR would be the saviour of Historic Aviation discussion is not one I adhere to given my experience there over the last month or two. But again, I remain optimistic for that site also.
That said, I’d still like to know from anyone about the functionality of the new PM function. I messaged a long-term member who may not have migrated, the site shows (1) before the site name in my browser and the PM link (see red squares in screengrab below) but I cannot for the life of me find any messages in my PMs despite the one I sent.
Phantom PM by Zac Yates, on Flickr
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