Dave,

Sorry to go off-topic but having flown up front in Consul G-AIKR during its time with the Rapid Flying Group at Baginton UK, I was delighted to see it’s still safe as depicted in the background to your shot. I became reacquainted with it only a few years ago when I photographed it in store at Ottawa. I’ve looked at the Wigram link from your own excellent website but what progress can you report on its restoration to Oxford status – the Wigram site only illustrates the wing centre-section?

Regards
Tim

Hi Tim,

The Consul is undergoing a major restoration, estimated to be about ten years in length (and is about 2 years into that) to restore it to Oxford status. It belongs to a Canadian museum but is on long term loan to the RNZAF Museum at Wigram. The restorers are doing a really stunning job, in what looks to be a painstaking restoration. The main woodworker chap, Brian, was saying it’s a big job because so much was changed when it was converted to a Consul and now they’re changing it back, but trying not to destroy too much original material. They’re combining the Consul with the remains of at least one RNZAF Oxford to get the result of a complete Oxbox.

You can see some more photos of it on my forum here:
http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=display&thread=1145936302

No need to apologise Glenn, they look great that size and worth the wee wait, if any.

That F-111 shot overhead is fantastic. They’re all stunning actually.

Feel free to post some of your photos on the NZ forum too where i’m sure they’ll be very much appreciated, at http://rnzaf.proboards43.com

You’ll really upset the poms calling all that blue sky ‘poor weather’, hehe

Though I generally abhor grafitti and the idiots who create it, I have to admit that there is the occassional piece that is classic. One that Billy Connolly pointed out as being so clever he used to visit it on every trip back to Wellington, NZ till it was recently demolished with the wall it was painted on, which read,

“You can always tell and Australian. But you can’t tell him much!”

Dave, that was me actually. Pleased to have entertained the crowd 🙂

This is how it looked from my end But Im looking for a photo from the other end 🙂

Ah, well done mate that’s a stunning shot. I didn’t photograph the event myselof because I was too busy 50% laughing and 50% freaking out! It looked bloody close yet hilarious. He was definately doing it for a laugh. I’m sure Mikael would like that shot.

I believe that was also you sat at the table when I walked into Slainte and tapped Setter and Mark12 on the shoulders. Sorry I didn’t get to meet you properly. I didn’t realise everyone was going to go to bed so early.

Bizeops, I agree with you wholeheartedly. The commentary was highly entertaining. Don’t forget the others too, Jim Hickey who’s a local hero after many years as a TV weather man and television aviator, Graham somebody who’s name currently escapes me, Ian Brodie, and the expert commentary from great fighter pilots Max Collett and Jack Stanton which were interesting to hear. I also liked the way Jim and Joe did those pre-recorded interviews with the likes of Keith Skilling, John Lamont, Garth Hogan, etc, and I liked the way Joe set up Keith with a mic so he could commentate on his own Corsair display. He sounded so relaxed and at home in the cockpit and was even able to crack a few jokes whilst going through his always great and tight routine.

I don’t think anywhere could beat that scenery, for an airshow or for anything, and I was also impressed with the selection of food and the ease of getting to it, no real long cues like you see at other events.

I tend to agree about the Warhorses. Jerry and Joe seemed to love them but most people in the crowd couldn’t see them, even if you were on the fenceline. They have a place there yes, but maybe not during the display. I was really impressed with the real army displaying their new LAV-4’s, they move much faster than I’d imagined.

And I simply loved seeing the Indian replica going through it’s paces, passing the Bleriot as if leaving it for dead. Great stuff. I was chatting with Ray Mulqueen, the chief engineer with AFC and one of the great unsung heroes of all Warbirds Over Wanakas, and he said getting the bike there was his idea long before the film came out, because he knew the film would be popular and it had personal meaning to him because as a youth he’d raced alongside Burt Munro. Great stuff. Nice to hear Roger Donaldson’s own comments too. He’s a world class hero in his own right.

Something else that immediately comes to mid when I think of the show is seeing the Yak 3, LA-9 and L-39 in close formation, and then just the LA-9 and L-39 in a really close and completely beautiful display – and hearing the commentary say the L-39 jet was struggling to keep up! Fantastic.

With regards to NZ getting shows right compared with the UK, on the Sunday I was on the fenceline next toi an interesting young chap who works for Aerotec at

While at the RNZAF Museum last week I attempted to photograph the Gibson Girl for you. The instructions are on top but are slightly obscured. It’s behind glass obviously so i couldn’t remove the label, but you’ll get the gist I hope. No sign of the alledged instruction as far as I can tell.

Great photo Ron!