It is the sole Vincent Errol. The Wigram example is a Vildebeest. Virtually identical but different.

In terms of historic value to this country (New Zealand) the Vincent is far more valuable than a Mk. 21 Spitfire. The Vincent formed the backbone of New Zealand’s air defence as general reconnaissance patrol bombers hunting the German and Japanese Navy, and was also our advanced trainer (many kiwi Battle of Britain pilots trained on the DH Moth then the Vincent before heading to England and going onto Spitfires, Hurricanes and other similar types). I cannot think of a single New Zealander who flew the Mk. 21 Spitfire however. So I am glad that the RAF Museum didn’t get its hands on this piece of Kiwi history, although I feel sorry for Steve the he never got his Spitfire.

DaveF86, the RNZAF sometimes resprayed interiors of their aircraft after they began to wear, in NZ made approximations of British paints. Not sure if this is original paint or a wartime NZ respray colour.

Ohope – that is the Blackburn Baffin project.

One of my all time favourite restoration projects, and a real credit to the Subritzky family. It feels really big when you get up into that cockpit, eh Peter? What many won’t realise is a significant portion of this aeroplane was dug up after being buried for a couple of decades. So much of what you see is also totally original. Fantastic.

No “Zero” wreckage that I recall, but I believe this “Kate” is a new arrival from PNG with the ‘Swamp Ghost’ B-17.

Mark

The Kate arrived at Hawaii from New Zealand. It is under restoration in a joint effort by the Pearl Harbor museum and Pioneer Aero here in NZ. This Kate was “captured” by the RNZAF at Vunakanau Airfield, Rabaul, New Britain at the end of WWII. My good friend Bryan Cox escorted it in his Corsair as did other No. 16 Squadron RNZAF pilots when it was flown to the RNZAF Station at Jacquinot Bay. It was recovered some while ago by Australians and had been in New Zealand for a number of years before it went to Hawaii.