John P,

The RNZAF flew 63 Hinds from 1940-43 supplied for the EATS or BCATP scheme. They had two types, some were trainers with dual flying controls and these opoerated at Ohakea with s Service Flying Training School. The others were the gun-monuted variety seen in Phil’s photo posted by Mark12. These operated in the Army Co-operation role with No.s 6, 20 , 21, and 22 Sqns, though not all at once.

I believe Don Subritzy has several airframes, I heard six were recovered from crashes/dump sites by his team. Classic Wings says at least two are being rebuilt to fly. I am looking forward to this, I love the Hind.

If that is a ‘Demon’ style gun position, does this mean its non-standard? Would it have been done by Hawker during manufacturer? Or would it have been done later while in service by the RAF or RNZAF?

PK665 – a complaining spouse objected to it in the family garden and it was scrapped.

Hmmm, scrap your Spitfire or divorce complaining spouse – he made the wrong choice I think. 😀

As a side note regarding my flippancy about the usual urban myths, is there any single instance where this has been known to be the case. i.e. it really did happen? Or is it like the Holy Grail type thing where tails of buried treasure always exist but don’t necessarily have any basis in facts?

Yes. Crated Gipsy Moth engines were unearthed at former RNZAF Taieri, near Dunedin, NZ, in the early 1990’s I believe, and they also thought there were whole crated Tiger Moths buried but I don’t know if they found any evidence of this. I doubt the crated engines were in perfect condition though after 50 years underground. Does anyone else recall this? It was on the news at the time.

There’s a paddock full of buried Corsairs, Venturas, P40’s and even TBF’s down the road from me. They won’t let you dig them up though as it’s under the main runway at Hamilton International. Pity.

Although of course I know that the Holy Grail was indeed found. I remember seeing a documentary about it. There was this bloke with a fedora and a whip who’d had limited success at recovering holy artefacts and he had a hard time from other interested parties and I think he had some help from his dad and…

There is a new Indiana Jones film coming soon. I heard a rumour he’ll be going after the most prized and elusive treasure of all this time, those boxe buried Lancasters and sunken Sunderlands. 🙂
Indiana Jones and The Will It Be At Legends?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367882/

Interesting, the CW article gives the impression that it was still currently flying – rather than having been airworthy but out of commission.

I seem to recall that one of the static Freighters here in NZ had some parts swapped off it to keep another flying in Canada, so I assume it was for this one, C-GYQS. Or maybe the ex-Canadian one that crashed in the UK.

I think that the Canadian one was also the Freighter used in Disney’s ‘The Rescue’ from memory.

I recall several Safe Air Freighters used to sit idle, grounded, at RNZAF Base Woodbourne when I was based there in 1989. I think there were four of them. Some eventually went to museums but I’m pretty sure one was used as a fire training wreck on the back of base. I think I have some photos hidden away somewhere.

That Bristol link was interesting Laurie. So there are just 19 left, and some of them are merely cockpits. Interesting to see the Iraqi Air Force museum has one. I am not sure if there are still two at Ardmore – I seem to recall only seeing one last time I was there. It was very rotten looking and covered in moss. I think it is a huge hame how the Freighters have been treated there right in the midst of the NZ Warbird movement, they’re a disgrace. Yes they would be expensive to house, but surely the owners could give them a scrub now and again.

And I have never heard of ZK-EPA at Awhitu. For that matter I have never heard of Awhitu. Does anyone know if this is a complete airframe or just cockpit or components?

I have a documentary on the Freighter in NZ service, both civil and military. Apparently when the first one arrived in Vietnam with No. 41 Sqn RNZAF, an American serviceman was heard to remark, “Is that the plane or the box it came in?” I reckon that’s priceless.

Thanks Merlin. I like the Mk XIV’s colour scheme, it is very fetching in the silver.

But as for the Mk XIX, hmmm, not so pretty. Is that scheme genuine?